🥑 Get Fit in Less Time!

If John Wick can clear a room in 10 seconds, you can finish your workout in 30 minutes. The secret? Smarter, faster training techniques that get results without wasting time.

⏳ The Problem: Workouts That Drag On Forever

Most people are not training for Mr. Olympia or the NFL Combine—you just want to be healthy, strong, and look good in a t-shirt. The good news? You don’t need 2-hour workouts 6 days a week for that. The problems:

❌ Too much rest between sets (scrolling Instagram doesn’t count as recovery)
❌ Overcomplicated routines with 20+ exercises per session
❌ Isolation exercises overload (why spend 45 minutes on biceps alone?)
❌ Waiting for machines like it’s the DMV

The fix? Train smarter, not longer. You don’t need to do more exercises—you need better strategies.

Jeff Nippard on minimal sets for muscle growth (57 secs)

🚀 Speed Up Your Workouts with These Methods

Here’s how to cut workout time in half without sacrificing results:

Supersets: Twice the Work in Half the Time

• What it is: Perform two exercises back-to-back with no rest of opposing muscle groups. One works while the other rests.

• Why it works: Less downtime = faster workouts, more muscle activation.

• Example: Do bench press → immediately into pull-ups → THEN rest. (Video Example)

Drop Sets: Push Past Fatigue Quickly

• What it is: Do an exercise to failure, then immediately drop the weight by 20% and keep going with the same exercise, drop again for 3-4 times total

• Why it works: Maximizes intensity by keeping you close to that failure zone without rest…failure zone is where most of your gains come from.

• Example: Dumbbell shoulder press (30 lbs to failure) → drop to 20 lbs → drop to 10 lbs. (Video Example)

🔥 Drop sets are brutal but effective for building muscle when you’re short on time.

HIIT: Maximum Efficiency in Minimal Time

• What it is: Short bursts of intense effort (20-40 sec), followed by rest (20-40 sec). Repeat

• Why it works: less workout time compared to steady-state cardio, improved VO2 Max, better glucose uptake. Cardio and weights at the same time if choose.

• Example: Norwegian 4×4 is the current gold standard for improving VO2 Max. Do once a week.

There are tons of youtube channels like AllBlanc TV with endless combinations of Tabata/HIIT workouts you can do.

If you are going intense with your HIIT, 1-2 times a week may be all you need if your are feeling overly run down.

The Absolute Minimal Effective Dose

If you want to spend the least amount of time possible working out while still staying fit, strong, and healthy, here’s your bare minimum playbook:

🏋️ 4 Sets a Week Rule

Research shows just 4 sets per muscle group per week can maintain strength and build muscle—bodybuilders do 20+. The key? Go all-in on those 4 sets. 

🚀 Exercise Snacks: Micro Workouts, Big Impact

Can’t hit the gym or just getting started? Try bite-sized exercise snacks—quick bursts of movement throughout the day. Do them daily, and they’ll add up fast!

✅ 30-60 sec of push-ups, squats, or jumping jacks
✅ Sprint up a flight of stairs
✅ Do 3-5 mini workouts whenever you have a break

⏳ The 10-Minute-or-Less Workouts

✅ 10-Min Full-Body: Squats, push-ups, deadlifts, rows—two sets of each, as little rest as possible while maintaining form.
✅ Tabata (4 minutes): 20 sec all-out effort, 10 sec rest, repeat 8 times (Sprints, Rows, Stair Climber, Burpees, Jump Squats, etc)
✅ HIIT (7-10 min): Sprint 30 sec, walk 30 sec, repeat 8 rounds.

💪 Full Body Workouts

Instead of training one muscle group per day (bro split), go full-body 2-3 times per week. Now you have potentially gone from 6 days a week to 3 days.

Think “Compound Lifts”…exercises that work more than one body part like squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups. Here is 7 good compound lifts.

🏆 The Ultimate Time-Saving Gym Hacks

✔ Use a Stopwatch – Limit rest time to 30-60 sec. No more scrolling Instagram—better yet, use a Tabata Timer.
✔ Go for Dumbbells – Faster than loading & unloading plates on a barbell.
✔ Reduce Isolation Exercises – Focus on compound lifts that hit multiple muscles at once.
✔ Workout at Home – No commute, no waiting for machines, no excuses.
✔ Join a Circuit Training Gym – Faster-paced workouts like CrossFit or F45 let you get in, get out, and get results.
✔ Less Talking – Socializing is great, but not when your 45-minute workout turns into a 90-minute hangout.

🤔 Final Thoughts

These aren’t the gold standard for elite athletes, but they’re the golden ticket for busy people who still want to look and feel good. Train smarter, and free up more time for things you enjoy doing!

Less gym, more life! 💪

Last weeks newsletter: 🥑 Creatine Cheat Code: Muscle & Brain Boost in a Scoop

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