Three days a week is enough for a dad with a job

For about two years I tried to train five days a week. I managed it maybe one week in four. The rest of the time I felt behind, and when you feel behind you stop going.

So I cut it to three. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. Each session is about an hour, and each one trains the whole body.

What a session looks like

1. A squat or a deadlift. Heavy, three to five sets of five.
2. A press. Bench or overhead, three sets of six to eight.
3. A pull. Rows or pull ups, three sets of eight to ten.
4. One extra. Lunges, curls, whatever I fancy. Ten minutes, no more.

That is it. No splits, no arm day. If a session gets cut short, I have still done the main lift, and the main lift is what moves the needle.

Doing three sessions every week beats planning five and doing two.

How I know it is working

I write every session in a notebook. Weight, sets, reps, and one line about how it felt. If the numbers creep up over a month, it is working. If they stall for three weeks, I change one thing, usually sleep or food before the programme.

Since I switched, my squat has gone from 120 to 150 kg and I have missed fewer sessions than in any year before. Have a look at the progress log if you want the dull detail.