My Training Routine
Since I started posting photos of my early morning workouts on my Instagram stories, people have been asking about my training plan. So I’ve decided to write an article about it.
First, it’s really important to understand the basics of hypertrophy training and mechanical tension. I believe that knowing why and how you’re doing something makes everything easier in life. If you want to build more muscle or get leaner, keep in mind that training is only about 20% of the whole process. You will need to prioritize nutrition, stress management, and getting enough quality sleep for recovery. There are only 24 hours in a day, and workouts usually take 1-2 hours, so what you do with the remaining 22-23 hours really matters. If you want to achieve your fitness goals, you’ll need to understand basic nutrition, like what macros and calories are and how they affect your body. In this article you can read more about my take on nutrition, supplements and what I eat in a day.
I was an active kid and have been training in different sports since I was very young, but I decided to focus more on weight training when I finished high school and started university. It took me a few years to really understand what’s important for gaining muscle mass, what it means to push myself hard enough to get good results, and to learn about nutrition. I’ve been lifting weights and planning my meals for over 12 years now. I know my body well and exactly what and how much I need to stay the same size or to lose/gain weight.
My morning run by the river
During the COVID lockdowns, I started running again because being stuck indoors was driving me crazy. I wanted to spend more time outside to get fresh air and a tan. Running has been great for my mental clarity. When I’m out there alone, pushing my body, it clears my mind and helps me get rid of any negative thoughts. So, when I’m feeling low or tired, I go for a run to feel better. It’s very therapeutic, and I always come back feeling better and full of new ideas. Plus, it helps me burn extra calories so I can enjoy more food without feeling guilty!
In weight training, I focus on pushing myself hard, almost to the point of failure or just one rep away from it. I usually follow a training plan for 8-12 weeks, always focusing on progressive overload. Current research shows that the most optimal rep range for muscle hypertrophy is 5-8. This means that if you want to gain muscle, you’ll need to do working sets with the maximum weight you can push for 5-8 reps. I always start with 2 warm-up sets, one at 50% and the other at 70-80% of my maximum weight. Then, I do 1-2 working sets with the heaviest weight I can manage for 5-8 reps. For example, for the chest press, I do 4 sets in total, with the last 2 being the working sets. Last week of the program, my chest press looked like this:
10x 85kg (warmup set)
8x 130kg (warmup set)
6x 170kg (working set)
7x 150kg (working set)
For the past 10 weeks, my training has been more focused on arms, but overall, my routine includes weight lifting and running. Here’s what my training week has looked like for the last 10 weeks:
Day 1
Morning: chest+shoulders+triceps
Machine Chest Press (support) 12/8/6/7
Lying cable lateral rises – 10/6/8/8
Cross body tricep extensions – 10/6/8/8
1 arm overhead cable triceps extension – 10/6/8/8
Evening: easy run 5-6km
Day 2
Morning: back+biceps
1 arm lat pulldown (bech supported) – 10/6/8
Barbell row – 8/4/6
Cable curls – 10/6/8/8
Zottman Curls – 6/4/8/8
Evening: easy run 5-6km
Day 3
Morning: run – easy 10-11km
Day 4
Morning: legs
Calf press – 10/6/8
Lying leg curls – 10/6/8
Leg Extension – 10/6/8
Hip thrusts – 10/6/8
Quad Leg press – 10/6/8
Evening: easy run 5-6km
Day 5
Morning: arms
Seated alernating bicep curls – 10/6/8/8
Close grip bench press – 12/8/6 + back off set 8
One arm Machine Preacher Curls – 8/4/8/8
One Arm Cable Triceps Pushdown – 8/4/8/8
PJR Pullovers – 8/6/10
Evening: easy run 5-6km
Day 6
Morning: run – easy 10-11km
Day 7
Morning: run – easy 10-11km
Training is very personal because it’s programmed based on your current goals. If you want to get good at it, you’ll need to learn about it and understand the science behind it. But the most important thing is to find a physical activity you really enjoy, because it will help you feel better both physically and mentally.
If you are interested in more training related topics you can read Why I take care of my body or How to stay fit in your 30s.
