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Joyful aging can seem like an oxymoron if you’re struggling with the experience of aging. And hey, I get it—as the messages to continually look younger and stay young in order to be relevant take a toll on me too.
My body has certainly changed since having my four children. If you’re a Lindywell member, you may have heard me refer to what I call my “Twin Skin,” a part of my body that I lovingly embrace. Keeping my hormones balanced and finding time to take care of myself has become more difficult as my responsibilities continue to increase.
As I look ahead, envisioning the years to come, I want to continue embracing a joyful aging mentality and love each and every step of the way. At Lindywell, we see aging as a gift, which is why I solicited some advice from our team.
We’re lucky to have many incredible women who have embraced the experience of aging and were willing to share their tips and advice with us. Keep reading to hear what they had to say about joyful aging. You’ll pick up a few ideas and words of encouragement along the way, I know I did!
With each age, change, and shift, comes an opportunity. Kayleen W., Lindywell Member Resources Coordinator said what she loves most about aging is “the opportunity for growth and joy at every stage. While I do have some insecurities still (who doesn’t), as I’ve aged I’ve grown more grateful and less self-focused, therefore much less insecure, which is wonderful!”
This can be hard to see when you’re frustrated with changing hormones or struggling to manage unexpected physical or emotional changes. When you embrace the natural unfolding of age, this new perspective can help make the experience more enjoyable and interesting.
To stay in this mindset, Kayleen said her number one tip for joyful aging is: “Never stop growing, challenge yourself always! Learn new skills and subjects that interest you. Followed very closely by living a life of gratitude. Every passing day and year really is a gift.”
As you get older, you may find you have more and more responsibilities and obligations, from taking care of children or aging parents to managing your career. Jen M., Lindywell Member Support Lead, reminds us to embrace joyful aging by not forgetting who you are and what you love:
“Stay active, keep moving. Feed your soul by taking time to do the things that make you happy. Don’t be afraid to try new things.” By doing this, Jen has found an unexpected sense of body love and appreciation, despite the challenges of letting go of societal expectations.
When I asked what her favorite part of aging is, she said: “Feeling so much better in my body than what I anticipated it would feel like in my 50s. I have come to feel proud of my wrinkles and that I’ve earned them all by a life lived being outdoors (my favorite way to spend time), being adventurous, and living a full life.”
Your mind and body may be different now than in your 20s, but that doesn’t mean it deserves any less love and attention. One way to embrace joyful aging is to give your body the love it needs.
This suggestion comes from Julia K., Lindywell Member Support Coordinator, who said her number one tip for joyful aging is: “Take care of your body by eating nourishing foods, getting in healthy movement, and feeding your skin with clean skin care products.”
The ability to learn what your body needs takes time, which is another beautiful aspect of aging if you choose to embrace it. As Emma T., Lindywell Executive Assistant said:
“The best part of aging is every year I become more familiar with my body, its unique needs, and how to take care of it. I think learning what foods, exercises, and practices feel good for you only comes with time. Getting to know yourself emotionally takes time too. I look forward to continuing to age as I continue to get to know myself and am more in tune with my best self!”
Staying curious is one way to embrace aging and the many changes you experience as you go through it. One of the best ways to do that is to surround yourself with a diverse group of people. This is the number one tip for aging joyfully from Donna Y., Lindywell Member Support Lead. She said:
“Surround yourself with diverse people, not just of different cultures but also of different ages, experiences, backgrounds, etc. We learn so much from each other, whether it is the wisdom of someone 20 years older or the technical know-how of someone 20 years younger. Continually being curious and wanting to learn keeps us young!”
While this can apply to staying curious about life, I also see this as a reminder to stay curious about what you’re moving through. Rather than getting stuck in the frustration of a shifting metabolism or changing life circumstances, we can always come back to curiosity.
For example, when I get frustrated that I don’t feel the way I used to, I recognize it as an opportunity to get curious. What could be going on in my body, or in my routine, that is causing these feelings? Could I need more rest? Should I reach out to my counselor? Am I eating foods that provide the nourishment I truly need? Do I need to change something about how I’m spending my time?
The curiosity allows me to stay present in my current experience and avoid complacency.
It can be hard to see the gifts in changes that you don’t necessarily want. A perspective shift, from curse vs. gift, however, is the number one tip for joyful aging from Kasey M., Lindywell’s Social Media Manager.
She said, “It is a gift to wake up each day and I’m grateful for each day I get to grow older. The experiences and moments I’ve witnessed in my lifetime [are what I’ve loved most about aging], the wisdom I’ve gained from these experiences, and the lessons I’ve learned.”
There’s so much to gain with each passing year. We can embrace the beauty of this every step of the way, especially when we’re frustrated or disappointed with the changes we’re experiencing.
It can feel impossible to embrace joyful aging in a culture that doesn’t seem to honor the beauty and power of getting older. At Lindywell, we believe women can live a full life at any age. Does this mean we won’t experience challenges and changes? No. But it does mean that when we have a positive mindset around this truth and work with our bodies instead of against them, we open ourselves up to embrace and enjoy our whole lives, every season, every age. And that is the power of joyful aging.
The post How to Embrace Joyful Aging From the Lindywell Team appeared first on Lindywell.
