Here’s an easy method to help you develop into a well-rounded athlete.
Strength and Power: Twice or Three Times a Week
Muscle mass and strength strongly predict overall mortality risk. It’s not about appearance but about maintaining high functional ability throughout your life. Incorporating full-body workouts two or three days a week, focusing on movements like Push (such as push-ups, bench press, dips, and shoulder press), Pull (including chin-ups, pulldowns, rows, and shrugs), Hinge (like deadlifts and kettlebell swings), Squat (including squats and lunges), and Rotation (involving throwing, swinging, striking, reaching, and directional changes in sports), with a rep range of three to eight reps and two or three sets, can help achieve and maintain these benefits effectively. Including power workouts such as box jumps, plyometric push-ups, kettlebell swings, and medicine ball slams not only increases strength but also enhances power and speed, contributing to overall fitness improvement.
Long Duration Endurance: Once or Twice a Week
Think of long-duration endurance workouts, such as Zone 2 training, as sessions that challenge your cardiovascular system with 30 minutes or more of continuous low to mid-level effort. Your heart rate should stay fairly steady, which I suggest doing once or twice a week. If you’re tracking your heart rate, it should stay between 60 to 80 percent of your maximum, usually around 120-150 bpm. For longer sessions, it might be lower. Activities like hiking, running, biking, swimming and stand-up paddle boarding are good for this. You should finish these sessions feeling energised rather than tired. Zone 2 training is especially useful for building endurance without overworking your body.
High Heart Rate Training: Once or Twice a Week
These sessions are typically high-intensity, involving raising your heart rate substantially, followed by recovery periods before repeating the cycle. Approaches such as Interval Weight Training (IWT), HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), and interval formats like 30/30 and 20/40 Interval Training are particularly effective for enhancing both strength and cardiovascular fitness.
3 Day Workout Example:
Monday – Full body (Strength) + Zone 2 (Long-Duration Endurance)
Wednesday – Full body (Strength) + IWT (High Heart Rate Training)
Friday – Full body (Strength) + Zone 2 (Long-Duration Endurance)
6 Day Workout Example:
Monday – Lower Body (Strength)
Tuesday – IWT (High Heart Rate Training)
Wednesday – Upper Body (Strength)
Thursday – Zone 2 (Long-Duration Endurance)
Friday – Full body (Strength)
Saturday – 5/10k Hike or IWT (Long-Duration Endurance or High Heart Rate Training)
Sunday – Rest