How Kirsty Godso trains hard without burning out

Kirsty Godso, Vuori athlete and founder of Pyro, has spent over a decade coaching thousands through high-intensity workouts — first as Nike’s Global Lead Trainer, now through her own training platform. But her approach to her own training has evolved significantly since her twenties.

“There have been times in my life where my schedule was loaded with intensity,” she says. “But in my thirties, I needed a framework that would help me get the most out of each session, recover well, and stay consistent.”

Her framework consists of two 30-minute high-intensity days per week, anchored by consistent strength work and recovery-focused movement that supports her body. Research backs it, and it has helped her avoid burnout while staying in peak condition.

The two-day intensity rule

Godso structures her week around balance.

“In an ideal training week, I have two days that are higher in intensity, typically a treadmill interval workout or Pyro HIIT,” Godso explains. “The other three to four days are anchored in strength with consistent movement patterns.”

That framework works for her, but everyone’s capacity is different. The point isn’t hitting a specific number of maximum output days — it’s structuring your week in a way that actually feels sustainable.

The recovery strategy that keeps her consistent

Godso doesn’t treat recovery days as traditional rest days spent sitting on the couch. She walks, practices Pilates, and starts every workout with mobility work.

“I keep it simple with short walks after meals to manage blood sugar and longer ones at the end of the day to decompress,” she says. “Walking clears inflammation and mental clutter.” She credits Pilates and mobility for improving her body control and range of motion, which makes her strength work more effective.

On low-energy days, Godso listens instead of trying to push through a session that doesn’t feel good. Sometimes mobility work is enough to unlock motivation. Other times, a podcast walk is the move.

“If you listen enough, the body is often guiding you,” she says. It seems the skill is learning when to push and when to adapt, not forcing intensity just because you think you should.

The Wellworthy takeaway

Cramming intensity into every session doesn’t build fitness — it just makes you more prone to burnout. Godso’s shift to two hard days, consistent strength work, and recovery-focused movement is what keeps her training sustainable and turns fitness into a lifelong practice.

The shift happens when you structure your week so recovery is built in, and burnout doesn’t become the cost of showing up.