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It’s time to start training like a Jedi!
We love Star Wars around these parts (our site is literally called “Nerd Fitness”), so you’re in the perfect place to begin your training, my young Padawan.
We specialize in creating nerdy-themed workouts and today one of our coaches will walk you through an exercise routine that would make even Mace Windu proud.
Here’s what we’ll cover in today’s guide:
Grab your lightsaber and let’s punch it!
Workout Summary: This workout includes a number of explosive movements meant to fire up your nervous system, build explosive muscles, and get your body to start thinking “POWER!”.
It also includes some static holds, whole-body movements, and even grip strength moves.
(Coach Jim filmed this during the pandemic, which not only explains why he shot it in a hallway, but also why he looks a little “scruffy looking.”)
Time: 30-45 minutes
Equipment needed:
If you’re having trouble finding any of the above items, we walk you through some clever replacements in How to Build a Home Gym (When Everything is Sold Out).
ALWAYS: Start with a warm-up and end with a cool-down stretch.
Here’s another warm-up sequence you can run through:
Here’s another cool-down routine you can try:
Here’s the first part of your Jedi Workout:
If you’re gonna do Jedi training, someone is going to make you do a handstand:
Here are some variations to consider:
For Padawans, your knee planks will look something like this:
Shoulder taps are like so:
A wall-walk, would look something like this:
If you can do one-arm handstands like Luke, go ahead and do those here. Then use your Force-telepathy to tell us how it goes.
If you want to become a handstand master, we have a full course found in Nerd Fitness Prime that would make Yoda stoked.
Here’s the second act of your Jedi Workout:
Young Obi-Wan needed to use his Jedi high jump skills to return to the proper level to meet up with Qui-Gonn Jinn and Darth Maul.
We want you to do the same.
Here are your Jedi jump variations:
You could do squats or assisted squats:
All too easy? Go for jump squats!
True Jedi Masters will be doing tuck jumps or box jumps:
Rest: 1-2 minutes in between sets. Keep things safe – rest during the 30 second work period as needed.
For the third installment of the Jedi Workout, you’ll be doing:
Is there anything more satisfying than watching Leia take out Jabba the Hutt? I know I let out a cheer when I first saw the scene:
Leia is strong, and you need to be strong too.
Work on your pull muscles by completing one of these “end Jabba” variations:
You can do rows from a doorway:
You can do towel doorway rows or band-assisted chin-ups:
You’re training is complete when you can do normal chin-ups or pull-ups:
Rest: 1-2 minutes in between sets. Keep things safe – rest during the 30-second work period, as needed.
The Jedi Workout for episode IV will be:
Chewy is strong. Freakishly strong. He has no problem carrying robots, people, ripping people’s arms off, and more:
We want you to channel your inner Chewbacca by working on carrying heavier weight! Feel free to try any of the variations:
Farmer’s walks can be done with dumbbells or some impromptu weights:
Walk or stand for 60 total seconds with weights at your side.
Rack carry:
Walk or stand for 60 total seconds with weights at shoulder height.
The Jedi Master Variation: Rack carry with some lunges – 2 x 60 seconds –
Walk or stand for 60 total seconds with weights at shoulder height. Master-level if you’re able to knock out 10 total lunges (5/side) during that time).
The goal with Chewbacca Carries is to pick up the heaviest weight (or luggage) you can manage and then carry it around your house for the set amount of time. This builds up bone density, tendon strength, and muscular strength, and fires up your body’s central nervous system.
Rest: Again, slow down 1-2 minutes in between sets. Keep things safe.
I love Han.
He shoots first (literally) and asks questions later.
He also runs into situations where he might not have the upper hand.
This round of your Jedi Workout looks like:
A Tabata Timer might be helpful in setting your intervals here.
We’re having you mostly run in place because you’re probably trapped inside your house (or escape pod). If you have a big backyard, feel free to use it.
For our Padawans out there, you’ll march in place:
When you reach Knight status, do some high-knees:
For the Jedi Masters out there? You’ll mix in some burpees with your high-knees:
For this last variation, do alternating sets of high knees and burpees for 3 minutes of intervals:
Email me if you make the run under 12 parsecs.[1]
Part 6 of your Jedi Workout looks like:
This is probably my favorite Jedi move. Channel the Force, and use it to violently PUSH things away? Awesome. Where do I sign up?
Now, although we can’t actually Force Push in real life…yet, it doesn’t mean we can’t build up our explosive Force push muscles.
For our Padawans, you’ll do elevated or knee-push-ups:
Our Jedi Knights will do normal push-ups or divebomber push-ups:
Are you now the master? Then you’re doing pike or handstand push-ups:
Again, this can get sketchy if you start doing these last push-up variations while tired. Go ahead and rest whenever you need to.
The last section of the Jedi Workout looks like:
Sometimes, Jedi find themselves dealing with a creature that wants to digest them for 1,000 years.
That’s where your hanging skills will come in use!
Our Padawans will start with some simple doorway leans:
You’ll hold onto the edge of a doorway and lean back for 60 seconds of hang time – should feel harder on the grip than doorway rows
If you’re following our “Knight variations,” you’re going to be doing bar hangs:
Not enough? Then train to hang from one arm:
This skill will become useful if you ever lose an upper appendage in a lightsaber duel (it happens to the best of us).
