If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you know I frequently post the following questions:

Imagine how much better you could be—leaner and more muscular, more successful in your work and relationships, more knowledgeable and/or skilled—by this time next year if you commit right now to doing at least one small thing to improve yourself every day, and imagine how much happier you would be as a result.

This one small thing could be as simple as making a better dietary choice, choosing not to indulge an unhealthy or counterproductive habit, getting to bed earlier, reading or listening to an informative book, podcast, or lecture, or spending a few minutes learning or practicing a useful skill.

Also imagine how much good you could do by helping others to make the same commitment to do something daily to improve themselves, and by using your unique knowledge and skills to help them do so.

For many, keeping a self-improvement journal is an effective way to get started, keep moving forward, and to evaluate what does and doesn’t work for you.

Do this right now:

• Buy yourself a journal with enough pages for a full year, and few pens or mechanical pencils to keep with it.
• Buy yourself a wall or desktop calendar for the current and next year and place it where you will see it daily.
• On the cover write “What will I do to improve myself today? What will I do to help others improve?” and the current year. You could also write something that reminds or motivates you to work on improving yourself daily, like “Keep Moving Forward” or a favorite motivational quote.
• On the top of the first three pages write the three things you like most about yourself or your life right now.
• On the top of the second three pages write the three things you like least about yourself or your life right now.
• On the top of the third three pages write three things you want to learn and/or become skilled at over the next year.
• Under each of these, list as many things you can do daily to improve these that you can think of, to help you get started.

Then, do this:

• At the start of every day, at the top of a new page write the current date, one or two things you will do to improve yourself, and one or two things you will do to help others improve.
• When you complete both of these, place a check mark next to them in your journal, and a check mark on the current date on your calendar. This will help motivate you to be consistent.
• At the end of every day, write yourself a short note about what you did, how you’re progressing, and how you feel about it.
• After one year, re-read the first nine pages, review and write an assessment of your progress, get a new journal, and repeat.

Alternatively, if you have consistent access to the internet you can use a blog in place of a physical journal. If you have friends doing this, plan to meet regularly, either locally or remotely by video conference, to compare notes, help, and encourage each other.

If you do this consistently you will be amazed at how much you will improve and how much happier you’ll be in just one year! Please bookmark this page and return regularly to comment and let me know how you are improving!

Today is the first day of the Project Kratos – Harder To Kill: Bodyweight and Static High Intensity Training Online Course.

This three-month, online course addresses a vital component of emergency preparedness and survival that is often ignored; strength and overall functional ability. The Project Kratos – Harder To Kill course will teach you how to become as strong and conditioned as possible with nothing but your own bodyweight and either a suspension trainer or strap, working out anywhere, for less than thirty minutes two or three times per week, while staying injury-free.

You will learn:

• the most effective and safest ways to exercise with just your bodyweight, as well as with just a suspension trainer or strap
• the most effective way to scale bodyweight exercise difficulty to perfectly match your strength and to progress smoothly as you get stronger and better conditioned no matter what your current condition, age, or weight
• which bodyweight and static exercises are best, and which you should avoid
• the best bodyweight and static workouts for overall strength and conditioning
• the best workarounds for common physical limitations and injuries
• the proper performance and progression of dozens of the best bodyweight and static exercises covering every muscle group
• how to avoid the biggest mistakes common to most popular bodyweight training methods and programs to maximize your results while minimizing your workout time and injury risk
• principles for skill practice to more efficiently use the strength and conditioning you develop with your Project Kratos – Harder To Kill workouts to optimize your performance of other physical activities

Sign up now and save $100:

October 19, 2020—December 31, 2020: $199

After December 31, 2020: $299

Click here to get the Project Kratos – Harder To Kill online course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need any equipment, or can the exercises in PK-H2K be done with nothing at all?

A: The PK-H2K course includes exercises for every muscle group which require no equipment, as well as exercises that can be performed with the Maxwell “pocket” suspension trainer (and instructions to make your own) and a furniture moving strap, which also folds down to pocket-size.

Q: I have X, Y, and Z injuries, can I perform the PK-H2K workouts?

A: The PK-H2K course will include workarounds for many common injuries, and if your injury is not covered in the course ask me and I’ll tell you how.

Q: How do I access the videos?

A: For now, as new videos are recorded they will be uploaded privately to YouTube. When you buy the PK–H2K course you will receive access and an e-mail notification every time a new video is uploaded. You will also receive access to a private page with links to all of the videos in the course. I am currently looking into more efficient delivery methods and may transfer these to another, easier platform later.

