Please help me shorten my workouts

[TaoPhD]

I think everyone is different. I lift an hour to two hours a day depending on what body parts I'm working and have had good progression. I think part of it is genetics. Just my opinion

 

[Pericles]

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.

Lets break this topic down, and unpack it.

The first question is: When do muscles grow, get bigger and stronger?

Is it while training? No, the training is the stimulation to grow. Growth occurs when we are resting/sleeping/eating. Once a muscle is properly stimulated, further stimulation will harm your ability to grow.

Mike Mentzer used this philosophy to formulate his heavy duty program. It called for sufficient warm up, and then one all out set (drop sets, forced reps, rest pause etc). Dorian (Yates) modified Mentzers program to be 2 all out sets. Keep in mind, that sufficient intensity is rarely seen. Guys think/claim they are training hard, but are mistaken.

Lets return to the hypothetical back workout I do (a modification of Dorians'), and compare it to the OP's.

I rotate my arms in circles to warm them up. I then use the seated row machine w/ a chest pad. I do so to make sure that I do not involve my spinal erectors, they get hit fully on leg day.

I start w/ 2 plates each side (4 total) and close my eyes, focusing my mental energy on the upper back muscles....I do this for every set). I get an easy 15 reps, pulling from my elbows. I then ad a plate to each side, for 14 reps, having to work a bit for the last 2-3 reps.

In between each set I stretch the area being trained. Next, I bump up to 4 plates on each side. I close my eyes, refocus, and do 12 reps. The first 8 are fairly easy, the next 2 are hard, and the last 2 brutal. I use rest pause to get the last 2 reps, as they are the ones that make the difference. That is 1 working set, I then do 2 more wide, and 3 narrow grip. That is 3 working sets each for back thickness. Any more will make the muscles weaker, not stronger. I explode up, and control on the way down, as more than half of all gains come from the negative portion of the rep.

I then go to a wide grip lat pulldown, starting w/ one set of 12 reps at 220 and then I do 3 more all out sets at 240 lbs. When I was younger I could do 14 reps@300. Again, the important mental connection is made, I squeeze on the way down, and control on the way up.

I finish back w/ 3 sets or narrow grip pull-downs. That is a total of 12 working sets for back.

I then work traps. I use the seated shrug machine, using 6 45 pound plates and two 35 lbs plates. I would go heavier, but there would be too much stress placed on the lower back. I get 18 reps on seated shrugs, then getting up, turning around and getting 12 more standing. I do a total of 3/6 sets.

I then do bent over dumbell laterals w/ 45 lbs. It is important to get the stress placed on the rear shoulders, not the traps or back. I do 3 sets, w/ the 45s, then the last is a drop set, going immediately from the 45 to a 30.

Finally, I do a rotator cuff strengthening exercise, and that is it.

This^ program is what I run while on cycle. Off, or if just on trt I will cut volume down 20 % which means that most working sets are 2, instead of 3.

 

[TaoPhD]

Lets break this topic down, and unpack it.

The first question is: When do muscles grow, get bigger and stronger?

Is it while training? No, the training is the stimulation to grow. Growth occurs when we are resting/sleeping/eating. Once a muscle is properly stimulated, further stimulation will harm your ability to grow.

Mike Mentzer used this philosophy to formulate his heavy duty program. It called for sufficient warm up, and then one all out set (drop sets, forced reps, rest pause etc). Dorian (Yates) modified Mentzers program to be 2 all out sets. Keep in mind, that sufficient intensity is rarely seen. Guys think/claim they are training hard, but are mistaken.

Lets return to the hypothetical back workout I do (a modification of Dorians'), and compare it to the OP's.

I rotate my arms in circles to warm them up. I then use the seated row machine w/ a chest pad. I do so to make sure that I do not involve my spinal erectors, they get hit fully on leg day.

I start w/ 2 plates each side (4 total) and close my eyes, focusing my mental energy on the upper back muscles....I do this for every set). I get an easy 15 reps, pulling from my elbows. I then ad a plate to each side, for 14 reps, having to work a bit for the last 2-3 reps.

In between each set I stretch the area being trained. Next, I bump up to 4 plates on each side. I close my eyes, refocus, and do 12 reps. The first 8 are fairly easy, the next 2 are hard, and the last 2 brutal. I use rest pause to get the last 2 reps, as they are the ones that make the difference. That is 1 working set, I then do 2 more wide, and 3 narrow grip. That is 3 working sets each for back thickness. Any more will make the muscles weaker, not stronger. I explode up, and control on the way down, as more than half of all gains come from the negative portion of the rep.