Note: this can be challenging on your joints if you’re not used to hanging, so progress slowly on this one! Start with just a few seconds and work your way up!
Here’s a recap!
Complete this workout with regularity, and work your way up to the Jedi Master levels for each.
As I discuss in our guide, How to Build Your Own Workout Routine, I generally recommend newbies complete a full-body workout two to three times a week.
Our Star Wars Workout would be considered “full-body” since we hit every major muscle group. You could also alternate it with a more conventional strength training practice.
On your “rest days,” you can look into doing some active recovery, yoga, or fun movement.
If you can only get yourself to work out once a week, that’s okay! Let that become normal, then we can brainstorm ways to squeeze in an extra day.
Building the habit of working out is our goal today. We can worry about maximizing “gainz” down the road.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about maximizing gainz.
Now the only thing left to do is start!
Here are some options for next steps with Nerd Fitness:
Option #1) If you want a professional coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on the equipment you have available, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program!
For example, let’s say you find yourself stuck indoors, and you want somebody to custom-build you a workout program based on the equipment and furniture you have. That’s where an online coach is a game-changer!
Personally, I’ve been working with the same online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below:
Option #2) If you want an exact blueprint for working out at home (while doing nerdy-themed workouts!), check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
Option #3) Become part of the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion (the real name).
Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out from home” guides.
Alright, I want to hear from you and your experience:
Did you try the Star Wars Workout?
What level are you on?
Any exercises that we missed that would be perfect for a Jedi?
Let me know in the comments!
May the Force be with you.
-Steve
PS: If you’re looking for more nerdy-themed workouts that can be done at anywhere, check out The 8 Best At-Home Workout Routines.
###
photo source: Leg0fenris: Dagobah, JD Hancock: Yoda Jump, JD Hancock: Han Solo vs Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett & the Sarlacc Pit, Teymur Madjderey, Darth Vader Force, JD Hancock: Han Solo, Pedro Vezini: Chewbacca, metaphorge: Jabba, Leg0fenris: Darth and Leia, Pedro Vezini: Yoda and Luke
gif source: walk in place,
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By Jessica Thiefels, Lindywell member & Marketing Consultant
My Pilates transformation was unexpected. I’m a former personal trainer, ex-gym rat, and long-time “clean eating” advocate. I’m also in the depths of disordered eating recovery and body image healing.
I always exercised to change the way I look. Get more toned, keep my belly flat, and feel like I was good enough, or in many cases, better than everyone else. Running parallel to my fitness journey, was my food journey, which included intense elimination diets to heal a variety of mysterious body issues, like extreme bloating and a rash all over my chest, shoulders, and back.
For a Type-A, perfectionist who thinks in black and white, this was a recipe for disorder.
However, nearly a decade after I started my body healing journey, in the fall of 2022, I said to my husband, “I’m walking a fine line between disordered eating and conscious eating.”
At that moment, though, I knew which side of the line I was on. I was also more obsessed with how my body looked than ever before. I was doing intense workouts, eating with strict rules—and feeling anxious and stressed.
The realization that I needed to make a change came clear and sharp. I was exhausted. I felt like I was running on a hamster wheel and could not, no matter how hard I tried, get off. So, I did what I do best: went all in.
I listened to stories of eating disorders and recovery through podcasts, started reading books on Intuitive Eating, and most importantly, started working with a professional for body image and disordered eating recovery.
And this is where my story with Pilates begins. Just two months after starting this work I began working with Lindywell as their SEO and content marketing consultant. Part of my job was to try the app, try the workouts, and get familiar with what they do and how they do it.
I resisted logging in and trying a workout until January 1, 2023. But on Day 1, my Pilates transformation began.
Setting non-body intentions and loving quick and easy workouts that energize and ground me.
I can honestly say, the moment I stepped on the mat, I felt a shift. As someone who had always lifted heavy weights and sprinted hard on the treadmill, this was different in so many ways. The slow-down, the moments of grounding, the gentle movement. It was all exactly what I needed.
As a natural content creator and 12-year marketer, I decided to share my experience on Instagram Stories for the first 14 days with Lindywell. I posted each day, right after the workout, so rather than telling you how I felt in week 1, I’ll let those posts do the talking.
Within the first few days, I also realized that this was the perfect way to move my body as a busy mama who also runs a business and has an active social life. On Day 4, I posted:
“Day 4 with @Wearelindywell, and my intention was energy. Weston was up real early today and mama is tired!”
If you notice I said, “my intention was…” This was another big part of my Pilates transformation. I wanted to make this time on the mat about more than my body. So each day, I set a clear intention that’s focused on something other than my body, like energy, creativity, or peace.
Almost four months later, I’m still setting an intention before each workout. Shifting my focus from how my body looks or “performs” to how I am feeling from the movement has been incredibly powerful.
Turning Pilates into a daily part of my routine and noticing my physical strength.
As week two rolled in, the calm of the movement became one of my favorite things about it. On Day 8, I posted: “Day 8 with @wearelindywell and feeling so grateful for the slow, powerful pace of Pilates and the calm I always feel when I come onto the mat.”
