Sustainable Exercises to Keep You Fit

Each generation builds on the next, and when it comes to fitness, the current generation is undeniably being on the lookout for ways to be fitter, stronger, and faster. Amongst millennials, fitness is also a way of relating to others, connecting with the community, and creating a sense of belonging. For instance, some people belong to the yoga community, while others belong to the CrossFit or HIIT communities. These days, it's about “who is my crowd." If a group is my crowd and I can associate myself with them, then I'll attend classes with them.

However, this social tendency has also resulted in a toxic culture of comparison. Combine this with social media tools that further encourage these comparisons, many people end up pushing themselves beyond their limits and injure themselves. To aggravate this even further, some injuries are then even seen as a badge of honour, because it makes the injured individual seem very fit and fearless. However, when the honour fades, reality sets in: injuries simply restrict movement and reduce your quality of life.

Trying to sustain an unsustainable lifestyle causes a lot of harm; not only physically (injuries), but also mentally (thoughts of “I’m not good enough" and “I should be able to do this”) and emotionally (feelings of guilt and shame that I’m not doing what I promised).

There are two main outcomes if you are constantly “hitting the gym hard” and trying to sustain your peak level over a prolonged time - either you get bored of it, or you burn out. Either way, your ability to sustain the active lifestyle you desire is compromised.

Between 2010 and 2014, as a competitive figure athlete, I trained for two hours a day, 6 days a week. I would spend an hour on weight training, followed by an hour of cardio. It was too intense and I was burning out. I was constantly triggered by my emotions, reacting to and snapping at people. My body was over-stressed and so my mind wasn’t clear and my feelings were a blur.

In addition to my training regimen, my diet was very strict because I needed to reduce my body fat. Given the training intensity, the food I was eating was too low in nutritional value. I was running on adrenaline rather than the nutrients in my food. I got all my adrenaline from competing, looking fit and being better than others at lifting weights. Yet if you asked me to sprint at that time, I wouldn’t be able to. The truth was, even though my body looked fit and was performing very well at lifting weights, I was actually in a very bad state. My energy levels were low, my body was in survival mode and it wasn’t responding well to life.

Today, I still want to look good but it isn’t my primary focus. I have stopped trying to puff up my muscles and instead, I focus on becoming fitter and leading a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle. Obsessing over achieving the perfect butt or six-pack is not going to give you the long-term self-confidence, peace of mind and performance you desire. Believe me, I tried it. It doesn’t work and you end up further away from your goal than when you started.

Instead of constant, intense and unsustainable performance, focus instead on both high and low energy expenditure days, and discover how to switch on and switch off. If you want to focus on the aesthetic aspect of working out, then do it for short, sharp bursts of 3 months. Beyond that duration, let go of the focus on looks and focus on an objective of being more active and performing better. Life might be a marathon, but it is best ran as a series of sprints.

There are many simple daily habits you could be doing to keep your body healthy and keep your spirits up. A great way to build in good physical habits would be to do “The Five Dynamic Energetics Workout” which helps to shift your energy, boost your mood and fully engage your entire body. This quick activity is especially useful because of our short attention spans today. This workout helps us to be agile, present and grounded throughout the day.

I have combined the five dynamic energetics of physical movement (stability, flexibility, strength, power and restoration) into a program called the “Dynamic Shift”. The movements involve ways of shifting your energy such that you can create specific valuable experiences in the world, for yourself and for others. Stay on your purpose and be conscious of how you move your body. This program includes 10 movements that you can do in 10 minutes. You don’t need any equipment, just your bodyweight.

The aim is to prepare your body from the first movement. First, we’ll start with the flexibility exercises to increase our range of motion. We’ll then move to doing some stability exercises where we focus on holding certain positions and maintaining control. Next, we move on to strength exercises which are about creating push and pull forces. Following that, we’ll do some power exercises, where we focus on creating and generating quick impact to bring our heart rate up. Finally, we’ll end with restoration exercises to relax our bodies and wind down.

