Category Archives: Movement

movement is life. Many of us don’t move enough and it’s killing us. Here you can find articles that motivate, inspire and teach movement.

Break from Bangkok = TRX workout on the beach!

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One of the great things about living in Thailand is the ability to easily escape to the beach for the weekend, something that I think should be done at least once every two months. However, it had been over a year since my last beach visit, which is criminal given how easy it is to get to paradise!

It’s amazing how being surrounded by nature and fresh air can help clear and refresh your mind. I always have positive thoughts and ideas on work and life when I’m at the beach or countryside, and with all the fresh fish and fruit around it’s pretty easy to compliment the break with a delicious paleo diet to truly revitalize the body and mind.

Don’t get me wrong – Bangkok is a fantastic, lively place to live, but sometimes you have to remove the smoke, concrete and distractions to fully think clearly.

So, on the beach and with my phone switched off for two days I decided to squeeze in a quick TRX bodyweight circuit on the beach. Here I work through a few basic upper body exercises that most people should be able to do – body position can be adjusted easily with the TRX to make an exercise harder or easier through all ability levels.

If you’re trying out this circuit I’d recommend doing 3-4 rounds with a minute’s rest between circuits – which should bring your workout to about 20-30 minutes overall.

Enjoy!

Bangkok bodyweight workout

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The truth is, you don’t need a gym membership and expensive, fancy equipment to be in great shape. Serious muscle, strength and fitness can be gained with nothing but yourself.

You’d be surprised how many people struggle to support and move their own body weight around effectively. By training with your own bodyweight you will find that you gain true functional fitness as well as improving your sporting performance.

Another great thing about training with your own bodyweight is that it can be done anywhere! If you’re on holiday, on a business trip or travelling you can still keep fit, healthy and strong with just some space and yourself.

Below is an example of an intermediate-level bodyweight circuit. To make it easier you can:

  • Decrease the amount of time or number of reps you perform
  • Increase the amount of rest time between exercises
  • Adjust your body position or the way the exercises are performed (detailed below)
  • Decrease the amount of different exercises done in the circuit (for example, 6 exercises rather than the full 10)

For a more advanced boyweight circuit you can:

  • Increase the amount of time or number of reps you perform
  • Decrease the amount of rest time between exercises
  • Adjust your body position or the way the exercises are performed (detailed below)
  • Increase the amount of different exercises done in the circuit

So here we go – a circuit of 10 different exercises, each performed non-stop for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between exercises. Once the circuit is done (all 10 exercises are complete), take a minute’s rest and the repeat the circuit 2 more times.

Station 1 – The Press-up

We’ll start with possibly the most well-know bodyweight exercise – the press up.

  • Easier: legs further apart, hands further apart, elevate hands on step or bench, knees on ground (box press up)
  • Harder: legs closer together or one in the air, elevate legs on step or bench, arms closer together, explode up and clap between reps
  • Remember: keep body straight – don’t sag or arch body, head in line with body, lower so chest is 4-6 inches from ground in downward phase

Station 2 – Lunges

We’ve worked the upper body, now a great bodyweight exercise for the lower body.

  • Easier: don’t lunge down as far, step up onto a raised level
  • Harder: go from the upwards phase of the lunge into a jump, and then change feet in mid-air
  • Remember: keep body straight on downwards phase, keep feet pointing forward

Station 3 – Bicycles

A great exercise that works your abs and obliques (muscles on the side of your torso)

  • Easier: sit ups or crunches
  • Harder: increase speed
  • Remember: keep elbows out to the side of your head and twist body

Station 4 – Step ups

I’m incorporating some CV work into your bodyweight workout with some step ups.

  • Easier: do one leg at a time, slow down movement
  • Harder: Jump up and down two feet at a time, speed up
  • Remember: keep head up, look straight ahead, neutral spine

Station 5 – Pull Ups

A hard exercise that is incredible for working your upper body. If you don’t like pull ups, persist until you can do them and you’ll receive great rewards.

