Work Out Like 4 Year Old on PaleoJays Smoothie Cafe podcast

Most people work out all wrong!  They get in their car, and drive to a gym to exercise.  Or, if they have wised up over time- they skip all of that, and have a home gym setup at home, in their garage or basement.  That is fine, and what I have done for many years; the idea of driving to a gym and working out is fine in high school or college, and is how I exercised throughout my early 20’s.  It’s a good way to learn…

Then, you work out on a regular schedule in your home gym.  Weights in the basement, with a sturdy power rack are great.  You can get big and strong in this manner, which is great in your youth!  But as you age, what is the best way to stay fit?

Well, I maintain that working out in your living room or TV room if you have one is ideal!  Not only for you, but for your 4 year old grandson as well, and he can show you how:

Approach your workout like pure play, for that is what it ideally is.  All you really need is a space in front of the television, a yoga mat (to protect your carpet and cushion you a bit), a rebounder, and an Exergenie (ideally)  for isometrics.  I also recommend the Perfect Pushup, but get the pro or heavy duty model- high volume pushups will wear out a standard model quickly, while my heavy duty model has lasted more than a decade with no signs of wearing out!  The other thing I like to have is an ab roller, which is a wonderful exercise, but this is optional- straight-legged setups are just as good- I just like to do both.

When my 4 year old grandson is over, as he has been lately a lot, and we can’t go outside because it is so cold, I turn on the TV for him, and just observe.  He sets down my rebounder, and starts- jumping!  

If the TV is on for an hour, he jumps the whole time!  Sometimes, he may run into an adjacent room to get a toy to hold while jumping (Batman is a favorite), or to crouch down by his giant Batman cave toy, but he quickly resumes his jumping again.  I notice that when the action is exciting- (fast cartoon chase scenes and the like)- he jumps much higher and faster!  He gauges his intensity by how he feels at the moment in time, and this is the essence of intuitional training.  His endurance is off the charts!  I feel he should avoid strength training until he is at least 40 pounds or so…

He doesn’t do it for health, or because he should. He just does it naturally, out of joyful movement that is part of our humanness.  It feels good, and so he does it with gusto!  

We should do the same.  Now that I am in my 60’s, I have no desire to be big.  Strong is something else, something we should all aspire to improve, always!  Maintenance of musculature is one of the most important aspects of health, lifelong- but especially as we age.  So, isometrics are ideal, as they vastly increase strength, without huge additions of bulk!  No, just lean, corded muscle (and tendon improvements as well), that shapes and is the engine of your body.

I have a book I wrote a few years back that outlines my workouts, called Perfectly Paleo Exercise.  The ebook version is better, and cheaper, but the gist is here- I do virtual resistance exercise first, (after turning on the TV of course), and flex my muscles throughout their entire range of motion. Here is my basic outline right here, on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI65LRENdKo

This is the perfect core series of exercises for anyone, for all time!  Years ago they were called Tiger Moves, which I think is king of hokey- I like Virtual Exercise better.  But whatever- this type of weightless exercise, where the resi