Time-Crunched Training Sessions and the Programming Behind Them

By Rob Shaul

It’s common to find yourself in need of a quick training session, when life, travel or whatever, has kicked you out of your regular programming and schedule.

Here are two programming philosophies and example training sessions I deploy when I find myself in this situation – one each for strength and work capacity/stamina … and a bonus couple examples for endurance.

MTI Vets will recognize the exercises used in the examples below. If you don’t, please visit our EXERCISES PAGE for unfamiliar exercises.

 

Time-Crunched Efficient Strength

MTI’s Efficient Strength programming is a simple, efficient way to hit four major strength movements in a super-effective manner. Here are the strength movements and example exercises for each:

Upper Body Press

• • Scotty Bob
  • Bench Press
  • Military Press
  • Push Press
  • Push Up
  • Incline Bench Press
  • Parallel Bar Dip

Lower Body Press

• • Air Squat
  • Mini Leg Blaster
  • Back Squat
  • Front Squat
  • Box Squat
  • Dumbell/Kettlebell Front Squat

Upper Body Pull

• • Pull Up, Chin Up, Mixed Grip Pull Up, Tarzan Pull Up
  • Rope Climb
  • Bent Over Barbell Row
  • Power Curl
  • 1-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lower Body Pull

• • Dead Lift or Hinge Lift
  • Walking Lunge
  • Nordic Hamstring
  • In-Place Lunge

Programming Theory

• 8 Rounds of moderate-volume with “increase load each round until hard, but doable” loading
• “Moderate Volume” = 4-6 reps per exercise, per set.
• No warm up. Jump right in. Start light and increase load slowly on the first the first 2-3 rounds and use this as your warm up.
• Aim to be at or close to your “hard but doable” load by Round 4 and use this load “across” rounds 4-8.
• Work steadily, but not frantically through the circuit. You’re training strength and want to go as heavy as possible and not be limited on load significantly by heavy breathing.
• Again, no set or timed rest between exercises. Move steadily from one exercise to the next and aim to finish all 8 rounds in at around 40 minutes.

Below are three session examples. Again – no warm up, jump right in. Each session deploys just one barbell – but if you have the room and equipment for 2 barbells, you can work appropriate exercises in. One session is bodyweight only:

What is important is the overall theory – working to incorporate an upper body press, lower body press, upper body pull, and lower body pull – into each session. I like to alternate upper and lower body exercises just to give the body areas a break. Below is how the first session above. Again – no warm up, jump right in and work steadily, not frantically… I find I can generally move right from the upper body work to the following lower body exercise, but need to take a short break after the lower body exercises.

8 Rounds

• 6x Bench Press – increase load each round until 6x is hard but doable (HBD)
• 6x Dumbbell Front Squat – increase load each round until 6x is HBD
• 6x Pull Ups
• 6x In-Place Lunge – increase load each round until 6x is HBD

 

Time-Crunched Chassis-Integrity/Work Capacity Hybrid

MTI’s Chassis Integrity approach is perhaps the programming theory I’m most proud of.

In theory, our Chassis Integrity theory is designed to train mid-section strength and strength endurance, but in practice, there is a significant cardio effect – and so it’s also a sneaky way I can kill two birds with one stone – Chassis Integrity and Work Capacity.

This 40-minute, Chassis Integrity/Work Capacity Hybrid Training Session is a great time-crunched training session.

Programming Theory

• Combine two Chassis Integrity movements (Total Body, Rotation) with a work capacity mode in the same circuit.
• Work at a “Grind” Pace through the circuit for 40 minutes. “Grind” = steadily but not frantically.
• No warm up. Jump right in, and start easy, then increase the pace as you warm up.
• Moderate Volume for the Chassis Integrity exercises – 5x Reps for each exercise per set
• Aim for a 1-minute effort in the work capacity mode

Here are the Chassis Integrity movements and example exercises for each:

Total Body Chassis Integrity

• • Sandbag Clean and Press
  • Sandbag Get Up
  • Sandbag Mr. Spectacular
  • Sandbag Burpee
  • Renegade Man Maker
  • Mr. Spectacular at a moderate load (8-12 kg for women, 16-20kg for men)
  • Turkish Get Up with a  dumbbell or kettlebell

Rotation Chassis Integrity

• • Sandbag Keg Lift
  • Kneeling Keg Lift
  • Sandbag Cross Clean
  • Standing Russian Twist
  • Slasher
  • Kneeling Slasher
  • Slasher to Halo

Here are example Work Capacity modes and 1 to 2-minute examples for each

• Run 200m
• 25x Step Ups (unloaded)
• Row 250m
• 15x Box Jumps @ 20/24″
• 1-Minute Jump Rope

Sample Training Sessions:

Again – no warm up. Set up the equipment and jump right in … just go easy at first and speed up as you warm up. Be smart.

40 minutes is a long time … you’ll see. This will push you.

Endurance?

I have two, go-to, time-crunched endurance sessions.

First – a simple, 40-minute, moderate-paced (comfortable but not easy) run – or better if possible, a steep hill hike.

Next ….

40 minutes, 50x Step Ups, Run 400m or ….

40 minutes, Row 500m, Run 400m.

Both these can be completed outside or in a motel gym with the runs on a treadmill.

Questions, Comments, Feedback?
Please use the form below or email rob@mtntactical.com