Not The One Punch Man Workout
Who knew at 30 years old I’d be in my gym girlie era?
I’ve struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. Whether my belly could be flatter, my face could be thinner, or my thighs could be slimmer, there was always something I wanted to change (or simply make smaller). Beginning a fitness journey was initially for the purpose of making a physical change. However, with the decline of my mental health, making the effort to be more active was more so to promote wellness. Physical and mental wellness.
High intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workouts have been proven to help manage the symptoms of depression and anxiety by reducing stress. One of my favorite HIIT Workouts can be found on YouTube by health and fitness creator Toni Michell. Her 25 Minute HIIT Workout was essential the early stages of my wellness journey. As someone who was uncomfortable with being in the gym around people that often were already in better shape than myself, I needed a stepping stone to even get the hang of consistency. I began with a stretch followed by this workout.
Michell includes on her YouTube channel many helpful stretches, low intensity workout routines, and vegan recipes.
One of the benefits of HIIT workouts is raising your heart rate. The heightened heart rate improves the blood flow to your brain and all throughout your body. The way I like to think about it, when the bloods flowing, it’s sending happy signals to your brain. Have you ever heard of a runners’ high?
So, what’s the One Punch Man Workout? Or rather, why is this article called Not The One Punch Man Workout?
If you’ve been following me on Instagram or Tiktok, or even read some of the Pearls articles, you know my love - possibly even obsession - with anime. Inuyasha is my favorite of all time if you were wondering.
The thing about anime that makes it so over-the-top but also so interesting is the way they exaggerate each and every action taken. Every confession of love is Bridgerton level speeches. Every coming-of-age story is the single most inspiring story of all time. And every training arc, or work out sequence, or triumph of power is the most powerful feat in all of history. Yes, the theater kid likes the drama of anime. Sue me.
One Punch Man is a pretty self explanatory show: This man is super strong and takes out his enemies with one punch. Yes, there are nuances and other storylines intertwined, but the premise is our protagonist, Saitama, being the strongest and not a lot of people are even aware of his power. How did he achieve such an impossible feat?
100 PUSH UPS
100 SIT UPS
100 SQUATS
AND A 10KM RUN EVERY DAY
Source: Mangahere - https://roamstrong.com/one-punch-man-workout/
That’s it? You must be wondering. That’s all? The key to Saitama’s routine is diligence, persistence, and consistency.
Working out is great and the first step to a successful fitness journey is making the effort to start. But many of us fall off or begin routines that simply aren’t sustainable. Sustainability - being my word of the year - is the key to reaching long-term and successful wellness goals.
The reason why so many mental wellness advocate preach having a routine everyday (saying positive affirmations each day, drinking water every morning, etc) is because the results come with consistency. That’s why it is equally as important to find a routine that can work and that is practical to do everyday.
That being said, I don’t personally do the One Punch Man Workout everyday. My arms gives out after 40 assisted push ups, I opt out the sit ups for ab rollers, and the squats…well, I can actually do 100 squats. I’ve just gotten into my cardio bag. So far, I’m able to job consistently jog 1 mile (1.6 KM) at a constant pace and 2 miles (3.21 KM) at a split pace. Give me another 2 months to work my way up to consistently jog 3 miles (4.82 KM). If I tried to do a 10KM run at this point even after being consistent with my fitness goals, you’d see my on the 6 o’clock news with the headline NEW JERSEY RESISDENT IS DOING THE MOST RIGHT NOW. So, until such time I’m able to confidently work my way up to that physical feat, I’ll continue to do what is practical and sustainable for me.
So what is my workout routine?
Right now, I’m in the gym 4-5 times a week. If I’m not in the gym, I do Toni Michell’s workout linked above. To keep my body active even on the weekends, I’ll go on a hike or long walk.
I always stretch for 10 minutes before starting anything. When I first began jogging, I was only able to for 5 consecutive minutes. However, I didn’t get off the treadmill before 10 minutes was up. So I’d try to push each day to jog more than I walked. Some days, I was only able to jog 3 minutes in a row, walk for 4, jog another 2, and walk the last minute. As long as you push yourself each day. Some days you’ll jog the entire 10, others you’ll walk the whole 10.
Source Image: https://medium.com/sitcom-world/i-have-questions-about-the-jogging-baboon-from-bojack-horseman-2a51222f7b8e
“Every day it gets a little easier… But you gotta do it every day — that’s the hard part. But it does get easier.”
Here’s the modified One Punch Man working that I’ll do on my own if I’m not going to the gym or focusing on a specific body part.
10 Minute Full Body Stretch
20 Minute Jog
50 Assisted Push Ups
50 Squats
50 Ab Rollers or 5 One Minute Planks
I’ve found that I’ll have the best results during these full body at home work out days. I’ll stretch before I jog around my neighborhood. Once I get home, I still have all of the energy to work on 3 major insecurities I have - my arms, my belly, and my legs. I am able to get through 50 of each before maxing out my strength. But I’ll always try to do more. Maybe 51 push ups one day. Or a minute and ten second plank.
Listen to your body. Rest when you need to rest. Move when you need to move. Be diligent. In a years time, you’ll look back at all the progress you’ve made and be proud of yourself.
Acknowledgments
Cover Image Source: https://rachitelemount.medium.com/the-true-power-of-saitama-b4ccaad31529
