Routines

Let’s talk about the system I’ve implemented as of this writing.

I use Apple’s Reminders app. I created a list called “Health and Wellness.” In that list, I have all the recurring things I want to accomplish related to my health and wellness—coming as possibly no surprise.

First is water intake. I have a 20-ounce bottle; the last time I weighed myself, I was at 240 pounds. So, on the advice of 0.75 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight daily, I have 12 daily reminders to drink a full bottle of water. I consider myself hydrated if I complete 9 to 12 of those reminders. It’s not easy, and not as hard as it might sound, as long as there’s not too much getting in the way.

As we progress into the movements and activities section, an important note is that I don’t try to stack water intake the same way I do the movements. On any given day, there will be only 12 reminders listed, and if I only have 8 one day, I don’t try to do 16 the next.

I aim to take on some form of active exercise and movement daily. I received prescribed exercises from my physical therapist. I have other movements I want to do beyond those prescribed exercises.

Here’s where it gets a bit funky to describe.

The goal of the exercises prescribed by the physical therapist is to do them every day. Sometimes, they’re too intense. Either the movement itself or the repetition count or something else.

For example, there are one-legged hip rotations as I write this. I’m to do 3 sets of 10 repetitions daily on both sides. The engaged muscles started to rebel when I did that for 2 or 3 days. So, I changed it up. I decided to go with 5 extremely slow (to increase time under tension) daily. Then, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I’d do 2 more sets at 8 repetitions each. That lasted for about a week. Then I increased to 8 extremely slow and 10 repetitions for 3 days out of the week. And as of this writing, I’ve increased to 10 slow and 10 repetitions 3 days a week. I had to do something similar with the split-leg calf raises, dropping from 3 sets of 15 reps to 3 sets of 10 reps and doing them daily.

Back to the system of reminders.

Each set has its own reminder and can be set to its own recurrence. Sometimes, I’ll create combinations; maybe micro-circuit is a better name.

For example, as of this writing, I’m regularly doing cat cows and upward-facing dog to loosen my whole spine and work on counter-stretching from a kyphotic posture. I do 3 sets of these in combination; 10 cat cows with a transition to upward-facing dog for 10 breaths. I also have 1 set that includes rock-back breathing for 5 breaths.

Each reminder represents an area of focus regarding shape and movement. Each reminder also represents a full set related to that shape and movement. And each reminder may represent multiple movements to represent a set.

So, I wake up every morning with a list of shapes, movements, and exercises I want to do throughout the day. From there, I may create circuits or routines.

I define a circuit as moving directly from one shape, exercise, or movement into another. Because I’m usually trying to fit these movements into my regular day, I can complete multiple reminders in a shorter period than doing them all in one sitting.

For example, as of this writing on Mondays, I’ll try to do the following:

1. Rock-back breathing for 5 breaths, 10 cat cows, and upward-facing dog for 10 breaths.
2. 10 wall breaths.
3. 10 transverse plane slouches on both sides.
4. 10 single-leg hip rotations on both sides.
5. 10 split-leg calf raises on both sides.
6. A pectoral stretch for 10 breaths, emphasizing the chest and calf stretch.
7. 10 wall presses (downward hand) on both sides.
8. Couch quad stretch for 10 breaths on both sides.

Getting into and out of these positions typically includes other movements; however, they aren’t explicitly listed in the Reminders app. For example, I perform a single-leg squat during the couch quad stretch.

1 and 2 can be seen as the warm-up. The workout or emphasis is 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. 8 is the cooldown.

A second round would consist of things remaining from the overall list for that day and won’t have things that have already been taken care of. So, the second round on a Monday usually looks like this:

1. 10 cat cows and upward-facing dog for 10 breaths.
2. 10 single-leg hip rotations on both sides.
3. 10 split-leg calf raises on both sides.
4. A pectoral stretch for 10 breaths, emphasizing the chest and calf stretch.
5. 10 wall presses (downward hand) on both sides.
6. Couch quad stretch for 10 breaths on both sides.

I’m only prescribed the 10 wall breaths once a day, and the transverse plane slouch is something I’ve kept from previously prescribed exercises, but I’m only doing it once a day.

And the third round:

1. 10 cat cows and upward-facing dog for 10 breaths.
2. 10 split-leg calf raises on both sides.
3. A pectoral stretch for 10 breaths, emphasizing the chest and calf stretch.
4. 10 wall presses (downward hand) on both sides.
5. Couch quad stretch for 10 breaths on both sides.

As of this writing, I typically do 10 single-hip rotations on both sides as part of my shower routine, so only 2 sets remain when I get out.

Sometimes, life happens, though, and I do what I call stacking.

In a sense, this is a hack for motivating myself not to skip days.

I don’t mark something done unless I do it. Therefore, it’s possible for things to start stacking up.

The situation I’m in while writing this is a prime example because I haven’t been in a normal setting for a bit.

On Mondays, I try to do the following:

1. 2 sets of 10 cat cows and upward-facing dog for 10 breaths.
2. 1 set of number 1 with rock-back breathing added to it.
3. 1 set of 10 single-leg hip rotations on both sides.
4. 20 glute medius hip lifts on both sides.
5. 3 sets of 10 toe abductions.
6. 2 minutes of active toe and foot extensions, not static holds.
7. 2 minutes of active dorsiflexion, not static holds.
8. 3 foot massage variations for the bottom of both feet.
9. Toe mobilizations for both feet.
10. 3 sets of 10 split-leg calf raises.
11. 10 wall breaths.
12. 3 sets of pectoral wall stretches.
13. 4 sets of a wall press variation.
14. MovNat Fundamentals week 1, day 1.
15. 2-mile walk at an average pace of 3 miles per hour.
16. 1-mile walk at an average pace of 3 miles per hour.
17. 1 set of transverse planar slouches with eyes closed on both sides.

On Tuesdays, I try to do the same thing with the following differences:

1. No MovNat Fundamentals.
2. 2 more sets of 10 single-leg hip rotations on both sides.

On Wednesdays, I try to do the same thing with the following differences:

1. Drop the 2 additional sets of 10 single-leg hip rotations on both sides.
2. Supine lying with rolls to prone lying on both ways.
3. Bent sit position for 10 breaths.
4. Side bent sit on both sides, with possible transitions.
5. Kneeling and flex-foot kneeling.

Here’s where the stacking comes into play. Because I can’t mark something as done until I do it, when I miss a movement or exercise during one of the days, it rolls into the next day. Therefore, the number of exercises I need to perform to get back on track increases.