If you're frustrated with plans that look great on paper but don’t fit your life—or stop working after a few weeks—you’re not alone.
Most men copy workouts from influencers or athletes with totally different lifestyles, and then wonder why they can’t stay consistent or see results.
This guide walks you through a practical 7-step system I use with my clients to build training plans that actually work—based on your goals, your schedule, and your ability to recover.
Before you choose a split, ask yourself:
Do I want to lose fat?
Do I want to build muscle?
Do I want to increase strength?
Do I want better overall health and energy?
Be honest. You can’t chase multiple competing goals at once.
If you're not clear on what you want, nothing else will matter.
Pick one goal. Build everything else around that.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Most guys say they’re not getting results—but they aren’t even tracking anything.
Here’s how to track the right way:
Fat loss: weight, waist size, photos
Muscle gain: progress pics, strength numbers, measurements
Strength: PRs, rep quality, volume
Health: energy levels, blood work, daily habits
Make sure your tracking aligns with your goal.
If you’re training for fat loss but only measuring how strong your bench is, you’ll always feel like you’re failing.
Forget “ideal.” Focus on what’s real.
Write down:
What time you wake up and go to bed
When you work
Your family and life commitments
What’s already non-negotiable
Then look for time slots where training could fit. This isn’t about squeezing workouts into your life. It’s about anchoring them to things you already do—what I call habit stacking.
Example:
Train right after work. Or right after dropping the kids off. Attach the workout to something stable.
Stuff will always come up.
Your kid gets sick. Work runs late. You travel.
Instead of pretending life will be perfect, plan for disruptions.
What are the biggest obstacles that throw you off?
Can you build flexibility into your plan?
How will you stay on track when life hits?
This is what separates guys who stick with it year after year from the ones who quit every 6 weeks.
Once you know your life schedule, commit to specific days and times.
Not based on what’s “optimal” on paper—but what you can actually do consistently.
3 days/week → full body
4 days/week → upper/lower split
5 days/week → push/pull/legs + upper/lower
6 days/week → advanced push/pull/legs repeat
It’s better to crush 3 days a week than to aim for 6 and only make 3.
Start conservative. You can always add more. But if you overcommit and fail, your plan dies fast.
Here’s what I recommend for most of my clients—hardworking dads with families, careers, and limited time:
3 Days/Week: Full Body
4 Days/Week: Upper / Lower / Rest / Upper / Lower
5 Days/Week: Push / Pull / Legs / Upper / Lower
6 Days/Week: Push / Pull / Legs (repeat)
The key isn’t following some influencer’s “optimal” split.
It’s choosing the plan you can recover from, stay consistent with, and actually enjoy.
Most natural lifters don’t need more than 4 days/week. More is not always better—especially if your sleep, stress, or nutrition aren’t dialed in.
Once your plan is in place, you’re not done. You need to review it weekly and tweak based on real feedback.
Ask:
Am I recovering well?
Am I getting stronger?
Am I enjoying this plan?
Where am I feeling stuck or burnt out?
If something feels off, we adjust.
That’s what coaching is all about—building a plan that evolves with you, not against you.
If you’ve struggled to stay consistent or feel like your plan isn’t working...
Here’s your fix:
Build your plan around your life, not someone else’s.
Track what matters, not what looks good on paper.
Adjust often, but never quit.
This is how my clients train year after year and stay in shape without burning out or revolving their lives around fitness.
That’s exactly what we do inside The Iron Forge Coaching Program.
We build your training and nutrition around your goals, schedule, and recovery—then guide you week-by-week to optimize and adjust as you go.
If you’re tired of guessing and ready to actually get results, hit the link below and apply.
