Time-Efficient, High-Intensity Resistance Training with Corporate Warrior Lawrence Neal- EP041

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We all know the value of resistance training. Not only does it improve strength, it can reduce our chances of getting injured and help us maintain muscle mass as we age. But how much time should we devote to weight training in a given week? And how do you maximize the benefit if you only have a few minutes a couple of times a week?

Lawrence Neal argues that if we emphasize time under load rather than repetition, with a focus on form over duration, two fifteen-minute sessions per week is all we really need to reap the benefits of resistance training. Lawrence is the founder of Corporate Warrior: High Intensity Training and the HIT Business Podcast and Blog. He has interviewed 90-plus world-class HIT and fitness business experts to learn the strategies for success in both health and business. He also serves as a one-on-one coach, helping people realize their own health goals in a time-efficient, effective and sustainable way.

Before becoming the Corporate Warrior, Lawrence enjoyed a lucrative eight-year career in B2B technology sales. After reading Body by Science, he embraced time-efficient, high intensity training to achieve his goals in both fitness and business. Today he shares the details of his shift from an intense workout schedule of 7-10 sessions per week to a couple of 15-minute body-weight training sessions and a game of basketball. Lawrence explains what a typical session looks like and why he keeps his focus on time under load rather than repetition. He discusses the evolution of his philosophy around nutrition and why he has adopted a diet centered around high-quality proteins. Listen in to understand how Lawrence has applied his training habits to business productivity, developing an appreciation of effectiveness over efficiency to create a more balanced life!

Topics Covered

[2:26] What inspired Lawrence’s shift to time-efficient, high intensity training

Introduced to Spartan Health Regime
Adopted intense workout schedule, other areas of life suffered
Came across McDuff YouTube video, learned importance of recovery
Read Body by Science, cut to one or two workouts/week
Sustainable approach gave better results

[7:05] What Lawrence’s intense workout schedule was like before the shift

Strength training, ab work
90-minute runs
Intervals, hill sprints
Basketball

[11:48] Lawrence’s current goals, routine

Maintain muscle mass
Focus on time under load (vs. repetition)
Embraced body weight training
Pushups, chin-ups, inverted row, single-leg squat
Organic cadence, two seconds at max contraction
No deliberate rest between
Records duration, not number of reps

[22:23] Lawrence’s take on training phases

Changes personal routine for novelty
Latest info indicates periodization offers very little in terms of muscle gain
Can do similar protocol for most of life

[25:39] How body weight training has impacted Lawrence’s muscle mass

Able to maintain
Training to failure is key

[28:05] The benefits of resistance training for endurance athletes

Improves strength
Reduces chance of injury
Maintain muscle mass as age

[31:32] Lawrence’s insight around increasing the number of training sessions per week

Daily training affords small increase in muscle mass
Not sure if gains worth it
Experimented with four sessions/week, didn’t feel as good from day-to-day

[35:50] Lawrence’s nutrition evolution

Started with Spartan regime (fruit, tuna, white potato, steak/fish and vegetable)
Tim Ferriss influenced to try Slow-Carb Diet, helped maintain body composition
Incorporating aspects of Zero Carb
Intermittent fasting, steak for lunch and dinner
Omelet with lunch, rice/potato with vegetable with dinner
Never been better in terms of body composition
Hasn’t done biomarker testing, but feels good and sleeping well
Estimates 80-90% nutrient-dense whole foods

[46:09] How Lawrence’s training habits help his productivity in business