It was at this point that I also realized this was now part of my daily routine. On day 9, I posted:
During week two, I also started noticing how strong my body was becoming. In just 10 days, I could see an increase in strength, especially in my core. After one of my workouts, I was playing around with doing a headstand, something I’ve been able to do for many years. Getting up into the pose had never felt as easy as it did that day.
I was also noticing certain movements—like Rolling Like a Ball—that were challenging on day one already felt so much easier to do. My body was changing, but so was my mind. They were syncing, connecting, and supporting me in every area of my life.
Showing up on my mat without question and loving the variety of options.
On Day 15, I posted this photo with greasy hair and no make-up, full of those post-movement feels:
This sums up how week 3 felt for me. My Pilates transformation was always about so much more than my body, and during week 3, I began to simply love the process, the experience, and how I was feeling after every single workout.
I also started digging into the different workout options, even doing two a day—one that challenged me in the morning and one that helped me wind down and stretch in the evening. It didn’t feel like I needed to do two to change my body. I was just craving being back on the mat.
Most importantly, I loved that I could choose a long or short workout and, no matter which it was that day, it was always enough. This mindset is the direct result of what Robin, the founder and lead instructor of Lindywell, reminds us every time we step on the mat:
Being here is enough
Meet your body where it’s at
Do what feels good for you today
For me, that translated into total bliss. All the pressure I used to carry around working out disappeared.
In addition to all of that, the mindfulness I was practicing on the mat was also translating into my disordered eating recovery. I was eating foods I love (that I’d sworn off for years), listening to what my body really wanted, and so much more.
Leaning into ease off the mat and feeling beyond grateful for Lindywell.
On Day 23, I posted a Reel titled, “Pilates Lessons for an Easeful Week” and this is the perfect example of how I was feeling as my first month of Pilates closed out. While I was noticing clear strength gains and was able to commit to daily workouts in a way I never had before, the greatest Pilates transformation I experienced wasn’t felt so much on the mat, but off the mat.
As I shared at the beginning, I’ve always had a Type-A, black-and-white, perfectionist personality. Pilates brought a calm and groundedness that I was resisting as I moved through this incredibly challenging healing journey. As Stephen Pressfield, the author of The War of Art (if you haven’t read it, pick it up now), says:
“The more resistance you experience, the more important your unmanifested art/project/enterprise is to you—and the more gratification you will feel when you finally do it.”
This was so true for me. I knew Pilates, specifically from Lindywell, would change me, but I was resisting slowing down and grounding. I was resisting finding a new way to move. On the other side of that resistance, however, was something that will impact me forever.
My Pilates transformation was so much more than I could have ever imagined it would be. It came at a time when I needed it most and has now become a regular part of my routine that I truly love. Whether I get on the mat for 10 minutes or 25, I always feel strong and energized—and somehow also calm and grounded. It changed so many aspects of my life and I know it will do the same for you.
If you haven’t tried Lindywell yet, I highly recommend signing up for their 14-day trial. I have a feeling at the end of the 14 days, you’re going to wonder how you ever got through your days without it!
The post The Surprising Pilates Transformation of a Former Personal Trainer appeared first on Lindywell.
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The push-up is one of the best exercises on the planet.
It’s a foundational movement in strength training, and an exercise EVERYBODY should be doing regularly.
However, it’s also an exercise that about 95% of people get wrong and do incorrectly.
Fortunately, after reading today’s ultimate guide, you’ll know exactly how to do a proper push-up with correct form:
Before we jump in, if you’re looking for a way to train anywhere (like with push-ups), you may be interested in the new app we built!
Nerd Fitness Journey will guide you through a workout routine that can be done anywhere, all while creating your very own superhero!
You can give it a free test drive right here:
When it comes to push-ups, your form is crucial. Each push-up needs to be done with proper form so that your total reps measured from workout to workout are on equal footing.
If you did 20 push-ups two days ago, and then today you did 25 push-ups by only going down halfway, sticking your ass up in the air, etc., it’s absolutely impossible to tell if you got any stronger.
1) On the ground, set your hands at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Draw a straight line from your chest/nipple down to the floor – it should be directly over your thumbnail.
Depending on your strength and experience, your hands should be angled in a way that feels comfortable to you. For me, my hands are set up so that my middle finger points straight up and away from me.
2) To alleviate wrist pain (if you have poor wrist flexibility) do your push-ups holding onto push-up handles (so your wrists aren’t as compromised), or a bar:
If you’re hardcore, you can do them on your knuckles (as long as you’re on a semi-soft surface like grass or carpet or broken glass. Wait, scratch that last one).
3) Your feet should be set up in a way that feels right and comfortable and in balance. For some, that might be shoulder-width apart.
For others, it might be with your feet touching. Generally speaking, the wider apart your feet, the more stable you’ll be for your push-ups.
4) Think of your body as one giant straight line – from the top of your head down through your heels. Your butt shouldn’t be sticking way up in the air or sagging. You’re essentially holding a plank throughout the entire movement, as shown in this video below:
5) If you have a problem getting the proper form with your body, try this: clench your butt, and then tighten your abs as if you’re bracing to get punched.
Your core will be engaged, and your body should be in that straight line. If you’ve been doing push-ups incorrectly, this might be a big change for you.
