My Minimalist Philosophy of Fitness

Hut 2, 3, 4—what’s popping, people? It’s Dante here, starting my morning in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. Today, I’m reflecting on fitness, my philosophy around it, and maybe a bit of a critique of bodybuilding.

A Decade of Training

I’ve been lifting, training, and doing the whole fitness thing for the past decade. Early on, I was dialed in, hitting the gym all the time, lifting heavy, and trying to maximize gains. I focused on the basics: heavy lifting, compound movements, and increasing muscle mass. Over the years, I’ve built my strength, improved my mobility, and achieved a body that I’m pretty much satisfied with.

Now? I feel great. My energy is abundant, and every day, I approach life with strength and vigor. “The reason I feel this way is because of the training I’ve put in and dialed in for the past decade.”

The Gym Is Overrated

Here’s where my philosophy has shifted: I think the gym is overrated. People become slaves to the gym—going in every day, banging out reps, hitting machines, and obsessing over micro-movements. It becomes a cycle:

Eating chicken and rice.
Slamming protein shakes.
Bulking and chasing mass to become some big, bouldery dude.

Honestly? That’s not the goal for me anymore.

What Really Matters

“The goal is simple: feel good, look good, and be strong.”

Bodybuilding can depreciate your quality of life. When you get super big, the excess body mass inhibits your mobility. For me, it’s about being nimble and maintaining flexibility. I want to:

Do complex yoga stretches.
Walk all day without soreness.
Stand upright with ease.

My Simple Workflow

These days, I’ve simplified my fitness routine. I’ve built the muscle mass, and now I focus on maintaining it. The goal is straightforward: increase muscle mass, shed fat, and stay strong.

Here’s what my typical workout looks like:

Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest.
Dips on the dip bar.
Lateral raises for shoulders.
Farmer’s walks with shoulder shrugs.
Pistol squats (sometimes with the weight vest for added challenge).
Zottman curls for biceps.
Push-ups—lots of push-ups.

Occasionally, I’ll do deadlifts, but that’s more of a seasonal thing. Every quarter, I might dedicate one session a month to heavy deadlifts. My routine is concise and consolidated.

Time-Efficient Training

“I hit the gym, and I get out.”
My workouts take 10–15 minutes a day. I’ll hit every body part, sometimes adding core exercises like toes-to-bar. The key is simplicity:

I don’t need a gym membership.
I don’t waste time commuting to the gym.
I don’t slave away at endless reps.

Bodybuilding culture emphasizes spending hours lifting, but “I’m comfortable spending the minimal amount of time possible working out and maximizing the rest of my day doing creative things.”

Critiquing Bodybuilding

Let’s be real—bodybuilding can suck you into a rabbit hole. People spend so much time trying to gain mass, but what’s the point? “You don’t need to be a big, bouldery gym guy.” Instead:

Be mobile.
Be nimble.
Be strong.

Simple acts like calisthenics, deadlifts, and basic lifts get the job done. I focus on full range of motion and going to failure with one set per body part per day. That’s it.

Living Life Beyond the Gym

Fitness shouldn’t consume your life. By keeping my routine simple, I free up my time to:

Make photos and videos.
Write.
Explore.
Walk.
Enjoy other aspects of life.

“The most simple workflow possible: one set for each muscle group per day to failure. Then, I go live my life.”

Conclusion

This is my minimalist philosophy of fitness: stay mobile, stay strong, and don’t waste time on things that don’t add value to your life. The gym is a tool, not a lifestyle. Use it wisely, and then go out and live.