This may be difficult to believe, but even though I own a gym it’s hard for me to find time to workout. So when someone tells me it’s tough for them to find time to work out, I can sympathize…really!
You see, most days if I’m at the gym I work twelve or fifteen-hour days. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being in the gym, but there is always something more to do that pulls me away from starting my workout. So, just like many of you, I’ve had to build a strategy for getting in my workouts and I’d like to share that in the hopes that it might help some of you out, too.
My Strategy
Even in those really rough weeks where I might have a busier-than-normal schedule, I still manage to get in at least five workouts. Here’s how:
- I Prioritize. I’ve mentioned before that I use a daily checklist, and that it is an important part of how I get things done. Exercise is on that list, and I make sure there are at least five checks every week.
- I keep it short when time is short. Sometimes I may only have 20-30 minutes to spare, so I always remind myself that even a short workout is great. In other words, if you only have 25 minutes to work out, it’s 25 minutes well-spent…and it counts!
- I work it “BIG.” Unless you have hours every day to spend working out, I suggest you focus on exercising the most muscles possible each time you hit the gym. Working the “show” muscles like arms is great, but that is last on my priority list because of my individual goals and time restraints. Without getting too trainery (thank you to our member Paul for that new word) a typical arrangement could be alternate between an upper-body pushing (bench press or pushups), lower body pull (Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift), upper-body pull (rows), and lower body pushing (squat).
My Strategy in Action!
Here’ a sample of my workout from last Saturday. Keep in mind that my goals are to strengthen my shoulder, knees, and back while building muscle and burning fat.
- RAMP and foam rolling. 5 minutes. This is our version of a warmup and elevates body temperature and mobilizes the joints.
- Resistance Training Circuit. 4 sets with 30s rest between circuits.
- Single-arm pushups. 8 on each side. I did these elevated since I am not strong enough to do them on the floor with good form.
- Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift. 8 on each side.
- Single-Arm TRX Rows. 8 on each side.
- Single-Leg Total Gym Squats. 8 on each side.
- Metabolic or “cardio” Intervals
- Airdyne cycle sprints. 15 seconds of sprint and 45 seconds of recovery for 8 intervals.
This workout only took me about 30 minutes, and as I write this, my sore abs remind me how powerful single-arm and single-leg exercises are in working core stability. 🙂
I could go on about how this exercise arrangement is efficient and effective for my particular goals (and maybe yours), so comment back if you would like to learn more. Or just give it a try yourself and let me know what you think. I’m all ears.
–Coach Brad
PS The four sets I describe in #2 above are what I like to call “The BIG 4.” I’ll go into more detail in a future blog about how and why I’ve built these into my own workout routine.
