Strength In A Time of Corona

Jesse Schmidt • March 19, 2020
A man is doing push ups on the floor in a living room

You might not know this but the difference between an exercise that builds strength and one that doesn’t is as stark as being under quarantine or not. And when you learn the difference you’ll know when to focus on strength, and when to avoid strength exercises, like avoiding the Covid cough coming from that guy over on aisle 4.

It’s called “positive failure,” and it’s every bit as inspirational as the moniker suggests. What it means is whenever you’re doing an exercise you should try to perform it to the point where you can’t lift the weight anymore.

For example: You do 10 push-ups and after the 10th one you try for an 11th and fail on the positive (lifting portion of the movement).

If you’re not reaching positive failure on your exercises, you’re still doing great. You’re elevating your heart rate and your lungs are working, which is generally good for your health. You’re just not necessarily stimulating any new strength in your body, as Dr. Wayne Westcott told the New York Times and Truth Not Trends in podcast episode #28 .

Then comes the important part: write down the results! For your strength training to be working, you should be measurably stronger each time you workout. So if you failed after your 10th push-up in your last workout, you should be able to get at least 11 the next workout. If you can’t beat your performance from last time, you may need to take more rest between workouts.

Here’s what I recommend starting with:

1) 2x/week workouts with at least 2-3 days’ rest in between. I.e. Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri.

2) Move slowly while performing your exercises. Think 5 seconds lifting and 5 seconds lowering. Do as many reps as you can until you can’t do any more. Do at least 1 set as hard as you can.

3) Corona Full-Body Strength Program: 1) Wall sit 2) Bulgarian squat 3) Single leg calf raise 4) Push-up 5) Pull-up/row 6) Flutter kick 7) Superwoman

These exercises are designed to be doable at home with no equipment. If you have dumbbells or other equipment around, by all means, add some exercises to the mix!

The row can be tricky to maneuver if you don’t have a pull up bar or any equipment at home so you may need to look for a railing to use ( or check out this row video ). Modify the push-ups by doing them from your knees or doing negatives to failure (lowering yourself to the ground and using your knees to climb back up).

Have fun (and be safe) with this and remember the wise words of Muhammad Ali who said, “I only start counting when it starts hurting because those are the only ones that count.”

Note: For more great strength training info check out the TNT website and subscribe to the Truth Not Trends podcast on any major podcast platform!

Experience the TNT Strength difference with a free workout.

START YOUR FITNESS TRANSFORMATION WITH A

FREE WORKOUT

Complete the form and we'll set up an appointment for you.

Recent Articles

TNT Strength client
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer July 7, 2025
When it comes to women and strength training—especially women over 50—the myths run deep and wide. As a coach with decades of experience helping people of all ages and abilities get stronger, I’ve seen firsthand how damaging these outdated ideas can be. But here’s the truth: strength training is not just for young athletes or men who want to get "jacked." In fact, if you’re a woman over 50, strength training might be the most powerful tool you have to reclaim your health, boost your confidence, and age with strength and grace.
Jesse Schmidt TNT Strength coach with client
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer June 30, 2025
Let’s set the record straight: losing your balance as you age is not inevitable. Despite what many believe, balance isn’t something you just “lose” over time like your hairline or your car keys. The truth is, most balance issues that show up later in life stem from something far more preventable—loss of strength and muscle mass.
HIT UNI Logo
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer June 23, 2025
Let me ask you something… If I told you that you could build strength, enhance performance, and reduce your risk of injury in less than one hour a week, would you believe me? No gimmicks. No magic pills. Just science-backed, time-tested strength training that works. Welcome to the world of High Intensity Training, or H.I.T. — the TNT Strength way.
TNT Strength  Training
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer June 16, 2025
At TNT Strength, we coach you to train safely and effectively, one controlled repetition at a time — from the very first to the very last.
Clients working out at TNT Strength in Oakland
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer June 2, 2025
When people think about injury risk during strength training, they often imagine something going wrong during the last rep of a hard set. That’s when you’re exhausted, your muscles are screaming, and the weight feels impossible. It seems like the danger would be highest right there, right?... Wrong.
Longevity image bar chart growth
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer May 26, 2025
In Part 1 and Part 2 , we discussed why everyone needs strength training and how to do it efficiently. Now let’s talk about making it stick.
TNT Strength  Training Client
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer May 12, 2025
In Part 1 , we established that strength is foundational to living a healthier, more functional life. But let’s face it: time is tight, and not everyone wants to spend hours in the gym. The good news? You don’t have to.
TNT Strength Client Training with Liam
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer May 5, 2025
Part 1: The Foundation – Strength is the Root of All Physical Ability
TNT Strength  Training
By Liam "TAKU" Bauer April 28, 2025
At TNT Strength, safety isn’t just a priority—it’s the foundation of everything we do. Just like doctors take the Hippocratic Oath and vow to “first, do no harm,” we as strength coaches hold ourselves to a similar standard. Every rep, every session, every program we build is designed with that guiding principle in mind: help first, never harm.