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30 MINUTE PHYSIQUE
Maximizing our physiques with 30 minute workouts
Full Time Personal Trainer helping regular people build muscle, lose fat, and move better in 30 minutes or less. No gym required. No complicated nonsense. Just effective workouts that fit real life.
Train with me: https://www.trainerize.me/profile/benen/Benen.Karski/
Check out my Gumroad page to join my email list and peruse my ebooks and programs for sale: https://garagegymbro.gumroad.com/
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New YouTube Series
What's up, bros and bro-ettes?! Quick one today. I've started a new YouTube (Shorts) series. I'll be sharing quick videos, with voiceovers, documenting my next 365 workouts. Not the next 365 days. But my next 365 workouts. I admit, it's quite the daunting commitment, especially given my recent track record of not video recording any of my workouts, consistently. Given that I usually train anywhere from 4-6 days per week, this series will take well over a year. Now, some vid
30minutephysique
Sep 102 min read
September 2026 Lift and Read Program and Book Club
Lifting Program: PPL 3X Each session has 3 (or more) specific workout variations. For example, 1 pull day will have regular pullups. The next pull day will be neutral grip chins. And the 3rd pull day will be wide grip pullups as the vertical pulling exercise. Each pull session, pick 1 of these 3 pullup variations. This routine is very flexible as far as exercise variations, volume per exercise, and even frequency. Use autoregulation and your own common sense to adjust train
30minutephysique
Sep 64 min read
August 2026 Lifting Club (and Book Club)
Let's dive right in because none of us have time to waste, am I right, partner? For the lifting club, I'm sharing 3 options (all are available on my app, for a monthly fee of $29, if you want the bells and whistles of app tracking and me checking in with you, having direct 1-to-1 access to chat with me within the app. If you like the 15PPL plan, you can get access to that on the app for free, if slots are currently available. Or, you can just take the programs as written here
30minutephysique
Aug 34 min read
Example of a Leg Day Contingency
Below I'm sharing yesterday afternoon's leg session along with an example of how and why to keep contingency or back in up options. 06/29/2026 Workout of the Day. Legs Warm up: dead bugs; foam roller glute bridges Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-2×10/10 Ex 2: dumbbell RDLs-12,10 Ex 3: offset calf raises-15/15, 12/12 Total time = 24 minutes Yesterday I talked about contingencies. Today I used a contingency program variation. Not because of time restraints. But rather, because I o
30minutephysique
Jun 301 min read
Some Tips to Keep You on Track and Crushing Fitness Goals, Forever
If you're able, get a training session or 2 done during the weekend. It's a great way to build momentum headed into the week, it'll offset some potential cheat meals I know we're all susceptible to indulging in over the weekend, and it acts as an insurance policy in case something goes crazy with work, appointments, or family stuff during the week and you find yourself missing a session or 2 that you had planned to do during the work week. Another insurance policy, however, i
30minutephysique
Jun 283 min read
Strength and Muscle Programming Simplified, Again
Strength and muscle programming is NOT complicated. Pick 1-2 exercises for each of the main movement patterns. Main Movement Patterns Vertical push Vertical pull Horizontal push Horizontal pull Squat/Lunge Hinge Then, pick 1-2 exercises that cover the basic isolation movements. Basic Isolation Movements Bicep curl variation Tricep extension variation Calf raise variation Something for the abs (crunch/leg raise variation, loaded carries, etc) Optional Isolations Depending o
30minutephysique
May 292 min read
Want to Join my Next Cohort? (Free Personal Training Opportunity)
Quick Announcement! I’m rolling out a FREE 6 week program on my training app (aptly called, "Benen's Gym"). Due to the fact that I’m charged by the app based on the number of clients I have using the app, slots will be limited to 10 people (I’ve already got a troop of paid clients using the app). You’ll get all the perks of training with me (messaging, tracking, support), just without the cost. The plan is 3 sessions per week and just 15 minutes per session. I usually promot
30minutephysique
May 262 min read
Make the Time to Make the Gains (Sample Workout)
You really ought to be carving out time (even just 20 minutes, a few times per week) to dedicate to resistance training. Nothing will have a better overall impact on the quality of your life. Below is a sample leg session I did last week after a busy day. Quick 7:30pm leg workout in the living room with 1×28kg/62lb kettlebell. Warm up: leg raises x 20, glute bridges x 15 Ex 1: offset kettlebell reverse lunge-3×10/10 Ex 2: single leg RDL-10/10, 10/10, 8/8 Ex 3: offset kettlebe
30minutephysique
May 101 min read
My 2 Favorite Training Splits and Which one YOU should Do
People go round and round about training splits all the time. Everyone has an opinion. The bottom line, though, is you should do the split that fits your schedule, motivates you, and that you enjoy. And for heavens' sake – you're not marrying any training split, so if you want to change up your training split every several months, go for it! With that in mind, today I'll share my general feelings on my 2 favorite splits for myself and my clients, along with when I would use o
30minutephysique
May 613 min read
May Lifting Club
What's up guys? I'm running a few days late on the program this month. I just finished a 5 day drive moving from Idaho to Alabama. The next month will be probably even busier than the previous month, judging on the condition the house I just moved into was left. Therefore, this month, we're doing a PPL 3X variation. That's Pull, Push, Legs split with just 3 exercises per session and 3 sets per exercise (giving just 9 sets per session). These sessions are quick, effective, an
