Conditioning Made Simple: How I Run a Sub-6 Minute Mile While Staying Strong

If you’re like me, you don’t want to live in one extreme — just strong but slow, or just fast but weak. I’ve always wanted to be able to run faster than the average lifter and stay way stronger than the average runner. That’s why I’ve spent years refining a simple conditioning system that lets me hit a sub-6 minute mile without training like a full-time athlete.

I’m busy — an entrepreneur with multiple companies, three kids, and a life outside the gym. I train five to six days a week for about an hour per session, and I need my workouts to be effective, time-efficient, and simple. Over the years, I’ve found that understanding and training the right energy systems is the key to better conditioning — and it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Why Most People Fail at Conditioning

Many people either train too randomly or only stay in one comfort zone (like slow jogging or occasional sprints). But to build well-rounded fitness, you need to train across three different energy systems:

• Gain (power & explosiveness)

• Pain (high-intensity, glycolytic work)

• Sustain (aerobic endurance)

Most fitness programs skip at least one of these — which is why so many lifters gas out after one sprint, and many runners can’t generate explosive power.

My 3-Day Conditioning Framework

Here’s the simple weekly plan I’ve coached people on for years. It’s efficient, scalable, and works whether you’re running, rowing, cycling, or using an air bike.

1. Gain Day — Explosiveness & Top-End Speed

• Protocol: 30 seconds hard / 90 seconds rest

• Start with: 5 intervals

• Progress to: Up to 20 intervals (stop when your distance drops off significantly)

The goal is consistency across intervals. Once you can’t maintain similar effort (e.g., your sprint distance drops sharply), call it a day.

2. Pain Day — High-Intensity Glycolytic Work

• Protocol: 2 minutes very hard / 4 minutes rest

• Start with: 5 intervals

• Progress to: Up to 10 intervals

These are brutally hard. They build the power to sustain high speeds and push your limits. Stop when your output plummets compared to earlier rounds.

3. Sustain Day — Aerobic Power & Endurance

• Protocol: 5 minutes strong effort / 5 minutes easy

• Start with: 3 intervals

• Progress to: 5 intervals (or 10 minutes on / 10 minutes off if you have more time)

You can run these at threshold pace (as far as you can in the work window) or keep them in Zone 2 for steady aerobic development.

Why This Works

• Efficiency: Interval training gives you the biggest bang for your buck when time is limited.

• Balance: Training all three systems — gain, pain, sustain — keeps you fast, powerful, and able to go the distance.

• Scalable: You can adjust volume and intensity to your current fitness level.

If you pair this with my bodyweight pull-up program (three days a week), you’ll have a six-day training system that builds strength, speed, and conditioning — all without living in the gym.

The Bigger Picture

Being fit isn’t just about numbers — it’s about becoming a better version of yourself. When you prioritize conditioning, you think clearer, perform better at work, and show up more fully at home. It’s a small investment with life-changing returns.

Stop overcomplicating your training. Start simple. Stay consistent. Try harder.

Show Notes & Time Stamps

• 00:30 — Why I built this simple conditioning framework

• 01:45 — The importance of balancing strength and speed

• 03:05 — Energy systems explained: Gain, Pain, Sustain

• 04:15 — How to structure the Gain workout (30/90 intervals)

• 05:30 — How to structure the Pain workout (2/4 intervals)

• 06:50 — How to structure the Sustain workout (5/5 intervals)

• 07:45 — Why consistency between intervals matters

• 08:30 — Final thoughts on becoming better through conditioning