Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update – Five Starr Physique

by | Mar 16, 2020 | Beginning Bodybuilding, Bodybuilding | 0 comments

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update – Five Starr Physique

Update, 3/17/2020 – gym closures are being mandated across numerous states and I anticipate everything being shut down by week’s end. Based on the government’s recommendation to limit gatherings of 10 or more and to stay inside, I’d recommend staying away at this point – let’s all do our part to make this interruption as brief and effective as possible

Update, 3/21/2020 – the dead have arisen and walk the earth…ok ok, not really. If your gym isn’t closed, please stay away anyway. Self-isolate, stay clean and safe, and pick up a workout below to do at home and let’s make short work of this interruption shall we?

Crazy stuff, right? I realize this is a rapidly changing situation and that as I put this out here, it’s likely to become outdated within 24 hours but there’s good stuff in here worth sharing.

This is a copy of a note I sent out to all my clients over the weekend. As of right now, most of this is still accurate enough to be worth posting and sharing. Gym closures are popping up more and more and we’ll certainly see that continue.

The workouts I mention below are available now and can be downloaded for free right here. As of this writing, I don’t consider them “done” in the normal sense as far as being ready for public consumption, but they are ‘done enough’ to be useful certainly. I’ll work to get additional gym-free workouts up soon so everyone has more to do if they find their gym shut down for the short term.

DOWNLOAD LINKS FOR FREE AT HOME WORKOUTS

Bodyweight only: #33 – Body Weight Ballistic

Bodyweight only: #34 – Working Against Gravity

DB’s & Bands: #35 – Push! Pull! Legs! x2

Bands only (light and heavy, plus optional pullup bar): #37 – Band Together

DB’s, bands, and a barbell: #38 – Home Gym Logistics

Hey all, I know you’ve had a billion of these messages so I’ll keep these brief, just wanted to share a few thoughts as I’ve had some questions/inquiries already and wanted get some stuff out there. Several people have expressed concerns about continuing to hit the gym, or what to do in case theirs closes.  For starters, I put together some bodyweight workouts that can be done from home and I’ll be sharing those soon, once it’s all buttoned up and finished.  This is a reasonable short-term/stop gap solution if/when it becomes necessary, not a long-term fix (but everything we’re dealing with here is short-term…remember that as well).

In the meantime, I think you’ll find that continuing to use the gym is not a difficult/dangerous thing if you use a little precaution.  Things to consider:

-Wipe down everything before/after using

-Bring a towel, do not reuse the same towel day to day

-Wash hands as frequently as seems appropriate – before/after your session at least, in between exercises isn’t a bad idea either

-Don’t touch your face (amazing how easy this is to avoid when you really think about it)

-Think about skipping or modifying supersets to limit the chance of people cutting in on you

-Asking to work in (or allowing others to work in with you) is probably something I’d stop, just to maintain a little distance

-If you have a lid/cap on your water bottle/jug, leave it off so you aren’t touching it in between every set, increasing your risk of hand contamination

-Put your phone away and leave it there, and wipe it down regularly as well (not just a gym-based recommendation there).  

I know also that grocery stores are experiencing shortages – if you’re having difficulty finding things for your plan, by all means make whatever substitutions are available. Swapping out chicken for ground beef because that’s all that’s available?  Fine – a little extra fat won’t be the worst that can happen in this situation!  In the short-term (expect me to say that a lot), we’ll have to make some modifications and adjustments and that’s ok.  Also because of how quickly things changed this week, stores simply weren’t prepared.  I’ve heard zero evidence of any supply chain interruptions, so they’ll catch up.  Trucks only drive so fast 😉


Best advice I can offer:  take deep breaths, remain as calm as you can manage.  Get outside and enjoy some fresh air.  Take smart precautions.  Think about how your actions may impact those who are more vulnerable or at-risk than you are.


And don’t buy up all the damn toilet paper.  😉

-Darin
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