Easier: chin ups with close grip; jump up to raised, top position and lower yourself slowly (called negatives); lie flat on the floor underneath a table, hold the table and pull your body up as far as is comfortable – easier than a pull up but still very effective;

Harder: stop for 3 seconds at the bottom, wider grip, one-armed, explode up into tricep push up (very advanced)

Remember: don’t be disheartened if you can’t do them, persist, try not to swing your legs for momentum

Station 6 – Bodyweight Squats

A fantastic compound exercise that primarily works the lower body. A little hard to master if you’ve never done them before but worth learning.

  • Easier: don’t go as deep
  • Harder: go deeper, explode into jump as you come up, can tuck legs when you jump
  • Remember: feet shoulder width apart, knees shouldn’t go in front of toes, weight through the heels not toes, don’t lean forward

Station 7 – Lower Back Extensions

We’ve already worked the abs on the front of the torso, so this exercise will work the lower back for balance

  • Easier: arms down by your side
  • Harder: arms straight out in front of you
  • Remember: perform slowly and in a controlled manner, avoid tipping head back

Station 8 – Burpees

The exercise that everyone hates. They’re hated because they’re hard, but they’re super effective for all-round fitness and toning.

  • Easier: half burpees – don’t stand up keeping hands on the floor and jump back and forth; mountain climber – keep hands on the floor with right leg bent and forward and left leg straight back, switch repeatedly (as if climbing)
  • Harder: add a press up at the bottom and/or a tuck jump at the top
  • Remember: keep good form, jump up straight, keep neutral spine

Station 9 – Tricep Dips

A good exercise to work the arms that can be done pretty much anywhere with a bench or raised level

  • Easier: Bring feet closer towards you
  • Harder: Move feet further away
  • Remember: keep elbows in, shoulders back, movement should just be in the arm, go down to about a 90 degree angle at the elbow

Station 10 – The Plank

isn’t just a ridiculous internet craze, it’s also a great way to firm up your core muscles. Get in position and hold for as long as you can.

  • Easier: Put your knees on the floor, spread feet apart
  • Harder: lift up one leg or arm off the ground, bring feet together
  • Remember: keep forearms on the floor, engage and tense your core throughout, keep body straight and head in alignment, don’t hold your breath

So you should do stations 1-10, have a minute’s rest and then repeat twice (3 times altogether). This should take about 30 minutes and if performed 3-4+ times a week it will keep you in good shape and your fitness levels up. Count the amount of reps you can do in the alloted time and record your results to see how much you’re improving and to give you a goal each time you do it.

This is a great all round body workout that can be done anywhere, even in a hotel room. However, if you have some equipment available you can vary the workout and make it harder. Here’s a few ideas:

  • Performing exercises on a swiss ball will make it harder and force you to use more muscles to stabilize and balance. For example, you can do a press up with your feet on a med ball or you can do the plank with your forearms on a swiss ball.
  • Hold dumbbells while performing squats, lunges or step ups to make the exercises harder.
  • Place a weight plate or medicine ball on your lap when performing tricep dips to make it harder.

As you can see, there are many ways to adjust body position, change technique or introduce weight to make these great bodyweight workouts harder or easier.

This is just one example of a good bodyweight circuit – there are hundreds of different exercises and variations, so don’t forget to push yourself hard and have fun!

Burpees - not a popular exercise, but very effective

Top 10 list of home workout kit

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Working out at home can be equally as effective as training at a gym

Working out at home is becoming an increasingly popular way to keep fit. Gym memberships can be expensive and often provide an uncomfortable or intimidating environment, especially during peak hours when they can be overcrowded.

Working out at home can be fun, time-efficient and equally as effective as going to a gym.

If you’re considering training at home you may not be sure of how to approach it. Home workouts require a little more effort in constructing your workout and getting motivated.

