Some Office Space Strength Training…
by: Brandon Richey
Some Office Space Strength Training…
Let’s face it, there’s no more important deed than making sure those TPS reports are delivered on time at Lumbergh’s request. By the way, if you have never seen the movie Office Space you are missing out on one of the greatest comedies ever made. Plus seeing it will also help to make sense of that last line I delivered as well. I mean it was a one of those movies that could instantly be labeled a classic, at least in my book.
Office Space Strength Training?
So in honor of a little Offiice Space and due to some regular requests today I wanted to address a common problem that a lot of folks experience in this new era of sitting jobs today. You see the thing is that the act of sitting is like the new smoking. There’s no real secret that hours upon hours, day after day, and week after week of keeping the body posed in a flexed seated position just flat out causes problems for many of us physically.
In addition to this a long day of work sitting at a desk combined with a challenging commute to and from work everyday can tend to inhibit many from getting ample time in at the weight room. Let’s face it, this can be as discouraging as Lumbergh probing you about why you failed to get out those TPS reports, and sending you a copy of a memo that you already have in your possession.
Ummm yeah…Nobody wants to put up with that! The point is that we don’t want to allow the sitting to diminish our health. Essentially you have to deal with 2 elements. You have to make sure you are working on some level of mobility and strength. If you happen to have a job that demands your time sitting at a desk or inside a cubicle then you have to work on stretching, moving, and finding a way to build some level of strength even if you have to while you’re working.
Wait a minute, did I just say to even do so why you are working? How is this possible? A healthy dose of isometrics, dynamic tension, and utilizing your body’s resistance against itself is a more powerful option than you might think my friend. Let me clarify a bit further here.
You see I didn’t even come across like Lumbergh. At least I hope not. The point is that just because you are confined to a desk job it doesn’t mean that you have to neglect the strength element of keeping your body sharp.
Adopt The Greasing The Groove Approach…
In addition to this you can also adopt a training approach I read about several years ago in the book Power To The People (written by Pavel). This is a training approach that essentially involves you selecting an exercise to perform several times throughout the day for several days a week.
In addition to GTG check out the other cool information provided here
GTG involves practicing the exercise of choice with a number of submax reps in order to progressively achieve volume over the course of a few weeks. GTG can be applied to most anything from pull ups, push ups, to kettle bell swings. If you are stuck in an office throughout the day with limited time then you can apply GTG to your morning, lunch, and evening schedule by practicing a particular exercise or couple of exercises to improve your strength and endurance.
Get more on that kettle bell swing right here
For instance, I practiced the GTG to improve my one arm push ups a few years back. I would get up in the morning and loosen up the joints to perform a couple of one arm push ups on each side. I would practice this frequently throughout the day about 4 days a week for about 3 weeks. At the end of the 3 weeks I could perform as many as 10 one arm push ups on each side with relative ease. While implementing GTG I would gradually increase the submax number from practicing 2 on each arm to practicing 3 reps, and then 4 reps over time.
As you can see this system would add a tremendous amount of volume over time without the sacrifice of eating up a lot of time. This is the value of GTG. It’s great for mastering a certain drill and it really doesn’t require a great deal of time for the most part.
Now having said this you want to remember a very important detail when practicing GTG. If you are going to implement this then you MUST be consistent with your practice. If you waiver off or forget to execute one of your morning, mid-day, or evening practice sessions with your selected exercise you may not obtain the full benefit of GTG. If you follow the protocol then I promise you’ll experience a tremendous improvement in your performance.
Adopt the GTG for your office space strength training as well. If you can utilize the floor space inside of your office to practice your push ups. If you have even more freedom in your job situation then perhaps you can install a portable pull up bar in the doorway of your office. You see the point is that you can be creative. Just because your circumstances aren’t ideal such as having access to a fully stocked strength and conditioning facility it doesn’t mean that you have to neglect the production of strength.
Anchor this in your doorway to help you with some pull up power!
Now you see this is one memo that I know you received courtesy of ME, not Lumbergh. 🙂 I hope you enjoyed today’s post and if so then please make sure you drop your comments or questions in the box below this article. In addition to that if you are looking for additional methods of getting fit and building on your strength in more unconventional ways then make sure you get yourself a copy of my Brandon Richey’s Unconventional Conventional Method Of Strength ebook right here.
Remember that most anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart my friend. Start your smart training here today!
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Strength Tip Of The Day…Move And Train Your Body In Patterns
Some Office Space Strength Training…