Record a video of yourself to make sure you’re doing it correctly.
6) Your head should be looking slightly ahead of you, not straight down.
I read somewhere that said “if you’re doing them right, your chin should be the first part of your head to touch the floor, not your nose.”
Looking up helps you keep your body in line, but feel free to look down if that helps you concentrate more.
7) At the top of your push-up, your arms should be straight and supporting your weight. You’re now ready to do a push-up.
8) I want to draw special attention to that first step with hand position: nearly EVERYBODY does push-ups with their arms out far too wide and their shoulders flared. This is bad news bears.
If I was looking down at you from above, your arms and body should form an ARROW, not a T.
WARNING: If you have been doing push-ups with your arms flared, doing them with proper form will be significantly more difficult!
In the 5-minute “Perfect Push-Up” video above, featuring yours truly and two of our coaches, we take you through EACH of the steps of a push-up, including some variations!
Do as many as you can until you start to feel your form slip (even slightly); you are done for that set.
Want to know where push-ups should fall into your workout routine? I have three options!
1) Try Nerd Fitness Journey!
Nerd Fitness Journey will guide you through a bodyweight workout routine that can be done anywhere (yep, even there). You can try it for free right here:
2) Do them as part of our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine! This workout has been done by hundreds of thousands of people as their first strength training workout.
3) Make your own workout with push-ups by following our “Build Your Own Workout” guide! It’ll walk you through everything you need to build an exercise program for your goals in 10 steps.
Don’t worry if you can’t do a push-up yet. As we lay out in the video above, we have a plan that will help you get there.
You need to start with an easier push movement, and work up to progressively more difficult types of moves that will eventually result in you doing true push-ups.
This is the exact strategy used in our guide, “Get Your First Push-up!”
We’ll progress from Level 1 Push-ups to Level 4 Push-ups:
Stand in front of a wall. Clench your butt, brace your abs, and set your hands on the wall at slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Walk backwards with your feet until your arms are fully extended and supporting your weight (generally one decent sized step back with both feet will suffice). Keeping the rest of your body in a straight line, steadily lower yourself towards the wall until your nose almost touches the wall, and then explode back up to the starting position.
HOW TO TRAIN WALL PUSH-UPS:
Do 4 sets of wall push-ups with a 2-minute rest between sets, every other day. Keep track of how many repetitions you can do WITH PROPER FORM for each set in a notebook for easy comparison to previous workouts. Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions of wall push-ups, you can progress to knee push-ups.
As we demonstrate in this video above from Nerd Fitness Prime, elevated push-ups are just what they sound like – your hands are on an elevated surface, whether it’s something as tall as a kitchen table or as low as a few blocks that are inches off the ground. This will depend on your level of strength and experience.
If you’ve just progressed from wall push-ups, pick something that is at a level that’s right for you – I generally find the back of a park bench or the side of a picnic table to be a perfect height for doing incline push-ups. Like so:
HOW TO TRAIN ELEVATED PUSH-UPS:
Do 4 sets of elevated push-ups with a 2-minute rest between sets, every other day. Again, keep track of all of your stats for how many proper form repetitions you can do in each set. Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions, it’s time to either move to regular push-ups, knee push-ups, or a lower height for your hands to be supported.
Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions, it’s time to either move to regular push-ups, knee push-ups, or a lower height for your hands to be supported.
To work on progression, try to doing your elevated push-ups on the stairs in your house. As you get stronger, you can move your hands to lower and lower steps until your hands are on the ground.
Once you’re comfortable doing wall or elevated push-ups, proceed to knee push-ups. Your shoulder and hand placement will look just like a regular push-up (an “arrow”, not a “T”), but you’ll stabilize yourself on your knees instead of your feet. As demonstrated here:
HOW TO TRAIN KNEE PUSH-UPS
Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions on your knees, you can start thinking about doing regular push-ups.
To recap, if you can’t do a regular push-up, move from:
How do I know the above progression will work? Well, it’s the exact plan we use to help people crush push-ups in Nerd Fitness Journey!
You can see how we scale our bodyweight workouts right here:
Basic push-ups can get boring…
Fortunately, there are dozens upon dozens of variations to make things more difficult for you.
Once you’re cranking out perfect form push-ups like it’s your job,[1] try some of these advanced variations on for size.
Click on each for a video demonstration (these are some of the push-up variations pulled from NF Prime):
#1) One-legged Push-ups: introducing some variety and balance by removing one of your legs for less stabilization:
#2) Side-to-Side Push-Ups – Get into the classic push-up position and move your hands farther apart. Now, lower yourself down towards one arm only – you should feel like you’re supporting a lot of your weight.
To complete the rep, slide horizontally over to the other arm, and push-up. The farther apart your hands, the higher percentage of your bodyweight will be supported by that side of your chest/shoulder and arm (thus getting harder)!
#3) Decline Push-Ups – these work your shoulders and triceps more so than normal push-ups.
#4) Diamond Push-Ups – keep your arms tight at your side, rotate your hands outward, and keep your elbows tight as you lower your body. Works your triceps like crazy.