You may be wondering what home workout kit you’ll need. This can be difficult to decide as the fitness market is flooded with gadgets, supplements, ab machines and expensive kit, all claiming to be the ‘next big thing’ and the only way to lose weight or get an impressive physique.

With all these over-priced gadgets and gimmicks, knowing what to get for home workouts can be a minefield.

To help you out, I’ve compiled a top 10 list of home workout kit. Each piece of kit is ranked for effectiveness, cost and ease of use, each given a mark out of 10. I’ve also given a mark for how fun and travel-friendly they are, in case you want to take them on holiday or on a business trip.

Kettlebells

Kettlebells are awesome. They’re versatile and work your body in a way that traditional gym workouts can’t.

They’re pretty cost-effective at about 30USD (1,000THB) per kettlebell and they last forever. However, if you’ve never used kettlebells before or you’re not used to the type of ballistic movement they require then we’d advise getting some guidance from a professional and progressing slowly until you’re used to the moves. Don’t let this put you off though – Kettlebells are absolutely worth learning!

Kettlebells are pretty heavy though, so not easy to travel with unless you only use a light one.

Check out our Kettlebell article for more info and videos.

Effectiveness 10   Cost 7   Ease of use 3   Travel-friendly 2   Fun 8

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are another great piece of kit that are easy and fun to use and are super-light. Every muscle group can be worked with the bands by hanging or hooking them onto something sturdy or by standing on them. For example, standing on the resistance bands and lifting your arm straight out in front of you works your shoulders (see pic). Hook the bands around a tree or pole and pull the handles towards you for a ‘row’ back exercise.

You can stand on the bands or hook them around something to do a variety of exercises

Resistance can be changed by shortening the band length or using different tension bands which come in different colours.

Resistance bands are cheap, costing around 30-50USD (1,000 – 1,500THB) for a set. They can easily be thrown in a suitcase so you can keep active while away and they’re easy to get the hang of. However, if you’re used to using heavy weights these may not provide the intensity and level of workout you’re used to.

Effectiveness 7   Cost 9   Ease of use 8   Travel-friendly 9   Fun 7

Swiss Ball

Aka stability ball, balance ball or exercise ball. Swiss balls are essentially large inflated plastic balls. They can be used to make standard exercises harder, for example, if you perform a press up with your feet on a swiss ball, your body and core muscles will have to work harder to stabilize and stop your feet from falling off. There are thousands of exercises that can be done on this versatile piece of kit which we’ll look at more closely in a future article.

Dumbbell chest press on a swiss ball

They are a bit of a hassle to deflate and inflate, but could be packed up reasonably easily. Some people advocate sitting on a swiss ball when on a computer, the theory being that your core and abdominals will be engaged to ensure balance and correct posture.

Swiss balls are cheap and most department stores and sports shops in Bangkok and elsewhere should stock them.

Effectiveness 7   Cost 10   Ease of use 7   Travel-friendly 6   Fun 7

TRX

TRX are pretty new on the fitness scene and use a concept that’s simple, but very effective.

Marketed as ‘suspension training’, TRX is essentially a non-elastic band made of strong nylon webbing with two handles at each end of the band. The TRX can be hooked onto anything or onto a door support which leaves the handles suspended. By gripping the handles or hooking your feet into them a huge variety of exercises can be performed.

Workouts can be made easier or harder by adjusting body position and the height of TRX handles. By adjusting the way exercises are performed it can be suitable for light rehabilitation, hardcore workouts or anything in-between.

Row with suspended TRX to work the back and biceps

TRX is not cheap, but is very light and travels easily. Some beginners would probably need guidance from a trainer or DVD/manual, but once you’re used to it you can make your own exercises up.

A great piece of versatile kit, but pretty expensive with prices starting at about 180USD (6,000THB) for a basic set.

Currently they cannot be purchased in Thailand but some gyms in Bangkok, such as Total Body Fitness, have them in their studio.

