After spending two decades competing at a high level in national team cycling and HYROX Elite 15, the creator behind BUILTSIMPLE has simplified his approach to training.
In a recent YouTube video, he explains that stepping away from elite sport, starting another business, and spending more time with family forced him to rethink fitness. Instead of training more than 20 hours each week, he narrowed everything down to five methods that kept him strong, lean, and athletic while fitting into a busy lifestyle.
His message is aimed squarely at men over 30 who want sustainable results without living in the gym.
1. Build Your Foundation with Simple Strength Training
The first priority is mastering basic calisthenics movements.
Pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and squats form the foundation of his system because they develop strength, muscle, and full-body coordination without requiring expensive equipment or lengthy workouts.
Rather than chasing endless exercise variety, he recommends practicing these movements two to three times per week and gradually becoming stronger through progressive overload.
According to the coach, these compound bodyweight exercises create total-body tension while building real-world capability that transfers beyond the gym.
2. Heavy Carries Develop Practical Strength
Next comes loaded carries.
Whether it’s farmer carries, suitcase carries, or sandbag carries, simply picking up a heavy object and walking with it develops qualities that machines struggle to replicate.
Heavy carries strengthen grip, improve posture, reinforce core stability, and build the type of isometric endurance needed for everyday life.
The creator argues that these foundational qualities are often the first to decline with age, making loaded carries a worthwhile long-term investment.
3. Train Rotational Strength
Most gym programs focus almost entirely on forward and backward movement. According to BUILTSIMPLE, that leaves a major gap.
Weighted rotational exercises, such as kettlebell rotations, medicine ball throws, or cable movements, teach the body to produce and resist force through multiple planes of motion.
He believes this type of training helps prepare the body for the twisting demands of daily life while potentially reducing the likelihood of future back issues.
4. Build an Aerobic Engine with Zone 2 Training
Cardio also earns a place in his minimalist system, but not through exhausting sessions.
Instead, he recommends one or two weekly Zone 2 workouts lasting roughly 30 to 60 minutes. Walking, cycling, swimming, or easy running all work, provided the intensity remains low enough to hold a conversation.
A stronger aerobic base improves recovery between sets, workouts, and training cycles while supporting long-term cardiovascular health.
5. Keep Athleticism with Plyometrics
The final pillar is explosive movement.
Jumps, bounds, and other plyometric drills help maintain fast-twitch muscle fibers and nervous system function, both of which naturally decline with age.
Rather than training for maximum fatigue, the goal is to preserve speed, coordination, and athletic movement well into later decades.
A Rotation System That Prevents Burnout
Instead of squeezing every training method into each week, BUILTSIMPLE recommends keeping strength training and endurance as weekly staples while rotating heavy carries, weighted rotations, and plyometrics in four-week blocks.
By cycling these three methods across the year, trainees continue building new qualities without overwhelming recovery or constantly jumping between programs.
His conclusion is simple: consistency beats complexity. A handful of well-practiced movements performed regularly can deliver long-term strength, athleticism, and health without demanding elite-level training hours.
About the Author
Jeremiah Oliva
Jeremiah Oliva is a writer passionate about fitness, sports, and active living. He has experience in songwriting and managing content and social media for online radio and magazine platforms.
He covers HYROX, CrossFit®, and competitive fitness, with a focus on performance, mindset, and athlete development.
Outside of writing, Jeremiah trains in boxing, cycles, explores the outdoors with his kids, and plays the guitar.
