A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked me a simple question:

“Your ideas are interesting… but I’d like to know what you actually do in the gym.”

It seemed like a pretty straightforward request.

But following on from last week’s newsletter, I think the most useful thing isn’t just what I do, but explaining why my program looks the way it does.

Because it’s an example of how I’ve adapted my training around my life - my current goals, priorities, and constraints.

Right now, I want my strength training routine to:

• Keep me strong and powerful
• Leave enough time and energy for 4-5 runs per week
• Fit around work and family life
• Be enjoyable and realistic enough to sustain

Once those constraints are clear, many of the decisions in my program will hopefully start to make more sense.

And I think that process is far more useful than the exact exercises themselves.

The trade-off I chose to make

For the past six months or so, I’ve been getting to the gym twice per week, usually for no more than 40 minutes.

Outside of my strength workouts, I’m running 3-5 times per week, so there’s usually only 1 or 2 days where I won’t do any formal exercise.

Could I strength train three or four times per week instead? Absolutely - and I’ve done that in the past, usually with an upper- and lower-body “split” program across four shorter sessions.

But the trade-off with training more frequently in the gym was I’d usually only manage one or two runs per week - if that.

It’s not that my old routine was wrong, but it just reflected different priorities and goals. I now want to make sure my strength training can coexist with running, work, family life and everything else in my week.

Two focused sessions currently allow me to do that, and to make it work, I:

• Train all major muscle groups in both sessions, so each workout is a full-body stimulus
• Limit each session to around 5 or 6 exercises
• Use supersets where they are practical and don’t compromise performance
• Keep my warm-up specific and brief, usually 1-2 lighter sets before main sets
• Don’t worry about a separate “cool-down” after finishing a session

These choices aren't anything revolutionary, but they allow me to get some useful training done in the time I've made available for it.

What I actually do in the gym

Because I’m only training twice per week, I stick to full-body sessions.

The exercises differ slightly across the week, but each session involves some lower body work, plus upper-body “push” and “pull” exercises.

I include power work on one day and single-leg lower-body work on the other, which provides some variety without trying to fit everything into both sessions.

As for the exercises I choose, I keep it simple and mainly stick to machines. As I’ve written about, I haven’t done more complex exercises like bench press, squats, or deadlifts (yep, the “essential” exercises) for quite a while now.

Not because I don’t think those exercises are effective, but rather I prefer exercises that take less time to set-up and allow me to move through the gym quickly.

Here’s my current routine across the two days:

Again, nothing special - but it's enough to help me achieve my goals without taking over my week.

For most exercises, I use relatively heavy loads for shorter sets, rather than lighter loads for longer, higher-rep sets.

I also stop most sets 1-3 reps before failure (the point where I couldn’t do another full repetition).

This suits me because it means:

• Sets are usually shorter
• They feel less uncomfortable
• They align with my strength and power goals
• They create less fatigue that might interfere with my running

And perhaps most importantly, this leaves me willing to come back and train again.

Why I’ve simplified my routine

My goals (and my life) have shifted over the years.

Early on, I cared mainly about building muscle and bragging rights for my 1-RM squat or bench press.

I had far more time on my hands, so I could easily spend an hour in the gym, 3 or 4 times per week.

I was interested in building my aerobic fitness too - but this was very much an afterthought.

These days, things are a lot different.

I’m far more focused on keeping my muscles strong and powerful than big. My running has shifted well up the priority list too, while work and family place different demands on my time.

So, my program changed.

I now train less frequently, use simpler exercises, and accept that I’m not trying to (nor do I need to) maximise every possible strength or muscle adaptation.

And that gives me enough room to strength train consistently and pursue the other important things in my life.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned

I used to spend hours obsessing over the perfect program.

But consistency hasn’t come from discovering the ideal combo of exercises, sets, or reps - and rather from deliberate choices that reduce the friction around training.

Fewer sessions means more space for running and other things in my week, while full-body workouts make those sessions count.

In the gym, using machines and supersets with shorter sets keeps my sessions efficient.

And stopping short of failure helps me recover faster and keeps it enjoyable.

I think this shows how consistency can be supported - or made more likely - through the way a program is designed.

That’s why I’m less attached to a particular program than I am to the habit of strength training itself.

Last week I wrote that we need to spend more time asking how people keep exercising.

So this is my answer - but only for this stage in my life.

The most useful question for me is no longer: “what’s the ideal program?”

Rather, it’s: “how do I make strength training something I can still see myself doing years from now?”

Your answer might look completely different to mine...

And that’s exactly the point.

Until next week,

Jackson

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If you've got a moment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this edition of The Weekly Exerciser.

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IMPORTANT:

The information contained herein is of general nature only and does not constitute personal advice. You should not act on any information without considering your personal needs, circumstances, and objectives. Any exercise program may result in injury. We recommend you obtain advice specific to your circumstances from an appropriate health professional before starting any exercise program.