Click here to get the Project Kratos – Harder To Kill online course.

On September 2, 2020, I did a live video sharing some thoughts on why it isn’t enough for an exercise program to be effective, but that is must also be safe, efficient, and practical. I also discuss the problems with common rationalizations for following many popular but relatively poor strength training methods (for example, “X is working for me” or “So-and-so got good results doing Y”).

If you want to learn more about how to train as effectively, safely, and efficiently as possible, pre-order the upcoming 3rd edition of High Intensity Workouts here.

I wrote the first edition of High Intensity Workouts years ago in response to the frequent requests from readers for personalized workouts and programs. This third edition will teach you even more about the principles of designing effective, safe, and efficient workout programs and how to optimize them for your body, your goals, and your circumstances.

To make this book as useful as possible for you, I invite you to e-mail your questions about high intensity training workout and program design and exercise performance in general, and I will incorporate the answers to as many of them as possible in this book.

ETA Late October 2020

Click here to pre-order High Intensity Workouts 3rd Edition and save $10 on the regular price.

No power rack? No dumbbells? No problem. Try 10/10/10 hard-ROM bodyweight squats:

• Use a metronome set to 60bpm to standardize your repetition cadence (start counting at 0, not 1).
• Stay in the BOTTOM half of your range of motion. You should still be able to touch your kneecaps at the top with your torso upright.
• Perform the negative in ten seconds. Gradually slow to a stop.
• Hold motionless for ten seconds at parallel. Do NOT sit on your calves.
• Gradually start. Perform the positive in ten seconds.
• Reverse direction immediately but smoothly about 45° above parallel.

If you want to make these even more challenging, perform them immediately after timed static contraction hip adduction and hip abduction.

If you attempt these, please record a video and share it, cursing and all, with the tag #IHateDrewBaye

To learn more about how you can train as effectively, safely, and efficiently as possible at home with little or no equipment, and how to precisely scale and progress the difficulty of bodyweight exercises to match your current level of strength and conditioning, read my bodyweight and static training books in the Bodyweight High Intensity Training eBook Bundle.

In the first video I teach you how to perform a basic, full-body workout at home with timed static contraction (TSC) protocol (with some dynamic exercises and static holds) with nothing but a sturdy table, a chair, a belt, and a pair of yoga blocks or a bath towel. In the second video, I briefly review the general safety considerations for exercise, and guide you through the performance of each of the exercises in the workout.

I designed this workout specifically for weak and deconditioned seniors. All of the exercises except for the heel raise and squat are performed while seated in a chair in front of a table. The heel raise and squat are performed using the table to assist with balance if necessary, while standing directly in front of the chair so they can sit down at any time if they feel too fatigued to continue.

The workout consists of fifteen exercises and can be completed in 30 minutes, however the videos are longer because I spend a lot of time explaining the protocol and general safety guidelines, and set-up and performance of each exercise. Perform the workout following along with the video until you are confident in your ability to perform the exercises safely and effectively, then do it on your own at your own pace.

Since the difficulty of timed static contraction protocol scales with individual strength, this workout can be effective even if you are very strong and well-conditioned if you perform it as instructed. However, if are have the physical capability and necessary equipment I recommend substituting compound pulling and pushing exercises for the simple (rotational) upper body exercises.

For more bodyweight and TSC high intensity workouts for the general population and those with above average strength and conditioning click here to get my Bodyweight High Intensity Training eBook Bundle.

TSC Protocol, General Safety Considerations, and Exercise Demonstrations

Review of Safety Considerations and Guided TSC Workout

Please share this video with your elderly relatives and friends and check back later this week for another video with a guided walk-through of the TSC table and chair workout.

Back in 2012 I wrote a short article on how to build a simple wooden platform for timed static contraction (TSC) hip belt squats. I got a lot of great feedback from people who built them on the effectiveness of the exercise, as well as suggestions to make it a little smaller to be more space efficient for people with less room for equipment. So, when I recently decided to build a small platform to increase the range of motion of trap bar deadlifts, I designed it to be used for TSC belt squats as well.

If you can’t perform barbell squats due to a lower back injury or condition, belt squats are a safe and effective alternative because they load your hip and thigh muscles through your pelvis instead of your spine. Unfortunately, you can’t perform full-range belt squats without either a belt squat platform or squatting belt specifically designed for them. If you just hang weight plates from a dipping belt they’ll touch the floor before you get anywhere near the bottom of your range of motion.

You can, however, perform TSC with just a dipping belt, because you only need to descend about halfway, until your knees are flexed about ninety degrees. You just need something to anchor the belt to.

