January/February at the Gym: How To Make Your Workouts Work

Lines for the treadmills, all the dumbbells taken, three people waiting for the squat rack, what do you do?

For years I was a Master Trainer at the busiest gym in Colorado, and in January and February, the membership would literally quadruple.

You've got six weeks of New Years Resolutioners – During this time, you need a plan.

When I was a new trainer I would actually write out three workout plans. After a couple years, I just had a few backups in my head.

For example, if today we were supposed to barbell squat, but all the barbells were taken, we'd do dumbbell front squats. If the dumbbells were taken also, we'd do the hardest appropriate body weight squat variation (could be split squats, step ups, pistols, ect.)

Change The Movement, Not The Phase

I'd be totally willing to change the movement we were doing, the one thing that I wouldn't change would be the sets and reps we were doing that month. If we were in a phase where we're doing 2×12 for squats, it didn't matter *which* squat, just so long as we got in 2×12 of some squatting variation.

And considering our squat options were limited to three variations (a barbell version, a dumbbell version, a and a body weight version) it wasnt like we were doing something new every time – wed do three variations and we'd get good at all three.

Your Options, In Order:

Squats: Barbell, Two Kettlebell, Dumbbell, Bodyweight Variation

Hip Hinge: Barbell Deadlift, Double Kettlebell Swing, Barbell Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Single Leg Deadlift (dumbbell or kettlebell)

Horizontal Push: Dumbbell Bench Press, Pushup Variation

Horizontal Pull: Body Row, Two Dumbbell Chest Supported Row on a Bench, One Dumbbell Row, Seated Cable Row

Vertical Push: Kettlebell Military Press, Dumbbell Military Press, Switch to Horizontal Push

Vertical Pull: (Assisted) Pullups, Bodyweight Partial Pullup or Hang, Lat Pull Downs, Switch to Horizontal Pull

These are all options of course for strength workouts.  If it's a circuit, it's all going to be kettlebells and/or body-weight anyway.