Lots of folks start crazy workout programs. Not many finish.
We know this about fad diets, too. There’s a sort of high that comes with starting something new and discovering the hidden secret to six-pack abs.
The other day I read an Instagram comment from a follower who just started a “high volume, high intensity, low rest” program. He’s very excited, I’m not sure why. It sounds miserable. But the workouts were written by a doctor, so they must be good.
A basic principle of effective strength training states that volume and intensity fall into an inverse relationship. In other words, as the intensity (resistance/weight) increases, volume (reps) decreases. That’s the kind of common sense that prevents burnout and injury.
A rule intelligently broken might be the ticket to new gains, but many are duped by the fancy program that promises a lean, chiseled physique not by respecting the basics of training, but by straight-up opposing them.
If and when my friend gets burned by the good doc’s prescription, here’s my remedy:
Day 1:
1-Arm Military Press 2 x 5/5
1-Arm Row 1 x 5/5
1-Arm Row 2 x 10/10
Kettlebell Swing 10 x 10
Day 2:
Front Squat 2 x 5
Waiter Carry 1 x 30s
Farmer Carry 2 x 30s
Turkish Get-Up x 5 each
Day 3:
Chin-up 5, 3, 2 (Add weight)
Push-up 1 x 5 (Harder variation)
Push-up 2 x 10
Kettlebell Swing 5 x 10
Day 4:
Deadlift 2 x 5
Front Squat 1 x 5
Front Squat 2 x 10
Turkish Get-Up x 5 each
Day 5:
Farmer Carry 4 x 30s
Bar Hang 1 x 30s
Plank 2 x 60s
Kettlebell Swing 10 x 10
The template here is old-school gold.
We have Dan John’s “Rule of 10” for the main lift of the day and the “Rule of 25” for the accessories.
When you’re working in the sweet spot of strength training (75-85%), 10-ish total reps is an effective, repeatable workout. You’ll get stronger and have the energy to hit it hard again tomorrow.
For the accessory moves, you’ll perform a heavy or challenging set of 5 reps followed by two easier sets of 10 reps. The total comes out to 25 reps or 90 seconds for the timed carries and planks.
If these numbers seem low, get aggressive with the poundages.
Finally, we wrap up each session with kettlebell swings or Turkish get-ups. I suggest performing these “every minute on the minute” style – a set of 10 swings or one TGU at the top of each minute.
With a quick warm-up and an eye on the clock, you could easily knock out each routine within an hour. That’s 5 hours of quality work per week, covering all the major movement patterns and rep schemes.
And it’s practically guaranteed to make you bigger, stronger, and move better.
So if you’re tired of complicated workouts that over-promise and under-deliver, write this one down on a Post-It and go to town.
No doctor’s note required.