guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
Do you mean they don't have the core strength or the upper body strength? I would use a smith machine and adjust the bar height to really easy to start and focus on the moving plank.
Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
Do you mean they don't have the core strength or the upper body strength? I would use a smith machine and adjust the bar height to really easy to start and focus on the moving plank.
I find it varies - lack of upper body strength and/or lack of proprioceptive awareness/how to move their body are usually the two biggies that often appear in conjunction.
What you're talking about with the smith machine is a great way to regress/progress pushups and inverted rows - quick and easy to set up, easy to find the same spot or the next spot.
3letterslong
Level 6 Valued Member
I would try to do the 9 Minute Challenge with her. If she's interested in more strength work, then give her a choice of exercises and let her choose 3-5 that she would like to get stronger in. The most important thing is that she enjoys it.
Maybe also check out Tim Anderson's Habitual Strength book. A little bit every day adds up to a lot of strength.
Maybe also check out Tim Anderson's Habitual Strength book. A little bit every day adds up to a lot of strength.
solarbear
Level 5 Valued Member
I had my daughter doing Easy Strength and it was working.
Trap Bar Deadlift was the corner stone, Goblet Squats, Swings, Barbell Press, Carries. I guess I was counting TBDL as the pull since I had another hinge. Goal was always be done in 20 min if possible.
In all honesty, a Press, Squat and Hinge would be more than enough. Just get her in the habit of devoting 15 or so min to to health. DB clean and press, Goblet Squat and the DL would be great choices.
Iron Cardio would also be a good choice.
Trap Bar Deadlift was the corner stone, Goblet Squats, Swings, Barbell Press, Carries. I guess I was counting TBDL as the pull since I had another hinge. Goal was always be done in 20 min if possible.
In all honesty, a Press, Squat and Hinge would be more than enough. Just get her in the habit of devoting 15 or so min to to health. DB clean and press, Goblet Squat and the DL would be great choices.
Iron Cardio would also be a good choice.
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babyhauler
Level 1 Valued Member
done already if you read my post, sorry it's too long. But the point is, how to encourage kids to WANT something different than screentime, for example fitness. If kids WANT fitness and other great experiences, they won't need me to provide black and white rules, or regulate their screen consumption. My complaint is that the human desire for screen time is astonishingly strong. Any ideas in addition to changing the environment and providing black and white rules?
TimothyGander
Level 5 Valued Member
From my experience of coaching my previously sedentary, unathletic, chronically ill wife I think you should begin with classic Pavel minimalism, that is, a program of just a big pull and a press. If you want her to stick to training long term, she needs to experience a series of "wins" - hard enough to be enjoyable, yet easy enough to be achievable. Failure conditions learned helplessness, which in turn will usually cause a person to abandon a given activity.
For the hinge part of the program, I would go with classic SF approach of learning the kettlebell deadlift and then transitioning to the swing. Start with a very light weight. Pay attention to the perfect back position - if she cannot reach the kettlebell's handle without losing spinal extension, you need to elevate the weight. This article by Steve Freides should give you some ideas. I suggest deadlifting three times a week, in 5-10 sets of 5 reps.
Once she can do a correct deadlift from the floor, introduce swings. I recommend doing some kind of Pavel-style (prescribed rest, autoregulated reps) A+A program. My personal favorite (from a SF blog article by Mike Torres, if I recall correctly) is the one that has you perform sets of 5 reps on the minute until you can reach 20x5 while passing the talk test and other SF stop signs; then you switch to performing them on half-minute and work up to 20x5 again. The inherent time limit helps to fit it within a busy schedule, such as one caused by long study hours you've mentioned in your original post.
For the push part I would go with a horizontal push. Barbell bench press would be great, but it's likely you won't be able to find a bar light enough for her to lift. Dumbbell or kettlebell bench press may pose problems with getting into position and potentially increase risk of injury. Therefore, I recommend an one-arm floor press. Kettlebell is better, but you may not have ones light enough, or in fine enough increments (my wife had to start with a 4 kg). Here's a SF article about KB floor presses (most of it is also applicable to DB ones), and here's my comment with some more pointers. I recommend a low volume program like Soju&Tuba. You may also try ladders (although the time commitment is substantial, and the volume crushing in my experience) or an ES/EES approach.
This should be sufficient for couple of months at the gym. If she needs any more things to do at home (and you should really consider whether she actually needs them, or whether it's you who would want them if doing such an abbreviated program) you may get her an ab wheel and/or have her GTG pistols (start from a high elevation and possibly concentric-only: go down on both legs, go up on one).
Keep in mind the psychological side of it. She has to experience going from success to success. Even if the progress will be small at the beginning, point out every tiny bit of it to her. Even if you will be disappointed at times, don't express it. You are building a lifetime commitment.
For the hinge part of the program, I would go with classic SF approach of learning the kettlebell deadlift and then transitioning to the swing. Start with a very light weight. Pay attention to the perfect back position - if she cannot reach the kettlebell's handle without losing spinal extension, you need to elevate the weight. This article by Steve Freides should give you some ideas. I suggest deadlifting three times a week, in 5-10 sets of 5 reps.
