A program that will help you overcome common barriers to starting (and sticking with) a strength training routine.
It’s one of the most powerful things you can do to benefit your overall self, yet even once you’ve built up enough motivation to start strength training, there are usually two main issues that can pop up:
1. Time constraints/not knowing how to fit it into your schedule.
2. Not knowing what to do and then suffering from paralysis by analysis because you want to do the ‘right thing’.
Here’s a program that solves these issues. It requires a minimal time commitment (you can easily slide it into your daily routine without impacting any of your other commitments) and it requires very little thought!
You’ve got two workouts, workout A and workout B. You’ll be alternating between these workouts week-to-week. So, over 6 weeks:
• Workout A will be performed on weeks 1,3 and 5.
• Workout B will be performed on weeks 2,4 and 6.
All you have to do is accumulate a target number of reps over the week (record your reps somewhere so that you can keep track):
Week 1 and Week 2: Accumulate 50 total reps for each exercise
Week 3 and Week 4: Accumulate 60 total reps for each exercise
Week 5 and Week 6: Accumulate 70 total reps for each exercise
• Follow the exercises demonstrated in workout A (on weeks 1,3 and 5) or workout B (on weeks 2,4 and 6).
It doesn’t matter what days you exercise, you can do it every day of the week, 2 days a week with a long rest in between, every second day etc. The only thing that matters is accumulating the target number of reps over the week.
If you can complete the weeks target rep range in less than 4 rounds, you need to add more weight. For example:
Say you’re performing workout A on Week 1. On Monday, you accumulate 25 reps of each exercise in a single round. You decide to train again on Wednesday and hit the same as you did on Monday. You have accumulated 50 reps in only 2 rounds. You need to add more weight.
If instead on Monday you hit 20 reps over two rounds, Wednesday you’re in a rush so quickly knock out 10 reps in one round, and then you find time later in the week to accumulate another 20 reps over two rounds, you’re probably at a decent weight (it took you at least 4 rounds to accumulate your target reps).
On days you feel great (or have a little bit more time to spare) you may want to get a larger amount of reps completed by performing more rounds. On days you don’t feel as good (or are pressed for time) you may just want to knock out one quick round of a few reps and get on with your day.
When performing each exercise, try to get to a point of muscle exhaustion where you’re thinking you may only have a couple reps left in the tank.
Your rest period is simply the time it takes to change the weight for the next exercise and/or setting it up. If performing more than one round, you can include some rest at the end of the round (2-5minutes).
Perform the following exercises in a circuit fashion (back-to-back with minimal rest).
Perform the following exercises in a circuit fashion (back-to-back with minimal rest).
• The science lines up! Volume (think doing more ‘work’) is a priority in this program and it is achieved through the increasing target rep range week-to-week. For results, as long as you’re completing this specific amount of work (volume) laid out each week, the frequency in which you perform it is less important (which is why you get to choose the days you want to work-out). And finally, with the equipment you’re using it may be hard to load up enough weight, but if you’re training relatively close to failure (“I’ve only got one or two more reps I could do”) then we can still effectively add some more muscle. (1) (2) (3)
• There’s not much thought required to complete this program which is great for those who already have enough to think about. Simply keep track of your total reps over the week and If there’s an exercise that you can complete the weeks total reps in less than 4 rounds, add more weight.
• A form of autoregulation: There’s no fixed amount of reps you’re required to do each day which enables you to do the bare minimum on days that you don’t feel great (eg. stress is super high, you’re fatigued etc.) and on the days you do feel great, you can do more. This naturally varies your workouts throughout the week (based on how you’re feeling) which is an effective method for enhancing your training and keeping your overall fatigue in check.
• Time/schedule conscious: As mentioned earlier, a significant friction point for a lot of people starting a strength training routine is having to find the time to fit it into their schedule. The major advantage of this program is that it takes up a very small amount of time (compared to a full hour routine) so you can easily slide it into your schedule. You could simply perform one round each morning as soon as you hop out of bed.
• Easy to start and no experience needed: The exercises are straightforward (they’re also good ones to learn if you’re beginning) and all you need is an adjustable dumbbell/kettlebell and a resistance band. You can start in the comfort of your own home!
1. Understand why you’re doing it (focusing on the benefits) and how the outcome is going to be valuable for you (Don’t know why it’s beneficial? Learn more here:
-More Muscle, More Health? (Muscle's role in a number of health outcomes)
-Strength Training: a Meditation Tool (How training can be a great meditation tool)
-Will Strength Training Prevent Injuries? (Its role in helping you become more resilient)
-Will Strength Training Help My Mental Health? (The mental health boosting benefits)
2. Vocally pre-commit and check-in with whoever you can count on for some social support (maybe you could get your friend or partner doing the same program).
3. Slowly transition it into a daily habit (this is where this program shines.)
To help: Give it some context (eg. "I’m going to do this as soon as I get out of bed each morning in the corner of my room where the dumbbell is sitting") and eliminate any friction to doing it (eg. You have to walk past that dumbbell sitting in the corner of your room when you wake up in the morning).
If you’re struggling to stick with it, hopefully something here can help: Why Can’t I Stick to a Health and Fitness Behaviour?)
Just adding in any amount of strength training is a great start! If you want to get even more out of this program, paying attention to some other areas will do wonders. Consider the following:
• Prioritise protein intake and eat lots/a large variety of fruits and veggies.
- Protein: Are You Getting Enough?
- Are Fruit And Vegetables Really That Important?
• Incorporate a couple of strategies to improve your sleep. (Nine Tips For Better Sleep)
• Find some time to get a little bit of sunlight, get out in nature, relax/mentally detach and experience positive emotions (all of this can be combined).
- Fatigued? Try These To Speed Up Your Recovery
- Sunlight – The Health and Fitness Enhancer
If you’ve been interested in implementing some resistance training into your weekly schedule but have been dissuaded by the time commitment and/or ‘not knowing what to do’, then this program is for you. It’s an effective way of training that requires little thought, works around your daily commitments and energy levels, doesn’t take much time, continually progresses and you can start it from home with minimal equipment.
1) Schoenfeld, Brad J et al. “Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of sports sciences vol. 35,11 (2017): 1073-1082. doi:10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197
2) Ralston, Grant W et al. “Weekly Training Frequency Effects on Strength Gain: A Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine - open vol. 4,1 36. 3 Aug. 2018, doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0149-9
3) Schoenfeld, Brad J et al. “Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 31,12 (2017): 3508-3523. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200
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