how to keep workout time down

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Nemesis7884

New Member
my shoulder still hurts...i guess it is something chronical...crapp

however

how do you keep training time down?

my problem is:

i do 10 exercises per workout (fullbody), 2 sets per exercise when i train my 10's which takes 60 minutes if i hurry, 75 minutes if im lazy...thats ok

to keep the same volume i do 4 sets per exercise for my 5s but this takes just to much time at least 90 minutes (and then i need to hurry)...i dont want to work out for more then 75 minutes...

i allready traing in circle style (muscle/antagonist without a break)...what else can i do to keep training time low? if i would reduce volume of 5s to 3 sets per muscle this would mean a reduction in total volume...

i know a lot of you folkes train with even more volume per session - what do you guys do to keep the time down?
 
This is a good posting because it brings some very important issues to light.
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Making efficient use of your time in the gym can be crucial, because there will come a time when you can't allow an hour for workouts. That often results in quitting or putting off workouts.
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Many of my friends don't workout now, because they think they have to put out a couple hours of hard work to keep fit. It's what they've conditioned themselves to think.
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When I go into the gym to workout...I WORK. I mean I'm breathing hard after every single set, and I sweat through the whole workout. You may even hear me grunt occassionally.
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I finish a good hard workout 2 x 10 reps in 35-45 minutes max and I'm doing 10 to 12 compound exercises using HST training. I work out weights 3 days with aerobics for 1 hour on a treadmill the off weight days. I rest on Sunday.
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First I never allow more than 3 minutes between sets and the next exercise. I usually allow 1 minute, unless I very winded.
The time between exercises is very important, because you really get best benefits for your body inside of 3 minutes. I actually time myself with my watch. I keep busy during that small recovery period by walking around the gym or stretching. I understand stretching is a great practice for enhancing muscle growth as well. It's a great feeling to stretch and pull out some of that pump.
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BIG NO NO...NEVER SIT and linger between exercises or sets. Keep your body moving, stretching,etc. I realize if you are socializing that can take away alot of your time. I just say to other BB.."If you want to talk...you gotta walk with me, because I've only got 45 minutes". Some will walk with you and drop off to something they want to do after a while.
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I do workout mostly with dumbbells and they're already set at my gym. In other words I'm not stacking and restacking a bunch of plate weights all the time. I use a couple of machines...The Nautilus Gravitron and Nautilus abs machine.
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I never wait on other lifters if at all possible. In other words the sequence is unspecific. I do start with squats and SLDL to get the hard work out of the way. If someone has the weights or machine tied up I need I move onto something else. If I can't get to the ab machines...I do my calves. If I can't get to 40# db I do something else.
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I use dumbbells for most exercises including large muscle exercises. I don't have to do shrugs, because of my use of heavy dumbbells. You get a good shrug workout without really trying.
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My goal is in and out 45 minutes in the 15s, and 35 minutes in and out in the 10s and 5s. I don't shower or hang around the gym. I don't give advise. I do cordially say hello to everyone as a rule, but I make a real effort to not get into any conversations that take time. If someone persists for advice I suggest that I'm not qualified to help them, but there are personal trainers available all the time. Those PT will be glad to help them, that's their job.
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I can laugh about this...free advice is never heeded, paid for advice is rarely heeded for long. So, I'll share on the forums when I've got some time, but in the gym it's a big NO NO.
 
Nemesis, 40 sets per workout is too much. Tha's at least 120 sets per week. That's a heavy juicer routine! I have had routines where 40 sets is all I do for the entire week although my average routine is about 60 sets per week. 20 in one workout is a stretch but doable so, at a minimum, find a way to split your rountine into an AM/PM or a two-day split or just plain lower you volume.
 
Both replies are very good.

