Issue #65

1) All you need to know about pull-up bars.
2) How to keep strong and healthy bones.
3) The most compact but complete home gym.
4) Exercise of the week: Inclined Push-ups.

Read time: 4 minutes

The process of becoming healthier must feel uncomfortable. If it doesn’t, you’re not really changing your habits.

You will feel hungry as you learn to control your portions and eating schedule, until you see how good it feels to have a balanced diet.

You will feel terribly sore after your first workouts, and it will be tough and painful for a few weeks, until you get stronger and start enjoying the progress.

You will be bored and anxious as you learn to fall asleep without scrolling late at night, until you find it more relaxing and start sleeping better than ever.

And yes, you’ll be pretty moody if you try to fix it all at once, but the rewards will feel even better once you’re used to your new lifestyle.

It may be hard right now but remember: you won’t feel like this forever – quite the opposite.

This discomfort is the feeling of change, and this is what you should expect in the early stages of your transformation.

Trust the process and push through it, it feels great on the other side.

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I will reply personally, and will create more adapted content thanks to you.
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1. All you need to know about pull-up bars.

Allow me to tell you what I think about pull-up bars at home. 🙂

Why should you listen to me? Because I know a thing or two about pull-ups (some people only know me for that).

Why should you care? Because the next lines might save your life, literally.

1) A pull-up bar is mandatory if you work out at home. Some exercises can only be done with a bar and there’s no way you can build a truly healthy back without one.

2) Most pull-up bars on the marketplace are sh*t… And dangerous! Please do not ever buy the type of bar you fix on a door frame. These things fall. If you have one, throw it away. And maybe burn it just in case someone thinks of recycling it.

3) The best pull-up bars are either fixed to the ground or wielded to a steady base like on the rack on my video. (Power Personal by Technogym) Pull-up bars fixed to the wall are fine but be mindful of my next point.

4) Never train with your head upside down if you have a pull-up bar fixed to the wall. And I must repeat this: do not even think about it if you have a door frame pull-up bar. ⚠️

5) There are 2 exercises you must do and can only do with a pull-up bar: dead hangs and (assisted) pull-ups/chin-ups. Master these and you’ll grow wings (some people call them lats) without going to a gym.

In short, I think having a pull-up bar at home is vital, as long as you choose a safe one and learn how to use it.

2. How to keep strong and healthy bones.

People obsess over fat loss.
They exercise to avoid muscle loss.
But how many worry about bone loss?

Your bones are made of living tissue. This means that when you lose weight, you lose bone, but it also means that you can build bone.

As we age, bone density and joint health should be top concerns. And there are 2 ways you can build stronger bones:

1) Weight-bearing exercises: Any exercise that puts pressure on your bones, and this is site-specific. Jogging and jumping strengthen your spine and lower body, while holding a plank does the same for the bones in your arms and shoulders.

2) Strength training: training with machines, free weights, your bodyweight, or resistance bands are all effective ways to build stronger bones too.

Short bursts work well:
For lower body, try jogging then walking.
For upper body, do a pike hold for 20 seconds, then rest.

As with everything else, gradual progression is key, so start slowly, but don’t wait to start applying pressure on those bones.

3. The most compact but complete home gym.

Do you think you don’t have enough space for a home gym?

Think again.

Here are 3 pieces of equipment that are versatile and compact enough to be used by the whole family and still fit within a few square meters.

1) Boxes: Perfect for plyometrics, you can also use them for incline or decline push-ups, step-ups, core exercises etc. They are usually stackable to provide 3 different heights or more. This also gives you different levels depending on the angle you use for push-ups.

2) A set of bands: There are countless exercises you can do with bands, and 3 bands can be used individually or combined together for a total of 7 different levels of resistance. 4 bands give you 15 levels!

3) Connected dumbbells by Technogym: 2 pieces / 12 different weights. It’s a single piece of equipment that can replace a full 2-meter long dumbbell rack – something you can only get at home.

If all I had were 5 square meters, I would get all 3 and that would be all I need for my free weight, bodyweight, plyometric, mobility, and functional training.

Compact but complete – it’s like a gym in a box! 🎩🪄

4. Exercise of the week: Inclined Push-ups.

Whenever someone asks me how they can do their first push-up, or how they can reach 10 in a row, I do my best to devise a strategy that’s tailored to them.

However, it ALWAYS includes one exercise.

And if I could only keep one, it would without a doubt be this one, because I know it will always work for increasing someone’s max reps.

It is the best for 2 reasons:

• Anyone can do inclined push-ups. You just need to find your angle.

• The movement and body position are exactly the same as in flat push-ups. This means that gradually lowering the angle to make it harder is exactly the same as adding plates to a free weight exercise (ex: bench press) — simple progressive overload.

My main tip: keep a straight body.
If you can see your shins, you’re bent forward. If you can’t see your toes, you’re bent backward.

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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