I then go to a wide grip lat pulldown, starting w/ one set of 12 reps at 220 and then I do 3 more all out sets at 240 lbs. When I was younger I could do 14 reps@300. Again, the important mental connection is made, I squeeze on the way down, and control on the way up.

I finish back w/ 3 sets or narrow grip pull-downs. That is a total of 12 working sets for back.

I then work traps. I use the seated shrug machine, using 6 45 pound plates and two 35 lbs plates. I would go heavier, but there would be too much stress placed on the lower back. I get 18 reps on seated shrugs, then getting up, turning around and getting 12 more standing. I do a total of 3/6 sets.

I then do bent over dumbell laterals w/ 45 lbs. It is important to get the stress placed on the rear shoulders, not the traps or back. I do 3 sets, w/ the 45s, then the last is a drop set, going immediately from the 45 to a 30.

Finally, I do a rotator cuff strengthening exercise, and that is it.

This^ program is what I run while on cycle. Off, or if just on trt I will cut volume down 20 % which means that most working sets are 2, instead of 3.

I think Pericles won...

 

[Pericles]

I think Pericles won...

Oooh....what did I win? A date w/ Gunnies avatar?

 

[MANWHORE]

2hrs a week is a little much
For me but to each thei...

What? 2hrs a day? Holy Cow!

I have too much other shit to do, like...
Watch Orange County Housewives..
Eat
Masterbate
Eat some more
Check my emails
Eat some more
Masterbate while checking more emails..

Now, if I went to a gym, I might
Workout a little more, just to show off,
In front of the women...
But most likely, I would just spend most time
In the gym restroom masterbating, to the women,
In the gym... I get sidetracked very easy :wank:

 

[TaoPhD]

Oooh....what did I win? A date w/ Gunnies avatar?

Gunrunner,

Please supply your avatar's address to Pericles as he won. If you have any other beautiful women you are hiding please supply them to me as a consolation for not being as awesome as Pericles.

 

[Pericles]

I will start stalking the moment I get an address.

Quick question: Are there bushes I can hide in?

 

[Gunrunner]

While off cycle I was training 3 days a week. Keeping each workout under an hour. Now that I'm on cycle I am working out 4 days a week and usually go a little over an hour. Most body parts are just once a week exept for weak areas.

Hams are done twice a week, once all out with drop sets and negatives. I'm also doing a second ham workout with just straight sets to almost failure for now. If it goes well I may increase intestity on the 2nd workout.

Calves are split in two different workouts, one for Gastro (back calves) and one for soleus and tibialis. Each is hit 3 times every two weeks.

Biceps used to be done after back, but now I do them first and then do my light ham and one of the calves workouts together.

Abs were always done twice a week, I may up it to 3 times a week.

 

[Pericles]

My brother: You are hitting hams twice a week, under the assumption that elevated frequency= more gains. The opposite is true. Hit the Hams once a week, like any other body part. You are deadlifting/doing straight leg deads also, yes? Add 5 sets of leg curls (I know I stated above to limit w/ outs to 3 working sets but leg curls are a bit of an exception). Add some leg presses where the feet are off the edge of the platform.

You will be hitting your spinal erectors, which require more recovery time than any other muscle.

As you start getting close to your goals for next summer, you can start hitting body parts more frequently. I recommend a 4 day on, one day off for a precontest schedule at about the 12-10 week point. Right now, stay w/ the once a week schedule.

While off cycle I was training 3 days a week. Keeping each workout under an hour. Now that I'm on cycle I am working out 4 days a week and usually go a little over an hour. Most body parts are just once a week exept for weak areas.

Hams are done twice a week, once all out with drop sets and negatives. I'm also doing a second ham workout with just straight sets to almost failure for now. If it goes well I may increase intestity on the 2nd workout.

Calves are split in two different workouts, one for Gastro (back calves) and one for soleus and tibialis. Each is hit 3 times every two weeks.

Biceps used to be done after back, but now I do them first and then do my light ham and one of the calves workouts together.

Abs were always done twice a week, I may up it to 3 times a week.