If you can’t perform either barbell or belt squats dynamically because they aggravate a knee or hip injury or condition, you may still be able to perform TSC belt squats with little or no joint pain. If performed correctly, TSC is highly effective for both strength and size gains. It is also safer than performing TSC with a bar on your back because you avoid compressing your spine.

“About a month ago I had a some significant low back/SI joint pain. At around the same time my knee starting acting up (old football injury; ACL reconstruction, now some arthritis).

In years past I would have just not worked legs at all until the back and/or knee were feeling better. But this time I decided to to a lower body TSC/SH only routine a try, figuring it wouldn’t aggravate my issues, and maybe I would be able to maintain my strength and size in the interim.

To my surprise, I’ve actually made some size GAINS. Not sure about strength, as I won’t be able to really test it until I go back to dynamic exercises again. I’m looking at statics now in a different light, and starting to throw in occasion static-only upper body workouts to experiment.”

— Fred D.

I’ve seen this with clients and received similar feedback from readers of Timed Static Contraction Training. When performed properly TSC is an effective alternative to dynamic exercise for increasing muscular strength and size.

This TSC belt squat platform can also be used to increase the range of motion for deadlifts and as heel support for better balance during free-standing Sisy squats.

What you’ll need:

• Basic woodworking skills and safety equipment.
• (2) 16″ x 24″ x 3/4″ plywood or high-density particle board
• (1) 16″ x 24″ x 1/2″ rubber mat
• (1) U-bolt (1/4″ x 2-1/4″ x 3″) washers and nuts
• (1) Carabiner (7/16″ x 4-3/4″)
• (6) 1-1/4″ wood screws
• Saw
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Wood glue
• Contact cement
• Clamps (or heavy weights)

How to build it:

1. Cut two 16″ x 24″ boards and one 16″ x 24″ rubber mat.
2. Attach the boards to each other with wood glue, then clamp them (or set weights on top) and let the glue set.
3. Drill and countersink pilot holes in the boards near each of the corners and the middle of the long side about 1″ from the edges, then fasten them with wood screws.
4. Sand the edges smooth.
5. Paint or stain the wood, and apply sealant.
6. Attach the rubber mat to the boards with contact cement and either clamp it or set weights on top. Let the cement set for as long as the directions indicate.
7. Drill and countersink holes for the U-bolt in the center of the platform so the U-bolt is aligned with the long-axis of the platform.
8. Fasten the U-bolt to the platform using washers and nuts and attach the carabiner.

I chose these dimensions for my belt squat platform because they are just wide and deep enough to be stable and provide enough space for a shoulder-width stance, and tall enough to cancel out the advantage of my relatively short legs and long arms when deadlifting. I do not recommend making the platform smaller than this, but you may want to make yours larger if you prefer a wider stance or want to add additional U-bolts on the sides for other TSC exercises.

How to use it:

For TSC belt squats position the dipping belt so it is high on the back of your glutes, but not higher on your lower back. If the belt is positioned correctly you will be able to feel your iliac crests with your thumbs when they are placed on the top of the belt at your sides. With the chain or strap crossing over the front of and between your thighs the belt will not slide down.

If the chain or strap digs into your thighs painfully, you can cushion it with a pair of seatbelt pads.

Adjust the length of the chain or strap so that when you attach it to the carabiner while standing in the center of the platform with your feet shoulder width apart you are unable to extend your knees past 90 degrees of flexion, or raise your thighs more than 45 degrees above horizontal. If you are positioned higher the exercise is less difficult and the compressive forces in the hips and knees can be dangerously high. If you are positioned lower the exercise becomes too difficult for most to perform for the target time, and performing TSC belt squats with the thighs parallel to the ground is brutally hard.

If the chain is not long enough or if the strap is the wrong length and not adjustable, replace them with a longer chain or adjustable strap.

For more on TSC read Timed Static Contraction Training: A Guide to Minimalist High Intensity Isometrics available in the store.

Exercise does not directly produce increases in muscular strength and size. If performed intensely enough, the stress of exercise stimulates your body to produce an increase in the strength and size of your muscles as an adaptive response.

For your body to produce the increases in muscular strength and size stimulated by your workouts it needs time, along with adequate protein and calories, and quality sleep.

Even if you exercise intensely and stimulate your muscles to grow, and even if you are eating enough quality protein and calories to support recovery and growth, if you don’t give your body enough time off between workouts you will interfere with the process and prevent it from producing all the strength and size gains you worked for.