#5) Dive-Bomber Push-Ups – funky, difficult, but oh so fun. I’d explain it, but just watch the video
#6) Plyometric Push-Ups – these are brutal and will wear you out just after a few repetitions. Just don’t hurt yourself and smash your face during a failed attempt (not that I’ve ever done that. Shut up my face always looks like this)!
#7) Handstand Push-Ups – This goes without saying, but you should be able to do a proper handstand before attempting these!
Kick up against a wall, and without flailing your elbows way out to the side (which can wreak havoc on your shoulders and elbow joints), slowly lower yourself down until your head touches the ground softly.
Then raise yourself back up.
Rotate some of these advanced push-ups into your workout routine and you’ll be well on your way to a great strength training practice.
If you want more strength building tips, we also have a comprehensive guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know, when you sign up for the Rebellion (that’s our community) below:
So you’ve learned how to do a push-up, you can do a few of them, but you want to get better!
Here are some tips to help you along the way:
These 6 tips will be a great addition to your strength training plan. Keep at it and before you know it you’ll be doing one-arm push-ups like Batman.
What’s that? You don’t have a strength-building plan!!! Well then…
It makes me sad when we get emails from people who struggle and try and work hard to get healthier, and to be better at push-ups, and just can’t seem to make any progress.
If that’s you, you’re not alone!
1) Consider working with an online coach (or in-person trainer).
Helping people learn push-ups and other bodyweight exercises is why we built our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program: We build programs for busy people to cut through the noise and just get results
2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!
Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Join our community! We have hundreds of thousands of people, and I send out two free emails every week to help them level up their lives. Join our free community today, and I’ll send you a dozen free ebooks, including TONS of workout plans you can do anytime, anywhere.
Join the community by signing up in the box below:
YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT: go home, set up a camera, and check your form on your push-ups.
I hope you’ll find that your form is as good as you expected, but it’s okay if it’s not, it’ll give you something to work on.
Go do some push-ups, and work on getting better with them every day.
You’ll be moving from Level 1 to Level 4 push-ups and beyond!
-Steve
PS: Not to brag, but I typed this entire article while doing 1-handed push-ups.
PPS: Okay no I didn’t. But it would have been cool if I did, right?
PPPS: No? Fine. Sigh.
###
Photo source:[2]
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By Kiesha Yonkers, Head of Breathwork + Somatic Programs
The connection between breathwork and hormone health and wellness cannot be ignored. My experience, from the very start of exploring this practice, is the perfect example.
In mid-2020, my stress hormones (cortisol) were at an all-time high. As was the case for so many of us. I was chronically in fight or flight, and as a result, I was feeling anxious, worried, and far from connected to myself.
When I started doing breathwork, I felt the stress start to melt away. This meant that I was shifting into my parasympathetic system, which is the “rest and digest” system. It’s also the opposite of fight or flight, which is when you’re in the sympathetic system.
Shifting into this parasympathetic state allowed my body to activate the “happy” hormones, like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. In this state, I felt safe and that allowed me to connect with my loved ones and myself more effectively. I was also able to release some of the anxiety and feel all the goodness that those happy hormones were sending my way.
As you know, we strive to keep our discussions here at Lindywell rooted in evidence while keeping things simple and approachable. So let’s bring some science to this scenario with a few practical tips on how to use breathwork for your hormone health and wellness.
Let’s break down the key hormones that impact us as women and what they do.
When I talk about supporting hormone health and wellness, I’m referring to the steps we can take to keep these hormones (and all the others that are at play in our bodies) in balance. This means we feel good and our body can function.
If any of these hormones are out of balance or not being produced, you may notice a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms, which depend on the type of hormone imbalance and underlying cause, can include fatigue, mood changes, weight gain, hot flashes, acne, low sex drive, depression and so much more.
Breathwork activates the parasympathetic system, and when your body is in this state, it is better able to produce and activate the hormones you need to feel safe, loved, connected, and happy. This is also when your metabolism improves, digestion works well, and your body can function exactly as it should.
While it’s not necessary to always be in one of those states to keep your hormones happy (that’s not even possible!), breathwork helps you come back to that place of “rest and digest” regularly, rather than staying in fight or flight.
The good news is, you don’t need to be experienced in the art of meditation to reap the hormone benefits of breathwork. Even better, you don’t need to spend hours each day doing it! Here’s what you need to know about using breathwork as a tool for your hormone health and wellness.
Breathwork can be intimidating (I get it, I’ve been there!) so I encourage you to start slow and simple with box breathing. Breathe in slowly and deeply for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, hold for another four, and start again. You may be surprised by how at ease you feel after doing this just 4 or 5 times.
You can try a guided breathwork session from yours truly in the Lindywell app! If you’re not a member, start your 14-day trial and get instant access to a variety of breathwork sessions and techniques.
As with anything, consistency is key to success. A single breathwork session is helpful. Still, the goal is to continually bring ourselves back into the parasympathetic system over and over. This is what activates those happy hormones needed to help us thrive.
Remember that taking even just 2 or 3 minutes for breathwork can have benefits like less stress and anxiety, better focus and mental clarity, and boosted energy levels (yes, please!). Longer sessions can offer even more benefits, like better lung capacity and sleep, and the ability to release blocked emotions that are making you feel stuck or anxious.
