I think you should lift weights and train generally three days a week. You should focus on what you need to take care of in the gym, strength, mobility or body composition.
What about the rest of the time?
Let me answer this in a roundabout way. For a while, I have been explaining the Fundamental Human Movements in a slightly different way.
Push, Pull and Squat work in a different way than the other movements. DeLorme’s numbers of 20-30 quality repetitions works well with these three movements. These movements naturally tend to work towards hypertrophy, mobility and, ultimately, strength.
In a proper program, you should Push, Pull and Squat with the exact same total number of reps. This doesn’t, for clarity, work with Hinge, Loaded Carry and the Sixth Movement.
Push, Pull and Squat also tend to lead to increase in natural hormonal production. You can de-age by getting your Push, Pull and Squat in.
I call the Push, Pull and Squat the Sex Drive movements.
The Hinge and the Loaded Carries build athletes. We test programs by measuring the Standing Long Jump and the Farmer Walk and, oddly, one can improve both without every do either movement for months at a time. But, if your SLJ and FW improve, we know something good is going on.
It’s hard to figure reps, sets and loads for either movement. 500 Kettlebell swings or a 500 pound deadlift for one might be a very taxing workout. Loaded Carries are almost just “Hey, go down and back.” Yet, when done correctly, these movements carry over into all areas of performance.
I call the Hinge and Loaded Carry the Thrive movements.
Finally, we have that bizarre catch all, the Sixth Movement. It is everything else. But, here is the key: when you need a Sixth Movement, you NEED it. Rope Climbing might have no value to you…until you need to climb something to save your life. The same goes with swimming or CPR: There is not a lot of need for it, until you need it.
I call the Sixth Movements the Survive movements.
For the athlete, a focus on Thrive will help performance. To look good on the beach, Sex Drive.
But, you need to take care of Survive first. Have you seen your eye doctor, dentist or MD lately? If not, take care of this! Do you know how to take a tumble, First Aid, or CPR? Address that. Here is my whole list, from “Do this right now” to “It would be good to take care of this soon.
Eye Doctor, Dentist, Medical Doctor
Breakfalling and Tumbling
First Aid, CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver (and using a Defibrillator)
Defensive Driving or Advanced Driving Course
Swimming Class
Bicycle riding and bicycle repair
Stress Management course or appropriate application of stress management tools
Personal Finance Course
Gardening and/or gardening class
Survival Course/ Survival Skills
Once you master these, then get back to thriving and sex driving.