It took me 20 years to realise this...

The most important thing I’ve learned in my 20+ years of working out is…

Use your workouts to build muscle & get stronger!

Do not try to use them to try to burn fat.

First off... There is no such thing as Fat burning. Fat doesn't burn!

And fat definitely doesn’t come out in sweat! We want muscle!

Do you want a fast metabolism?

When it comes to a fast metabolism, muscle is your best your best friend.

When it comes to longevity, strength is your ally.

We need to prioritize gaining muscle & getting stronger above all else. And guess what?? Cardio won't do this!

Now with that being said…

Here’s what I consider to be the perfect workout routine for the 30yo+ parent, who has less than 3 hours a week to train at the gym:

1. Start with a good warm-up! A solid 5-7mins moving the body in different directions.

Most people are sedentary. We are build to move as much as possible and in many directions. Use it or lose it!

2. Start your workout with big strength exercise (squat, bench, row hinge etc..).

These movements are your money maker when it comes to strength and muscle gains. They usually incorporating between 2-4 muscle groups per movement. The rest are large as recovery is vital. 2-3mins between sets.

3. Fill out the rest of your strength workout with accessory lifts (Curls, Pushdown, RDL, etc..) and do this for another 3-6 Sets.

Keep it around the 15min mark. Rest Periods are smaller than bigger compound movements. So move a little faster.

4. The cardio kicker. I do love to put in a core or a cardio, just to spike the heart rate a little. It's good for all round health. I find that weight resistance cardio (Sleds, wallballs, slamballs, KB Swings) is your best bang for buck here. Keep it under 10mins. This is pretty much all you need to achieve great results.

Give up the complicated routines and keep things simple. It’s safer & more effective when you approach it this way!