MINDSET FOR MUSCLE #6
ROBERT DODDS | NOTHING BARRED FITNESS | LONDON, UK | DECEMBER 2023
Here we get to know Robert Dodds, a fitness coach who helps dads go from tired, overweight and lacking energy, to becoming energised, healthy role models for their families. Achieved with short, efficient workouts and a flexible approach to nutrition
Intro to Rob
Rob helps dads become the inspiring leaders their families need with time saving workouts and a simple approach to nutrition that takes less than 60 mins/week. Here we understand his approach so you can learn how to get better results in the gym with less time.
'Mindset For Muscle' was created to share perspectives and learn from each other in the fitness space. In the hopes you'll find an insight which gets you one step closer towards your own goals. To kick things off, please jump ahead to a topic which interests you from the highlights below.
LINKS TO EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- Rob's background and journey from the corporate world to becoming a fitness coach.
- Rob’s fitness insights, including the importance of recovery, minimalism in training, and debunking myths.
- Rob's personal fitness advice, emphasizing consistency and sustainability.
- Productivity hacks for ambitious individuals striving to balance various responsibilities.
- His strategies for social media growth, tailored advice for choosing platforms, consistency, and networking.
What Is Mindset For Muscle?
In this series we aim to uncover ideas and tips which can help develop your mindset and find motivation for your fitness journey. Including interviews with influencers in the fitness space.
GET TO KNOW ROB
What's Your Story?
I’m a 34 year old online fitness coach with a background in the marketing and media industries. I had to find ways to adapt what I knew about fitness to stay in shape while navigating being a dad to two young kids whilst having a corporate job and a rapidly growing online business.
Now I help other busy dads to do the same with a minimalist approach to fitness.
What are you currently working on?
Currently working on a group coaching offering alongside my 1-1 offering so I can help more people at scale!
FITNESS
What's a counter intuitive fitness idea which has helped you get better results?
The idea that you need far less volume and a lot more recovery than you think. I was more than willing to embrace this idea when I became a dad and no longer had room in my life for anything like the routine I used to follow.
What are some beliefs you have which helped on your fitness journey?
That anything can be included in your diet as long as it works within the bigger picture of calories and macronutrients. Different foods carry different levels of nutrients and have different effects on satiety, so clearly you can’t just live off junk food within a calorie limit, but you can make room for things you enjoy.
This is how dads can look. Styling the Olympvs Jet Black Shorts.
Rob proves the effectiveness of home workouts, showing that with dedication, one can achieve significant fitness results without a gym.
"Tackle tasks when others won't, working diligently at all hours because your determination fuels success" - Rob
What’s your number 1 fitness advice?
Whatever you do, make sure you can do it consistently. If you won’t still be doing it in a year, what’s the point?
What’s a lesson from your journey that you wish you knew at the start?
I wish I'd known you don't have to aim for extreme strength or lift one-rep maxes for muscle growth. Recognizing that recovery, not just training, builds strength could have saved me frustration and injuries.
Training in higher rep ranges with sub maximal loads is the best option for people if they don't have aspirations to compete in a strength sport.
Prioritizing recovery, doing less, and reducing volume might have led to faster progress overall.
What’s your go-to meal at the moment?
Overnight oats with skyr and chocolate whey protein! 250g skyr, 20g chocolate whey protein, 100g porridge oats, 100ml milk, leave in the fridge overnight! Add cocoa powder and peanut butter powder for more flavor. Definitely a bulking meal.
How can you achieve solid workout results in less than 60 minutes per week?
Compound exercises only. Cut all fluff from your routine and swap exercises that take a long time to set up, load/unload from your routine for ones that are faster (like machines with pin selectors and weight stacks). Pair exercises together that use the same piece of equipment and be strict on rest times (2 minutes max). Leave your phone in your locker. Make sure you’re hitting a vertical pull, a vertical push, horizontal pull, horizontal push, squat (which can include leg press) and a hip hinge across the week.
What areas in the gym do you believe people tend to waste the most time?
Sitting and resting for slightly too long, looking at their phones!
I also believe that people waste a lot of time by doing too many exercises and sets for body parts that have already been sufficiently worked. The returns from these extra sets are rapidly diminishing.
This is even more true when the goal is fat loss. You’re not going to be building a ton of muscle, so you’re better off focusing on a quick stimulus to maintain muscle, then getting out of the gym and saving your body the stress - so it can recover more easily on reduced calories.
MINDSET
WORK ETHIC | PRESERVANCE | STANDING OUT
Do what other people wouldn't, stay determined and be memorable!
What’s your motivation to better yourself?
I’ve done 10+ years in a corporate job. My motivation is complete freedom to live life on my own terms and give my family the best possible life, whilst being present with them.
What’s your process for turning your vision into results?
Look at people who are already doing what I want to be doing and figure out how they’re doing it.
What productivity hacks do you have for ambitious people trying to cram as much into their days?
Don’t start your day with an email. Prioritize your health and fitness. Meal prep to save yourself a lot of time and headspace. Know your own hourly rate and pay (if you can) to get other people to do things you don’t need to spend your time doing. They’ll do it better than you, faster than you and you’ll spend the time doing something that you’re actually good at. It’s better all round.
What’s your best advice for someone struggling to find motivation for working out?
Start really small. Just do one set of one exercise a day, at home. It’ll take 2 minutes per day, and believe it or not, if you work hard enough for that one set, you will see some results! Anyone can do 2 minutes a day.
Rob wearing Olympvs Hyper Stretch Shorts and a Bamboo Tee on one of his adventures.
You don't need to aim for extreme strength or lift one-rep maxes to achieve muscle growth.
Embracing the perpetual motion of an active lifestyle, Rob is always on the move. Join his journey by following him on his Twitter here.
VISION
What would be a perfect day for you?
It’s the summer holidays, my kids are off school. I’m traveling with my family for weeks on end. We’re currently somewhere really cool and exotic, seeing and experiencing amazing things. I work completely on my own terms and can keep things ticking over with a couple of hours of work per day (done early in the morning or late at night).
Do you have any advice for someone looking to grow their social media profile?
Pick the platform that suits you best. If you don’t like making and editing images and videos, Instagram is not for you. If you’re good at writing, pick Twitter, LinkedIn and/or write a blog. Show up every single day. Post every day and add value. People are reading, even if not many are liking or commenting at first. Network with other people who are several steps ahead of you and add value on their posts. Build your email list as early as possible by offering something of value for free in exchange for joining.
ROB'S PICKS
Olympvs - Made For Athletes
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