The Best Workout Plans to Stay Strong, Lean, and Motivated
Reading Time: 10 minutes Finding the best workout plan can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options online promising fast results.
But after over a decade of professional basketball and years of experimentation, I’ve discovered a few reliable training methods and platforms that consistently deliver.
One of my go-to resources for the best workout plans is BODi.com by Team Beachbody.
If you’re not hiring a personal trainer or online fitness coach but still want structured guidance from elite-level trainers, the BODi App is my top recommendation.
It offers the kind of progressive, results-driven training that’s hard to find without spending hundreds of dollars each month.
Team Beachbody developed one of the most widely successful online workout plans of all time: P90X.
Now with a much broader selection of some of the best workout plans in the world, the Team Beachbody BODi App is packed with high-quality strength, flexibility, recovery, and conditioning workout plans designed by elite trainers.
Important Disclaimer: I’m not a representative of BODi or Team Beachbody, but I am an affiliate and may earn a commission if you purchase through my links. I only recommend their workout plans because I personally use them and genuinely believe they’re some of the best workout plans conveniently available online.
What is the Best Workout Plan for Most People?
When I’m not creating my own workout of the day, I consistently use the programs from BODi.com.
Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight, improve mobility, develop cardiovascular endurance, or accomplish nearly any other health and fitness goal, the BODi platform offers scalable options for every fitness level.
For now, the 645 workout program by Amoila Cesar is my personal favorite.
It’s a six-day-a-week program focusing on mobility, strength, and athletic conditioning that combines functional training and recovery in a way that mimics what professional athletes do to stay game-ready year-round.
A close second is Chop Wood Carry Water, also by Amoila Cesar. This plan emphasizes resilience, body control, and mental discipline, which is perfect for developing consistency in your training routine.
For more intense cardiovascular fitness and athletic training, I regularly incorporate sessions from Insanity Asylum Volume 1, an intense, performance-focused program designed by Shaun T that emphasizes speed, agility, and explosiveness.
There are many, many other Team Beach Body workout plans that I use parts of, and these were just a couple notable mentions.
Benefits of Using the Team Beach Body BODi App:
Here are five compelling reasons why the BODi App offers some of the best workout plans available:
- Comprehensive Program Library: BODi provides access to over 130 structured programs, including renowned options like P90X, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, and 645, catering to various fitness levels and goals.
- Expert-Led Workouts: Workouts are designed and led by certified trainers, ensuring safe, effective, and progressive routines that include a variety of training techniques including foam rolling, mobility, strength training, and HIIT.
- Integrated Nutrition Plans: The app includes nutrition programs like Portion Fix and 2B Mindset, offering guidance on balanced eating to complement your fitness journey.
- Flexible Accessibility: BODi is accessible on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, allowing you to work out anytime, anywhere.
- Community Support: Users can engage with a supportive community, sharing progress, tips, and motivation, which enhances accountability and consistency.
If you want a premium gym experience for your at-home workouts without guessing what to do each day, subscribing to BODi.com is a smart move.
The Best Workout Plans for Specific Goals
With so many workout plans available today, it’s important to choose a program that aligns with your individual goals, whether that’s building muscle, increasing endurance, improving mobility, or simply getting back into a consistent routine.
While there are plenty of great workout plans out there, I’ve found a few excellent options that consistently deliver results in specific areas of training.
Best Workout Plan for Building Functional Strength & FItness
In my opinion, the 645 program by Amoila Cesar is the best workout plan for building functional strength because it prioritizes performance, mobility, and durability, not just trying to get an aesthetic body.
With six structured workouts per week, it combines full-body strength training, mobility work, and cardio conditioning in a way that mirrors what professional athletes use to stay injury-free and resilient.
Every session begins with a 10-minute active warm-up that prepares your body for movement and reinforces good mechanics.
The progressive 13-week layout is intelligently designed, with deload weeks that support recovery and long-term progress.
What makes 645 different is its attention to form, tempo, and movement quality, which are elements that often get overlooked in standard programs.
It’s not just about lifting heavier; it’s about training smarter so your body performs better in sport, life, and everything in between.
645 will help you get your dream body and do so while making you healthier, not risking injuries.
I use this program regularly and have completed the entire 645 workout plan because it delivers results while protecting the joints and building real-world strength that I can use as a professional basketball player.
Best Workout Plan for Muscle Building
If your goal is to add muscle mass, German Volume Training (GVT) is one of the most effective hypertrophy programs ever developed.
I used this method early in my career, and the results were undeniable.
The principle is simple: perform 10 sets of 10 reps of a compound lift (like squats or bench press) at around 60% of your 1-rep max.
This intense volume shocks your muscles into growing, assuming you recover and eat properly.
German Volume Training is best used in short phases and is ideal for intermediate to advanced lifters who want to push their limits and build size fast.
Best Workout Plan for Weight Loss
When it comes to choosing the best workout plan for weight loss, it’s important to look beyond just the calorie burn during your training sessions.
Long-term fat loss is driven by a combination of structured workouts, non-exercise activity thermogenesis (daily movement), and sustainable nutrition habits.
That’s why my top recommendations for weight loss are the 645 program by Amoila Cesar and Insanity Asylum Volume 1, which are two very different programs that serve the same goal in unique ways.
The 645 program is especially valuable because it focuses on building a resilient, functional body that’s primed to move more efficiently in daily life.
- It combines strength, mobility, and cardio in a six-day-per-week structure that reinforces quality movement patterns, preventing injury and promoting longevity.
- What makes 645 great for weight loss is that it prepares your body to naturally increase daily activity, making it easier to rack up more steps, play with your kids, do yard work, or stay active throughout the day.
- This increase in non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is one of the most underrated keys to fat loss.
