Over the past ten days I have been doing 200 push-ups and 50 pull-ups every day, as well as 25 handstand push-ups three times a week. While it may seem odd to train the same muscles and movements day after day, understand that frequency and intensity have an inverse relationship, so the more intense a movement or exercise is, the less frequently it should be performed. I break my push-ups into eight sets of 25 reps; my pull-ups into five sets of five, three, and two reps; and my handstand push-ups into five sets of five reps. All of these rep ranges are well under a maximal effort for me, and I can often complete a set or two while my clients are getting water. The takeaway from this is that it is important for you to build up your tolerance for a particular movement or exercise if you are going to perform it every day. If your goal is to do 100 push-ups a day, but you can only do 30 consecutive push-ups right now, don't plan on doing five sets of 20 every day. It is too close to your maximum. Instead, shoot for ten sets of ten and, over time, work your way up to doing 20 reps every set. So, with all of that being said, here are some things you can do every day to improve your strength and fitness levels:
Body Weight Exercises
As I've said, I'm doing push-ups and pull-ups every day. I would not do explosive body weight exercises every day, however. Focus on movements you would do in a warm-up, since a warm-up is just a series of body weight exercises. Stick to the basics, too--push-ups, pull-ups, squats, inverted rows, dips. If you are doing this in addition to your regular training, don't go crazy with it. A few reps every day will add up quickly, and you will be seeing gains in both strength and size before you know it.
Grip Training
If you are like 97.83% of gym-goers, you don't ever train your grip; at least not directly. You'll train it through pulls, assuming you aren't using straps, and you may even perform a deadlift or two. I used to have add in a few grip training exercises at the end of my deadlift/back days, but quite often I found myself skipping them. Instead of blocking out a large chunk of your training time for grip training, throw in one set of one exercise to be performed every day at the end of your training session. Whether it is farmer walks, plate pinches, tennis ball squeezes, or whatever else you can think of, doing one set of one exercise will allow you to see great improvements in your grip strength. If you are a strongman or participate in activities where your grip is absolutely vital to your performance, one set of one exercise may not be enough, in which case you may want to block off more time to specifically train it.
Abs
Ahhhh yes, abs. I know, I know, everybody does abs every time they go to the gym, right? I mean, that's how you're going to get that six-pack or flat tummy to show, right? Ha. Okay, so remember what I said about frequency and intensity? If you are going to do abs every single day, limit yourself to two sets of one to two exercises. Your abs do recover relatively quicker than some other muscles, but that does not give you the g0-ahead to do abs after your workout on Monday, abs class on Tuesday, power yoga abs on Wednesday, super power Pilates abs on Thursday, and cardio kick-boxing abs on Friday. And yes, I said workout, not training, because I am making fun of you. And if you didn't get the joke, you are exactly who I am making fun of. **Just as a side note, you realize that by working your abs that often, you are actually making the muscle bigger and expanding your waistline, right? You understand you can't do a bunch of exercises for a muscle such that it gets smaller, or longer, right? (Sorry yoga and Pilates.) If you are training for performance, then it would make sense to increase the strength of those muscles. But, if you are training for aesthetic reasons, cut down your volume of daily abs training.
So, there are some things that you can do every day to improve your strength, physique, and well-being. Remember, if you increase frequency you must decrease intensity, but that doesn't mean you won't see improvement. The grip training and body weight exercises are done in addition to your regular training, so there is no reason to overdo these. And with the abs, remember what I said about thickening up those muscles and that waist line.
Charlie Cates, CSCS
Self Made®, Owner
Charlie Cates is a strength and conditioning specialist and the owner of Self Made® (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL. He has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP's. He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.
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