The Dynamic Shift workout flow:

1. Flexibility: a. Side-Lying Shoulder Sweep b. Spinal Curve
2. Stability: a. Plank b. Overhead Squat
3. Strength: a. Push-ups b. Bent Over Row
4. Power: a. Squat Jump b. Quick feet with Hip Switch.
5. Restoration: a. Child’s Pose b. Deep Breathing

Flexibility

The purpose of flexibility exercises is to increase your range of motion and build your capacity to move with ease. Flexibility training prepares the body to move well and with greater intensity.

a. Side-Lying Shoulder Sweep

Lie down on one side with arms outstretched in front of you. You can use a pillow to support your neck. Extend the bottom knee, and bend the top knee at 90 degrees, let the top knee rest on a pillow to prevent strain on your lower back. Reach out with your top arm and move it away from the body. Gently begin sweeping the arm overhead. At the top of the motion, allow your hand to flip over and continue with the sweeping motion until the arm reaches your side. Reverse the motion until you are back at the starting position. Let your other hand maintain contact with the ground during the entire motion. Repeat this motion 5 times for each side.

Pay attention to your breathing especially when you feel restricted as you move your arm. When you feel restricted, breathe out. Breathing facilitates your movement.

b. Spinal Curve

Kneel on all fours, aligning your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Breathe in and slowly arch your back, dropping your belly towards the floor, raising your head, chest and tailbone up. Hold for two counts. Breathe out and slowly round your back, pulling your belly inwards, dropping your head down, and tucking in your tailbone. Hold for two counts. Repeat this motion 5 times.

Avoid overusing your lower back muscles. Let the gravity do most of the work.

Stability

Core stability is an excellent way to promote the mobility and strength of your entire body in a variety of essential positions and movements. As with all conscious movement, practicing core stability with proper form requires rigorous attention.

a. Plank

Start on the floor on your elbows and knees. Position your elbows directly under shoulders. From side point of view, your forearms form a 90-degree angle. Lift your knees off the ground, keep your back flat and parallel to the ground. Squeeze your glutes and quads to maintain a straight line from your heels through the top of your head. Keep your head in neutral position, gaze slightly in front of your face. To make it easier, keep your knees on the floor. To advance, you can add in a rotation by lifting one arm to the ceiling, twisting through your entire torso, and returning to original position.

Hold this position for 30 seconds, and then rest for 30 seconds before you perform the next movement. It is better to hold plank for 30 seconds and focusing on maintaining good form rather than to hold a lousy plank for 3 minutes.

a. Overhead Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees pointed straight ahead. Raise your arms overhead with straight elbows, palms facing each other. Shift your weight to the back part of your feet, move your hips back and lower your body as if you are about to sit on a chair. Keep going until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your chest open, keep your core engaged, while keeping your arms straight by the side of your ears. Hold for two counts at the bottom, then return to starting position. Repeat this motion 5 times.

As you squat, keep your kneecaps in line with your middle toes. Do your best to not let them move excessively forward such that your heels come off the ground, as this places unnecessary stress on the knees. This is a challenging exercise. If you need to make it easier, you can do it with your arms extended in front of your chest.

Strength

The purpose of strength exercises is to build your capacity to keep going forward in the face of resistance and adapt to new demands or external forces.

a. Push-ups

Place your palms on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. The wider apart your feet, the more stable you will be for your push-up. Keep your body in a straight line, from the heels to the top of your head. Bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle or smaller. Hold for a second at the bottom, extend your arms to push yourself up from the ground to starting position. Think of pushing the ground down and away from your body using the strength of your arms, chest and core stability. Repeat this motion 5-10 times, depending on your fitness level.

A single push-up done in a good form is better than 10 push-ups done in a lousy form. Think of a long-term fitness lifestyle! To make it easier, begin by having your knees on the ground.

b. Bent Over Row

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend over from your hip by about 45 degrees, keeping your knees soft (not bending too much), while keeping your hips high. Engage your back muscles, spine in neutral and place your hands by your side. Clench your fists, drive your elbow upwards, crossing your body lines. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold for two seconds and return to starting position. Imagine that you carry weights in your hands. Repeat this motion 5-10 times, depending on your fitness level.

