Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout (Day 2)

Time to keep climbing the Heroes’ Transformation stairs and leveling up your fitness!

Last week we introduced the first workout in the new series of at-home, body weight exercises (Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout Day 1), and now it’s time to add another upgrade to your at-home workout routine!

Just starting out? Then be sure to give the Nerd-Core Fitness 101 beginner workouts (Upper Body, Lower Body, Total Body & Ab Workout) a shot first!

Assuming you’re eating right (if you need help with that, start here: Clean Eating 101), the 102 series of workouts will get you another step towards transforming yourself into a real-life superhero!

All you need is a desire to improve yourself and the commitment of a little time and discipline.

Now let’s get to it, shall we?

We’re changing things up a little in the 102 level workouts.

The goal of the 101 workouts was to get some of the large muscle groups engaged, to start to develop proper form and to work your way up to a comfort level with regular exercise; so we split the workouts up by muscle groups to allow you to focus on form and give you plenty of time to recover from that inevitable post-workout soreness.

Now every workout is going to hit your total body!

We want to do our best to:

• Get in as many reps as you can (While still maintaining proper form.)
• Perform them at a brisk pace (Get that heart-rate up!)

This basic workout will take you a few more steps down the “Heroes Transformation” path and will give you the tools necessary to battle your mortal fitness enemies!

If you’ve been doing to 101 series of Beginner workouts you will be able to complete this upgraded workout and you will continue to get in better shape, so let’s keep pushing forward to a better life!

The little changes aside, the foundation of the beginner/basic workouts stay the same! 3x a week workouts and no need for a gym or equipment; only a small open space (and now, a chair) and the desire to become more fit and healthy!

Oh, and I hate to have to say this, but make sure you are cleared by your personal physician for physical activity before undertaking these, or any, exercises. With that said let’s get started!

Step One: Warm up!

I don’t care if you are feeling rushed… Do.not.skip.this!

Do yourself a favor and take 5 minutes to get your your heart rate up and blood flowing. You should already have a warm-up routine you like, but if you want a formal routine, or more convincing that this is a vital aspect of your workout, then here you go – How To: Warm Up Properly!

No matter what, please do not workout cold! While these exercises might not put you at risk for injury, it is vital to get in this very important habit before we move on to more difficult routines.

Step Two: Workout #2

Like I said earlier, we aren’t doing muscle group splits for these part of the Nerd-Core Fitness program. You are going to pick 3 or 4 days a week (spread out to allow for recovery time) and we are going to be doing total body workouts each and every time!

Remember, the goal is proper form and intensity!

This means holding all those muscles you have found during the 101 workouts nice and tense and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone a little. Don’t get lazy as you get tired, no matter how hard you think it may be!

This workout consists of two sections (and should consist of exercises you are already familiar with).

Body Weight Sets:

• 10x Chair Dip (Note – Be sure not to your shoulders drop below your elbows!)
• 20x Crunches
• 20x Flutter Kicks
  
• 20x Heel Touch Obliques
• 10x Supermans
  

Once you have finished one set, take a 30 second break and then do it again. Our goal is 3 sets at a good clip to prepare us for harder workouts. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do three sets right away! As I have said before, fitness is an iterative process.

Just do your best and try to do a little better each and every time you perform this routine.

Clean-Up Exercise:

• 10x Spidermans

After you have finished your sets, you are going to finish up with this exercise done at the fastest pace you can while maintaining form. I know you are going to be tired, but superheroes don’t quit and neither will you!

So push through these and be proud of yourself!

Step Three: Stretch!

After your workout your muscles have been slightly traumatized from contracting, and they need to be stretched back out to allow for proper healing and use. I will cover my special stretching methodology in another post, for now just make sure to loosen up and stretch out slowly.

Step Four: Rest!

The Heroes Transformation journey is going to require a little down-time too.

If you’re really smashing these workouts with Hulk-like intensity then taking down time on the days in between your workouts is fine; not to mention healthy! So give yourself a day in-between workouts to let your muscles recover.

While you are resting it’s the perfect time to catch up on that videogame you still haven’t finished, or if you are really embracing a fit and healthy lifestyle then use your day off to go for a run (For tips on getting started running look no further than here – The Keys to Running)! However you spend this time, you have earned the simple pleasure of being a geek, so enjoy it!

Remember, these workouts are your foundation.

Before you upgrade to more heroic (and rewarding) workouts you have to get acclimated to the rigors of exercise; so stick with it, do at least three workouts a week, and only put clean, healthy foods in your face-hole and I promise you will continue to see positive changes in not only how you look, but how you feel!

Please keep me abreast of your progress and hit me up with any questions you might have!

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(Photo #1 credit)

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