Science-backed fitness & nutrition

Train Smart
Not Hard

Maximum Gains — Minimum Effort

More results in less time — not by cutting corners, but by training with precision. Six key exercises, performed fasted, twice a week, 30–45 minutes per session. The program is built around what the science actually supports.

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The System

The 4 Pillars

The philosophy here is built on four interconnected pillars. Master these and you master your health.

🏋

Train Smart

6 key exercises — Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Clean & Jerk, Snatch, and Met-Con. Performed fasted, twice a week, 30–45 minutes. Get in, lift heavy, get out. Maximum hormonal response, minimum time wasted.

Learn the system →

🥦

Eat Clean

Simple and clear food choices — meat, vegetables, a little starch, and plenty of good fats. Stay away from processed food full of ingredients you can't pronounce. Feel full, have tons of energy, and reduce inflammation.

See the food list →

⏳

Intermittent Fasting

The 16/8 or 15/9 protocol. Fast for 15–16 hours, feed for 8–9. During fasting: water, green tea, and Bulletproof Coffee. IF preserves lean mass, reduces systemic inflammation, and supports healthy insulin sensitivity.

Discover IF →

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Bulletproof Coffee

Start every day with low-toxin coffee blended with Grass Fed Butter and MCT Oil. Provides sustained energy, keeps you satiated, enhances brain function, and accelerates fat loss by increasing ketones and ketogenesis.

Get the recipe →

The Program

6 Key Exercises

The program is built around these 6 exercises. All can be scaled down or up depending on your current level. Work at 5 reps x 5 sets, 60–90 seconds rest between sets.

Squat

The king of all exercises. A squat day could consist of front squats, back squats and deadlifts. Triggers the largest hormonal release of any exercise — essential for losing fat and building lean mass. Scale from bodyweight to heavily loaded.

Bench Press

A bench day: flat bench, decline bench, incline bench at 20 degrees (not 45 — that shifts emphasis to shoulders), barbell back row, single arm dumbbell row, and inverted back row. Part of the Big Three for maximum hormonal response.

Deadlift

One of the Big Three. Hits nearly every muscle in the body and drives a massive hormonal response. Paired with squats on lower body days. Start at 60–65% of your 1RM and work up to 75–80% over 4–6 weeks to maximise strength gains.

Clean & Jerk

The Olympic lifts are dedicated a full training day. The Clean & Jerk develops explosive power, full-body coordination and athleticism. Programming Olympic lifts alongside the Big Three builds a truly complete athlete.

Snatch

The most technically demanding lift. The Snatch develops speed, mobility, and full-body power like no other movement. Performed on Olympic lift day. A well-executed snatch signals elite athleticism and coordination.

Met-Con

Metabolic Conditioning — dedicated to challenging your cardiovascular system. Includes CrossFit-style workouts and conditioning circuits. Improves work capacity, burns fat, and builds the engine that powers all other training.

Per Week

30–45

Minutes Per Session

5x5

Rep Scheme

Fasted

Training State

Full Training Guide →

Writing

Blog

Training logs, nutrition deep-dives, and real experiences.

Site Update 30 March 2026

I've Connected Claude to the Blog

Two days after the relaunch and I've already handed the site keys to an AI. Here's what that actually means — and what it won't be doing.

Train Smart Not Hard

The Coach

John Yung

I've trained everything from three sessions a week to three sessions a day, five days a week. I've also worked through nearly every diet approach — low carb, no carb, low fat, high fat, high protein, three square meals, six meals a day. None of them hit every mark. The best results I've ever achieved came from the program I built myself.

My First Class Honours degree in Sports & Exercise Nutrition gave me the foundation to make those decisions with confidence — to cut through the marketing noise and focus on what the evidence actually supports.

Right now I'm physically strong, full of energy, mentally sharp, and in better overall health than at any other point in my life. That's what this site is about — showing you how to get there without wasting years figuring it out the hard way.

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1)
CrossFit Weightlifting Trainer Certification
BSc Sports & Exercise Nutrition — Staffordshire University
Martial Arts practitioner — Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA
Competed in CrossFit Open

See the Program

Train SmartNot Hard