Short daily breathing exercises are important and effective. However, longer sessions guided by an expert can increase the benefits and provide an opportunity for significant transformation. If you want to experience the power of these longer, guided breathwork sessions, reserve your spot for Exhale Hour. Join me for live breathwork sessions that deeply support you, both mind and body.
There are many ways to support your hormones. Breathwork is one of them and exercise is another, specifically Pilates. Research has found that this form of movement is especially beneficial for women’s hormone balance. One study saw a significant decrease in participants’ menopausal symptoms, which are directly impacted by hormone health, after practicing Pilates.
The best way to pair these two powerful hormone helpers is to join Lindywell. Sign up today and you’ll get your first 14 days for free!
Once signed up, you get immediate access to 250+ Pilates workouts, multiple guided breathwork sessions, and hundreds of recipes created to support hormone health and reduce inflammation.
Our hormones want to support us, but if we’re constantly in fight or flight, we inhibit their ability to do so. This is why breathwork is so important and can’t be overlooked for your hormone health and wellness.
Deep breathing gets us into that all-important parasympathetic state, which in turn supports our hormones. When we commit to breathwork (and Pilates!), we feel happier and less stressed. In the process, we also feel more connected and our bodies can function exactly as they’re supposed to. A win-win!
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Cycle syncing is a powerful way for you, as a woman, to choose food, movement, and tasks that support where you are in your cycle. In this case, we’re talking about syncing your Pilates routine to your cycle, in other words: choosing the workouts that best suit your mood, energy, and body as they naturally fluctuate throughout the month.
Tuning into your body’s unique needs at each phase can make it easier to choose a workout that helps you meet your body where it’s at, which is a key factor in the way we move here at Lindywell.
Choosing your workouts based on your cycle can also eliminate the guilt associated with choosing a shorter or “easier” workout. It’s not about pushing yourself every single time you step on the mat, but listening to your body’s needs.
With that in mind, let’s dive into what you need to know about cycle syncing and Pilates—and how simple it is to get started.
For those of you who have shifted into menopause, please know that we see you! Stay tuned for some similar tips and strategies to work with your body coming soon!
Cycle syncing with your Pilates routine helps reduce burnout, fatigue and stress that might happen when you do more than your body is ready for. I pushed my mind and body to the brink for many years. But ever since my conversation with Berrion Berry on this subject, I’ve been more mindful of how my cycle impacts which workouts I choose and how I schedule my work.
Let me just say, this shift has been a game-changer for me so I had to share it with you! It’s important to remember, though, that this should not be a reason to pressure yourself into exercising “perfectly” or pushing yourself to exercise every single day.
Instead, I hope this serves as a guideline for you to tune into your body and choose what your body needs. For example, I took a day off from my workouts this week and chose a more gentle routine today knowing that other areas of my life were demanding more from me.
Like we always say here at Lindywell, it’s about progress over perfection.
Cycle syncing is a term coined by functional nutritionist and hormone balance expert Alisa Vitti. Adjusting your Pilates workouts (or diet or other lifestyle habits) with each phase of the menstrual cycle will help you align your routines and activities with your shifting hormonal needs.
Women’s cycles last 28-32 days, on average, and there are four distinct phases of this cycle: Menstruation, Follicular, Ovulation, and Luteal. While each body is unique, here is a basic rundown of how the reproductive hormones typically fluctuate from one phase to the next.
Note that the days for each phase of your cycle mentioned here represent the average. Your phases may last longer or shorter, and likely change over time as well.
At Lindywell, we encourage members to move at their own pace and always offer modifications. This means, no matter what you choose, most of our workouts can support the cycle you’re in.
However, learning how to navigate our 250+ workouts based on what you’re feeling each day can help you dial in on exactly what you need each and every time you step on the mat.
Let’s break down what to look for at each phase of the cycle. I’ll also share some Lindywell workouts that would be great for each phase.
If you’re already a Lindywell member, just click the workout to open it in your app. If you’re not, sign up for a 14-day free trial and you’ll get immediate access to every workout in our library.
Days 1-5
It’s common for the body to crave gentle movement during this phase. Try some of our recovery workouts and stretching workouts that promote circulation and stretch your muscles without too much exertion. This is also a great time to slow down with breathwork, if movement doesn’t feel good or in addition to your workout. Check out our guided Breathwork Sessions.
Try:
Days 6-14
For many women, this is the best time for a short cardiovascular workout. Right now you can take advantage of your increased energy levels without totally burning yourself out. While most Lindywell workouts will support this phase very well, this is a good time to explore our standing workouts and Barre workouts to give your body an extra challenge without overdoing it.
Try:
Day 15-17
If you want to incorporate more high-intensity exercises into your routine, this is typically a good time to do it! You’ll be able to capitalize on your body’s increase in hormones and energy levels. This is a good time to push yourself with harder and longer workouts, like those in our 35+ minute section. These will help you challenge your body during a time when you have the energy to complete a longer workout.
Try:
Days 18-28
Now is a great opportunity to enjoy moderate exercises that use resistance to build strength without draining your lower energy levels. Make the most of this phase by heading to our Props section, where you’ll find lots of workouts that allow you to boost the resistance. If you need props for your Pilates workouts, head to the Lindywell Store to get your mat, hand weights or even resistance bands!
