Got 30minutes because that’s all you need to change the way you look, feel & perform.

Given our age of being ultra busy (we aren’t, not really, people are just lazy and want a quick fix), keeping your training sessions short can be a blessing.

 

Ideally if you can train 2-7 times a week, based on doing 30min a day, not something crazy like 3 hours 7 days a week because that is just silly.

 

Also, if you did decide to do 7 days a week at 30min each session you’d vary how hard you went session to session, so perhaps a hard one followed by an easy mobility one and so on.

 

Variability is the key.

 

Okay, let us look at 7 session options for y’all.

 

1 – Tabata Fun

 

A tabata is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times (4min total).

 

You will do three of them in the 30min with 4min rest between each so you can give each tabata maximum effort.

 

Example:

 

W/U – 5min Mobility

A1 – Tabata 1 – Thrusters – Rest 4min

B1 – Tabata 2 – Pull Ups – Rest 4min

C1 – Tabata 3 – Kettlebell Swings – go to CD

C/D – 5min Stretching

 

A good rule of thumb is to think about hitting the full body, your only limit will be you imagination.

 

2 – Mobility Madness

 

30min of mobility work, it’s that simple.

 

Personally I’d recommend getting a hold of either of these books and picking bits that you need to do based on a simple movement assessment to highlight your weak areas.

 

– Becoming a Supple Leopard

– Free+Style

 

3 – 30/30/30

 

30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, 30 total rounds

 

Personally I’d advice picking 3 movements and doing 10 rounds for each.

 

 

A1 – 10×30/30 – Get Ups (easy, to be used as working W/U)

B1 – 10×30/30 – DB or KB Snatches (go hard)

C1 – 10×30/30 – Windmills (medium, to be used as C/D)

 

Simples.

 

4 – And Stretch

 

30min of stretching, be it from Yoga or a routine you made up yourself, it doesn’t matter, just stretch.

 

5 – Litvinov’s

 

The man who bore this name was a legend in hammer throwing, he use dot do this training session:

 

– Front Squat 8×405

– 400m Sprint

Rest, repeat twice more

 

Just epic.

 

You can utilise a similar thought process, which is this: A heavy lift followed by a sprint or CV movement repeated 3 times.

 

Example:

 

W/U – 5min Mobility

A1 – 8x Power Clean & Push Press (Bar, DB, KB etc)

A2 – 200-400m Sprint (run or any bit of kit), rest 2-3min, repeat twice more

C/D – 5min Stretching

 

Any big lift will do, make sure it’s got a lot of bang for it’s buck, that is my only staple.

 

6 – Carry on doing only one.

 

This will seem easy, it’s not.

 

Pick one lift, movement or my personal recommendation, loaded carry and do it for 30min.

 

Example,

 

W/U – 2-3min mobility

A1 – Bear Hug Sand Bag Carry x20m, repeat for 20-25min

C/D – 2-3min stretching

 

If you were doing one lift, such as squats for example, keep the reps between 5-10 and never let your form slip.

 

7 – Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

 

30min of any CV method you like, swimming is nice 🤗

 

There you have it, some simple ideas to get you results in only 30min.

 

Of course you will need to have optimal nutrition for your goal – Fat Loss = Calorie Deficit, etc.

 

Until next time, enjoy,

Ross

Ladies & strength.s

Personally I feel all people should be strong, however it makes me especially happy when the girls take well to the world of lifting and start to shift hefty weights about.

Two impressive numbers for the average lady what lifts are as follows:

– 3/4 bodyweight strict press
– 1.5x bodyweight overhead deadlift

Those two lifts, when at those numbers seems to often entail good things in regards to sporting prowess and also easier activities of daily living.

By no means gospel, yet there is a nice trend when you delve in to the endless hoards of zero’s and one’s.

How do you measure up when look at these numbers?

I trust you can hit them easily 🤗

Of course there are other lifts for the average lady lifter that add extra prowess from my experience.

