Creating Simple Workout Routines

Hello fellow fitness enthusiasts! If you haven’t yet heard of me, my name is Erik and I am responsible for financial operations at The Fizeek Geeks. When COVID-19 lockdowns started at the beginning of March this year, the last thing on my mind was how I was going exercise- my office’s on-site gym shuttered abruptly. I was far more concerned with stocking enough food and paper goods to last through the winter.

After initially thinking the pandemic would be a manageable episode for a period of time, it quickly became clear that we were in this new normal for the long haul. I started evaluating my options of how to stay in shape while working from home for weeks on end. I began biking around my neighborhood daily (plenty of hills here), which established a solid routine that help me stay sane after five hours of Zoom calls. This was good, but not enough. I have a limited amount of space in my current house and did not want to spend a ton of money, but I was determined to focus on building upper body strength as well.

I started a routine based on the concepts surrounding Bodyweight Exercise- using your own body’s weight to provide resistance against gravity. You can start very simply, without any equipment at all- just simply follow steps like these. Remember to warm-up before exercising to minimize the risks of injury.  As you advance, you can add more complexity to the mix. I decided to invest in a few items that would be practical, affordable, and easy to move around from place to place.

Pull Up Bar- $30

Dip Station- $80

Push Up Bar- $23

 I typically do a standard routine every other day consisting of arm stretches (for shoulder mobility), squats, and lunges, followed by 3-5 sets of 10X pull ups (extend your range of motion more as you become more proficient), pushups, and dips. I put my dip station in front of my mirror for a little extra motivation to push myself a bit harder each and every set.  After two months of these activities, I already feel an increase in strength- pull-ups became easier, pushups can be completed with hands further apart (archer pushups) etc. My goal is not just to build strength, but to maintain discipline, which helps me focus on the many things I need to accomplish personally and professionally every day. Tune in at the end of this month for a bit of backstory on how we started The Fizeek Geeks and how taking risks and setting goals has helped us get to where we are today. We wish you a great holiday season and thank you for your continued support!

Be well,

Erik Teensma B.S