By David Fairlamb
One of the most common things I hear after more than 30 years as a personal trainer is that a person would love to get fit, but just can’t find the time.
Busy careers, family commitments etc can make finding time to exercise feel almost impossible. But getting fitter doesn’t require hours in the gym, it requires a better plan.
Many people believe that the longer they exercise, the better the results but in reality, that’s rarely the case. I’ve seen people spend 90 minutes wandering around the gym, chatting between sets, scrolling through their phones and doing exercises with no real structure. They leave feeling tired but haven’t necessarily trained effectively.
Compare that with someone who walks into the gym with a clear purpose. They know exactly what they’re doing, they work with intensity, minimise rest periods and finish a full-body workout in just 30 to 45 minutes. More often than not, they achieve far better results.
Fitness isn’t always the amount of time you spend exercising, it’s about the quality of the time you invest.
This is exactly why I built our training sessions around efficiency. Whether it’s one of our strength-based group sessions or a 30-minute VersaClimber class at ClimbAhub, every minute has a purpose. There’s no standing around wondering what to do next. You arrive, train with focus, push yourself alongside others and leave knowing you’ve made every minute count.
The VersaClimber is a perfect example. In just half an hour, you can challenge your heart and lungs, strengthen your entire body and burn serious calories without spending hours pounding away on a treadmill. It’s proof that smart training beats long training every single time.
The same applies to strength training. A focused 40-minute session targeting the major muscle groups is far more productive than spending twice as long doing random exercises with no progression. Consistency, structure and effort will always outperform endless hours of unfocused exercise.
The biggest change many people need to make isn’t finding more time. It’s changing how they think about exercise.
Those 30 minutes, repeated consistently week after week, soon become stronger muscles, improved fitness, increased energy, better sleep and greater confidence. Small investments made regularly create life-changing results.
You don’t need to train every day, you simply need a realistic plan that fits your lifestyle and one that you can stick to for months and years, not just a few weeks.
One of the greatest rewards of following a well-structured plan is that it removes the guesswork. Instead of constantly wondering if you’re doing enough, you can focus on simply turning up and giving your best. Every workout builds on the last, creating momentum that not only transforms your body but also strengthens your mindset and confidence to tackle challenges both inside and outside the gym.
David’s summing up
Ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when you stop looking for excuses and start following a plan.
