BEST TRAINING PROGRAM = MINIMALISM

 

 

What is the Best Training Program out there?

The Answer: a program  you will actually do!

I get this question all the time and my answer is always the same. At the end of the day, the program that you will put in your calendar and do is the one I recommend. And if you are super busy I recommend making your program as Simple and Minimalistic as possible. As a father of two younger kids, a business owner, competitive sprinter, owner of two dogs and an international lecturer, my life is crazy busy. I literally do not have hours per day to train nor do I want to train for hours on end. What I need is program that provides me maximum results with minimal time investment.

After adopting this minimal training mentality not only do I feel stronger and healthier, my overall life is much more balanced because I have the time and energy to focus on spending time with my children and doing other things.

What does MINIMAL Training mean?

1)  Pick bigger movements that work the entire body such as:

• Kettlebell or Barbell Squats
• Kettlebell or Barbell Deadlifts
• Kettlebell Clean and Presses
• Pull ups or Chin ups
• Kettlebell Swings
• Turkish Get Ups

These movements give you a HUGE RETURN ON INVESTMENT because of the “global” stress that is places on the entire body.

2)  Set time limits on your training sessions.

• Under times of stress I recommend that training sessions be 20 min or less and very often only 10 min.
• Often just setting your watch for 10 minutes and super setting two different movements like GOBLET SQUATS and KETTLEBELL PRESSES is all you need.
• Focus on training in the 70 to 85% intensity zone. That means a load that you can probably get for a hard set of 8 reps but only do 5 reps instead.
• Focus on getting all your reps and do not go to failure.
• You want to feel fresh and energized after the session. Don’t chase fatigue and high reps.
• Focus on QUALITY!! Move well and do not continue if your form deteriorates.

3)    LESS IS MORE.

• The overall theme here is focus. Focus on the big movements and less reps.
• Don’t get caught up in feeling like you always have to do more. That is nonsense.
• The goal is to do just enough work to push the needle a bit.
• As my twin brother Keats Snideman always says, “Don’t slam the body into adaptation. Gently nudge the body just a bit to see progress. It’s about sustainability over a lifetime, not a month, week, or day. Think long term.

So if you find yourself in a season of life that is ultra busy or you just have a lot of stress, focus on minimal training.