Please help me shorten my workouts

[skywalk]

I have no life. I spend close to 2h in the gym 4 times a week, and i'd like to cut that down to 1h if I can.

my routine:
sat: Legs
Sun: chest/Bi's
Tues: Back/traps/rear delts
Thurs: Shoulders/triceps

I do around 3 sets per exercise, and 3-4 exercises for each bodypart. an example of my back routine:
- lat pulldowns 20/20/12/12/12 reps
- Seated cable rows: 12/12/12 reps
- BB rows - 12/12/12 reps
- 1 arm db rows: 12/12/12

- db shrugs: 6 sets of 20 reps, first set is lightweight warmup.
-sometimes i'll add BB shrugs for 3x20 reps

- Incline rear delt flyes 20/ 12/12/12
- bent over flyes 12/12/12 reps

that's it. did that yesterday and spent 2h. as you can see, I mostly do 3 sets per exercise for 12 reps, or thereabouts.

I really don't want to be in the gym more than 4x/week. I still need to do cardio.
Anyone have suggestions on how I can be more efficient? thanks

 

[Mr. Joe]

Easiest way to drop the time is to drop the sets and number of exercises per muscle. I've posted studies somewhere on here that suggest 4 working sets per muscle group per session is just as effective, if not more so, than 5 or more.

Take your back workout for instance, I assume each first set is a warmup set, followed by 3 working sets. Lat pulldowns work your lats, so i wouldn't change that routine, as long as you're working to failure each of those sets.

However, your next three exercises primarily work your lower traps, 3 exercises, at 2 working sets per exercise. That comes to 8 working sets per session. I would cut that in half, for instance, first couple months I would do seated cable rows, 1 warm up and 2 working sets to failure, followed by 2 working sets of BB row. Then I'd switch it up and do cable row with 1 arm db rows for a couple months.

Also, I would increase the weight and drop the sets on the db shrugs, keep everything in the 8-15 reps to failure range. I know that's lifting some heavy dbs, personally I like barbell shrug with a Smith rack.

If you don't buy into any of that, one other thing I would recommend is only doing one warm up set per muscle group. So if you're doing 3 trap workouts, do a warmup set for the first exercise then jump right into your working sets for the next two exercises. No need to warm up multiple times.

 

[PS LABS FOUNDER]

Skywalk / why dont you just superset everything without much rest between sets ?? - 2 hours is over-training if ur working out that entire time its unnecessary

i only workout like 30 - 60 minutes i just superset and i mean i do sweat and get very tired / you dont need much time to get a good workout you just got to keep moving

 

[Mr. Joe]

Just realized I somehow came up with 3x2=8... Haha oh well.

 

[skywalk]

Easiest way to drop the time is to drop the sets and number of exercises per muscle. I've posted studies somewhere on here that suggest 4 working sets per muscle group per session is just as effective, if not more so, than 5 or more.

Take your back workout for instance, I assume each first set is a warmup set, followed by 3 working sets. Lat pulldowns work your lats, so i wouldn't change that routine, as long as you're working to failure each of those sets.

However, your next three exercises primarily work your lower traps, 3 exercises, at 2 working sets per exercise. That comes to 8 working sets per session. I would cut that in half, for instance, first couple months I would do seated cable rows, 1 warm up and 2 working sets to failure, followed by 2 working sets of BB row. Then I'd switch it up and do cable row with 1 arm db rows for a couple months.

Also, I would increase the weight and drop the sets on the db shrugs, keep everything in the 8-15 reps to failure range. I know that's lifting some heavy dbs, personally I like barbell shrug with a Smith rack.

If you don't buy into any of that, one other thing I would recommend is only doing one warm up set per muscle group. So if you're doing 3 trap workouts, do a warmup set for the first exercise then jump right into your working sets for the next two exercises. No need to warm up multiple times.

thanks for the detailed reply.
I am already doing what you suggested regarding the warmup once only. My lat pulldowns are my warmup for 2 sets, then everything is heavy for 12reps after that for all exercises.

