When it comes to fitness, we have one golden rule—keep it simple. Look, I’ve seen it all. From the wacky new machines to workouts that require an instruction manual to follow. But over the years, I’ve realized one thing: the basics work, and they work far better than most people give them credit for.
The foundation of strength, endurance, and health isn’t built with exotic moves in a fancy gym. That's for influencers and fitness professionals.
Fitness for the masses is earned through consistent, no-nonsense work that respects your body and doesn’t overcomplicate things. A minimalist workout plan is all about this principle—it’s about getting back to what really matters and filtering out all the noise.
Focus on Functional, Not Flashy
People love to chase the latest trends in fitness. Big promises. Big hype. But here’s the truth—your body doesn’t need complicated or flashy to perform at its best. It craves functional, natural movements that mimic the kind of actions you use in real life.
The only thing that really matters is whether or not you are giving it a strong enough signal to grow and become stronger, more efficient, or faster.
Think push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and planks. These aren’t new ideas—they’re as old as fitness itself. But that’s the beauty of them. They’re timeless because they work. Watch classic fitness videos from the early 1930s and 40s and you will see amazing physiques built on calisthenics alone.
When I train, it’s about making my body strong and capable for the life I want to live. I need the endurance and strength to paddle or hike for hours. I also need the energy to survive an 8 hour day of travel baseball.
If I’m carrying heavy stones while landscaping our yard, I need the strength to keep moving. What I do not need are muscle ups, human flags, or other exercise that exists for the pure purpose of showing off on TikTok.
Functional moves build that foundation—it’s the type of strength that pays off, not just in the gym, but in life.
Efficiency Over Complexity
I get it. Life is busy. You’ve got commitments, deadlines, kid activities, and work responsibilities that seem beyond your limits. The last thing you need is a workout plan that eats up 5 days a week and several hours at a time. That’s where simplicity wins. A minimalist plan strips away all the fluff and focuses your energy on the essentials.
Some of my best workouts are short, intense, and to the point. Ten minutes of bodyweight exercises, basic lifts like squats and bench presses can leave me feeling stronger than an hour of over-complicated routines filled with extra auxiliary lifts.
The key is controlling your intensity, staying focused, and increasing your intensity and capacity over time.
Look all fitness systems work, but you do not need a complex kettlebell or olympic lifting routine to get in shape. You also don’t need a sprawling gym or a stack of equipment—you just need consistency and a willingness to show up.
Gyms are fantastic—I’m a big fan—but if they’re not your thing, that’s okay. You don’t need a membership to stay fit.
Sustainable and Built to Last
Have you noticed how unsustainable some fitness plans are? They expect you to run yourself into the ground or require daily access to gear you can’t find once you’re traveling or living off-grid. That’s not fitness to me. That’s a short-term hustle that is designed to keep you addicted to someone's fitness app or monthly coaching.
Minimalist training? It’s something you can carry with you wherever you go. Whether I’m on the beach, in the mountains, or getting the work in before my son's basketball practice, I know I can still get an incredible workout with just myself and the space around me (and maybe a pair of dumbbells). That approach keeps my body—and my mind—adaptable. You gain the confidence to stay fit no matter where life takes you.
My Go-To Movements
When I say simple, I mean simple. Here are your go-to moves that you can mix and match for a killer, minimalist workout plan. Again the key is to build capacity over time. In other words, increased repetitions and prolonged time under tension.
- Push-Ups for upper body and core power. Modify them to suit your level—on your knees, incline, or explosive plyometric variations.
- Pull-Ups and Dead Hangs from a bar if you’ve got one. Few moves build raw upper body strength like this one.
- Squats or jump squats to light up your lower body.
- Planks, Glute Bridges or other static holds to build deep core strength and stability.
- Lunges to challenge balance, mobility, and leg power.
- Box Jumps and Basic Agility Drills (if you’re feeling spicy!) for all-around conditioning and endurance. Plus, it trains your brain and keeps you explosive as you age.
- Walking. If I need to burn a few extra calories and want to elevate my heart rate, I will go for a 30 minute walk. In fact, I do this daily even on days I lift. It is a great stress reliever.
The beauty of these movements? You can do them anywhere. String them together in circuits, set a timer, or hit a set number of reps—it’s all about finding a rhythm that works for you.
Stick to It
If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that consistency beats complexity every time. Don’t get distracted by what’s popular or trendy. And if you are new to fitness, avoid jumping into powerlifting or Crossfit style beat yourself to death routines. Those are a recipe for injuries, especially if you are over 40.
Treat your training like brushing your teeth. You show up every day, even if only for a few minutes, and you’ll see the progress stack up.
A successful fitness routine and successful career/family life are no different. Strip it down. Focus on what matters. Keep moving forward.
You don’t need perfection. You don’t need fancy tools. What you need is to show up, trust the process, and respect the basics. That’s where the real strength is.
