Train Smarter, Not Harder: What Al Kavadlo Has Learned at 47

When Al Kavadlo was younger, his approach to progress was simple: do more. More reps. Harder workouts. Push a little further every session.

At 47, he trains differently. His goal isn’t to do more anymore. It’s to be more capable.

Why “More” Stops Working

Piling on volume and intensity can work in your 20s, when you bounce back quickly.

After 40, the math changes. Recovery takes longer, and a workout that used to leave you sore for a day can now sideline you for three.

Here’s the part many men miss: your body doesn’t get stronger during the workout. The workout is the signal. The adaptation, meaning the actual gains in strength and muscle, happens while you recover.

If you keep pushing without letting that process finish, you’re collecting fatigue instead of progress.

Progress Without Crushing Yourself

The good news is that “more reps” is only one way to progress. You can make training harder without making it more punishing:

• Move to a more challenging variation of an exercise
• Slow down your tempo so every rep demands more control
• Adjust your rest periods
• Focus on cleaner form and better movement quality

None of these require you to grind yourself into the ground. They ask you to be more deliberate, and that’s what gets you more capable over the long run.

Make Recovery Part of the Plan

For Al, recovery is no longer an afterthought. It’s a priority, because it’s where the work pays off.

That means treating rest days, sleep, and easier sessions as part of your training instead of a break from it.

It’s a shift in mindset. Instead of asking “How hard can I push today?” the better question becomes

“What does my body need to keep progressing for the next twenty years?”

The Takeaway

Training smarter doesn’t mean training less seriously. It means training in a way you can sustain, one that builds strength and capability without wearing you down.

The men who are still strong and active at 60 and 70 usually aren’t the ones who trained hardest at 40.

They’re the ones who trained consistently and recovered well.

Al has been at this for over 20 years, and this is where it’s led him. Watch the full video for his advice on training smarter after 40 and if you want to start training smarter, consider the Calisthenics Inner Circle.