I am curious about your trap suggestion though. I used to do 15reps with 315lbs for 3-4 sets, but lately I have been going real light and only using 200 for 25reps for 4 sets. I feel a better pump this way, and i'm trying to test out this time under tension thingy that people keep talking about. (same for my calfs. only high reps for traps and calfs)

lastly, you suggested that instead of 3 working sets per exercise, I only do 2. i fear that it might be too little volume though.

 

[skywalk]

Skywalk / why dont you just superset everything without much rest between sets ?? - 2 hours is over-training if ur working out that entire time its unnecessary

i only workout like 30 - 60 minutes i just superset and i mean i do sweat and get very tired / you dont need much time to get a good workout you just got to keep moving

I tried that. supersets, drop sets, forced negatives....I can't handle it unless i'm on gear. I overtrain within 2 weeks doing this sort of thing. supersets are great if your body can handle it...mine can't

 

[Mr. Joe]

lastly, you suggested that instead of 3 working sets per exercise, I only do 2. i fear that it might be too little volume though.

The trade off is intensity, those two working sets should be in the 6-12 RM range. Assuming you've been at this a while, studies show growth to be maximal when the average intensity is 80% of 1RM which should be 6-8 reps to failure. That's for trained individuals.

Personally, I do a similar regimen where if I'm trying to bulk I do 4 working sets between 2 exercises (Barbell Bench, Decline Bench, etc.) for large muscle groups, and just one exercise with 2 working sets for smaller muscle groups. And if i'm trying to cut, like I am now, I cut sets back to 2 working sets for large muscle groups and just 1 working set for smaller muscles. And make up the time with HIT cardio.

Now I've only been at this routine for a year, but I'm still increasing weight on most lifts every week. Regardless if I do 4 sets or 1 set. And i'm rarely in the gym for more than an hour.

 

[Pericles]

All comments ^ are good. Remember, nothing positive happens after 60 minutes (except cardio) Weights are the stimulus for growth, but the growing happens when you rest, eat, sleep.

Look into Dorian Yates training philosophy, which is a modified version of Mentzer.

 

[ZippoSec757]

Actually I think the fastest way would be skywalk or change it to walking like 1 hour per day, it burns fat and cardio, but can't be sure if it's effective or not since I myself still doing it and yet feeling healthy but still fat. But hey, at least the more we do it, the more we will feel the result!

 

[Superman4hire]

My best workouts are 1-1.5hrs. Preferably 1hr. Longer rests allow me to push heavier weight, and will allow me to sustain a 2hr workout. IMO if I have the energy to lift for 2hrs, I didn't work hard enough in the first hour.

 

[Superman4hire]

I do tend to rest longer (i.e., longer workouts) when I'm strength training but this is usually just for a specific predefined interval

 

[Mr. Joe]

3-4 min between sets is best for most when strength training. Thats the amount of time necessary to replinish ATP levels optimally before next set allowing you to generate maximal force each set.

 

[anaconde]

Yea would say a couple warmup sets for first exercise the. No need to re warm up lol. I tend to stay in between 9-12 working sets per bodypart and 2-4 diff exercises and usually finish in between 40-50 minutes. Take shorter rest periods. idk how your sleep pattern is but noticed when I don't sleep as much I tend to burn out quicker through out the day.

 

[Millard]

Just set your timer and leave after one hour. You'll find a way to work harder, faster and more efficiently. Some of my best workouts happen when I only have 30-45 minutes to train - I condense my usual 1 hour workout into that period and train like a madman.

 

[Justliftin]

I use to do crazy long workouts 1-1/2hrs, use to kill myself and didn't really put much size on. I was finally convinced to to drop the number of sets and reps, 3 sets per muscle, 3 exercises per muscle and max out at no more than 8 reps and no more than 2 muscle groups per workout, total workouts are 35 - 45 mins. I generally do 15 - 20 mins of light cardio post weight workout too. I didn't think it would do anything until I felt those awesome DOMS the next day. My lifting weight was increasing and I was stacking muscle on.
If its size you are after then remember its the size of the muscle contraction, not the number of contractions....maxing out at 6-8 reps is what is generally considered optimum for muscle growth.

