The Best Type Of Workout For Every Scenario - PART 1
A buddy on social media messaged me the other day and asked me "Hey Casey, what's the best type of workout to do if I only have 15-20 minutes?"
And it got me thinking...
There's a lot of unique scenarios that challenge what type of workout or training style you can accomplish.
A powerlifter couldn't get it done in 15-20 minutes.
Training just your arms for 15 minutes wouldn't achieve too many additional health benefits.
SO...I gave him my answer and moved on my merry way.
**Don't worry, I'll tell you what I told him, in detail...just keep reading**
Back to the thinking part. I thought it would make a fun and useful article to write about what workouts could fit various life scenarios we commonly experience.
Before I jump right in...I know I will probably forget a common scenario. Reply to this email and let me know what I forgot so I can write a part two to this!
The "I only have 15-20 minutes" What should I do workout?
The answer: Density Sets.
Density sets are where you set a timer for 5, 10, or even 15 minutes and work through exercises for a set number of reps, aiming to achieve as many quality sets as possible. Density sets are a great way to get a low-level cardiovascular workout, keep movement quality high with low reps per set, but get some serious training volume - a high amount of total work- completed because you're working through a set for some longer minutes.
My favorite exercise combination for density sets?
The "I want to get shredded for summer workout"
The answer: Work to mechanical failure (when your technique quits because you're tired) on self-limited exercises that you have a lower chance of injury while doing.
Self-limited exercises are exercises that have other secondary muscles that will 'give out' before the main muscles do, which help keep the chance of injury low. A great example is the chin up. There is a good chance your grip strength gives out before your back muscles. Or a push up, where your triceps give out before your chest muscles do. Another favorite is farmer carrys, again, with your grip giving out before your shoulders take a beating.
Sometimes it's your cardio that will give out- like in sled pushes or sled drags or if you're doing a sprint interval on a low impact machine like a bike.
Did you think I was going to say high intensity interval training (HIIT)? No shot. If you want to 'get shredded' or build lean muscle, the best thing you can do is work at a higher intensity. Nothing is more intense than working near muscular failure. It's just important you do exercises that give you a lower chance of injury.
My favorite pairings?
A1) Stability Ball Hamstring Curls 3 sets x as many reps in 30 seconds
A2) Flex Arm Hang 3 sets x Max Reps
The "I fucking hate working out" workout
The answer: Go walk for 40-50 minutes aiming to keep your heart rate in zone 2.
What the hell is zone 2? In short, your heart rate 'zones' gauge the intensity of how hard your heart has to work to pump blood and oxygen through your body. Think of Zone 1 being the steps you accumulate throughout the day. You can take a lot of them and not really feel fatigue. The highest zone, zone 5, is like doing a 1 rep maximum lift in the weight room. You want your body to be able to do it, but you don't want to do it often. Zone 2 is a great zone where you can accumulate a lot of work and training time, feel minimal fatigue, and still get a TON of great health benefits.
The most important zone 2 benefit (in my opinion...)? It trains your heart to fill up with more blood before it pushes it out with each beat. It's like giving your body a bigger water bottle to drink from. The bigger the volume, the more oxygen you can push out for your body to use. That is an AMAZING health benefit for life longevity.
How do you know you're in zone 2 if you don't have a heart rate device, Fitbit, or Apple Watch?
The talk test. If you can say a 12-word sentence without having to break for a breath, you're in zone 2. Need to break for a breath? You're working too hard.
The "I want to do something like Crossfit but way more safe and not as cult-ish"
All in good fun, Crossfit friends, all in good fun.
Seriously though, people love the allure of beating yourself in to a pulp when a training session is over. I'll never understand it, but if that's what you want to do...here's the workout that I would give you...
Complete 5 rounds for time...
A1) Split Squat x 10/8/6/4/2 reps per leg
A2) Hand Release Push Up x 2/4/6/8/10
A4) Double Crunch x 2/4/6/8/10
The key when programming these "I am going to leave a part of my soul in the gym" training sessions, is to choose exercises that have a high return, low risk of injury, and a self-limiting factor (like we spoke about earlier in this article). It also helps if you can program it in such a way that the total amount of work stays pretty consistent. You'll notice in the example above that the reps ascend and descend as we move through A1-A4...this is super helpful in keeping the injury risk low.
What really makes something hard is the competitive element added, by making something 'for time' or to have something 'completed with ____ minute time cap' adds a holy smokes, Batman element that gets your heart rate fired up.