There was a reason for all those lockdown weight-gain memes. Gyms were shut, many parents started to drink more and, between the home-schooling and financial curveballs, there was no doubt a fair amount of stress-eating going on, too.
Ultimately, though lockdown was just one more reason for dads to pile on a few kilos. Not that we really needed one. The dad-bod phenomenon is real. In fact, one US study found that on average fathers weigh 6kg more than childless men.
That’s no surprise to Tim West, a father-of-three and the managing director of 12Rnd fitness. He knows how parenthood can derail even the best of intentions.
The 39-year-old became a dad for the first time during the GFC. As if that wasn’t enough to process, his daughter was born just as he was about to open one of the first 24-hour gyms in Australia. Suddenly, the pressure was mounting on multiple fronts.
“Becoming a father certainly upped the stakes,” he admits, “It sharpened my focus and was a real big contributor to the motivation of making that business successful.”
Between putting in the hours at work and trying to spend as much time as possible with his family, Tim found that, despite being a personal trainer, his own exercise regimen was invariably sabotaged.
“I felt that when I finished working, I needed to go home and any time that diverted from that was selfish,” he says.
“As a father your priorities get downgraded. You go from being selfish to selfless and one of the first things to drop away is often your training, because suddenly the needs of your children, quite rightly, are prioritised above yours.”
Tim West: "Boxing is one of the most challenging sports”
With a lifelong background in fitness, Tim was able to regain his exercise mojo. But remembering that challenge, he’s now evangelical about the benefits of home workouts for dads which, he believes, massively increase your likelihood of maintaining your fitness. “And that, in turn, makes you a better father,” he insists, “Because it preserves your mental health as well role-modelling positive activities for your child.”
Understandably, this focus redoubled for Tim when his 12Rnd franchises all around the country were forced to temporarily close during COVID. “The release of the 12Rnd app was in response to the lockdown of clubs,” he says. Originally, the app was aimed at existing members, but it’s subsequently become accessible to anyone for free.
As the name suggests, 12Rnd is a form of boxing training that recreates the physical demands of a 12 round bout with “all the conditioning and none of the concussion”. Participants attack up to 12 three-minute rounds that combine boxing, functional strength, and conditioning.
If you’ve ever pummelled a heavy bag you’ll know that boxing training makes for a serious workout. “Boxing is constantly ranked in the top two exercise modalities which caused the greatest amount of physical stress,” Tim says. “It’s one of the most challenging sports.”
Try these home workouts from 12Rnd to help you to fight off dad bod and win.
SHORTER VERSION
FORMAT: Complete as many sets as you can in the 3 minute round
REPEAT: 21 mins
AIM: 3 mins per round. Superset the exercises. Rest for 30 seconds at the end of each round.
ROUND 1:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – High knees (40 reps)
ROUND 2:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross, lead hook (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Burpees (5 reps)
ROUND 3:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross, lead hook, cross (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Good morning deadlifts (10 reps)
ROUND 4:
Exercise 1 – Jab, jab, cross, lead uppercut (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Reverse fly with dumbbells (20 reps)
ROUND 5:
Exercise 1 – Forward and backward 10m bear crawls (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Renegade Row with dumbbells (12 reps)
ROUND 6:
Exercise 1 – Plank press into push-up (5 Reps / Side)
Exercise 2 – Side Plank Reach Throughs (10 reps)
LONGER VERSION
FORMAT: Complete as many sets as you can in the 3 minute round
REPEAT: 35 mins
AIM: 3 mins per round . Superset the exercises . Rest for 30 seconds at the end of each round.
ROUND 1:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – High knees (40 reps)
ROUND 2:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross, lead hook (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Tuck jump (5 reps)
ROUND 3:
Exercise 1 – Jab, cross, lead hook, cross (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Squat Jumps (10 reps)
ROUND 4:
Exercise 1 – Jab, jab, cross, lead uppercut (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Reverse fly with dumbbells (20 reps)
ROUND 5:
Exercise 1 – Forward and backward 10m bear crawls (10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Renegade Row with dumbbells (12 reps)
ROUND 6:
Exercise 1 – Plank press into push up (5 Reps / Side)
Exercise 2 – Internal external rotations with dumbbell (20 reps)
ROUND 7:
Exercise 1 – Kimura sit-up with dumbbell ((10 reps)
Exercise 2 – Goodmorning deadlift (12 reps)
ROUND 8:
Exercise 1 – Jack knives (12 reps)
Exercise 2 – Prisoner squat (10 reps)
ROUND 9:
Exercise 1 – Side-plank / reach throughs (8 reps / side)
Exercise 2 – Split Squats (10 reps/ side)
ROUND 10:
Exercise 1 – Burpees (4 reps)
Exercise 2 – Prone knee taps (20 reps)
Work out with 12Rnd for free here and sign up to access the app