The "N o Workout" Workout

Written by E.J. Reeves

Consistency in training is the key to a better body. In the real world though, everything works against us in this regard. Here is a short list of things that cause us to miss workouts.

1) Over-training (sore muscles, lack of energy, sex drive and appetite are common symptoms of this condition)

2) Cold or flu

3) Busy schedule

4) Work demands

5) Family responsibilities

An ideal solution to the above demands is my no workout workout. This workout consists of 5 sets of 1 body weight exercise. The sets are done to muscle failure. A good rep range would be 8-12 reps for the first set. There is no warm up set and the 5 sets are spaced randomly through out the day.

On a day you cannot workout for 20 or 30 minutes without additional time for warm-up and a shower, try the no workout workout.


Below is a sample no workout day for me. I have included a chin-up day (works mainly back & biceps) as well as a dip day (works mainly chest and triceps)

Chin-ups

First set before breakfast and straight out of bed, 12 reps of wide grip chin-ups (20 seconds)

Second set after washing up and a cup of coffee, 11 reps of wide grip chin-ups (20 seconds)

Third set after breakfast and fully dressed, 10 reps (15 seconds)

Fourth and fifth set done at any time during the day I think of it and usually about 10 reps each.

Parallel Bar Dips

These sets are spaced during the day in the same manner as above. Set one consists of 5 to 8 reps performed at half the range of motion with another 8 or 10 at full range of motion. Each set consists of 15 to 20 reps. Usually the reps decrease twenty percent from previous one. Note do not go below parallel of your upper arm on any of these dips!

As you can see from the above protocol anyone can invest 2 minutes of your day into this workout.

Preserve your upper body gains by consistently stimulating your muscles week in and week out. A few sets of body weight exercises done to failure throughout the day can accomplish this. A stop and start philosophy to working out is the stuff injuries and no results are made of. This no workout workout has been used by me during the days it was difficult to even invest 30 minutes or the effort required to complete a regular workout. It has actually revitalized me on those days and proven to help with gains on subsequent full workout days.

Feedback

Hi E.J.,

You have a great site with matching products and articles. You have a great physique that I envy at age 18. I was wondering if you have any advice to gaining weight for someone whose underweight. And do you view bodyweight exercises as a better alternative to weight lifting. What's your opinion on the door gym chin up bar, because I have that model and the broad reach bar. And is using chairs for dips a safe alternative to a steady dip bar? I'd like to ask you more questions but I don't want to bombard you with questions. I'd appreciate any replies, thanks for your time.

-YoungMan Bluz

Hi,

Gaining quality muscle for anyone is difficult and requires patience as well as consistency, training, recuperation, and diet. If you have difficulty gaining any kind of weight this will be more difficult. I do not recommend gaining any kind of weight just to be heavy. As you get older you will gain weight particularly fat. The average 60 year old man is 1/3 fat. Having said that, gaining four or five pounds of muscle a year from consistent training is a realistic goal. Check out the FF Mag articles I have entitled SOS, strength or size. If you work out every week and increase some strength in a month or six weeks, switch to increasing some volume in the next six weeks. Body weight exercises are excellent, (chins, dips, push ups) if you can perform six to twelve reps per set as well as five to ten sets per work out. If you can not do this lifting light weights to help you get to this point will help. On the other hand if you can easily perform 15 or 20 reps per set you would need to add weights to your body by wearing a vest or hanging plates on it. Before I invented the dip bar I used to do dips by placing the backs of two chairs about twenty inches apart. This is very dangerous and I fell more than once but I still did it. A protein drink after an intensive forty five minute work out will help muscle growth. Eating a very small meal with some protein in it every three hours is also beneficial. Make sure you get at least eight hours sleep, I personally average 9 hours. Hope this helps.

-E.J.

Dear E.J.,

As a skinny kid who grew up idolizing the chiseled physiques of action movie star Steve Reeves and martial arts great Bruce Lee I had plenty of motivation when I first started working out. To this day, I continue to exercise and take an active role in maintaining good health. I am a 45 year old male, I stand 5"10" and weigh 200lbs. I found your website very interesting. I have a very busy schedule and cannot spend a lot of time in the gym. Would you be so kind as to share with me a workout routine that I could do at home using the Easy Chin/Easy Dip bar. My goal is to be in the kind of shape you are in by the time I am 50. You are my new role model E.J.!

-Ray

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the compliments, I am glad you enjoy our site. FF Mag and Ab Mag contain workout info and diet that I follow. Basically if you can do the fitness formula in FF Mag along with my Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde diet in Ab mag you are well on your way to a better body. By the way the chin and the dip bars are two separate bars. After reading all my articles and trying a few routines you can e-mail me on any specific problems that you may encounter and I will be glad to help. New article for January will be entitled the no workout, no workout. Workout every day for optimum results. Five minutes a day is better than thirty five minutes one day a week.

-E.J.

You can e-mail E.J. your questions or comments at info@easyeffort.com

Copyright © 2002 by E.J. Reeves All rights reserved.

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