Christian Thibaudeau: Do the Bare Minimum, Still Make Progress

Introduction

Life can get chaotic, and during such times, you don't want to lose your hard - earned fitness gains. This article will guide you on how to make progress even when your training has to be reduced to a minimum.

The Two - Lift Solution for Chaotic Times

It's entirely acceptable to scale back your training occasionally. This could be to savor other aspects of life or to conserve energy for the challenges that life presents. When this occurs to me, I transition to what I term a "skeleton" program. This is the minimum amount of training required to maintain my physique and strength, and it may even facilitate slight improvement.

Regardless of my state of mind, I adhere to my skeleton workout. If I happen to have surplus energy and time, I augment it. I'm confident that if I approach my skeleton program with the intention of progress, positive results will ensue.

My Skeleton Program

Exercise Selection

Before elaborating on how you can construct your own skeleton program, I'll first illustrate what I'm currently implementing. After extensive deliberation, I've chosen the following exercises:

Exercise 1: Incline Bench Press

I opted for the incline bench press over the flat bench press or military press because it more effectively targets a greater number of muscles. The incline bench press is as effective as the military press for shoulder development, perhaps even superior, as it allows for the addition of more weight and is easier to execute. Moreover, it's arguably better than the flat bench press for pectoral muscle development. It also engages the triceps, similar to the bench press. Among pressing exercises, it offers the most significant return on investment.

Exercise 2: Trap Bar Deadlift

For a minimalist training plan, I prefer the trap bar deadlift over the traditional deadlift. This is because it places more emphasis on the quadriceps. It's also safer and technically less demanding to perform compared to a regular deadlift. It's marginally more efficient than a squat, as it targets the traps and upper back to a greater degree.

These two exercises form the core of my skeleton program. Between sets of the incline press, I can incorporate either a row or a curl. I'll discuss this further in the section on how to add exercises.

Yes, it can be contended that these two exercises overlook the biceps, lats, and perhaps the medial delts. However, focusing intensively on these two exercises can still yield commendable strength and muscle development. And it's undoubtedly better than overexerting yourself during a stressful period when your recovery capacity is compromised.

Training Frequency: Almost Daily

The true secret lies in this: I perform my skeleton program as frequently as feasible, daily if possible. In some instances, I've even done it twice a day.

You might think this is self - contradictory. After all, one of the reasons for adopting a skeleton program is to continue training when recovery is difficult and time is scarce. But here I am, advocating daily training.

Yes, but these training sessions will only last 20 - 30 minutes, and they can even be as brief as 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the number of sets you undertake.

You may wonder, "Won't I overtrain by doing the same lifts every day?" Initially, you might experience a decline in performance on some days, but your body will adapt. Consider weightlifters who practice the snatch, clean and jerk, and squat 5 - 6 days a week. Even the Instagram glute enthusiasts, who train their glutes frequently, have well - developed backsides without overtraining.

Here's a thought experiment: If there was a bench press competition where the person who increased their bench press the most in a month would win a million dollars, how often would you bench? Likely 5 - 7 days a week, not once or twice. But you'd limit other activities to ensure recovery.

This is how I view the skeleton program. Given my limited time, energy, and motivation, I focus on maximizing improvement in a few areas under these constraints. Frequency is the key.

If, during my time on the skeleton program, my incline bench press and trap bar deadlift increase by 20, 30, or even 40 pounds, I'll have gained high - quality muscle in multiple areas. And once regular training resumes, it won't take long to fill in the remaining muscle gaps.

Why not rotate exercises daily? You could, but you'd forfeit the benefits of frequency. When your training volume is restricted, it's optimal to focus on enhancing just a couple of lifts as much as possible.

Sets and Reps

The number of sets and reps in the skeleton program can vary significantly based on your goals and personal preferences. You can easily adjust the sets and reps daily if you wish, or incorporate a regular rotation. I tend to adhere to two "rules":

• Aim for 15 - 20 effective reps. This quantity is sufficient to stimulate substantial muscle growth.

• Avoid high reps. The reason is that you want your skeleton program to be as efficient as possible. If you keep the reps at 8 or fewer, nearly all of them will be of sufficient weight to promote muscle size and strength gains.

Anywhere from 1 - 8 reps per set is viable. If you prioritize strength, focus on the 1 - 3 rep range. If muscle mass is your primary goal, choose 6 - 8 reps. If you aim to maximize both simultaneously, do 4 - 5 reps per set.

