The 100 Workout

          Welcome to afitnewyou!  It has been one full week since the New York State government has shut down all gyms to curb the spread of COVID-19, commonly referred to as the Coronavirus.  Health-minded people have been trying to get creative with how they can remain active and fit.  And with more and more people being asked to "stay at home" as part of the quarantine process, many have looked for ways in which they can be physically active at home.  So today, I would like to offer one of my gym "tricks" as a workout that you can do at home.  It is a basic workout that I have done many times in the gym before, but it is simple enough to do it at home as well.  All you need to do is pick one exercise that you are able to do, and then do it for 100 repetitions.  

          This workout is efficient if you can pick a movement that is challenging enough that it has to be completed in more than one set, but can also be accomplished in one "mini-workout."  For example, if you choose to do push-ups as your exercise, it isn't necessary to do all 100 reps in just one set, you can break them up into multiple sets, but you should get to the 100 within one dedicated time.  In other words, it isn't as effective to do reps and sets in the morning, and then again in the afternoon, and then finished in the evening.  I find it ideal to start each subsequent set within a 60 second "rest."  The rest period can be increased or decreased depending on your ability, but it should stay consistent from rep numbers 1 through 100.
          One of the great things about this workout is that it is b

are-bones enough that you can do it at home with very limited equipment.  Push-ups, as in the example above, is a great choice for this workout because they require no equipment but can also be modified to increase or decrease their intensity.  For example, for those people who find a "true" push-up too hard, they can be made easier by doing them from your knees.  On the other hand, you can increase the difficulty by narrowing the distance between your hands, or by adding some weight to your back...my son, Maxwell sits on my back while I do these at home.  Like push-ups, squats work especially well, and again, you can modify it from doing a simple body-weight squat, to adding weight through outside resistance such as holding a gallon of water (about 8 pounds) or having your child climb on your back like Max does with me.  Exercise choices are plentiful as long as you have the equipment or can be creative; however, the simpler the movement, the better the choice.  

          The 100 Workout shouldn't just be used at home.  I was originally introduced to it by my good friend, John Buatsi who is an AMAZING personal trainer.  He has referred me to the workout on more than a few occasions over the 20 plus years that I have known him when I was either feeling like I hit a rut in my training and / or just wasn't "feeling it" at the gym.  Choosing the right resistance (and again, body weight can be perfectly suitable) is key to making this simple work out a real muscle burner at just the right time.  But even while stuck at home, it can get the job done!

          Being quarantined at home doesn't mean your fitness goals disappear, and it certainly doesn't excuse you from being physically active.  Don't let trying to find and / or come up with a routine to do at home overwhelm you.  There is enough to worry about these days.  Try this 100 Workout and see how you feel.  If it is too easy, you can creatively come up with a way to add some resistance and / or shorten the rest time between sets.  If it is too hard, you might need a small modification that you can email me for a suggestion.  You don't have to do too much, just get to the 100 reps!  One-by-one the 100 Workout will get you to a fit new you!