Workout Frequency OVER Duration

Want to get jacked and stay jacked? Cut the two-hour strength training sessions and train more frequently.

My days of 2+ hour workouts are long gone. That’s partly because I’m too busy with work, watching the Playoffs, spending too much time at the local watering hole (you know, whatever…) But the real reason is I’ve dropped the marathon sessions is because we can all still see great results, even if none of us have hours of free time each day.

The truth is, there are a bunch of advantages to getting in more workouts during the course of a week for shorter periods of time, instead of just a couple of MLB game length ones. Keeping the body hot, greasing the groove, consistent neurological stimulation, whatever you want to call it, is critical in achieving positive progressions and mitigating the chances of burning out/overtraining or worse yet, injury.

With that in mind, one of my resolutions this year has been to sweat and/or lift something everyday for at least 20 minutes to burn fat, lose weight, and get more cut. There are a multitude of possible workouts you can do, but below are 4, roughly 20 minute, workouts I’ve used to stay on track:

1. Trap Bar Deadlifts with Push-up Variations

Pick a weight that’s about 60-75% of your 1RM. Perform 6-8 pulls, rest 10 seconds, and then perform as many push-ups as possible in 20 seconds. Rest 30 seconds and repeat for 20 minutes.

2. Overhead Squat or Overhead Press @80-90% of 1RM every minute for 15-20 minutes. Take more time as needed in the later sets.

3. The Burner

• 1 minute of Jump rope
• 1 minute of Swiss ball Walkout to knees with hip rotation
• 1 minute of Med Ball Side, Side, Front Slams
• 1 minute of Mountain Climbers
• 1 minute of rest
• Repeat 3-5 times

4. The President’s Physical Fitness Test (Abbreviated)

• Pull-ups until failure (with good form, no struggling)
• Push-ups until failure (with good form, no struggling)
• ¼ mile Run

Repeat until 20 minutes has passed and keep track of reps and ¼ mile time.

Regardless of your goal, I guarantee incorporating MORE workouts for SHORTER periods of time will boost your energy/results, helping you to experience even greater gains during, and after, your training mesocycles. Try one of these options, mix in the great circuits and complexes you can find on 1R, and in time you’ll be bigger, faster, stronger, and more jacked come summer.