Keep practicing your hip-hinge movement pattern. Most beginners perform this exercise with poor form, they bend too much at the knees and round their back. Focus on pushing your buttocks back, keeping your shoulder blades in toward your spine, and keeping your chest open.

Power

Power is about the capacity to generate impact in the presence of a challenge. The approach in power exercises is not “the more the merrier” or “the longer the better”; instead we are looking at how to create impactful movement in a limited time, as well as how to turn challenge into excitement.

a. Squat Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees pointing straight ahead. Lower your body in a squat position, keeping the arms to the sides. Push your feet against the ground and launch the entire body upward, lift your hands to the ceiling. Land as quietly as possible, returning your arms to the sides and your body into squat position again. Hold for two seconds and reset your posture before you jump again. This is a challenging exercise. An optional exercise would be to perform body weight squats as fast as you can, using good form, for 30 seconds. Repeat this motion 5 times.

When you jump, do it powerfully. When you land, do it quietly, like a ninja.

b. Quick Feet with Hip Switch

The next power exercise is the “Quick Feet with Hip Switch”. It is often used as a drill in football. To do this exercise, start by standing with your feet hip width apart, and then start pushing from the balls of your feet while running quickly on the spot. After 5 seconds, turn your feet and hips to face the left side and return your hips and feet back to the front immediately. Then start running on the spot for another 5 seconds and do the same for your right side. Continue this for 20 seconds and rest for 20 seconds. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times.

Channel your inner footballer!

Restoration

The purpose of restoration is to expand our capacity to recover in the presence of completion. In the physical state, restoration is a process of recovery, a movement or return to a particular state, in preparation for the next movement. Developing a restoration practice in the physical state builds the capacity to recover in the mental state, and the capacity to create an experience of calmness in the emotional state.

a. Child’s Pose

Start by kneeling down, sit back on your heels, knees slightly apart. Walk your fingers forward, bow forward, allow your arms and forehead to rest on the mat. Gently breathe in and as you breathe out, walk your fingers forward a little bit more to increase the stretch in your back. As best as you can, keep your hips down and close your heels. You can then sit up for a while and end with seated deep breathing (belly breathing). Stay in this pose for 5 deep breaths.

b. Deep Breathing

Sit comfortably, place one hand on your upper chest, and one hand on your belly, right above the navel. Breathe in slowly through your nose, feel your belly rise. Breathe out through slightly pursed lips and let your belly relax. As you breathe in and out, if you feel too much movement on your chest, slow down your breath and let the hand on your chest help it to remain still. Have 5 slow deep breaths.

This “Dynamic Shift” workout is the perfect morning ritual that works your whole body. It’s especially good when you’re travelling or don’t have access to a gym. If you want to push your body a little further, you can repeat the entire set twice more. These simple and yet holistic exercises get your body moving and fully engaged in a short period of time. As you begin to do these movements consistently, you will notice not just physical benefits, but mental and emotional benefits too.

Consistency is key. An unsustainable, hardcore workout once a month is more likely to cause problems than solve them. Build the habit of completing this 10-minute workout daily. You can look at more exercises in the free Nike Training Club (NTC) App when you want to start having more variety in your routine.

1. Move Well

To create a sustainable and healthy fitness lifestyle change, here is a proven “FIT TO LEAD” mantra: start now, start small. We can improve performance with simple movements. Get up from your chair every 20 minutes and do five squats, do a little stretch or walk for five minutes.

2. Eat Well

A simple (and yet effective) practice to take your performance to a new level is to slow down your eating pace. In today’s busy world, people are often rushing. If you rush your meals, your digestion suffers and you overeat. When you eat slowly, you digest better and eat the amount your body really needs. Top performers eat to perform and eat mindfully. Better digestion means better performance.

3. Rest Well

Our productive day actually starts the night before. Our sleeping quality impacts our performance the next day. When we recover, we will perform better. Get a good quality of sleep at night, and when necessary, take a power nap of 10 to 20 minutes during the day. Alternatively, take a break from everything and simply focused on your breathing for 1 minute: a great way of centring yourself in the middle of a busy day.