Remove obstacles and distractions from your workout routine.
If consistency is the name of the game (hint: it is), then we need to eliminate potential barriers of resistance.
We can do this by having a simple program structure that ALLOWS for extra bonus work if/when we have the time, energy, and motivation.
But make a simple, non-negotiable training plan where 3-4 days per week you do at minimum 2 exercises.
You could structure this by having 2 exercises each session that you train 4 days per week regardless, or you could simply have a fall-back workout routine where you do 2 exercises back to back for 10, 15, 20 minutes – or however many minutes you have available to train that day.
Some example pairings might look like this:
Day 1: pullups and military press for 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps
Day 2: RDL (or swings) and biceps curls for 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps
Day 3: pushups (or bench press) and rows for 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps (you may need to increase the reps or difficulty on pushups)
Day 4: squat variation and tricep isolation for 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps.
Get those 2 exercises done and then feel free to do whatever else you want afterwards if you have more time. But that covers what I refer to as my "Big 8."
Big 8 includes the 6 main movement patterns (squat, hinge, vertical & horizontal push, vertical & horizontal pull) and 2 arm isolations.
Some of you may think biceps and triceps have no place in a "Big" anything. But, as someone who cares about aesthetics and as someone who has not been blessed with cannons in place of arms, I find arm training to be non-negotiable.
A fall-back workout simply refers to a workout you substitute for your regular routine when you don't have time to train for more than just 10-20 minutes.
For what it's worth, the above Big 8 formula could easily be completed in 20 minutes, 4 days per week, but I digress.
Here's an example of what a good "fall-back" workout might look like:
Pushups and kettlebell swings on repeat for 10-15 minutes.
Here's another:
Pullups and goblet squats on repeat for 10-15 minutes.
You get the point?
Pick any 2 exercises you like – 1 for upper and 1 for lower – and pair them back to back for the time you have available. You'll accumulate some volume, get your heart rate up, and acquire a mild pump even when you thought you'd have no time to train.
I wouldn't advise intentionally doing these 2 exercise, 10 minute, workouts regularly. But keep them in your back pocket for those "oh sugar honey iced tea" days/weeks.
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