Hey.
Ando here from SenseiAndo.com.
So, I'm waking up today in Las Vegas and I want to get going with a good workout.
Only problem, the last time I went down to the fitness center, I started doing some of
my weird martial arts stuff and they called security.
So, I'm back up here in the room and yeah, I could do a bunch of squats and pushups and
kata, but I also thought I'd show you a little bit of a circuit I put together using a towel.
Best thing about using a towel, you can do it at home anytime you want to, or in a hotel
when you have to.
So, here comes a quick, little circuit that I'm doing this morning.
Take a look.
Oh.
Quick disclaimer.
Remember, these are just things that are working for me.
If you want to do any of this stuff, you're doing it at your own risk.
Okay, let's start with one of my favorites.
Go grab the biggest hotel towel you can find.
I've already grabbed this one and folded it the long way.
I'm going to fold it one more time to make it as thin as I can.
Once you've done that, all you have to do is throw this bad boy up over your shower
rod and look what I have suddenly have here, my friends.
It's my own slip bag.
So, great way to warm up, just start working on your timing, you hand-eye coordination.
The only way this gets better is if you can make that towel a little damp first.
So, maybe yesterday's towel.
Adds a little more weight, adds a little more pop.
Dare I say it feels a little more real?
Is that psychotic?
Now, if you know anything about me, you know I'm all about balance.
So, we just did some punching, so I'd also like to do some pulling.
Now, if you're a hot shot, yeah, you could take this towel, throw it up over the top
of the door there, and crank out some pull ups.
But this is not my house, this is a hotel.
So, I don't feel safe doing that.
Pulling that door down would be trouble.
But when I can do is use the doorknob of the bathroom door.
In this case, I laced the towel on one side of that doorknob.
I'm going to do the same thing on this side.
Just tuck that through, pull it down.
This looks the same on the other side.
What that gives me?
Two good handles.
Basic thing you can do is just drop into a squat, put your weight in your heels, lean
yourself back, and engage those back muscles, and start pulling.
Big safety tip here.
I'm wearing sneakers right now.
If you did this is socks, there's a good chance you're going to slide yourself right into
that door and unless you're wearing a cup, your workout just took a really bad turn.
So, sneakers, squat, good grips, stretch, pull.
Get that going.
A variation I like even better than this, once I warm that up a little bit, is to use
one hand.
So, I'm really practicing that hikite or pulling hand movement.
So, what I'll do is take one hand, grab both handles, and treat it like an arm drag, right?
So, I'm reaching across, getting up above that elbow, I'm just going to pull myself
by.
I'm going to switch off side to side.
The trick on doing this is to not just hold the towel and walk yourself past the towel,
right?
It's not a dance.
I'm reaching across, grab the towel, and give myself enough weight back so that I really
feel that I'm using my back muscles and my arm to engage this movement.
So, just pulling by, side to side, pulling in.
Try that one.
Okay.
Let's do something for your legs.
Roll up that towel.
Put your foot right in the middle and let's crank out some front kicks or teep type kicking.
Just going to bring in that chamber, push it out.
This will give you a chance to really pull in that leg as much as you want and then use
as much resistance as you want to push it out.
Obviously, I'm getting a good workout still for my grip and my back.
So, pulling and then pushing.
Pulling and pushing.
For even more of a challenge, try this on your bed.
Just hop up.
This way, you're not just working on your strength, you're working on your balance,
and now you're working on your stability.
Oh, boy.
Let's see if I can get this.
Nope.
Yep.
Nope.
Yep.
Nope.
Ah, Papa's got it now.
Okay.
Last one, best one.
If I'm really short on time, this is the only one I'm going to do.
Everybody knows battle ropes are really great for your grip strength, for your endurance,
and your general sense of flow.
Well, guess what?
Towels can do everything that the battle ropes can do.
So, grab two of the biggest towels you can find.
If single towels aren't enough for you, big man, put two towels in each hand.
Either way.
So, you're going to find out that the towels can do everything the ropes can do.
You can do your up and down.
You can do your side to side.
You can do your hip toss.
You can do your circles in.
Circles out.
My personal favorite, you can do your figure eight.
Even better, the towels allow you to move your hands independently, so if you're a sticks
person or you want to do some chuk work, guess what?
You can use your towels.
Whoo.
Okay.
Well, that's my martial arts workout for the home or a hotel using a towel.
No excuses, my friend, there's always a way to work out.
If you liked those tips, don't forget to hit subscribe and, hey, why not jump over to SenseiAndo.com
and get on my email list?
Until I see you next time, keep training and keep fighting for a happy life.