 

[MANWHORE]

Honey Baked Hams are the best

 

[Gunrunner]

My brother: You are hitting hams twice a week, under the assumption that elevated frequency= more gains. The opposite is true. Hit the Hams once a week, like any other body part. You are deadlifting/doing straight leg deads also, yes? Add 5 sets of leg curls (I know I stated above to limit w/ outs to 3 working sets but leg curls are a bit of an exception). Add some leg presses where the feet are off the edge of the platform.

You will be hitting your spinal erectors, which require more recovery time than any other muscle.

As you start getting close to your goals for next summer, you can start hitting body parts more frequently. I recommend a 4 day on, one day off for a precontest schedule at about the 12-10 week point. Right now, stay w/ the once a week schedule.

On the second workout i'm just doing 3 sets lying and 3 sets seated leg curls. Stopping before failure. A pump or feeder type workout.

 

[Millard]

My brother: You are hitting hams twice a week, under the assumption that elevated frequency= more gains. The opposite is true. Hit the Hams once a week, like any other body part.

You have provided some good advice, Pericles. But I must take exception to the 'one body part per week' rule. It’s only one approach to muscular hypertrophy and not necessarily the best for most people's goals.

Of course, I am partial to HST and have trained mostly with some variation of it for over a decade. It has been very effective at helping me achieve my strength, performance and, of course, physique goals.

Pro bodybuilders may train differently.

I have never had any interest at becoming a competitive bodybuilder or any type of physique competitor. But neither do most people.

Having said that, I have probably still made more progress towards that end on HST than most of the equally dedicated trainers I have seen religiously following the one body part per week rule

 

[DieYoungStrong]

For everyone who doesn't want to read the whole thread:

There is more then one way to skin a cat

Give different training methods a fair shake (Don't run a program for a week and say it sucks) for at least 3 months. Find what works best for you, and use it.

It's called experience. There's no wrong way to eat a Resse's. Some work better for some people and worse for others.

 

[fit2beking]

For everyone who doesn't want to read the whole thread:

There is more then one way to skin a cat

Give different training methods a fair shake (Don't run a program for a week and say it sucks) for at least 3 months. Find what works best for you, and use it.

It's called experience. There's no wrong way to eat a Resse's. Some work better for some people and worse for others.

I agree with this 100%. I am about to switch my workout working each body part twice a week. I will do this for a about 3-4 months and see how this works.

 

[Millard]

Another thing I want to add is that it is generally assumed that everyone attempts to train in the most efficient manner in order to achieve a certain physique goal.

For example, I probably could achieve the same results with 4 hours per week in the gym. But damn it, I love the process. I like the weights and I want to train 6 hours per week! And riding my bike 6-8 hours per week doesn't do a damned thing for muscle growth! So my goals may not be obvious to most

 

[johnnyBALLZ]

For example, I probably could achieve the same results with 4 hours per week in the gym. But damn it, I love the process. I like the weights and I want to train 6 hours per week!

Exactly!!

 

[incrediblebulk]

Most experts say 72 hours rest per body part after workout to allow for full recovery. This is an average as previously stated by other members. If you are overtraining definitely take what pericles says to heart. I'm no pro but I do the same 4 days 1 hour a day and I don't seem to over train because I too have that tendancy.

 

[incrediblebulk]

Nutrition 75% recovery 15% training 10% just a rule of thumb. Most have it mixed up. Training 55 nutrition 40 recovery 5. Recovery is a very big deal is the point I'm making

 

[Millard]

Most experts say 72 hours rest per body part after workout to allow for full recovery. This is an average as previously stated by other members. If you are overtraining definitely take what pericles says to heart. I'm no pro but I do the same 4 days 1 hour a day and I don't seem to over train because I too have that tendancy.

If you're overtraining, then not working out is one way to improve recovery. But it's by no means the only way. In other words, the better the recovery, the more you can train.

 

[loveyourbody]

My workout routine is by day not week

Day1-bicep, back, forearms
Day2-tricep, chest, shoulders
Day3-legs, calves, and abs
Day 4-off
Day5- start over

That way I get to hit every muscle twice a week usually and I feel like I get enough rest in between work days. When I'm off gear I take two days off instead of just one because my recovery slows down. I keep cardio at around 30-45min in the am before I eat anything on my workout days. On my rest day I usually eat a few extra calories because cheat meals .