I also 1. Do a few supersets between different exercises, like tris and bis and sometimes bench and squat (I don't do an entire superset workout, that would drain me and my ending lifts would be pathetic); and 2. Find a gym that doesn't get too crowded or go when it's at off-peak hours if possible; and 3. Listen to fast music :)

#1 often requires #2.
 
well...4 sets is just for the 5s...2 sets for the 10s...you will end up with the same total volume

i could decrease volume to 3 sets of 5s which would be a big release for me..but it would also mean a decrease in total volume of 25 %
 
You say the total volume is the same. That is certainly true if you only look at the number of reps being performed. However, if you look at the amount of work being performed or the total load being moved, there is a significant difference. For instance, if you are doing 2 sets of squats for 10 reps at 270 pounds, you are moving 5400 pounds. If you perform 4 sets of 5 reps at 360 pounds, you are moving 7300 pounds. That's a 35% increase in work load. If you truly wanted to keep work load the same, you would do 3 sets of 5 at 360 pounds. However, in your case, 3 sets of each exercise is still 30 sets in one workout. Personally I would try and split those 30 sets into an AM/PM or two-day split. 30 sets at one shot can be quite exhausting. (At least for us Old Farts like Dan and me
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Everyone gave some really good, helpfull ideas that you should take into consideration.

Each of my workouts has half the amount of total sets your performing. For me, when I reach the 5 rep block I don't feel the need to do 4 sets AT ALL. I normally do 2 sets and I'm done. That's all I need, and I can "feel" that my muscle has been worked enough.

I agree with you about time restricitons in the gym though. Not only can the 5's extend your time in the gym, but for some reason my life gets busy around that time too. What I do is alternate supersetting antagonistic muscle groups. If you were doing a set of barbell curls and completed the set you could go over to do calve raises and do your set. This will give your biceps a chance to rest a little, and saving time all together because you do a set for another muscle group instead of waiting for the other muscle group to recover.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]What I do is alternate supersetting antagonistic muscle groups
Click to expand...

thats what i do...

i might go down with volume...to keep the same total load i would have to do 3.5 sets for 5s...

example:

chest 10s is 170 lbs x 10 x 2 = 3400

chest 5s is 190 lbs x 5 x 4 = 3800
190 lbs x 5 x 3 = 2850
 
I'm not sure you need 2 sets for all 10 of your exercises....

Chest
Back
Compound leg
Shoulder
Rear shoulder
Quads
Hammy
Calves
Bis
Tris

That's 10 exercises there.........the top 3 merit 2 sets, calves merit 3-5 sets in my opinion, but these don't need huge rest periods.......but as for the rest, 2 sets shouldn't be necessary.

However, if you want to keep it that way, then I'd def. recommend supersets/antagonistic. Quads and Hammys work esp well like this - and it's just jumping from one machine to the next. Bis and tris, or bis and shoulder press can also be done as a superset.

How long are your rest periods? Barely 60 mins seems to be way too long to me.
 
i DO superset antagonists...

i do 4 sets for all muscles @ 5s and 2 sets @ 10s

i will probably increase volume for squats the next cycle...

no problem with the 10s but too much time needed with 5s...

i usually traing 1/0/3...therefore 20-30 seconds for a 5 set....

but doing 4 sets of 5s is just really exhausting especially for squats which are not my strongest muscles...or the most conditionned
 
Keep in mind that exhaustion should never be a goal and can be catabolic. I try and leave my workouts so that I feel I could have done another 30 to 50% more sets. That way I stay fresh for my next workout, even if it is only 6 hours away.
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well. If you can train everyday for short amounts of time instead of training a long time every other day, i think a split would do well. push/pull 2day split, or upper vs. lower split 2 day split.
I'm not exactly sure what your workout looks like but this is basically what you could do.

M:upper or push
T:lower pull
W:upper push
Th:lower pull

I think that's basically slashing your time each day in half, but still maintaining the same running total. :)
 
i had such cycles in the past...the problem is:

i work out 5x full body/week what gives me superior results

i have problems to do a lot of volume on the same muscle group in the same workout so 5 x2 sets works for me way betther then 2x5 sets or so...
 
mmm, im guessing its the rest between each set that makes your workouts so long. I'm not sure big man. I would think that the best thing to do is to split bodyparts in the 2 day split i showed above for 6x a week. 1 day off. etc, repeat. But if you have volume problems with same part of the body, i think you could just lower the number of workouts, or just do fewer sets as long as you hit the alloted 1x15, 1x10, 1x5. I think there have been plenty of people on the board that have made great gains with just the Big Four. Maybe that would help? Good luck nem ;)
 
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