Gym Time

I love working out. I get up most days at 4:15 AM, meditate, eat a pre-workout meal, have a bit of caffeine, and head to the gym.

I start my day in this manner for several reasons: it centers me, I start the day by doing something for myself before the rest of the world is up, and it seems to be a common theme of a lot of the successful people I have read about in their biographies.

How it started

I haven’t always been a gym person in the way I have been the last 4 years.

In fact, I used to be so intimidated by the gym crowd that I used to go to the gym and just walk on a treadmill, never leaving the cardio area because I was afraid of what other gym goers might think of me.

When I first started working out, it was in a little apartment gym. Half of the equipment was broken, but I was determined to take control of some aspect of my life.

How to stay physically active

The truth is the best kind of physical activity is the type you enjoy.

Finding ways to move that you look forward to will keep you going back for more. It doesn’t matter if it is taking a walk, running, swimming, CrossFit, or dance - just find something that works for you.

5 workouts that help me stay in shape

I want to share some of the things that I do to keep in shape. But, you should consult a physician before starting any kind of fitness program.

1. Push-ups

Push-ups are great for building upper body strength. Doing them properly strengthens your triceps, pectoral muscles, shoulders and can help approve your posture.

You don’t need any equipment. Push-ups can also be done on your knees until you build adequate strength.

2. Squats

The squat is one of the most difficult but rewarding exercises. Squats are good for the obvious: building muscles in your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Building strength in your legs also creates an anabolic environment in your body, which promotes muscle building in your whole body. Plus, you can do them almost anywhere.

3. Planks

This is a great way to strengthen your core. You want to train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen to work in harmony. A strong core helps with athletic performance and everyday activities.

4. Arnold shoulder press

My favorite area to train are shoulders, especially first thing in the week. This one is named after one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This is a great addition to strengthening the deltoids (the triangular muscles at the top of your shoulders). It consists of a wide range of motion that allows for targeting several areas of the muscle instead of just one.

5. Bicep curls

Strong biceps are far more important than just the superficial flex. They help pull things toward you and are essential to lifting things.

Bicep curls are one of the best ways to strengthen biceps and they have the added benefit of strengthening your forearms as well and, in my opinion, there is something very attractive about strong forearms.