From Intensity to Consistency: How a Simple Rep Scheme Revitalized a Veteran Fitness Editor’s Training
A shift in mindset – focusing on daily movement volume rather than chasing peak performance – has unlocked a new era of gains and well-being for a seasoned fitness professional. For nearly two decades, Andrew Tracey has immersed himself in the world of fitness, navigating the evolving landscape of weights and endurance training. However, despite a wealth of experience and a history of enterprising challenges, he found himself increasingly battling inconsistency.
“It’s not that I’m not motivated, or that I don’t have things I want to do,” tracey explains. “Sometimes it’s the opposite. The things I’m conditioned to aim for in training are frequently enough quite big goals.” This pursuit of grand objectives,while rewarding in the past,began to feel unsustainable as professional and personal commitments increased. Training became sporadic, characterized by intense bursts followed by periods of inactivity.
While acknowledging that such fluctuations are normal, Tracey recognized a deeper issue: his training style when he did show up. He leaned heavily into lifting very heavy weights, fueled by aspirations of strongman-style competitions, a regimen that clashed with a largely sedentary lifestyle dictated by desk work and frequent travel.
“That combination – lifting heavy, then sitting down for ridiculously long periods – left me feeling pretty awful,” he admits. Old injuries flared up, body composition stagnated, and strength gains plateaued. He realized he was prioritizing intensity over consistency, a strategy that no longer served him.
The turning point arrived on Boxing day. After years of experimentation, Tracey adopted a deceptively simple approach: a daily target of 300 repetitions, completed in any form. This wasn’t about abandoning his existing goals – he still aimed to lift heavy, improve endurance, and tackle work-related challenges – but rather about creating a framework to integrate them all.
“That single decision completely revolutionised my training,” Tracey states. He experienced the best gains in years, but more importantly, a renewed sense of enjoyment and well-being.The 300-rep target,he reasoned,represented a reasonable daily workout volume,encompassing warm-ups,heavy lifts,accessory work,and conditioning. He dismissed lower targets as insufficient and higher ones as possibly leading to overtraining.
this approach forced a shift in perspective,challenging him to optimize both efficiency and effectiveness. On heavy lifting days, he focused on compound movements and minimized isolation exercises. On lighter days, he incorporated bodyweight circuits and mobility work. Here are a couple of examples:
- Bodyweight Quickie: 3 rounds of 40 push-ups and 60 reverse lunges (30 per leg).
- Strongman and Bodyweight: Build to a Heavy Farmer’s Carry (100m total), then 4 rounds of 5 heavy tire flips, 10 chin-ups, 15 push-ups, and 20 box jumps (onto tyre).
With nearly 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer,nutritionist,breath coach and writer,Andrew Tracey has dedicated half his life to helping others improve their bodies and minds. As the fitness editor for Men’s Health, he prioritizes reliable, relatable, and credible information, testing thousands of workouts annually and exploring the science of muscle building, fat loss, and performance psychology.
Tracey continually updates his knowledge through seminars and courses, but remains grounded in practical request, regularly challenging himself with CrossFit, strongman competitions, ultramarathons, and even unofficial world record attempts. you can find him on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or simply by offering him free pizza.
