1-Hour a Week Fitness
This one is for busy people who still want to get an amazing workout multiple times a week (in as little time as possible).
This program is designed to get the most out of the least.
It’s simple yet effective. And what’s better - if you do it right, you can progress the workouts sustainably and indefinitely.
I have built this program around the simple ideas pioneered by Kettlebell and Fitness legends such as Pavel Tsatsouline, Mark Wildman, and many, many others.
Here are the foundational ideas behind the program:
Muscle Building and Cardio are not an “either or” trade-off!
You need to train Ballistic Hip-Hinging until you die!
Mixing Heavy and Light weights is essential for surviving your training!
As you age, you can feel a loss of Endurance and Stamina in daily life!
Getting off the Ground is a skill you can not afford to lose!
These are the core movements of the program:
Swing
Snatch
Clean & Press
Squats
Get-ups
The thing to understand about these movements is that there is almost infinite variation for you to challenge yourself in a given session. AND if you cannot perform these movements smoothly, there are regressions and progressions that we will cover in a longer deep-dive style article.
Weekly Program Design - Week A
Day 1:
Swings (Heavy)
Clean & Press (Light)
Day 2:
Squats (Light)
Get-ups (Heavy) (20 seconds of work: 10 seconds rest)
Day 3:
Swings (Light)
Clean & Press (Heavy)
Day 4:
Squats (Heavy)
Get-ups (Light) (30 seconds of work: 30 seconds rest)
Week B:
Day 1:
Snatch (Heavy)
Clean & Press (Light)
Day 2:
Squats (Light)
Get-ups (Heavy) (20:10)
Day 3:
Snatch (Light)
Clean & Press (Heavy)
Day 4:
Squats (Heavy)
Get-ups (Light) (30:30)
Tips for beginners:
For most people, I recommend starting with 3-5 sets of every minute on the minute (EMOM) and increasing only volume (number of sets) every 2 weeks.
In this style of programming, we do not increase weight – we hold weight consistent and prefer to increase volume or cadence, or decrease rest periods.
Get-ups start at 3 minutes of work, with a light day being 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off for aerobic intervals, and a heavy day being 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for anaerobic intervals.
You can have your choice of get-ups between Turkish Get-ups, Krav Get-ups, Prone Get-ups, or Screwing Push-ups.
If you choose Turkish Get-ups, they will be performed continuously throughout the allotted time (no rest). If you choose any of these other variations, follow the 30:30 or 20:10 intervals for training. The goal is to reach 10 minutes of get-ups over a cycle.
If you start with my prescribed sets, your workouts will take less than 10 minutes for the first few months. Once you hit 8 sets per exercise, you will exceed the 15-minute-per-session threshold.
You will only increase weight once you complete a full cycle (a full cycle is finished by reaching and maintaining 10 sets per exercise for 4 full weeks at your current weights).
Why this works
Consistency is more important than anything else in fitness
Alternating loads (heavy/light) to ensure your longevity over a cycle
Slow and Steady Step-loading progressions beat fast and injured progressions every time
We are targeting muscle strength, muscle endurance, and cardiorespiratory function all at once
In addition to these benefits, when you are in a period of time where you cannot emphasize or prioritize different energy systems with your training, the most effective way to train is focusing on 1) Explosive HIIT training and 2) long walking (preferably in nature, but the city is fine too).
Let’s be honest - we are all busy, but that’s no excuse for not working on your health - I did the hard work of discovering and testing this programming for you. Now it’s your turn to do it yourself!
If you need help on your journey - let’s chat!
Yours in Endurance,
MJ