Effectiveness 9   Cost 3   Ease of use 6   Travel-friendly 10   Fun 9

ViPR

If you tried a ViPR workout in your home you’d probably end up smashing the place to pieces, so it’s fair to say ViPR is more suitable for a garden workout.

ViPR stands for Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning and is essentially a hollow rubber tube with handles (see pic). It’s this shape that makes ViPR incredibly versatile for lifting, explosive exercises, ballistic movements and CV work.

Dynamic ViPR movements prepare you for sport

ViPR is hugely popular with everyone I know who’s tried it. They’re great for a beginner or someone who finds working out monotonous, and they are genuinely used by many sportsmen and athletes to improve functional fitness. But like TRX and kettlebells, a lot of people may not quite know what to do with it without some guidance.

Their size makes them not really suitable for taking on holiday and the cost is pretty steep, starting at about 140USD (4,000THB) for the lightest 4kg ViPR. However, If you can afford it and you have the room, they’re definitely worth it.

Effectiveness 10   Cost 3   Ease of use 5   Travel-friendly 1   Fun 10

Medicine Ball

They sometimes come with handles to facilitate certain movements

Medicine balls are football sized balls that weigh anything from 1kg – 15kg+ and can be used to make exercises harder. For example, you can hold a medicine ball whilst performing tab crunches, or you can twist your torso from side to side while holding the ball to work your obliques (side abdominal muscles).

They’re quite well-known for being used in boxing training with the medicine ball being thrown into the stomach by a training partner whilst doing ab work, forcing him to tense his stomach and to simulate taking a punch.

Medicine balls are a quality piece of kit, but if money is capped then you’re better off spending it on some of the other more versatile items.

Effectiveness 7   Cost 6   Ease of use 7   Travel-friendly 2   Fun 5

Dumbbells and barbells

The more traditional home workout accessories. Hundreds of exercises can be done with dumbbells and barbells but many people are bored of using them which has led to the huge explosion in popularity for more versatile and fun items such as TRX, kettlebells and ViPR.

You can pick these up in any sports or department store but their weight would make them difficult to travel with. Prices are dependant on quality.

Effectiveness 8   Cost 8   Ease of use 8   Travel-friendly 2   Fun 3

Aerobics Step

Aerobic Steps are simply steps that can be height adjusted. You’ll find them in any gym studio as they’re often used in circuits and aerobics. Many things can be done with step ups but they are essentially just a step, and its use can be largely mimicked with a park bench or a stair.

Effectiveness 7   Cost 7   Ease of use 8   Travel-friendly 2   Fun 4

Ab Roller

The ‘abs’ (abdominal muscles, six-pack) have more pieces of ‘revolutionary’ kit than any other body part. Most of them are horrendously overpriced and packaged with empty promises of a couple of minutes work for a washboard stomach. In summary, a waste of time and money.

One superb product which targets the abs and is cheap, highly effective and can be stored under your bed is the Ab Roller (also known as an Ab Wheel).

The ab wheel provides a great core workout

Consisting of a wheel with two handles, the ab roller is used by kneeling on the floor, taking grip of the two handles and then the wheel rolling back and forth, using the core muscles to power the movement.

It is quite hard to begin with, and you must ensure you are tensing, engaging and using your abs to power the movement, as otherwise it can put pressure on your lower back. Start with a small range of movement and when you’re comfortable increase the range to make it harder.

They start at about 12USD and can be taken apart easily. The Ab Roller is my favourite piece of kit for working your abs.

Effectiveness 8   Cost 8   Ease of use 6   Travel-friendly 8   Fun 7

You!

A great and effective workout doesn’t need anything other than yourself. There’s a lot you just using your bodyweight, such as the squat thrust pictured below. The things we’ve mentioned in this article just help make things more interesting and test your body in different ways. We’ll have a look at a workout you can do using just your own bodyweight soon.

Home Workout Kit

There’s a whole host of ideas here that can make training at home much more interesting and varied. Have fun, and let us know how you get on!

Swiss ball and medicine ball combined