We’re a few months into 2022, so we have to ask: Has all the excitement and hope of the new year — setting new goals, changing your mindset and chasing your dream of a perfect body — already dissipated?
If you’re feeling that way, you’re not alone. When it comes to fitness resolutions, the statistics predict failure, and a whopping 54 percent of those who make a resolution give it up by June, if not earlier, according research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Other sources put the dropout rate for fitness resolutions as high as 80 percent and as early as February!
Our aim, then, is to prevent you from becoming part of the statistical majority. Here’s how to get a fresh start, stick to it and have a blast in the process.
First Impressions
The most common problem for resolutioners is adopting a program that is overly ambitious and pushes you too far, too fast. This three-week plan is ideal for anyone, whether you’re a beginner who has never touched a weight before or someone who has been training for years.
“The first three weeks of a program are critical to your success,” says Angelo Grinceri, FAFS, creator of this program and author of Intrinsic Strength Training: A Breakthrough Program for Real-World Functional Strength and True Athletic Power (Dragon Door Publications, 2016). “By progressing from foundational moves to more advanced versions, you’ll get instant feedback from your body as you get stronger and more fit. That’s a self-reinforcing loop that’ll keep you going instead of following a static program that can cause people to give up too soon.”
Mix, Match and Master
With this plan, you’ll do four total-body strength workouts per week that use 10 key exercises, each of which includes a Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced progression. “I recommend starting with the Foundation moves in Week 1, then if you’re comfortable, move to the Intermediate versions in Week 2 and the Advanced versions in Week 3,” Grinceri says.
But that suggestion is not set in stone: If the Foundation moves are too simple for you, upgrade to the Intermediate or Advanced versions right away. Alternately, if the Foundation moves are plenty challenging, stick with those until you’re ready to move forward.
In addition to your strength work, you’ll perform two or three weekly cardio sessions: one or two 20-minute sessions of steady-state cardio or high-intensity interval training after lifting, and one or two 30- to 45-minute sessions of steady-state cardio on non-weight-training days. Choose whatever activity floats your boat — rowing, sprints, jogging or cycling — or do a mash-up of multiple modes in one workout.
To best prevent statistical failure, Grinceri recommends continuing this program beyond the three-week mark. “Push yourself a little harder as you progress,” he advises. “Use different levels of the moves, increase the resistance, cut down on rest time, do more reps, change out equipment or combine the exercises into one giant circuit to boost intensity. And don’t get discouraged if you aren’t up for the extra challenge on a particular day. Sleep, stress, atmosphere, food and hydration all play a role in how you feel each day. But show up — be consistent and the results will follow.”
3 Weeks to Get Moving
Each week of this program consists of two workouts — Workout A and Workout B — each of which you’ll do twice per week. Within each workout are two circuits, each of which you’ll repeat four times. Perform the moves in each circuit back-to-back with little to no rest in between, and only rest 60 to 90 seconds between rounds.
As programmed, you’ll begin with the Foundation movements in Week 1, but you can start at any level you choose. Regardless of your level, begin with light to moderate weight until you’ve mastered the exercise form. After that, choose weights that are heavy enough so the last two or three reps of each set are tough.
Sample 3-Week Training Split
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