Minimalist workout: the least you can do and still get strong

You don't need five days a week and a dozen exercises to get strong. A few big movements, done hard twice a week, build most of the strength and muscle a busy person needs. It's the plan to fall back on when life is full.

The workout

Twice a week, 30 to 40 minutes. 3 hard sets of each, 6 to 12 reps, stopping a rep or two short of failure.

1. A squat or lunge: goblet squat, back squat or split squat
2. A hinge: Romanian deadlift, deadlift or hip thrust
3. A push: bench press, push-up or overhead press
4. A pull: row, pulldown or pull-up

• Goblet squatQuads, Glutes
• Romanian deadliftHamstrings, Glutes
• Push-upChest
• One-arm dumbbell rowLats, Upper back

Why it works

Those four movements train nearly every muscle. Six hard sets a week per muscle is less than ideal, but it's well past the point where most of the benefit comes from. See how many sets per week.

When to add more

When progress stalls for a few weeks and you have the time, add a third day or a couple of sets of arms and calves. See how many days a week to lift and 2-day full-body workout.

In Liftsmith

Set your weekly goal to two days and slide the length down to 30 minutes. Liftsmith keeps the big compound lifts and drops exercises from the end of the plan.