Once she can do a correct deadlift from the floor, introduce swings. I recommend doing some kind of Pavel-style (prescribed rest, autoregulated reps) A+A program. My personal favorite (from a SF blog article by Mike Torres, if I recall correctly) is the one that has you perform sets of 5 reps on the minute until you can reach 20x5 while passing the talk test and other SF stop signs; then you switch to performing them on half-minute and work up to 20x5 again. The inherent time limit helps to fit it within a busy schedule, such as one caused by long study hours you've mentioned in your original post.
For the push part I would go with a horizontal push. Barbell bench press would be great, but it's likely you won't be able to find a bar light enough for her to lift. Dumbbell or kettlebell bench press may pose problems with getting into position and potentially increase risk of injury. Therefore, I recommend an one-arm floor press. Kettlebell is better, but you may not have ones light enough, or in fine enough increments (my wife had to start with a 4 kg). Here's a SF article about KB floor presses (most of it is also applicable to DB ones), and here's my comment with some more pointers. I recommend a low volume program like Soju&Tuba. You may also try ladders (although the time commitment is substantial, and the volume crushing in my experience) or an ES/EES approach.
This should be sufficient for couple of months at the gym. If she needs any more things to do at home (and you should really consider whether she actually needs them, or whether it's you who would want them if doing such an abbreviated program) you may get her an ab wheel and/or have her GTG pistols (start from a high elevation and possibly concentric-only: go down on both legs, go up on one).
Keep in mind the psychological side of it. She has to experience going from success to success. Even if the progress will be small at the beginning, point out every tiny bit of it to her. Even if you will be disappointed at times, don't express it. You are building a lifetime commitment.
Boris Bachmann
Level 8 Valued Member
It's a vicious cycle, truly. Once they've had it (screens), they're going to want it.
With exercise, when they've had enough positive experiences, they'll want that too, but it might take a LONG time until the competence to really get into any kind of "flow state" w. exercise and athletics is developed, especially if they didn't start young.
guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
Do they have any role models or celebrities they look up to that might inspire them who are fit?
guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
I agree about the small wins and a challenging lift as a confidence builder. For me, deadlifting was a big confidence builder. I never saw myself as strong until I hit the double bodyweight deadlift, which was a big day for me. I am still not strong by the standards of this forum but compared to the general population it is decent. However, I think apart from the KB deadlift, which I agree with including, I think a bodyweight foundation is more appropriate at her age and detrained level. Bodyweight squats sets and incline pushups and high bar inverted rows would be sufficiently challenging for her. I think the bodyweight exercises help understand the principles and help her to control her body in space as that age can be a bit uncoordinated due to growing.
solarbear
Level 5 Valued Member
This is where I found Easy Strength was good. Start with 3x3, after bar speed picked up 532, then 55. She was constantly improving.
TimothyGander
Level 5 Valued Member
The reason I disagree with this is that in my experience an average person cannot do anything from your list (or any other typical bodyweight exercises). I have yet to encounter a sedentary individual who can squat to parallel with heels down and neutral back or perform a wall pushup without sagging and piking. I believe starting with free weights, or in extreme cases (Pavel forgive me) machines is a much more productive strategy for a detrained, uncoordinated person than trying to invent some regression of a banded partial negative than can maybe be done for a single rep.
offwidth
Level 10 Valued Member
Screen time. Sometimes this comes down to perspective. I have a grandson who has waaaaaay too much screen time (in my opinion) But… he also plays league soccer, does gymnastics, plays chess, and enjoys getting out to the climbing gym.
That being said… I understand the OP’s situation. As opposed to training or working out, I would offer as a suggestion as have others, look for a physical activity that she might like to participate in. This might be trial and error, and may take some time to find the rIght fit.
I have seen many times where a person started down a path of a ’sport’; found out that they really enjoyed it, and then realized that they could enjoy it even more if they were fit, and thus their lifelong fitness journey began. Happened to me…
That being said… I understand the OP’s situation. As opposed to training or working out, I would offer as a suggestion as have others, look for a physical activity that she might like to participate in. This might be trial and error, and may take some time to find the rIght fit.
I have seen many times where a person started down a path of a ’sport’; found out that they really enjoyed it, and then realized that they could enjoy it even more if they were fit, and thus their lifelong fitness journey began. Happened to me…
guardian7
Level 6 Valued Member
There are many ways to make bodyweight movements easier as you know, so I am not concerned about that. Getting the core strength in order should actually be a priority from my point of view as it is in systems like Pilates. I learned from boxing the importance of generating power from the core. If that is the case then we regress to pushup holds for example to build that core. I live in Asia where people including my daughter have spent more time sitting on the floor, so squat parallel basics are not an issue thankfully. We will see how it goes.
Yeah, I think there can be a case for machines especially for older untrained populations. If you see my original list then I included them if she is included for upper body work. Cables as well. Cable row for example. I use cables for arms and rear delt and face pulls Cables and bands are underrated generally.
Another approach could be to work on the principles based bodyweight basics to start and the subsequent sets on machines. Pushup holds, incline pushups, chest push machine. Or inverted row to hanging to scap pullups to negative pullups to Cable row machine,
Get the quality skill work in and then add volume with machines.