Training When You Never Have Enough Time
10/07/2025
Life gets busy. Between work, family, and everything else demanding your time, it’s easy to skip the gym because you “don’t have time.” But here’s the truth, you don’t need hours in the gym to make real progress.
What you need is intensity & focus.
The Power of One: The Single Exercise Per Workout Method
What you need is intensity & focus.
The Power of One: The Single Exercise Per Workout Method
This minimalist approach has been used and recommended by some of the strongest lifters in history, including Reg Park, Doug Hepburn, and even Dan John, a modern strength coach known for simplifying effective training.
The idea is simple — you pick one big compound movement per session and put everything you’ve got into it.
Examples include:
Examples include:
- Squat
- Bench Press
- Deadlift
- Overhead Press
- Chin-Up
You warm up thoroughly, then perform multiple hard sets of that one exercise, focusing on adding a little weight or an extra rep each time you train. When done correctly, a session like this might only take 20–30 minutes, but the effort and focus make it incredibly effective.
I personally love "Running the Ladder" when focusing on a single lift. Here's an example for a squat workout (assuming a 315 max):
135x10, 185x8, 225x6, 275x4, 295x2, 315x1 (or go for new PR), 295x2, 275x4, 245x6, 205x8, 185x10
The key takeaway here is that the second half of the workout is heavier or harder than the first half. If I hit a new PR for the middle single, instead of increasing the weight I'll go for more reps on the climb back down the ladder. Experiment and see what works for you.
Another thing I'll do is warm up to a heavy triple or single, and just pound out triples or single until I run out of time, pack up my stuff, and leave. No reason to complicate things when you're short on time.
Superset Circuits: Double the Work, Half the Time
I personally love "Running the Ladder" when focusing on a single lift. Here's an example for a squat workout (assuming a 315 max):
135x10, 185x8, 225x6, 275x4, 295x2, 315x1 (or go for new PR), 295x2, 275x4, 245x6, 205x8, 185x10
The key takeaway here is that the second half of the workout is heavier or harder than the first half. If I hit a new PR for the middle single, instead of increasing the weight I'll go for more reps on the climb back down the ladder. Experiment and see what works for you.
Another thing I'll do is warm up to a heavy triple or single, and just pound out triples or single until I run out of time, pack up my stuff, and leave. No reason to complicate things when you're short on time.
Superset Circuits: Double the Work, Half the Time
If you’re looking for a more general fitness or physique-focused approach, superset circuits are another powerful tool. Supersets pair two (or more) exercises performed back-to-back with minimal rest.
For example:
For example:
- Bench Press → Barbell Rows
- Squats → Hanging Leg Lifts
- Overhead Press → Pull-Ups
By alternating opposing muscle groups, you keep your heart rate high and save time between sets without sacrificing performance. You’ll get both strength and conditioning in a fraction of the time it takes for traditional rest-heavy training.
When short on time, pick two supersets of two lifts each, then spend half of your time doing the first and the other half doing the second. Bounce when you run out of time.
Other Time-Efficient Training Methods
Other Time-Efficient Training Methods
If you’re truly pressed for time, try one of these approaches:
- EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute): Pick a movement (like kettlebell swings or burpees) and perform a set number of reps every minute for 10–20 minutes.
- AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible): Choose 3–4 exercises and complete as many rounds as you can in a set time window, usually 10–15 minutes.
- Density Training: Perform as many quality sets and reps as possible in a fixed time (e.g., 15 minutes of chin-ups and dips).
Quality Over Quantity
Whether you follow a single-lift workout or a high-intensity circuit, the goal is the same: train with intensity.
Short workouts only work if you bring your full effort. Eliminate distractions, set a timer, and give everything you have to the session.
Short workouts only work if you bring your full effort. Eliminate distractions, set a timer, and give everything you have to the session.
You’ll be surprised how much progress you can make when you stop chasing “more time” and start focusing on more intent.
These methods don't have to just be when you're short on time either. They work just as well as your primary method of training, contrary to modern thinking, you don't need a dozen different exercises to get quality training in and see progress.
As proof of this I love this excerpt from Brooks Kubiks in his awesome book "Dinosaur Training".
As proof of this I love this excerpt from Brooks Kubiks in his awesome book "Dinosaur Training".
"grab a 150 pound sandbag and walk around the block with it. Hold it in a bearhug for the entire distance. If you have to stop and put it down to catch your breath, that's fine - but remember, every time you put the bag down makes one more time you have to lift it up again. If you don't have a sandbag, two 60 pound or 70 pound dumbbells will do nicely - just hold one in each hand and go for a walk with them."
Go ahead, give it a try. When you're done, see just how much energy you have for those 5-10 other cute little exercises you saw on Instagram. I guarantee, you won't have much left in the tank and you're whole body will be screaming for days.
The overall goal is simple: to get as much work done in what little time you have available. You can still get excellent results even if you don't have much time.