Of course, there is a certain amount of flexibility required. Your program needs to have fail-safes built in, so that you can easily adapt to any given situation without feeling overwhelmed and defeated. But that is much easier said than done. Switching things up on the fly isn’t a universal skill, especially for those of us who just want to get in a good workout without thinking into it too much. We’d rather have a plug-and-play type system in place for such times.

If all of that sounds like you, this is your training plan. This program is designed for those who want an easy-to-follow guide during those times when life (or a crowded gym) throws you a curve ball. It will help you get in and get your work done, rather than tuck your tail between your legs and go home regretting your decision. Additionally, it’s built with practicality in mind. No marathon sessions riddled with complex training techniques, the exclusive use of specific equipment, or the need to monopolize countless stations at your gym. Good? Good. Let’s get to it.

The Plug and Play Mindset

First, let’s establish some universal rules for anyone who wants to spend their gym time wisely.

• Be ready for anything. Sometimes the equipment you want won’t be available. Sometimes downtown traffic will leave you 20 minutes later to the gym than you wanted to be. The trick is to have plenty of tools at your disposal. Being able to adapt your plan on the fly will lessen your stress and frustration, and keep you on the right track to success.

• Practice flexibility. It’s not enough to always have your weapons at the ready, you’ll need to clock in plenty of practice. Every now and again, throw yourself a loop and switch things up on the fly. It’ll keep your adaptability skills honed, and keep your training interesting and progressive.

• Have a backup for everything. And a back-up to your back-up. Always be in the state of change. Having these plans pre-built will never get you out of whack and wondering what to do next.

• Trust that this will work. One of the most powerful tools is to believe what you’re doing will work. Faith in your plan leads to dedication and consistency, and with enough of those, your program really becomes secondary. Most sensible training plans will work with enough belief, hard work, and discipline to back them up. Don’t start with a plan; start with a belief that you will succeed, and the rest will follow.

The Plug and Play Training Plan

This plan is as realistic as it gets. However, there are a few unique requirements that need to be addressed in order for it to be as efficient and effective as possible:

• Keep workouts moderate to short in duration. No marathon sessions with countless sets and reps, just the necessities in the shortest time possible.
• Work as much of the body as possible. No micro body part splits; only one or two areas each day. You will train on a sensible split.
• Have back-up exercises at your disposal. You will always have alternatives for each day when the gym is a madhouse.
• No wasted effort. You’ll have zero time devoted to nonessential work. You’ll only focus on the movements that give you the biggest bang for your buck.

The joy of this plan is derived from its simplicity. First, you will set up your training frequency. I recommend hitting the gym every other day. You can do this on a rolling schedule, which will have you training on a weekend day, or you can choose a fixed schedule such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Next, you will perform a simple upper/lower split by training your entire upper body and abs on one day, and your lower body and a short cardio session on the next.

Finally, you will choose a column to work from. Each column is designed to have its respective muscle groups included. Don’t feel obligated to choose an entire column. Feel free to mix and match from each row. For example, you may choose a chest exercise from column A, a back exercise from column B and the rest from column C, if you so desire. The choice is all yours.

Note: The exercises in columns A and B are traditional lifts, while column C is mostly bodyweight exercises.

Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps on all exercises, with 30-60 seconds of rest in between sets. You can also perform all exercises in circuit fashion, with a 2-3 minute rest after each round.

Have even less time than this program asks for?

The Time Crunch Kettlebell Circuit

The post Beat the Time Crunch with Plug and Play Workouts appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Another new year is upon us, and along with it, a pile of new resolutions. But this isn’t about shallow, short-lived promises that end up on the heap of plans gone awry. This is for people looking for permanent changes. If you’re ready to go-all in on a plan you can truly sink your teeth into, then you’re in the right place.

Let’s get to the meat of the matter. You want to reshape your physique. You want to build muscle and strength while stripping away unwanted body fat. The best way to get there is to have a plan, something you can follow without second-guessing yourself and beating your head against the wall regarding sets, reps, exercises, and overall programming.

This plan is for those who want to reshape their physique into that of a Greek statue, with performance to match. It will help you optimally build muscle, burn fat, and turbocharge your metabolism without wasting any time. It’s designed to get the most out of every single training session without fancy bells and whistles. In other words, you’ll be performing more military presses than cable concentration curls.