On the other hand, Insanity Asylum is a more intense, performance-based training plan that emphasizes agility, speed, and anaerobic conditioning.
- If you already have a fitness base and want to torch calories while challenging your mental toughness, this is a powerful fat-loss tool.
- It’s fast-paced, explosive, and perfect for athletes or advanced exercisers looking to take their conditioning to the next level.
Ultimately, the best workout plan for weight loss is one that helps you move more, train consistently, and feel better throughout the day.
645 supports long-term fat loss by building foundational strength and movement quality, while Insanity Asylum helps accelerate results through high-intensity metabolic conditioning.
Pair either with a realistic, whole-food-based nutrition plan and consistent daily movement, and you’ll be on the right path.
Best Workout Plan for Muscle Gain and Fat Loss
If you’re looking for a training method that builds muscle while burning fat, Escalating Density Training (EDT) is one of the best workout plans you can use.
EDT is built around one core principle: doing more quality work in the same amount of time.
Unlike traditional workout plans that emphasize sets and reps, EDT encourages you to increase your total training volume over time, stimulating hypertrophy while elevating your metabolic rate.
EDT creates the perfect environment for muscle growth and fat loss by blending moderate-to-heavy resistance training with a nonstop work pace that drives calorie burn.
How Escalating Density Training Works:
- Choose two opposing exercises (e.g., push-pull or upper-lower).
- Set a timer for 15-20 minutes.
- Alternate between exercises, performing sets of 6-10 reps with minimal rest.
- Track your total reps completed.
- Each week, aim to beat your previous number without sacrificing form.
This creates progressive overload naturally and builds a training density that enhances strength, lean mass, and endurance.
10 EDT Exercises for Full-Body Development:
Pair two exercises per session, alternating them back and forth for 15-20 minutes per pair:
- Goblet Squats × Pull-Ups (or Inverted Rows)
- Dumbbell Bench Press × Dumbbell Rows
- Romanian Deadlifts × Walking Lunges
- Barbell Overhead Press × Chin-Ups
- Pushups × Kettlebell Swings
You can use these pairings across a three- or four-day split, adjusting the difficulty based on your training experience.
Sample EDT Weekly Timetable:
| Day | Workout | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Goblet Squats + Pull-Ups | Lower + Upper Pull |
| Tuesday | Dumbbell Bench Press + Dumbbell Rows | Push + Pull |
| Wednesday | Rest or Light Mobility Work | Recovery |
| Thursday | Romanian Deadlifts + Walking Lunges | Posterior Chain + Conditioning |
| Friday | Overhead Press + Chin-Ups | Upper Body Power |
| Saturday | Pushups + Kettlebell Swings (Optional Finisher) | MetCon / Fat Burn |
| Sunday | Rest | Recovery |
You can adjust the number of days depending on your goals and recovery needs. If your focus is primarily fat loss, consider training 4-5 times per week. For muscle gain, stick to 3-4 quality sessions with an emphasis on sleep and nutrition.
EDT trains your body to build muscle and burn fat simultaneously, making it one of the best workout plans for those with limited time who want maximum results. It’s deceptively simple, endlessly scalable, and highly effective when performed with effort and consistency.
Best Workout Plan for Building Leg Strength & Conditioning
When it comes to building brutal leg strength and mental toughness, nothing beats 20-rep squats.
This isn’t a program for the faint of heart.
You take your 10-rep max and somehow grind out 20 reps with it, resting and pausing as needed while the bar stays on your back.
It’s demanding but builds resilience and leg strength like nothing else.
I recommend using this method in short bursts, perhaps once a week for 4-6 weeks, as part of a broader program focused on strength development.
Best Workout Plan for Metabolic Conditioning
If I had to choose one method that consistently delivers fast, effective results for metabolic conditioning, it would be the 21-15-9 format, which is a brutal yet brilliantly simple structure made famous by CrossFit.
This training style pushes your body to the limit while sharpening your mental toughness and improving overall work capacity.
The format consists of three rounds of compound bodyweight or weighted exercises, performed for 21 reps, then 15 reps, then 9 reps.
The goal is to move fast, stay efficient, and finish strong.
One of my go-to workouts in this style includes air squats, pushups, and sit-ups.
It sounds straightforward, but by the time you reach the last round, every rep feels like a challenge, and that’s exactly the point.
What makes the 21-15-9 format so effective is its ability to generate maximum intensity in a short amount of time.
It spikes your heart rate, taxes your muscles, and builds resilience, all without requiring complicated programming or equipment.
It’s one of the best ways to develop elite-level metabolic conditioning and mental grit, whether you’re training at home or in the gym.
For those who want to improve cardiovascular fitness, increase muscular endurance, and burn calories efficiently, 21-15-9 workouts are hard to beat.
Final Thoughts: Which Workout Plan Should You Choose?
The best workout plan is the one that aligns with your goals, fits your lifestyle, and keeps you coming back day after day.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, improve athletic performance, or simply feel better in your daily life, the right program can transform your results.
For an all-in-one solution, the BODi App is my top recommendation.
It offers structured, expert-led programs like 645 by Amoila Cesar for functional strength and mobility, and Insanity Asylum for high-intensity fat-burning workouts. If you prefer traditional lifting, try German Volume Training for muscle gain or 20-rep squats to develop lower body strength and grit.
For metabolic conditioning, Escalating Density Training (EDT) and 21-15-9 workouts are incredibly effective.
Choose a workout plan that challenges you, but also supports your recovery, keeps you consistent, and makes you excited to train.
That’s how real, lasting progress happens.
If you truly want the best workout plan tailored to your body, goals, and current fitness level, consider hiring a personal trainer or even contacting me directly for personalized health and fitness consulting.
But, keep in mind that an in-person coach guiding you through each workout offers an unmatched level of support and personalization.