Try:
Cycle syncing makes it easier to align with your body instead of pushing against or even ignoring the changes happening within. This feel better during your workout and support your body’s specific needs, so you can maintain your energy and support your mood. All while still building mind-body strength! A win-win, right?!
PS: As Dr. Aviva Romm shared on The Balanced Life podcast (Part 1 and Part 2), our cycles are an important signal of our health as women. If you’re noticing changes in your cycle or are concerned about irregularity or lack of menstruation, make it a goal to reach out to your doctor to share your concerns. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of our conversation.
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Read this post 5 Strength Exercises For Beginners (Part One) on keep it simpElle.
Wondering what are the best strength exercises for beginners and where to start with training? I got you. Strength training is probably the most underestimated form of exercise, yet is great to add some variety to your weekly activities. Not…
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Women’s hormone health is a hot topic in the wellness world—and for good reason. Our hormones impact every area of our life, as I’ve learned in the last few years after being diagnosed with a hormonal imbalance.
My doctor was surprised I was even functioning when I was first diagnosed with hormone imbalance! I attribute this resilience of my body to the Pilates routine and our Lindywell approach to wellness, both of which had been a part of my life for many years before my diagnosis.
Over the course of this journey (that I’m still on), I’ve learned so much about women’s hormone health and how to find even more balance in my body. Along the way, Pilates has continued to be a key tool, and I want to share why and how.
My hope is that this article—and a membership with Lindywell, if you choose to join us!—will help you find greater balance, ease, and strength in your body.
Experiences that impact our stress levels, sleep habits, eating or exercise patterns, and autoimmune function can lead to hormone dysfunction. For some women, this is caused by major life transitions like puberty, childbirth, peri-menopause, and menopause. For me, this was a result of the demands on my life, including having four kids in five years (including twins!), a miscarriage, and exposure to toxic mold. All of that added stress to my system because of how taxing it was to my endocrine system.
This hormonal imbalance is temporary and can be treated with conventional medicine or basic lifestyle shifts for many women. If you don’t come back into balance, however, you may start to experience uncomfortable symptoms and chronic health problems.
Because hormones regulate several important systems and functions in the body, from mood and appetite to sleep and stress, it’s so important to for women to find that balance once again. While there are different ways to do this through diet, lifestyle, and supplementation, one of our favorite tools for supporting women’s hormone balance is Pilates.
While we may seem biased—we love Pilates here at Lindywell!—it’s true that this form of movement can be extremely supportive of your hormone health and help you come back into balance. Here’s why:
Pilates teaches you how to be mindful of the present, as you bring awareness to each and every movement. This Pilates method combines precise, controlled movements with a focus on intentional, conscious breathing to strengthen the mind-body connection.
Mind-body exercise has been shown to support the production of Serotonin (the “happy hormone”) and the reduction of Cortisol (known as the “stress hormone). This means that doing Pilates can support your ability to deal with life’s everyday obstacles. And our thousands of members around the globe can attest to this!
If the hormones that control energy metabolism and blood sugar levels are out of balance, you can experience insulin resistance. Over time, this causes inflammation, weight fluctuations, and chronic health issues like diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabil in Iran monitored the effect of Pilates on women with excess weight. They saw that this particular Pilates routine, which included mat and ball workouts, reduced three hormones (chemerin, visfatin, and resistin) that can impact your body’s ability to manage weight, insulin, and metabolism when elevated.
In other words, Pilates helped balance these three important hormones. One of the results of that re-balancing was weight loss. If you want to experience a similar workout as the study participants, try this free workout, which includes ball and mat exercises!
Endocrine glands create and release hormones into your bloodstream. These glands need oxygen to perform their critical function. If they don’t get this, you risk disrupting the endocrine system as a whole. This can escalate into diabetes, infertility, endometriosis, or even some forms of cancer.
Because Pilates combines rhythmic breath and full-body movement, you naturally stimulate oxygenation and circulation, which can lead to greater hormone balance, head to toe. I want to exhale just thinking about how good that feels!
The low-impact movement and a continuous pattern of breathing that supports oxygen flow through your body are also linked to a well-functioning brain. Both of these things help regulate three of the brain’s primary hormone groups (metabolic, stress, and sex). This means getting on your Pilates mat regularly helps boost brain health and even reduce cognitive decline.
At Lindywell, we make it easy to commit to this daily brain-boosting movement with a wide variety of short, 15-20 minute workouts that help you build strength too! Lindywell member, Catherine, experienced this and so much more:
“I’m stronger, have better balance, have lost several inches all over, and just look better. On an emotional and mental level, I have more confidence, am less stressed – or better able to handle it, and just feel more joy.”
Try a 14-day trial to experience the benefits for yourself!
If you’ve experienced hormonal imbalance—or you’re in a life transition that might cause those hormones to fluctuate—bring Pilates into your routine. This mindful movement is a powerful tool for women’s hormone balance and one that’s been critical on my journey as well.
Not only can it help you restore balance in your body (yes, please!), but it will also help regulate your mind. This helps you You may be surprised by how great you feel if you commit even just 10 minutes a day to a Pilates workout.
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