The more intensely you train, the stronger the stimulus for growth, but also the more stressful it is on your body, and the more quickly you reach a point of diminishing returns as your workout volume and frequency increase. If you work out too long and/or too frequently, you’ll gain less muscle, not more. If you train too long and/or too frequently for long enough, you will eventually become overtrained and start to become smaller and weaker.

Most people need at least one day off between workouts for recovery, regardless of whether you are training your whole body or splitting it up, and should work out no more than three times per week on non-consecutive days. Some people take longer to recover and will get better results only working out twice a week or less frequently (or alternating between upper and lower body workouts, so they’re only directly working individual muscle groups twice weekly on average).

If you train very intensely you can even get good results training as little as once per week. I know many HIT instructors who only work out and train most of their clients once weekly with good results. I only worked out for about twenty minutes once per week while getting ripped for a bodybuilding competition, just to prove it could be done.

However, if you recover fast enough to train more frequently, and don’t mind a little extra time in the gym each week, training as often as your recovery allows will provide faster muscle gain.

I’ve made good progress training once weekly in the past, but I recover fast enough (when I am eating and sleeping well) to train each muscle group twice weekly, so now that I’m working on getting back in contest condition I’m doing exactly that.

This isn’t a blanket recommendation, though. Like most things about exercise, response varies between individuals due to genetics and other factors, and there is no single frequency that is best for everyone. There is a middle ground that will be effective for most people, and makes a good starting point, but what is optimal for each individual varies.

You have to figure it out for yourself by keeping accurate records of your workouts and using them to evaluate your progress, adjust variables, and repeat until you find the frequency that works best for you (or hire me do it for you).

Every time you work out write down everything you do in detail on your chart or in your workout journal, and periodically measure, record, and compare your body weight, composition, and circumference measurements. Evaluate how your body is responding, adjust your workout, re-evaluate a month or two later, and repeat, until you’ve found your optimal frequency.

If you are not gaining strength and size despite training very intensely, and getting adequate rest, the problem may be either too much workout volume, not enough recovery time, or both. Experiment with cutting one of these back at a time, and compare your results.

Keep in mind the longer you have been training the slower you can realistically get bigger and stronger. When you’re starting out you should be able to gain relatively quickly if you are training and eating correctly, but even if you do everything perfectly your progress will slow down more the closer you get to the limits of your genetic potential. You will also recovery and adapt more slowly as you age.

To help you track your workouts and body measurements so you can determine your optimal workout volume and frequency (and save you the time and hassle of putting them all together yourself), I am creating a short ebook on Tracking Progress with several printable workout charts designed for high intensity training, a body data chart for tracking weight, composition, and circumference, a nomogram for estimating body composition from skinfold measurements, and detailed guidelines for all of using them.

To be notified when Tracking Progress is available, subscribe to my e-mail newsletter.

Black belt senior world and Pan American jiu jitsu champion and strength and conditioning expert Steve Maxwell came to visit earlier this week to talk about bodyweight and timed static contraction training and go through a workout on the new version of my UXS bodyweight multi-exercise station. We decided to do a short video together when he came back on Tuesday, but ended up talking for two and a half hours.

In the video we cover a lot of topics, including the relative effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of high intensity training versus conventional strength training programs, training for explosiveness, strength training versus steady state activity for cardiovascular conditioning, Steve’s regrets about getting into the kettlebell fad and why he went back to HIT, grip and neck training, and more.

I had a lot of fun talking with Steve and hope you all enjoy the video

Steve Maxwell: https://www.maxwellsc.com/

The HIT List private discussion and video forum: https://www.baye.com/hit-list/

Drew Baye’s Bodyweight High Intensity Training eBook Bundle: https://drewbaye.myshopify.com/products/kratos-bodyweight-training-package

Doug McGuff, MD is an emergency room physician and high intensity training expert and author of Body by Science and The Primal Prescription. In this interview we talk about how properly performed high intensity training improves cardiovascular and metabolic conditioning and heart health, why it is the safest approach for this as well as for cardiac rehab, and the cause of exercise induced headaches and how to prevent and treat them.

We also discuss Ken Hutchins new book, Heart Strong: How We Learned to Condition the Heart, which I strongly recommend to everyone with an interest in exercise and health and especially personal trainers, physical therapists, and physicians.

This interview was recorded live in the private forum for HIT List members on October 18, 2019. Videos in the HIT List group are usually exclusively for members, but I am sharing this with the public to help promote Ken Hutchins’ book. Click here to learn more about the HIT List group or to join