 

[raysugar1234]

Maybe leave the pulldowns and whatever that other back machine is called out and stick to more of the basic compounds... Pullups, Bent rows, deads, cleans.... I never got much out of those back machines personally. I personally dont like body part splits either... Some get good results with them.... I like push pull legs and strength programs. I've ran a few one body part per week splits and I didn't like it all....Just my 2 cents, I'm not doggin anyone's training. Also I think people get carried away with a million types of lateral raises, You hit your shoulders more than enough doing so many other exercises do you really need to lateral 4 different ways with 20 pound dumbells?... Exercises like these eat up and time too...

 

[Pericles]

Easiest way to drop the time is to drop the sets and number of exercises per muscle. I've posted studies somewhere on here that suggest 4 working sets per muscle group per session is just as effective, if not more so, than 5 or more.

Take your back workout for instance, I assume each first set is a warmup set, followed by 3 working sets. Lat pulldowns work your lats, so i wouldn't change that routine, as long as you're working to failure each of those sets.

However, your next three exercises primarily work your lower traps, 3 exercises, at 2 working sets per exercise. That comes to 8 working sets per session. I would cut that in half, for instance, first couple months I would do seated cable rows, 1 warm up and 2 working sets to failure, followed by 2 working sets of BB row. Then I'd switch it up and do cable row with 1 arm db rows for a couple months.

Also, I would increase the weight and drop the sets on the db shrugs, keep everything in the 8-15 reps to failure range. I know that's lifting some heavy dbs, personally I like barbell shrug with a Smith rack.

If you don't buy into any of that, one other thing I would recommend is only doing one warm up set per muscle group. So if you're doing 3 trap workouts, do a warmup set for the first exercise then jump right into your working sets for the next two exercises. No need to warm up multiple times.

This^

Four working sets are too much....maybe if on a lot of gear, but even then, if you are training with proper intensity (which I doubt, based upon your posts) you are doing too many sets.. My advice is the same as others, cut back on your working sets, but those sets need to be 100%. 3 if on gear, and 2 if natural.

Lift 1 hour per day, 4 days a week, but no more.

 

[Stretch]

Lift 1 hour per day, 4 days a week, but no more.

Do you really think that lifting any more than this^^ is overtraining?

I am asking for myself. I go 120% on every set, every time. I have always struggled with the idea of overtraining. I'm pretty sure I do over-train, but I can't bring myself to work out less, and hope for better results, it sounds stupid to even say it.

Most of the time when I hear someone talking about overtraining, they don't have the physique I want.

 

[idmd]

Do you really think that lifting any more than this^^ is overtraining?

I am asking for myself. I go 120% on every set, every time. I have always struggled with the idea of overtraining. I'm pretty sure I do over-train, but I can't bring myself to work out less, and hope for better results, it sounds stupid to even say it.

Most of the time when I hear someone talking about overtraining, they don't have the physique I want.

I don't know....there are some REALLY big guys at the gym who are lifting heavy weight but low reps and three sets max. They are in and out in under and hour and huge. I always just assumed they were sort of on "maintenance" at the moment or I just saw their "morning workout" and they came back at lunch and dinner. Then again I seem to have to work half as hard to maintain as I do to gain.

 

[johnnyBALLZ]

CT Fletcher trains 4 hours a day!! THAT'S overtraining.. But look at him, it obviously works for his body. Personally I love lifting so I'm happy when I'm in the gym, why cut that short??

I'm not disagreeing with you PC, you certainly have a lot more training under your belt than I do.. I just think that your body will adapt to whatever you are doing.

Most (not all) guys that I hear talking about overtraining are just looking for an excuse to be pussies in the gym.

I go HAM!!