5 rules of my training philosophy (2024)

I'm a multi-athlete (climbing, running, yoga but also snowboarding, tennis, and rowing). My training goal is to be well-conditioned for a variety of movements, and to have the stability and coordination to not get injured.

Strength training is purely supplemental. It's maybe one-fifth of the time I spend running or climbing. Aesthetics is maybe 25% of the motivation, functionality is the other 75%. I'm not interested in hypertrophy or huge muscle mass. If it's not for sports performance or to carry a heavy basket of groceries, it's for the long tail: to carry a person in a rescue, or to throw around a girl to make her feel dainty.

I've honed my training philosophy over the past 15 years down to 5 principles.

1. 1:1 work-rest ratio

I use my Garmin to record the work and rest periods (it's a one-button toggle built into the "Strength" activity). I only do this to make sure that I don't rest too much. I aim for 1:1 but ideally, more work than rest. Rule of thumb, never rest more than 60 seconds.

In college and in my twenties, when my gym ego was calling the shots, I wanted to be seen with heavier weights. I was a dumb ape in a specific social hierarchy. I would do 30 seconds of actual lifting, and rest for 2-3 minutes while getting some water and congratulating myself. It was inefficient; in an hour, I'd maybe get about 10-15 minutes of actual work.

I'm much more focused today. In 40 minutes I can probably get 20-25 minutes of total work. I'm still doing progressive overloads. I'm still doing drop sets. It just happens at lower weights.

This principle is super important after a 45 min run, and need to get a good 15 minute workout (10 minutes of which will be actual work, which is probably more work than most people at the gym who TikTok between sets).

2. Supersets save time

I almost always do supersets, which is two or more exercises in a single set. This elevates the work:rest ratio, because I can "use" the same rest period for two different muscle groups. Instead of two exercises with two rest periods, you do two exercises with one rest period.

Example:

• Standing (unsupported!) one-arm db row, then kickstand squat (same db), then rest. Repeat 5 sets of 15.
• Weighted pull ups, then single leg RDL, then rest. Repeat 5 sets of 10.
• Medicine ball slams, then chin ups, then rest. Repeat 5 sets of 15.

Relatedly, I always try to do compound exercises for more bang-for-buck. I never, ever do bicep curls, but I will throw in chin-ups into the supersets, which engage biceps as well as lats and rear delts.

3. Always incorporate unilateral moves for core

Find a more core engaging version of your movement. If you insist on a bicep curl, don't do it upright. Do it standing, bent-over, and do it unilaterally. Your core has a lot of stamina already, it can survive being engaged your entire workout.

I never do sit ups, but I have a very strong core. I design my movements to focus on functionality and very compound movements that involve anti-rotational core stability. This involves the deep core muscles (transverse abdominals, aka the TVA), so put your ego aside, nobody will be able to see the results of training this, but it will help your back pain.

• Suitcase carry - carry a heavy dumbbell on one side and walk around for 30 seconds. Make it look easy. It's like carrying a basket at a grocery store.
• Do Cossack squats, or kickstand squats, with a heavy dumbbell on ONE side, so you get a suitcase carry as well as a leg exercise. Single leg RDL for a more intense variation. Shrimp squats if you have the coordination.
• Single arm dumbbell bench press or overhead press. Yes barbells bench press look more manly, but you don't get the same core workout.
• Instead of sit ups, I do hanging leg lifts, but I'll do them with one arm sometimes to focus on the grip strength.
• Push ups engage your core as much as sit-ups do. But try a variation called Typewriter push-ups (my favorite variation for climbing conditioning) for more core engagement.

4. Time under tension

It's not only how many reps you do, and or how much weight you're loading. It's also about the time you spend under load tension.

Some say it's better for muscle growth. I say it's more functional. In the end, time under tension is the difference between falling on a climb, and managing to put your protection in.

Shoulder shrugs taught me this lesson at 14, so here's an example for that movement: Shrug slowly for 2. Hold it at the top for 5. Lower it slowly for 2 to the full range of motion. 10 reps should take a minute and a half. It burns, and it gains, much more efficiently.

I vary the TUT principle for different lifts. A dumbbell bench press will maybe be really slow 5 second eccentric phase (lowering) and then a fast 1 second concentric (lifting). I don't focus on the number of reps, I focus on the time I'm in control. Again, this goes back to work:rest ratio.

Do the opposite what everyone else is doing: Make it look hard on the way down, and easy on the way up.

5. Weights sometimes, machines never

Machines should be barred from any gym that takes itself seriously. Yes, they do work, but they're for... actually I don't even know who they're for. I wouldn't even prescribe machines for elderly persons.

For example, using a dip machine violates the principle 3 above (unilateral &  core engagement). If you need assistance, use a band to relieve weight. The reason why you can't do a body-weight dip isn't because of your big muscles lacking strength, it's more likely because you're neglecting to strengthen the smaller, stabilizing muscles. Dip machines delude you; real dips on a bar actual train you.

Remember, my philosophy is functional. Free weights replicate the real movements you use in real life, and will require more coordination in different axes. A squat machine is not going to help me snowboard down moguls like Cossack squats do. A lat pulldown isn't going to help my climbing because it doesn't replicate the core strength a real pull up does.