– 1.25x BW Squat (or BW Front Squat)
– Bodyweight Farmers Walk for 25m, 50% each hand
– 5 Strict Pull Ups or 7 strict chin ups

There just seems to be something about all of the above that keeps popping up when one digs in to it, as such they give some useful targets for us to aim for that are not out of the realms of possibility.

All of the above would be for one solid rep (unless labeled otherwise), however if you could do them for say 3-5 reps that would be truly epic.

Being strong is a great thing.

Apart from the added lean body mass, confidence and general badassery, lifting decent weights is rather enjoyable.

As such it might be worth looking at your numbers and working towards closing the gap on the above.

Give it some thought.

Enjoy,
Ross

They’ve got old people strength!

Morning All,

I’m sure you’ve heard terms such as ‘Farmer strong’, ‘old man strength’ or something similar.

The above used to be common place, now though not so much. The elderly now are no longer the robust and battle hardened chickens of old that the spring ones used to watch in awe. Oh no.

Sadly now most of the elderly are fragile, weak, sick and patiently waiting for the cold hand of the reaper to gently come to rest on their shoulder.

It’s a shame.

In our formative years, humans were physically active due to having no other choice. We had to lift things, carry things, hold things just tight enough as to not drop them or kill our hands so we couldn’t go fetch another.

We were strong, durable, happier perhaps?

Manual labour and the necessity of having to be physical made us many things and also gave us an appreciation for the times of rest.

Thinking back to those days there was not so much restriction on food and a lot less of “That food is bad for you,” simply because people ate to fuel their needs during the day and perhaps a couple of nibbles for enjoyment.

Obviously we’ve become a very advanced species and truly achieved some great things, yet in gaining all of these ‘things’ did we lose something precious, something soon to be completely forgotten and lost to time?

All this being said, we live in a glorious age.

Still though, there is a set of valuable lessons you can learn from yesteryear.

– Move daily
– Pick things up, carry them
– Repeated bouts give you a high baseline strength level
– Be thankful for what you now have, your predecessors didn’t have it as easy

Enjoy,
Ross

Old New News

What is there left to say when it’s all already been said?

 

Morning All,

 

As fitness enthusiasts many of us will devour information by the bucket load, yet what is really happening is a case of us just recycling what we know through other sources.

 

Now this isn’t necessarily a terrible thing as it can allow something to click that might not have happened before.

 

That is one of the benefits about reading the same thing, all be it in different ways.

 

The frustrating thing about it though is that many will often reads something that is perfectly logical and if applied will get them that which they desire, yet they only wish to embark on journey for a quick fix result.

 

Once the result is achieved they think they can sustain it by reverting back to their old ways, this is foolishness.

 

Think about it.

 

How many times have you read that for fat loss you need to be in a caloric deficit and that also eating mostly nutrient dense foods (as opposed to calorically dense ones) is also optimal for good health, a lot I’m willing to bet.

 

As such people will do it, for a short period of time.

 

Then go back to eating as they did (in a caloric surplus) and gain back their fat that was lost, then stand their bemused and say silly things such as – “I can’t lose weight and keep it off.”, well if you go back to eating like a prize sumo then you will get the body of one, simple.

 

I’m sure you’ve all heard the classic line of ‘success leaves clues’ because it does.

 

You may be surprised to also learn that consistency breed success as well because without consistency you’re basically ice skating up hill.

 

What sage advice have you read multiple times of the years that you ignore?

 

Give it some thought.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Two Tips

With all the options available to you that are meant to help you achieve your goals, is it any wonder you’re confused?

It’s okay, I’ve been there as well.

Heck, honesty I was here for a long time, a lot are.

In knowing so much we end up doing very little, a such here are two bits of advice for you.

1 – Look at people that achieved what you did back before the invention of the internet, perhaps even as far back as the early 1900’s or before.

2 – Pick one training philosophy or protocol and give it an honest try, something like 6months will be good because if you stick with it you’ll have broken the habit of a lifetime and learnt to trust in a process.

