Training without a gym and having minimal equipment takes a lot of creativity. The last couple weeks I have been jumping back into training post injury and post surgery. This means I am doing backyard workouts and playground workouts a lot. It also means I am researching how to use my limited equipment. If I had actual goals with my training this might be a problem. I just want to get stronger and rehab right now, there are a million ways for me to get that goal accomplished. So all these weird workouts are actually a blessing to me.

They are a blessing because they are forcing me to get smarter and more creative about my training. I have to think in ways I didn’t have to before. This thinking and experimentation will lead to me learning things I would have never learned in ideal situations. This will make me a formidable trainer and coach to others. I will know more exercises. I will also know better how to use limited training resources. I know by the end of this pandemic that I will be good at using bands. Bands will just be another tool, and a good coach can never have too many of those. Beyond learning new tricks to do minimal training, I think I might even become better at some things.

Pullups are easy to do on all sorts of playground equipment, trees, and other places. I have never been good at them though. This is the time to get good at them. The same goes for pushups, single leg squats, and lunges. I feel like if I become very good at these things then I will have a base to be even more awesome at the things I care about like squats when the time comes. That is how I view this time we live in.

Every layoff, every hurdle, every bit of a chaos is a chance to grow.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome. Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

I thought this was a fun looking calf exercise. Seems like it could be easy to implement at home with just dumbbells or at a gym. A good option for quarantine training. https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-the-best-weird-calf-exercise

A really good discussion on using dynamic lifting in your training. https://www.elitefts.com/education/dynamic-training-should-you-be-doing-it/

Tips to get strong enough to get your first pullup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0MYDVU6qoA

Zercher Good Morning Binge

Training from home means getting creative. One way I am trying to get creative is by adding in some Zercher Good Mornings. I have never done them, but have heard of them. I went on a little research binge this week and this is what I have found.

Benefits.

Hits the core rather hard. This is awesome because I don’t have equipment for that.
Stresses the upper back. Again limited equipment for me.
Easy to do without a rack out in the yard.
Hits the posterior chain, which is always good.
More variations means less boredom right now with this at home workout thing.

Technique vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wylCK7JZPQ4

Some technique tips: https://tonygentilcore.com/2012/04/exercises-you-should-be-doing-zercher-goodmornings/

Another nice demo video and some tips. https://ericasuter.com/exercise-for-confidence-zercher-good-morning/

Zercher all the lifts! This is a pretty cool article on different variations of zercher lifts. For example doing Zercher shrugs gives me another trap variation to play with other than barbell shrugs. The shrugs look like a lot of fun to try. The Zercher carries look fun too, something that is really good for messing around in the yard. https://thibarmy.com/i-zercher-everything/

You can also apparently use a band for a band only Zercher good morning if that’s what you got to work with. How you set the band up is going to take a little creativity. https://fightcampconditioning.com/strength-bjj-banded-zercher-good-morning/