Stacking Bricks

My fave 20 minute workouts

Not all bricks are the same size

When you’re building there are different pieces to fit different needs.

In training, each workout stands as a brick creating a larger structure, coming to life over months and years in improved fitness, skill, belief, and performance.

But for those on the outside of the construction zone, looking to get back into the consistent building process, all bricks look the same. And they are GIANT.

If each workout isn’t maxed out, either in time or all out effort, it feels like you’re not making enough progress fast enough to make up for all the time lost. You see the other buildings, people who’ve been doing it for years, see their capacity and performance, and try to play catch up.

You’re not able to carry those big bricks yet, they fall on top of you, crushing your spirit and resolve to keep going, and you abandon the project like a failed real estate development deal.

What if you simply carried the right size of brick instead? How would that impact how you built, how you felt about each accomplishment stacking together, and your determination to keep constructing?

A new frame on ‘exercise’

I remember a conversation I had with a coaching client in one of our first calls that addressed this very aspect.

This guy was looking to get back into consistent fitness and asked me point blank: “What do you consider an effective ‘exercise session?’”

It’s a great question that isn’t so simple to answer. Most want a quantitative answer, there’s a time requirement or calories burned threshold. Maybe it’s what’s on the training plan and keeping to that structure only.

My answer surprised him in it’s striking qualitative quality: “I count any effort that transports me out of the ordinary world and into a hyper present struggle against my body through the feeling of pain and overcoming it.”

Whoa! Not what most expect as a ‘definition.’

Here’s my rationale. Exercise is a representation of the ‘conquering’ instinct. To bring the best of ourselves to a challenge, struggle righteously against the adversity, and through our honest effort and sacrifice we rise about and break through.

All I need is to feel that moment intimately, touch it intentionally, and then I can fade back into the ordinary world with my temporal victory.

In practice, that might only be 1 set of a larger workout that only last 30 seconds where I actively experience that feeling.

However, I’ve found that in order to fully strip away the ordinary world and find this space, you need at least 20 minutes in order to get there for even a momentary touch.

These 20 minute sessions push me forward in so many ways. They keep inertia on my side. They give me a chance to work on complimentary skills to the main activity I love doing (for me that’s trail running). They keep me on the path of conquering.

Most importantly, they provide the small bricks that help the larger building take shape. If all my efforts were long, hard, super intense, I’d burn myself out mentally, injure myself physically, and ultimately deject myself spiritually.

Instead of disrespecting short workouts, learn to appreciate them for what they are; important cornerstones in the overall construction of the whole.

Your turn to MOVE

Here are 3 of my favorite 20 minute workouts that I’ve gone to consistently over the past 10 years of consistent exercise.

They require no or minimal equipment, can be done virtually anywhere, and provide enough intensity to transport you into that ‘moment of present pain and overcoming’ that counts as the exercise.

Old Faithful (Bodyweight)

This is the one I can go to no matter what. You just need your body and a small space of floor.

30 air squats / 25 pushups / 15 fronts lunges (each leg) / 25 pushups / 15 reverse lunges (each leg)

Repeat this set 3 times

Not easy AT ALL. Works the whole body. Over in 20 minutes. You will sweat.

Fast and Fun (Jump Rope Tabata)

You just need any jump rope, a small space to jump, and a timer.

A Tabata workout is a 5 set rotation of 8 exercises done at high intensity for 20 second with 10 seconds rest between.

I enjoy doing 8 different step variations and repeating that progression 5 times. But you can stick to regular bounce for each of the 40 total 20 second reps.

Some of my favorite step variations: Heel Kicks, Mummy Kicks, 2-Step, X-Crosses, Boxer Skip, Skiers, Butt Kickers, High Knees, A-Skips

Carry the Load (Kettlebell/Dumbbell)

I like using my steel mace and clubs but you just need any type of dumbbell or kettlebell and a decent space to walk back and forth.

Pick up two dumbbells, one kettle bell, or similar type of weight and start walking back and forth. Move the weights around, hold them farmer style, suitcase style, overhead, across your body, behind you, doesn’t matter. Just keep switching the load around and keep walking forward.

To add some variation, think walking lunges, forward and backward, adding in rotation and arm movements, even walking backwards. Make it fun. Just keep going.

Have fun using these 3 workout templates, adjust according to your interest and what works best for your body and schedule.

Any never settle for anything less that getting in your 20 minutes when you can.

It’s far better to put up something that to settle for nothing.

Small bricks can build something incredible over time if you stick with it.

These 20 minute workouts prove it over the long haul.

Happy Training Team!