I favor a daily undulating periodization approach, where the loading schemes change daily. For example:

• Day 1

• 1 x 5

• 1 x 4

• 1 x 3

• 1 x 2

• 1 x 1

• (15 total reps, all 15 are effective reps)

• Day 2

• 3 x 6

• (18 total reps, approximately 15 effective reps)

• Day 3

• 1 x 3

• 1 x 2

• 1 x 1

• 1 x 3

• 1 x 2

• 1 x 1

• 1 x 3

• 1 x 2

• 1 x 1

• (18 total reps, all 18 are effective reps)

• Day 4

• 3 x 8

• (24 total reps, approximately 15 effective reps)

• Day 5: Repeat the cycle

Rest Between Sets

The prevalent view among "evidence - based trainers" is to recommend three minutes of rest between sets for all exercises. The reasoning is that shorter rest periods result in fewer strength and size gains, as they reduce performance and the ability to recruit fast - twitch fibers.

Indeed, studies indicate that longer (three minutes vs. one minute) rest periods lead to more gains. However, these studies typically involve beginners or individuals with limited "serious" training experience. They likely have a lower tolerance for exercise, a smaller work capacity, and poor post - exercise recovery. Hence, it's not unexpected that they require longer rest periods.

But you can train your body to recover more rapidly between sets. I've witnessed this in numerous athletes I've trained for this specific purpose, including football players who need to recover quickly between plays and CrossFit competitors.

When you perform a set, especially one with higher reps (which causes the accumulation of lactate, hydrogen ions, etc.), your muscles, tendons, and fascia transmit signals to the nervous system, alerting it to the high level of stress. This leads to an inhibition of force production.

By gradually reducing rest periods, you can desensitize your body to these signals. The metabolites remain, but the body no longer perceives the situation as "dangerous," and less inhibition occurs.

In essence, it's acceptable to rest less than three minutes between sets as long as performance is maintained. If your performance doesn't decline after resting for only 90 seconds, your sets are not any less effective.

Use performance as your guide for selecting rest periods. The less you can rest without sacrificing performance, the more effective your training will be.

By all means, start with three minutes of rest between sets if you prefer, but gradually work your way down to 90 seconds or even less, provided performance remains stable. Remember, even if shorter rest periods cause a bit more central fatigue, since you don't have a large volume of work in a skeleton program, fatigue won't accumulate to a detrimental level.

And if you're in a situation where you're using a skeleton program, you probably want to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible. Resting for 90 seconds instead of three minutes could mean your skeleton workout lasts only 15 - 20 minutes.

I Feel Good Today and Have More Time, Can I Do More?

When you're in a phase where skeleton training is necessary, your primary focus during workouts should be on performing your two main lifts, regardless of how you feel. However, if you're feeling particularly good on a given day or have a bit more time at your disposal, it's perfectly fine to add a small amount of additional work.

Here are three of my preferred strategies:

Option 1

Add a pulling exercise after the first two movements. This exercise doesn't need to follow the same low - rep scheme as the other lifts. Generally, 6 - 8 reps are more effective for pulling/rowing movements than lower reps.

Option 2

Stagger the supplementary work. Insert a set of an isolation exercise between sets of the main lifts. Select an exercise that won't interfere with the main movement. Here are some examples for the two main lifts:

• Staggered with incline bench (choose one per session): Biceps work, leg curl, leg extension, calves, rear delts, traps, isolated lats (straight - arm pulldown or pullover), or abs.

• Staggered with trap bar deadlift (choose one per session): Targeted triceps work, targeted pectoral work, targeted delt work. Perform these for 6 - 10 reps per set.

Option 3

Conduct an assistance circuit at the end. Here, you can select three targeted (single - joint) exercises, ideally for three different muscle groups, for a circuit with 2 - 3 sets of 6 - 10 reps per exercise. Rest minimally between exercises (30 - 60 seconds).

Remember, the additional work is not obligatory. Only do it when you're feeling good and have the time. Don't force yourself. As long as you perform the two main lifts with intensity, it will be effective.

Work Hard Often, But Don't Work Long

One of the most remarkable athletes I've worked with (a bobsleigh athlete) could only manage 6 - 9 total work sets in a workout (2 - 3 sets of 2 - 3 exercises) if he wanted to recover and make progress. And he achieved impressive results, with a 425 - pound bench press, 550 - pound squat, and 365 - pound power clean at a body weight of 181 pounds.

The key takeaway is that if you make sound exercise choices and train with intensity, it's possible to achieve significant strength and muscularity with minimal training. Perhaps you don't always want to adopt a minimalist approach, but when you're in a training slump, your energy is low, or you have limited time, this is a means to keep progressing until your situation and mental/physical state improves.