Phone Booth Training- Or How to Train Anywhere

[Damien]

A slightly tongue in cheek video, but the topic is serious. The phone booth/box for us Brits, certainly demonstrates that you can train something wherever you are. I may also be slightly trolling a guy who said that a certain traditional kung fu style was for fighting in a phone booth...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq0DgMBaQI8

One of the biggest limitations many people have in their training, whatever their focus might be, is a lack of time. Unfortunately modern life is full of things to keep you busy, like jobs (eugh).

But with incidental training you can get in a lot more training that you might otherwise think, and keep progressing towards your goals. A full training session might be more valuable, but it's not always possible. There is even a new study on resistance training that suggests doing a set of an exercise a day, rather than grouped might even be better. This is likely from the increased rest time and ability to put in max effort. More studies are needed on this though.

Just this the other day I was intending to get a leg workout in, but ended up not having the time as I went out with the in-laws, so whilst wandering around (they're a bit slow), I was there doing calf raises, patrick steps etc. at the side of the road.

You just need to get over the feeling that people are watching and judging you! Whilst filming this I had an old guy in a car pull up and ask what I was doing with a camera standing in a phone box. I just told him what I was doing and we had a brief conversation before he drove off. He may have thought I was a weirdo, but that doesn't affect me.

Do any of you use incidental training, either for fitness or martial arts? Do you have any funny stories of interactions having been training in public?

 

[_Simon_]

Great video man! And yep, aaaaall the time haha. Stretch everywhere, calf stretches on the escalator stairs, but often train at the beach or in the park. Even though these are dedicated sessions, some people look, some people don't care at all. And yeah, it reeeeeally doesn't matter haha.

 

[Gyakuto]

I really liked the video! Do more! The guy in it is a bit irritating though…😉

 

[Buka]

A slightly tongue in cheek video, but the topic is serious. The phone booth/box for us Brits, certainly demonstrates that you can train something wherever you are. I may also be slightly trolling a guy who said that a certain traditional kung fu style was for fighting in a phone booth...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq0DgMBaQI8

One of the biggest limitations many people have in their training, whatever their focus might be, is a lack of time. Unfortunately modern life is full of things to keep you busy, like jobs (eugh).

But with incidental training you can get in a lot more training that you might otherwise think, and keep progressing towards your goals. A full training session might be more valuable, but it's not always possible. There is even a new study on resistance training that suggests doing a set of an exercise a day, rather than grouped might even be better. This is likely from the increased rest time and ability to put in max effort. More studies are needed on this though.

Just this the other day I was intending to get a leg workout in, but ended up not having the time as I went out with the in-laws, so whilst wandering around (they're a bit slow), I was there doing calf raises, patrick steps etc. at the side of the road.

You just need to get over the feeling that people are watching and judging you! Whilst filming this I had an old guy in a car pull up and ask what I was doing with a camera standing in a phone box. I just told him what I was doing and we had a brief conversation before he drove off. He may have thought I was a weirdo, but that doesn't affect me.

Do any of you use incidental training, either for fitness or martial arts? Do you have any funny stories of interactions having been training in public?

Best incidental training I know of.....

This can be done standing or even sitting.

Assume good posture. Suck in your belly, trying to touch your belly button to your spine. Keep it there and try to breathe normally as you can. Try holding it for a few minutes. Repeat it every five minutes or so.

It works your transverse abdominals. (transverse abdominis)

It can get nasty hard, but it works really well. Once you get used to doing it, there's a nice breathing exercise that makes it even nastier. A year of doing this will show you really good results. And it doesn't take away from your training time because you're doing it at times when you're not training.

 

[Damien]

Best incidental training I know of.....

This can be done standing or even sitting.

Assume good posture. Suck in your belly, trying to touch your belly button to your spine. Keep it there and try to breathe normally as you can. Try holding it for a few minutes. Repeat it every five minutes or so.

It works your transverse abdominals. (transverse abdominis)

It can get nasty hard, but it works really well. Once you get used to doing it, there's a nice breathing exercise that makes it even nastier. A year of doing this will show you really good results. And it doesn't take away from your training time because you're doing it at times when you're not training.

That's definitely a great one. Most people barely work their transverse abdomonis, but it's such an important muscle. The same movement really helps to fully engage the core when doing other core centric things too

 

[Damien]

Great video man! And yep, aaaaall the time haha. Stretch everywhere, calf stretches on the escalator stairs, but often train at the beach or in the park. Even though these are dedicated sessions, some people look, some people don't care at all. And yeah, it reeeeeally doesn't matter haha.

Thanks! Ooh calf stretches on the escalator, living dangerously! Best spot I ever found for stretching calves was the concrete blocks at the end of parking spaces because they have that diagonal bit on them. Only ever seen them in the US though.

I really liked the video! Do more! The guy in it is a bit irritating though…😉

Yeah, he's a bit of a **** right? Still, ridiculously handsome, so there's that

 

[Gyakuto]

You make really engaging and interesting videos, Damien. I’m very impressed!

 

[Damien]

You make really engaging and interesting videos, Damien. I’m very impressed!

Thank you very much! Always good to hear nice things 🙂 Makes the many hours they take worthwhile!