If elaborate workout plans leave you second-guessing what to do in the gym, the 1-10 Method may be the approach for you.
Created by calisthenics coach Kace Hollingsworth, the programme aims to simplify things by shifting your focus to mastering fundamental movement patterns and accumulating high-quality volume. According to the coach, that’s all you need to train your entire body.
What is the 1-10 Method?
Rather than cramming a long list of movements into every session, the 1-10 Method focuses on one exercise per workout, with sessions lasting anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes.
The eight exercises Hollingsworth used to build his physique are:
Hollingsworth recently demonstrated the approach by completing 150 ring pull-ups in 30 minutes, performing 5 reps every minute on the minute (EMOM).
1-10 Method Benefits
‘The purpose of these 1-10 Method workouts is to accumulate lots of volume and high-quality volume,’ Hollingsworth explains. ‘I picked 5 reps because if I picked more, I would not be able to maintain it for 30 rounds. The goal is to be able to maintain it for as many rounds as possible.’ If his form begins to deteriorate, he simply lowers the reps to maintain the quality of each set.
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Hollingsworth also credits the built-in rest periods for making the sessions effective. ‘Something I really love about these workouts is just the built-in rest. It just keeps you honest. I’ve never had such efficient workouts until I started doing one exercise per day.’
The idea came from Hollingsworth’s own life. ‘When I had a daughter three years ago, I was stressed out. I didn’t even want to think about working out. So I started just doing one exercise a day and I fell in love with it,’ he says. ‘I made it for people who want to start exercising, but don’t know how to start.’
While most people won’t be aiming for 150 pull-ups in a single session, the principle is easy to apply. Choose an exercise, perform manageable sets EMOM, and gradually accumulate high-quality training volume over time. The result is a straightforward approach that prioritises consistency over complexity.
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