It’s also not exclusive to men. Women can benefit just as much from a program like this, without the unreasonable fear of getting “too bulky.” Contrary to popular beliefs, women can do the same type of training as men and get great results. Testosterone dictates the amount of muscle mass one can carry, and women have around one-tenth of the stuff that men do, on average. All women will gain is a little more muscle and strength, lower body fat levels and increased performance.

The Ground Rules

In order for this plan to produce results, you’ll have to follow a few principles so you can put the wheels into motion and get everything you possibly can from it. But don’t worry, these aren’t all that difficult to follow. But be warned: you won’t have any time to check status updates on your phone—you’ll be too busy.

1. Prime the engine: Warming up should involve more than just a brisk walk. Here you will have a 3-phase warm up series, which will include separate general, dynamic, and specific parts. The general segment is to get increased blood flow and a rise in body temperature; the dynamic is to get the motor neurons firing and ready for action; and the specific is to focus on particular areas about to be trained.
2. Focus on technique: At the risk of beating a dead horse, form and technique are everything. I can’t stress that enough. The more you practice perfect technique, the faster you’ll progress toward your goals. Using your muscles the way they were designed to perform will guarantee that they are functioning purposefully without wasted energy.
3. Live by the clock: One of the most undervalued and critical components of any training program is the rest between sets. For the purposes of this program, you will take minimal breaks. In order to reshape your physique, fatiguing the muscle is the name of the game. No more sitting around between sets.
4. Get used to tracking: You will need to to keep detailed notes on your progress. Keep a notebook or journal of sets, reps, weights, and overall health such as sleep quality, stress levels, or other times life throws you a curveball and your workouts are affected.
5. Leave the past in the past: We all have those down days where every pound lifted feels like 10, and it takes more than the average amount of willpower to make it to the gym. This time is critical, and you shouldn’t spend it wallowing in self-pity or beating yourself up over a perceived lack of self-discipline. If you stumble for any reason, don’t throw it all away. Pick up where you left off and get back at it.
6. Commit yourself to completion: Arguably the most important rule for this program is your personal commitment. This isn’t something that you try out for a day or two. The mere act of following a structured program will ensure you will see results, but it will require dedication, consistency, and persistence on your part in order for it to have a chance.

Once you decide to take this program on make the conscious commitment to finish it until the end. Write down a mission statement or a promise to yourself and sign it. Treat it like a contract with yourself.

16 Weeks to a Big New Year

The following 16-week program is split up into four-week segments. In other words, you’ll be shifting gears every four weeks. This will help you stay interested and keep your body progressing.

After each training session, you will perform a short, high-intensity cardio conditioning session. Use your choice of exercises, such as elliptical, treadmill, bike, or running (sprints). Do 15 to 20 minutes of alternating between one minute of low intensity, and one minute of high intensity.

Click Here to Download the Training Plan

Weeks 1-4

• Frequency: 3 days per week
• Volume: Low to moderate
• Load: Moderate

Perform each training day once per week on nonconsecutive days, such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On two of your non-training days, perform at least 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a recreational sport, low-impact cardio, or another mode of enjoyable exercise.

Weeks 5-8

• Frequency: 3 days per week
• Volume: Moderate to high
• Load: moderate to high

Perform each training day once per week on nonconsecutive days, such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On two of your non-training days, perform at least 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a recreational sport, low-impact cardio, or another mode of enjoyable exercise.

Weeks 9-12

• Frequency: 4 days per week
• Volume: Moderate
• Load: Moderate

Perform each training day once per week with distributed rest days, such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On one or two of your non-training days, perform at least 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a recreational sport, low-impact cardio, or another mode of enjoyable exercise.

Weeks 13-16

• Frequency: 4 days per week
• Volume: Moderate to high
• Load: Moderate to high

Perform each training day once per week with distributed rest days, such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On one or two of your non-training days, perform at least 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a recreational sport, low-impact cardio, or another mode of enjoyable exercise.

More workouts to make this year your best yet:

PR Your Fran Time: A 6-Week Workout Plan

The post 16 Weeks of Workouts for a Big New Year appeared first on Breaking Muscle.