You do not need a gym membership or a free hour to get stronger. Twenty minutes, two or three times a week, with your own body weight and perhaps a pair of dumbbells, is enough to make lifting car seats, shopping bags and sleepy children noticeably easier.
How much is enough?
US physical activity guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups on two or more days a week. Strength work does not have to be long to count. What matters is consistency and gradually making it a little harder.
The workout
Warm up for three minutes with marching on the spot, arm circles and gentle hip swings. Then do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds, and repeat the whole circuit three times.
| Exercise | Works | Make it easier | Make it harder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squats | Legs, glutes | Sit down to a chair | Hold a dumbbell at your chest |
| Push-ups | Chest, shoulders, arms | Hands on a kitchen counter | Feet on a step |
| Bent-over rows | Back, arms | Use water bottles | Heavier dumbbells, slower lowering |
| Reverse lunges | Legs, balance | Hold a wall | Add dumbbells |
| Glute bridges | Glutes, lower back | Smaller range | One leg at a time |
| Plank | Core | Knees down | Lift one foot |
Fitting it in
- Do it at the same time on the same days, such as while dinner is in the oven.
- Let children join in. Counting reps out loud is a great job for a small helper.
- Keep a pair of dumbbells or a kettlebell where you can see them.
- Track your workouts in a notebook; seeing progress is motivating.
What poker players know about sitting still
Many parents spend the day sitting: at a desk, in the car, on the floor doing puzzles. That is one reason strength work matters, and poker players have an unexpectedly useful lesson here. Tournament poker can mean sitting at a table for ten or twelve hours a day for several days in a row, making decisions the whole time. Several well-known professionals, Daniel Negreanu among them, have talked openly about exercise and diet as part of their preparation, and many players say fitness helps them stay sharp late into a long session. Strong legs, back and core make long sitting more comfortable, and regular exercise is linked with better sleep and mood.
The psychologist Maria Konnikova makes a similar point about attention and stamina in her book about learning poker, which we review in our roundup of casino thrillers and poker books for grown-ups. And if your idea of a long sitting session is a Saturday card night, our guide to hosting a poker night at home suggests building in a stretch break between rounds.
Safety first: if you are new to exercise, pregnant, recently postpartum or managing a health condition, check with your doctor before starting. Stop any exercise that causes sharp pain.