Construction and Fitness
Construction jobs are usually not jobs that people take for an easy paycheck. Often the job involves long hours, high stress, and a high demand on your body. All of these conditions often make it difficult to take care of your body. I will give you 5 actionable tips to help stay on top of your health while working in the construction industry.
#1 Reduce your Commute
While this may not be an option for everyone, the best way to have more time to dedicate to your fitness is to live closer to your work. Work days are long enough when you have to work from 6am to 6pm, not to mention adding an hour commute each way. More time = more time to get in the gym, more time to cook healthy meals and more time to sleep.
#2 Workout at Home
Obviously not every project is going to be built in your backyard and there are going to be times when you are spending more time getting to or from work than you would like. However, it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to go on a mile jog after/before work. Maybe you are more of a lifter, in that case, invest in a TRX. The TRX is great because you can easily hit a full body workout using your own body weight as resistance. Also, 30 minutes is more than enough as long as you keep your rest times short.
#3 Skip the Monster Energy Drink Breakfast
Look, waking up at 4 AM is hard and sometimes the only way to get through the day is to drink enough caffeine to kill a horse, but energy drinks are not what you should rely on to get you through every day. These drinks dehydrate you and eventually you build up a tolerance to the caffeine. Try pre making a protein shake the night before and taking it with you to work as a quick breakfast. My go to shake is chocolate protein powder, 1 banana, 1 scoop of peanut butter, creatine, collagen, cherry juice and water. The cherry juice and banana provide simple carbohydrates that help the protein absorb into the muscles and also give a quick form of energy for your body to use as you start your day.
#4 Sleep
This one is self explanatory. There are a ton of resources online on how to get quality sleep. Andrew Huberman has countless episodes you can listen to on your way into work. The keys are as follows:
7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
Mouth tape to make sure you are breathing through your nose
Sleep in a cold, dark room
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every night
No screens 1 hour before bed
View early morning sunrises to set your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
#5 Use the Weekends
Block out an hour or two on the weekend to repair your body. Many times, pain comes from being immobile and being weak in a particular movement pattern. Mobility and strength training can help. BeardTheBestYouCanBe is a great online resource to get started on mobility training and reducing pain.
Construction is not easy. It takes a commitment to yourself to take care of your health in this industry. The goal is to not only make money in the industry, but to be healthy enough to enjoy it in old age. Taking your fitness seriously will allow you to enjoy the benefits of your years of hard work.