Welcome to the Training Notes Newsletter.
A lot of training problems aren’t about effort. They’re about effort with no boundaries. When you feel good, you push until you’re cooked; when you feel flat, you skip because the “full” plan feels too big.
The fix is simple: decide in advance what “enough” looks like, and what “too much” looks like. Guardrails beat willpower because they remove the need to negotiate with yourself mid-session.
TODAY’S TRAINING NOTES
Here are two options for today’s training session. Pick the one that fits your schedule and goals. Feel free to make substitutions if you need to adjust the exercises.
Strength
Warm Up
- Hip Airplane (assisted) — 2 Sets × 5 Reps
- Hamstring Walkouts — 2 Sets × 6 Reps
- Tall Kneeling Pallof Press — 2 Sets × 8 Reps
- Single Leg Calf Raise (bodyweight) — 2 Sets × 10 Reps
- Dead Bug — 2 Sets × 6 Reps
Main Workout
- Trap Bar Deadlift — 4 Sets × 5 Reps
- Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat — 3 Sets × 8 Reps
- Suitcase Carry — 3 Sets × 30 Reps
- Leg Extension — 2 Sets × 12 Reps
- Half Kneeling Cable Chop — 2 Sets × 12 Reps
Cool Down
- Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Seated Hamstring Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Figure 4 Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Box Breathing — 3 Sets × 5 Reps
Total time: 50 minutes
Conditioning
Warm Up
- Easy effort — 10 minutes @ 55–65% max HR
- Build-ups — 4 minutes alternating 30 seconds @ 70–75% max HR and 30 seconds @ 60–65% max HR
Main Workout
- VO2 intervals — 6 rounds of 2 minutes @ 90–95% max HR with 2 minutes @ 60–65% max HR
Cool Down
- Easy effort — 8 minutes @ 55–65% max HR
Total time: 30 minutes
Today’s Research Note
Rest intervals aren’t just “catch your breath” time. They directly change what you can produce on the next set: force, speed, and rep quality. Short rest pushes density and fatigue; longer rest protects performance and lets you use heavier loads or cleaner reps.
In practice, most people rest based on impatience, not purpose. Then they wonder why the top sets feel inconsistent week to week. If strength or hypertrophy is the goal, you generally want rest long enough that the next set is limited by the target muscles, not by leftover breathing and burn.
A clean rule: longer rest for big compound lifts, shorter rest for accessories, and keep it consistent so your log actually means something. When rest is standardized, your progression is easier to read and easier to trust.
Look Up: rest interval length
Today’s Final Note
Write two numbers on your plan before the week starts: a minimum and a maximum. Minimum is the smallest dose that keeps momentum (even if it’s brief). Maximum is the cap that prevents you from turning one good day into three mediocre ones.
This works because it makes your decisions binary instead of emotional. You’re not asking “Do I feel like doing more?” You’re asking “Am I inside the guardrails?” Stay inside them for a month and your training gets boring in the best way: predictable inputs, predictable progress.
Look Up: implementation intentions
Signing Off
Guardrails are a professional’s advantage: they keep you training when life is busy and keep you from overreaching when life is calm. Set them once, then let the week run. Come back tomorrow for a fresh research note and a new training option that fits a normal workday.
“We are what we repeatedly do.”
Aristotle