30minutephysique
May 31 min read
15 Minute Workouts can Work Great!
Time and energy are on a premium this month. I'm relying on 15-20 minute workouts, and you know what? They work great. I'm able to focus and train hard, very briefly, move the needle of progress, and get on with my current work (final couple weeks working full time in-person at this current location), building new business (online and in-person 2,040 miles away), and dealing with all the stuff that goes along with selling a house on this side of the country while getting rea
30minutephysique
Apr 223 min read
15-25 Minute Leg Workouts
How to design a 15-25 minute leg workout that'll produce gains. The skinny: Pick 3 exercises 1 squat pattern/quad and glute dominant 1 hinge pattern/glute and hamstring dominant 1 calf raise variation Do 2-3 sets of each exercise Take each set fairly close to failure. Video summary: https://youtube.com/shorts/hEtFE77fyQI?si=OT3VxOioeRMvS9MV
30minutephysique
Apr 191 min read
Don't Procrastinate. Become the Best Version of Yourself TODAY
Changing habits and behavior becomes more and more difficult with each passing year. If you're not satisfied with your body, make the behavior changes NOW. Do NOT wait! The odds of success diminish with each day that you say, "I'll do it later." Procrastination is also a trained behavior and habit. Kick that lousy pig (aka, habit) to the curb. Adapting a practice of physical activity has a trickle down effect of positively impacting every other area of your life. Seriously. T
30minutephysique
Apr 174 min read
The 15 Minute Solution
04/08/2026 Workout of the Day. 10 mile river walk/hike with the doggos this morning. Then, tonight I did a 15 minute (yes, you're reading that right) PUSH session in the backyard. Times they are a-busy and, apparently, stressful, currently in my life. But, I'm embracing it and adapting. This ain't the first time I've been strapped for time due to being in the midst of a major life altering event (and I presume it won't be the last), and as someone that has made almost all my
30minutephysique
Apr 122 min read
The 30 Minute PPL Program
12 week program for busy folks over 30, to remove friction, improve strength, body composition, and fitness by using 5-6 efficient, productive, 20-30 minute sessions per week. No fluff, all gas. This sort of training works so well for regular adults – like you and me – because it removes the obstacles the fitness industry promotes for fitness. The obstacle of needing complex equipment. The obstacle of needing 1-2 hours to complete a good strength training session. These obst
30minutephysique
Mar 162 min read
Moving Update and New Online Training Opportunities
Things are getting serious. I've mentioned that I'm in the process of moving (back) across the country, after being in my current location for what will be almost exactly 5 years. It's been an ongoing saga, selling my investment property house here in town, looking for houses across the country, and finishing projects and getting ready to sell my current house, all while maintaining to train clients, locally, full time. Well, last week we officially bought a house back where
30minutephysique
Mar 62 min read
Another Perk of Training at Home and a 23 Minute Leg Workout
12/23/2025 Workout of the Day. Legs Sample number 2,000,034 about the beauty of training at home: you don't want to miss out on family time but you also want to get your workout in. Solution, bring a couple kettlebells inside and lift while hanging! Duh… Ex 1: standard split squats-2×8-12 each leg Ex 2: double kettlebell single leg RDL-2×8-12 each leg Ex 3: heel elevated (balancing on toes) double kettlebell narrow stance front squat (what a mouthful)-2×10-15 Ex 4: calf raise
30minutephysique
Dec 23, 20252 min read
December 2025 Lifting Club
What's up everybody! It's a new month, and that means a new lifting club update. Below, you'll find the "HQ Program of the Month," along with the "Lightning WOD Squad" program of the month for our 15 minute hoisters out there. Let's get right to it and finish out the year, powerfully! Garage Gym Bro HQ Program of the Month (December 2025 Lifting Club) EMOM PPL 4X In each session, we will be doing 1 – only 1 – exercise in EMOM fashion. The sessions are pull, push, legs. Foll
30minutephysique
Dec 1, 20255 min read
Lift & Read Issue 14
Welcome to this most recent edition. Currently, I'm reading Alexandre Dumás' " The Count of Monte Cristo" for fiction and in the...
30minutephysique
Oct 9, 20251 min read
Want Gains? Do Fewer Exercises.
When it comes to exercises in the gym for more muscle and strength, focus on doing less, but doing it better. More focus. More weight....
30minutephysique
Sep 29, 20253 min read
HELLO
I'm a practical garage gym bro, who happens to also be a certified personal trainer, strength & conditioning coach, and an uncertified writer. I promote simple, but effective practices to maximize strength, hypertrophy, and body composition.
On this site, I am specifically focusing on promoting the "30 Minute Physique" lifestyle, and will be sharing my journey of getting as jacked as possible via 30 minute workouts.
Check out my Gumroad page to join my email list and peruse my ebooks and programs for sale: https://garagegymbro.gumroad.com/
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