A new strength routine

Here's a re-post of something I posted a few months ago regarding my approach to strength work.  Maybe I'll start re-posting it every time I post a new strength routine.  Below it is the routine I plan to do for the next little while.

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I've said many times before that strength work is my least favorite part of training, and because of that I've developed a give-and-take relationship with it.  I try to follow a few simple guidelines:

1.  Keep the routines short and simple.  I focus on quality, not quantity.  This way I'm not dreading spending a big chunk of my day doing tedious and sometimes uncomfortable exercises.  I try to work in exercises for each general area of the body--legs, core, and arms/shoulders.

2.  Good technique is more important than the amount of weight.  Paddling is a highly technical sport and I think it's important to be precise in the gym as well as in the boat.  And on a similar note, let's not forget that I'm a paddler, not a body builder, so those commercial gym slogans like "Exercise your right to look good" don't really resonate with me.  I happen to think that accomplished paddlers do in fact "look good," but there's a difference between "show muscle" and muscle that actually performs useful tasks.  A bulky body is generally not an asset in our sport, so I do stuff to bring about good lean muscle tone, "prehab" exercises to prevent injuries, and explosive power.  Also, at age 49 I'm thinking more and more about the issues of aging, and I look for exercises that emphasize continued flexibility and range of motion.

3.  Don't get all upset if you miss a session.  Most of the time I try to do strength work three times a week, but if life gets in the way and I have to miss a session, I just tell myself it's not a big deal, and I'll get back on track the next time.

I do my strength work in the comfort of my own home, where I listen to whatever music I want and can play with my cats in between exercises.  I've got some dumbbells, a rubber band, a pair of gymnast's rings, and a few other simple things, and that's more than I need for a good routine.

And so, now that all that has been said, I present you with my latest strength routine:

1.  Hindu pushups

2.  Hindu squats

(Hindu pushups and Hindu squats are both demonstrated in this video)

3.  Pullups

4.  Core exercise on a stability ball, demonstrated by Jing Jing Li at 1:35 of her video that's posted here.