Micro Dosing Fitness -How a radically different approach to fitness put me in the best shape of my life

I don't know a single person who went through the first Covid lockdown and didn't come out different on the other side. The ironic thing about being a fitness instructor in the fitness industry is that even I struggled to keep myself motivated to workout. Like so many people have told me in the days since our first re-opening, "it just isn't the same" when you're not in a room full of people, sweating it out in mass, grunting together, hurting together and vibing to the same music that's vibrating every molecule in your body.

Despite my years of training in gyms, all that I had achieved, I just didn't have that zest in me to get going. It all seemed so pointless to me. Couple this with a head full of stress, a son who wouldn't sleep and a serious concern about the safety and future of my family; working out literally seemed like such a ridiculous thing to be concerned about.

On the other hand, I did know and understand that I had spent the last 20 years building my body, getting my shape in what I then thought was the best shape of my life, and I knew that I didn't want to let it all go. I knew that as my son got older, I wanted his old man to still be the strongest man in the world in his eyes, as my father was to me. I wasn't ready to just let it all go; and so I decided to really dive into a way of "exercising" that really doesn't feel like exercise at all, but has without a doubt gotten me into the best shape of my life without destroying my body or even taking a lot of time. Enter what the staff here at Blended have dubbed "Micro-Dosing".

No, I'm not talking about cannabis or magic mushrooms; we can save that topic for another thread. I'm talking about doing small bouts of exercise spread throughout the day. I know that you're probably thinking that it just can't work, but let me tell you why it does.

First, the thing we think of as a workout is a man-made concept. When we workout, we put on our superhero costumes, parade into our squares, grab weights, go through a series of movements within a very short window, call it a day and then go back to life. We have tricked ourselves into thinking that the only way that movement can benefit us is if it's all stacked one on top of another in such a way as to leave us sweating and curling into the fetal position. We tend to ignore the fact that it's not the "workout" that provides the signal for our bodies to adapt, but the stimulus we give to our bodies and how often that stimulus is given. Consistency is the key.

If we look at my own personal template as an example; you will find that my x4 days a week routine looks something like the following. Before the end of my workdays, I will typically have completed the following, 100 Russian Kettlebell Swings, 50-100 Goblet Squats with the same kettlebell, 50 push ups, 50 pull ups. Multiply this by 4, and by the end of each week I've done 400 KB Swings, 200-400 Goblet Squats and 200 Push Ups and Pull Ups. That's a lot of volume, and it's all strict work. The results have been amazing for someone like me who's been in this game for quite some time. Not only have I put on muscle in my entire body, but I no longer suffer from any of the joint pain I used to have from my strenuous workouts. I no longer feel depleted at the end of my day, and my cardio has improved (credit Nasal Breathing- but we'll talk about that later).

See, I'm a busy guy. With 4 am wake up calls 3 days out of the week, 8 hour shifts, then parenting until 8 pm most nights after work, I'm left with little to no time for myself. Actually, that's a lie. I have plenty of time to myself, but only in 5 to 10 minute increments spread throughout my day. This is why Micro-Dosing works so well. Regardless of how busy you are during the day, you will always, and I do mean always have lulls in your day. Instead of scrolling through social media or watching cat videos, why not take that time and bang out some push ups? Why not use that time wisely, instead of wasting it on low-value entertainment?

If you have goals in mind, but lack the time or will power to do hour long workouts, combined with showering and commutes, Micro-Dosing may be just what you need.