Achieving health or fitness isn’t hard, it’s sustaining it that’s the tricky part, especially when there is so much temptation.

Your goals, desires and needs are your own, be sure to do things for you.

Enjoy,
Ross

A protocol for the brave or the busy.

Short little post today with some wisdom from yesteryear.

Why brave of busy you ask?

Well if you are brave you will trust in the process and if you’re busy then it may be a good option for you.

Firstly you will train once every 5 days (scary thought, such little training, you could say every 3-5 days if it really panics you).

Second you will pick two movements for Strength (Deadlift & Press would be good), then you will pick two movements for Volume (Squatting & Pulling are ideal) and finally you will pick one loaded carry or sprinting related exercise to be done for density (time).

An example session:

A1 – Deadlift 5-4-3-2-1-5
A2 – Press 5-3-2-5-3-2
B1 – Squat 4-6×6-12
B2 – Pull Up 4-6x AMRAP
C1 – Farmers Walk x10min total distance

A classic little thought process from the olden days.

You don’t need to follow the above in regards to strength/volume etc, or the number of lifts, you might just have three movements (strength, volume, density), all you’d do well to remember is that to go heavy for strength, shift a lot of weight for volume and push your limits for the density.

Cover the full body and you’ll find that even if busy you make progress, and if you’re used to doing too much (I’m guilty of this) your body will welcome the extra rest and allow for the strength you’ve built over time to come to fruition.

Give it a go and enjoy the process,
Ross

It’s quite simple really.

The results most people want from training :

1 – Strength (build muscle)
2 – Fitness (not die running for a bus)
3 – Skill (learning fun things)
4 – To look good naked (obvious really)

Achieving these is actually very simple, as such we shall break each down in 100 words of less.

The results most people want from training : s per week for 3-5sets or 3-5 reps per main lift (Push,Pull,Squat,Hinge)f, carry things weighing 50-100% of your bodyweight for distance/time.

Train the entire body and you’re golden.

2 – Do some sprinting 1-2 times per week, the same goes for something longer in the endurance realm, once to twice per week is good. You’ll be amazed at how doing one of each will cover almost all of your fitness needs.

3 – Take up a sport or something that requires you learning new things, perhaps a martial art or gymnastics etc.

Learning a skill will give training a focus and stave off boredom.

4 – Eating like an adult (meat, veg, basically non man made foods).

This is the hardest element because people want to eat all the crap they can find while ditto getting the body of a greek deity, it doesn’t work like this and if someone says it does, they’re lying to you.

This link will help you establish you calorie needs for this goal:

https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php…

That’s it.

Enjoy,
Ross

Split Opinions

Training split considerations for optimal frequency base don how many days you can train per week.

 

Did you know that it is considered optional that you train a movement/muscle every 3-5 days. Of course this is for most average people, if you get someone who is godly strong then the rules change.

 

Here is a guide for the kind of strength levels to look out for based on the classic big 3 lifts.

 

If you can Squat 5 plates, Bench 4 & Deadlift 6, then you can probably look at a training frequency of hitting each movement every 5-7 days.

 

If you can’t hit those numbers ten every 3-5 is more than likely better for you.

 

Okay, the split considerations.

 

2 days per week –

 

Full Body for most people.

 

If your crazy strong then a Push/Pull split will do you well.

 

3 days per week –

 

– Full Body

– Upper/Lower

– Push/Pull

 

Crazy strong = Pull/Push/Legs

 

4 Days per week –

 

– Full Body

– Upper/Lower

– Push/Pull

– PPL

 

Crazy Strong = Pull, Push, Legs, Push & Pull

 

When you start to get in to the realms of 5-6days a week training you’ll find that a Pull-Push-Legs or Upper/Lower split works well for most people. The Crazy Strong ones may have heavy & light days, however you’ll often find that people of that level of strength train 3-4 days per week on average as the amount of stress they are placing on their body demands a lot of recovery.

 

Give most of us have real lives and jobs many are looking at 2-4 days in the gym per week, as such Full body or Push/Pull would be my go to recommendations.

