Editor’s Note: “Feel Rich” is our partnership with QD3, the talented son of music legend Quincy Jones. “Feel Rich” is all about creating a healthy lifestyle for Hip-Hop culture – both the artists and the fans. Enjoy!
Think you don’t have time to go to work and the gym? If you’re working smart, you can keep your body fit and your bank account fat at the same time. Try some of these tips at the office, the kitchen, or the delivery van to keep your muscles moving and get paid to get cut.
After sweating through another nine-to-five grind – scrubbing tables, folding clothes, whatever – the last thing you want to do with your free time is drag yourself to the gym. There are girls to get after, homies to catch up with, and bars to get thrown out of. You’re trying to make money, make friends, and somehow you can’t work a consistent fitness routine into your schedule. Don’t worry: we get it, and we can help.
The key is incorporating fitness into your daily activities to make the most out of your time outside the gym. And you don’t have to turn into a carrot-juice drinking, eco-d##### to do it. By making a few small changes to the way you work, you can target and develop key muscles while on the job and get paid to workout. These tips are no substitute for a dedicated, regular exercise program, but by consciously applying them throughout your normal routine you can build your strength, improve your health, and keep fit while you hustle.
1. Reach Across: The simplest way to sculpt your abs throughout the day. Take advantage of every opportunity to reach across your body rather than simply grabbing objects with your closest hand. Whether your stacking shelves, making sandwiches, or busing tables, reaching and pulling with your opposite arm engages your abs and can help carve out that six-pack girls go nuts for.
2. Traffic Planks: You know that big, comfortable cushion you’re resting on in the driver’s seat? Get rid of it. By pushing the seat all the way back and supporting your own weight while you drive, you force your abs to counter the subtle jerks and lurches of stop-and-go traffic while conditioning your entire core. For the love of God, please don’t try this at high speeds or in any situation you might crash and slow up your workout.
3. Ankle Weights: Perfect for on-the-move employees. By rocking a pair of subtle, 5-to-10 pound ankle weights under your work pants, servers, stockers, and any highly-mobile workers can add a little extra resistance for some big results in leg strength, core strength, and cardio. Try starting with a light weight and adding a couple of pounds every one to two weeks.
4. Isometrics: Isometric exercises involve exerting force in a static position to put strain on your muscles without actually moving. Whenever you catch yourself with your hands free, try extending them forward at chest-height and pushing them against each other like you were trying to crush a peanut. Hold for 10-15 seconds. By repeating these sorts of motions frequently throughout the day, you can maintain and develop your physique without touching your schedule.
5. Improvise: The rest is up to you. Sprint up every flight of stairs instead of using the elevator. Curl every box rather than sliding it across the floor. Park on the opposite side of the lot to force yourself to walk. After a couple of weeks of choosing the hard options, you will start to see results and staying fit will become just another part of your daily routine.
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