These formats are widely used in fitness programming for athletes, general population, and performance enhancement.
1. Strength and Conditioning (S&C)
Goal: Build strength, power, endurance, mobility, and injury resilience.
Typical Structure: Blends resistance training, plyometrics, and conditioning.
Sample Weekly S&C Split:
- Day 1: Lower Body Strength
- Back Squat: 4×5
- Romanian Deadlift: 3×8
- Bulgarian Split Squat: 3×10
- Core Circuit: Plank, Russian Twists, Leg Raises – 3 rounds
- Day 2: Upper Body Strength + Conditioning
- Bench Press: 4×5
- Pull-Ups: 4×8
- Overhead Press: 3×8
- Conditioning: 5 rounds of 30 sec Row, 30 sec Rest
- Day 3: Power & Plyometrics
- Power Cleans: 5×3
- Box Jumps: 4×5
- Medicine Ball Slams: 3×15
- Sled Push or Hill Sprints: 6x20m
- Day 4: Active Recovery / Mobility
- Yoga, foam rolling, light cardio, dynamic stretching
- Day 5: Full Body Strength & Metcon
- Deadlifts: 4×5
- Push Press: 3×6
- Chin-Ups: 3xAMRAP
- Metcon: 15-min AMRAP (10 KB Swings, 5 Burpees, 15 Air Squats)
- Day 6: Conditioning / Speed & Agility
- Ladder drills, cone drills, shuttle runs
- Sprint Intervals: 10x50m (walk back recovery)
- Optional: Sandbag carries or farmer’s walks
- Day 7: Rest
2. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
Goal: Improve cardiovascular fitness, burn calories, boost metabolism.
Format: Alternating short bursts of max effort with brief recovery.
Common HIIT Structures:
- Tabata: 20 sec work / 10 sec rest x 8 rounds = 4 min
Example: Burpees, Jump Squats, Mountain Climbers - 30/30: 30 sec work / 30 sec rest x 10–15 rounds
- 1:2 Work:Rest Ratio: 40 sec work / 80 sec rest (for power development)
- EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute):
Example: Min 1: 15 Kettlebell Swings, Min 2: 10 Push-Ups – repeat 10–20 min
Sample HIIT Workout (20 min):
- 5-min warm-up (jump rope, dynamic stretches)
- EMOM x 15 min:
- Min 1: 12 Box Jumps
- Min 2: 15 Push-Ups
- Min 3: 20 Air Squats
- 5-min cooldown + stretching
3. Circuit Training
Goal: Build endurance, burn fat, maintain muscle
Format: Multiple exercises done back-to-back with minimal rest.
Example (Full Body Circuit – 3 rounds):
- Goblet Squat – 12 reps
- Push-Up – 10 reps
- Bent-Over Row – 10 reps
- Plank – 30 seconds
- Jumping Jacks – 30 seconds
Rest 1–2 min between rounds
4. AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)
Goal: Maximize volume in a set time
Format: Complete as many rounds of a circuit as possible within time.
Example (12-min AMRAP):
- 5 Pull-Ups
- 10 Push-Ups
- 15 Air Squats
- 20 Mountain Climbers
5. EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)
Goal: Build work capacity, pacing, and consistency
Format: Perform prescribed work at the start of each minute; rest the remainder.
Example (16-min EMOM):
- Min 1: 8 Power Cleans (95/65 lb)
- Min 2: 12 Sit-Ups
- Min 3: 10 Push Press
- Min 4: 15 Calorie Bike
Repeat 4x
6. Density Training
Goal: Maximize work in minimal time
Format: Fixed number of sets/reps, reduce rest to increase density.
Example:
- 10 sets of 5 Back Squats @ 75% 1RM
- Goal: Complete all sets in under 20 min (rest as needed, but less = better density)
7. Complex Training / Contrast Training
Goal: Enhance power and neuromuscular efficiency
Format: Pair a heavy strength movement with a explosive plyometric.
Example:
- Back Squat (80% 1RM) x 3 reps → immediately → Broad Jump x 3 reps
- 3–5 sets, 2–3 min rest
8. MetCon (Metabolic Conditioning)
Goal: Improve work capacity and cardiovascular fitness
Format: High-volume, multi-modal workouts.
Example:
- 5 Rounds For Time:
- 400m Run
- 15 Kettlebell Swings
- 10 Burpees
9. Pyramid Training
Goal: Build strength/endurance with progressive loading
Types: Ascending, Descending, or Double Pyramid
Example (Ascending/Descending Reps):
- Push-Ups: 5 → 10 → 15 → 10 → 5
- Rest 30 sec between sets
10. Supersets & Giant Sets
Goal: Increase intensity, save time, build muscle endurance
- Superset: 2 exercises back-to-back (e.g., Bench Press + Bent-Over Row)
- Giant Set: 4+ exercises with no rest (e.g., Squat, Push-Up, Row, Plank)
Programming Tips:
- Beginners: 3x/week full-body S&C + 1–2 HIIT sessions
- Intermediate/Advanced: 4–6 days split (Upper/Lower, Push/Pull, Power/Conditioning)
- Recovery: Include mobility, stretching, and deload weeks
- Progression: Track load, reps, time, and rest; aim to improve weekly/monthly