 

If you plan a full body routine think about these movement patterns:

 

Loaded Carry, Squat, Hinge, Pull, Push – use a different movement for each of these every session, for example, 3 days a week would have three pushes – Incline Press, Close Grip Bench & Overhead Press for example, you get the idea.

 

A push/pull split is easy to program, think about it in terms of squat, presses for push, and deadlift, rows etc for pull, stick with that philosophy and you won’t go far wrong.

 

Before we go I have a quick thing for you to think about, have a solid strength related goal in mind as this will help you actually make some progress in the gym.

 

A classic is this:

 

Press one plate, bench two plates, squat three, deadlift four, this is for most chaps, ladies can match this or perhaps aim for 3/4’s, it’s all about what you want at the end of the day.

 

To most people this will be enough strength for them to live a good life and with the proper nutritional protocol love pretty decent as well.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

The Adult Phenomenon

It’s time to adult for real. 

 

The only thing that really separates adults from children is the simple truth that adults do things they really don’t want to because they’ve not really got any other choice.

 

Well, maybe there is a choice however the alternative for an adult not doing things they must do yet don’t want to can be far more costly than that of the plight of youth.

 

In this world there is nothing we truly have to do, however there are things that as we age it’s easier to just do them instead of suffering the consequences.

 

It’s often said that we have ‘free will’ & ‘freedom of chocie’ which is true, yet people seem to think that this means freedom from consequence, which it doesn’t and you’d do well to remember that.

 

I will say it again:

 

Freedom of choice doesn’t mean freedom from consequence.

 

Keeping the above in mind let us now apply this to fitness.

 

As a youth there are things we know are better for us to do in regards to nutrition & training that will improve our long term health.

 

As a youth we can choose not to do these things, however we will reap what we sow and eventually as an adult you might just find yourself overweight, weak, sick and basically a shadow of your former self.

 

As an adult you may now think “I better get in shape” yet because of being older now it is harder, perhaps not for the physical reasons you may think, more the mental reasons.

 

The mental reasons?

 

Yep, you’ve become accustomed to doing what you want and bollocks to everyone else, it’s your life, your body and so on. The younger you may have had some wiggle room, the older you doesn’t.

 

As such there will now be things that you MUST do, yet you don’t really want to, and normally it means you don’t, why?

 

Because fuck responsibility, that’s why.

 

Of course all of the above is nothing more than words if you take no action.

 

Some will read this post today and do the adult thing of looking at themselves in the mirror and accepting that enough is enough, it’s time to adult for real instead of playing at it.

 

The understanding that comes with maturity, the wisdom that comes with age if boiled down to one sentence would be this –

 

In the end it’s better to do the things you don’t want to do now before they become the things you needed to do years ago.

 

Give it some thought.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Stress, it’s quite addictive

Morning All,

Are you addicted to stress?

As strange as that sounds you’d be surprised how common it actually is because a lot of people thrive off of it.

Think about a uni student who has a paper to put in, do they do in little by little over their 2 month deadline or do they let the submission date creep closer and closer until finally they rush around like a headless chicken to get it done.

In this beautifully modern world of ours we have been somewhat conditioned to believe that being busy is good, that to run yourself ragged or even spin your wheels is better than doing nothing.

This sounds a tad silly to me.

I’m sure you have had a manager who wants everyone to look busy, to be doing something, even if there is nothing productive to be done they will say – “I will find you something to do.”.

Yea, no thanks.

If what you are doing isn’t productive, will lead to future productive or positive/necessary outcomes then that energy can be best placed elsewhere and focused on things that are actually important to you.

While I can understand the panic that comes over people when they have nothing to do, it’s a poor mindset to have.

Here is how I look at things through a filter of three questions.

1 – Is it important?

2 – Will it become important or lead to something important?

3 – If not important, is it something I want or need to do?

Quite simple really.

There are plenty of people in this world to stress over the minutia, the question is this; do you really want to be one of them?

Give it some thought.

Enjoy,
Ross