The most common concern of the modern dad is trying to keep fit and healthy, but when you don’t have the time, it is one of the most frustrating aspects of your life. Obviously, you’ve got kids to look after, work to do, and everything in between, and finding time to exercise is pretty much impossible. So what is the answer? Try some of these! 

One Solid Workout a Week

It’s important to exercise, but it’s also important to remember that if you do a lot, you have got to recover, in which case, finding an hour in a week to do a solid workout is all we will need. One of the best things you can do is go to an exercise class, but even better, go to a martial arts class. There are plenty of classes that have real-life uses, such as a Jiu Jitsu knife defense class. It is also a good idea to try some high-intensity training if you don’t like martial arts classes. You can do this easily at home, but if you really want to put in the effort, go to a gym and have someone spot you. Again, this is an hour of your time, and when the body is completely depleted of energy, it takes roughly 7 days to build back up. 

Super Slow Training

We have to get out of the mindset that it’s about quantity rather than quality. If we do a super slow workout, this takes a lot longer for us to recover from, and is something that we can do in the comfort of our own home. There are many and advocates of the super slow approach, such as Doug McGuff and his program Body By Science. The idea of doing exercise really slowly, and making it as intense as possible, sends that all-important signal for you to get stronger. You can do it with your body weight, but you could also do it with resistance bands if you are trying to incorporate some equipment if you cannot get to the gym. 

Isometrics

One of the best things you can do to get you stronger is a solid course of isometrics. It has gone out of fashion, but it’s one of the best ways to actually stimulate your muscles and strength to grow without needing to go to the gym. Isometric training is about tensing certain muscle parts, and when you think about it logically, it’s about the equivalent of those moments in the gym when it gets really intense. And it’s those few seconds that actually stimulate your muscles to grow. Trying isometrics by tensing your body is a fantastic way to stimulate muscle growth. You can incorporate it as part of a comprehensive exercise routine if you have the time, but this is fine all by itself. The great thing about isometrics is that you can do it anywhere. When you are waiting for food to cook, or you are in the car, tensing a part of your body for a matter of seconds is all it takes! 

If you are trying to stay healthy, you’ve got to learn how to keep fit, but there’s no excuse anymore!