Tips on training as a sleep deprived new dad

[JeffC]

So my wife and I are expecting our second child in early December. Our first child will be 4 early next year. The first few months of our first child passed in a sleep-deprived blur and I was not training very regularly at the time. For the past year or so I've been using kettlebells and the programs in ETK pretty closely and am now doing the ROP program with a 20kg.

I am wondering if any relatively new parents have tips on keeping fit during these trying times. For example, if you had to get up at odd hours and could not go back to sleep did you try to workout? Did you just try to maintain strength at the expense of conditioning or vice-versa, etc.? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

[Boris Bachmann]

New & Expecting Fathers: Tips For Training & Time Management (article begins on page 2)
http://danjohn.net/pdfs/rkc.pdf


The author kicks ass...

[0311bravo]

I've been in the same boat the last few months. I started off doing Naked Warrior stuff, but mainly I just had to work on time management. ROP was good for me because I could take all day to get in my pressing ladders, and only needed 10 minutes for swings.

[cl2606]

Best suggestion I can give is get your kids into a routine. When they are sleeping either at night or taking a nap during the day workout then.

My daughter takes a nap anywhere between 10:30 a.m and noon which lasts for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I workout then if my wife is at work. I work fire/EMS so even if I have a rough night the night before I usually forgo a nap myself to workout. Either that or do a quick, intense workout and get 30 - 45 minute nap in after. My son is in pre-K so during the weekday it is only me and my daughter.

Again, routine, routine, routine.

[matterny5]

My daughter was born in August and I thought it would affect my sleep and training. Fortunately, she has slept through the night since she came home from the hospital. I had planned on compressing my workouts time wise to make things easier. You can get in a great workout with PHA in less than 30 minutes a few times a week until the sleeping gets better. Congratulations and good luck!!!

[PeterHuntRKC]

Originally Posted by JeffC

So my wife and I are expecting our second child in early December. Our first child will be 4 early next year. The first few months of our first child passed in a sleep-deprived blur and I was not training very regularly at the time. For the past year or so I've been using kettlebells and the programs in ETK pretty closely and am now doing the ROP program with a 20kg.

I am wondering if any relatively new parents have tips on keeping fit during these trying times. For example, if you had to get up at odd hours and could not go back to sleep did you try to workout? Did you just try to maintain strength at the expense of conditioning or vice-versa, etc.? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, JeffC:

I formed a close bond with my jump rope during my stint in "th[o]se trying times."

Regards,
Peter
/you ain't seen nuthin' yet, hombre
//as in your newly defined territory of "dad"

[ARODRNSN]

The wife and myself just had our second child yesterday. There was an article a little while ago that suggested 10 minutes of work on the "core" Party exercises. Snatch, clean, TGU, Military Press, Swing and I forget the other one.

For a short, brief running session I do Tabata sprints. Total time involved for the whole workout is 14 minutes, if I elect to run of course.

[blutsj]

I expect my first baby in about 3 weeks (guess that at nearly the age of 41 the sleep depreviation will be tough) but luckily due to shift work I am used to being tired (eg with nightshifts after a few hours of sleep I am awake already, tired but awake, or I have a late shift followed by an early shift and this also is maybe 5 hours of sleep).

I discovered that when doing a small workout I feel better. So I plan on just sticking to the PM. When my wife and baby takes a nap I will go to the garage and do my workout. The next nap hour I can take a nap myself.

I think the PM is good for this period, it does not take up much time but does wonders.

[rwleonard]

Alternate days of GTG bent presses, with days of high rep-snatches.

FWIW

Rick

[recon42]

I can remember doing 1 arm long cycle in the living room while 1 girl slept on the couch and the baby in the crib. Quiet exercises help. Also a good time to quietly work on yoga (I did YRG) Congratulations.