Why you should stop overcomplicating your workouts, practicing groundedness, and push ups

Happy Monday,

In my experience, most people tend to overcomplicate fitness.

They think they should be doing something new and different all the time. They’re always looking for the next best exercise or fitness fad that will finally get them in shape.

These same people often go through spurts where they exercise a ton when starting something new, but lose interest and maybe even quit after the novelty wears off. Unsurprisingly, this yo-yo form of exercise isn’t sustainable in the long run.

Fitness doesn’t need to be so complicated. Stick to some variation of the basics, like…

  • Squats
  • Push-ups
  • Pull-ups
  • Lunges
  • Core work
  • Sprints/intervals
  • Flexibility/mobility
  • Walks

And you’ll be good.

And remember that ultimately, the best form of fitness is the one that you’ll do — not just today, but day after day, and year after year.

What I’m reading —

Don’t Run From Adversity — Harness It to Grow Stronger / George S. Everly / Psychology Today

Don’t run from crises — embrace them and use them as a way to grow stronger. As Everly writes:

“As a muscle grows stronger with resistance, so can your resilience.”

What I’m listening to —

The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds–Not Crushes–Your Soul by Brad Stulberg

I’ve always seen pretty eye to eye with Brad Stulberg, author of Peak Performance. His new book is all about achieving long-term success without burning out along the way.

Stulberg defines groundedness as a practice that values presence over rote productivity, accepts that progress is nonlinear, and prioritizes long-term values and fulfillment over short-term gain.

Sounds pretty good to me.

A quote that inspires me —

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

What I’m training —

Push ups.

I recently posted some of my favorite push up variations on Instagram. Try them out and let me know which is your favorite.

Three new workouts —

Sandbag Strength + Power Workout (12 minute, sandbag or dumbbells)

Legs + Cardio Bodyweight  Challenge Workout (Time challenge, equipment-free)

Outdoor Sprint Bodyweight Workout (Time challenge, equipment-free)

Remember, you can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete (this is WAY cheaper than joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer! In addition, you’ll be helping to support the site and making future features to the app possible.).

As always, I value your feedback, so please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!

Happy training,

– Krista

 




















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