Issue #63

1) A rowing machine full-body program.
2) 4 tips to perfect your form without a coach.
3) Read this before you add weight.
4) Exercise of the week: Step-ups.

Read time: 4.1 minutes

Get it fast, lose it fast.
I see it all the time, but not enough people talk about it.

This is true for strength, fat loss, or building muscle.

Every time I hear someone say they lost all their progress after a 2-week holiday, I just think “how long did they work for it though?”

When you take your time to lose weight in a sustainable way, you don’t gain it back because of Christmas.

When you take your time to build strength, you can stop training for one month and still lift 99% of what you used to.

When you really take time to build solid muscle mass, you can take a short break and not see a big difference in the mirror.

So if you’ve ever lost all your gains before, ask yourself: did you work long enough for them? If you only trained or dieted for a few months, the answer is no. It takes longer to build lasting results.

I don’t mean to make you feel guilty; on the contrary, I want to give you hope.

If you just take your time, you’ll build real fitness and won’t have to worry about losing it every time you relax a little.

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1. A rowing machine full-body program.

Here’s how I would structure my program if all I had was a rowing machine.

You may not always have access to a gym, or maybe you practice an outdoor sport and need something to stay in shape during winter. If you can only train with one piece of equipment, a rower is a great choice.

One tip before I start: remember the faster you pull, the heavier the resistance feels.

Here’s the program:

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• 20 minutes rowing, fast pace, low intensity.
• 3 sets of 15 fast arm pulls at high intensity.
• 3 sets of 15 1-arm slow pulls at high intensity.

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• 15 minutes rowing, face pace, medium intensity (mostly leg driven).
• 3x10 jump squats.
• 3x15 front lunges.
• 4x10 floor bridges.

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• Rest

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• 3xmax (knee) push-ups.
• 3x15 (wall) inclined push-ups.
• 3x30sec pike hold.
• 3xmax half plank.

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• 20 minutes low intensity cardio.
• 10 minutes HIIT rowing.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• Stretching session.

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲:
• Rest

Pull, push, legs, cardio, and mobility training. This is how I would stay in shape with just one machine and a few square meters.

2. 4 tips to perfect your form without a coach.

Learn these 4 tips before you exercise without supervision.

One of the most important things when you work out is to maintain proper form. Especially at home since you most likely train with your bodyweight and free weights.

Here’s the problem: maintaining form is difficult without supervision.

So here’s a few tips you can use to ensure you’re training correctly:

1) The eyes to ankle technique: many bodyweight exercises require you to keep a straight line. Look at your ankles: if you can’t see them, your hips are forward. If you can see your knees, your hips are back.

2) Master static positions first: do planks before push-ups, then learn slow movements before doing fast repetitions.

3) Film yourself: it is more reliable than using a mirror and will force you to learn proper moves without watching yourself.

4) Focus on feeling key points in your body: try to feel your hips, ankles, shoulders, arms etc. in relation to each other. This is how you train body awareness.

While it may feel like an obstacle at first, training without supervision is truly a blessing in disguise as it will force you to develop body control and awareness.

3. Read this before you add weight.

So you’re getting stronger and want to add weight to the bar? Not so fast.

Here’s why you should use full range of motion and light weights first to improve joint mobility and build strength gradually.

After an initial phase of resistance (see last week’s issue), you’ll start seeing great progress week after week. And it’s tempting to keep increasing the weight. But just because you can lift it doesn’t mean you should.

At this point in jour journey, you should be more focused on perfecting your form and strengthening your stabilizer muscles.

These smaller muscles are usually the most lacking in terms of strength and mobility.

Not prioritizing form and functional training early can result in injury, and almost certainly lead to a plateau.

It might seem useless or boring, but remember that simply going through the full range of motion and practicing with smaller free weights makes you stronger too.

In fact, it’s what makes you deeply stronger and not just on the surface. And this is the only way you can hope to lift really heavy one day, and to do so safely.

Train form before speed, train light before heavy.
Just like a young student in a Kung Fu movie.
That’s how you become a master.

4. Exercise of the week: Step-ups.

Step-ups are one of the most underrated yet effective exercises for building strength, balance, and endurance. All you need is a sturdy surface like a bench or step, and you’re ready to go.

Why Step-Ups Work:
This functional movement mimics everyday activities like climbing stairs or hiking. It primarily targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while engaging your core for stability. Over time, step-ups improve single-leg strength and balance, reducing muscle imbalances and the risk of injury.

Benefits You Can’t Ignore:

1. Build Lower Body Strength: Step-ups are a compound movement that works the big muscles in your legs, making them stronger and more powerful.

2. Enhance Balance and Stability: By working one leg at a time, step-ups improve coordination and proprioception.

3. Boost Athletic Performance: This movement translates directly to better running, jumping, and climbing.

4. Joint-Friendly: Unlike high-impact exercises, step-ups are easy on your knees and joints when done with proper form.

5. Scalable: You can adjust the intensity by increasing step height, adding weights, or even slowing down the tempo.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, step-ups should be a staple in your routine. They’re simple, versatile, and incredibly effective. Try them and let me know if feel the difference!

Click this link for the full YouTube video and instructions.

I hope you found some useful tips and motivation in today's edition.

Please share your feedback and help me improve my content for everyone!

A great way to do this is by replying to this email with a personal question you have about fitness.

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

- Nico

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