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How To Get Better Results In Less Time At The Gym
As an experienced strength trainer, one of the biggest mistakes I see new members make is working out for too long, too often. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s two-hour, twice-daily workouts back in the 1970s are the stuff of legend, but times have changed.
Schwarzenegger was a pioneer, but he was also a genetic freak – what worked for him almost certainly won’t work for you. Lifting weights was Schwarzenegger’s life – this is a luxury working people can rarely afford.
Here’s the good news – you can achieve outstanding results by spending less time at the gym! Just follow these simple tips:
Everything Is In The Preparation
The time you spend at the gym is not limited to those minutes when you’re actually working out. Getting your gym kit ready, driving to the gym, getting dressed, getting undressed, showering afterwards, driving home – all this stuff adds up. Get in the habit of considering your total gym time, which includes all of these things plus the actual workout itself. Now, consider what you can do to shave off some precious minutes before and after your workout.
For example:
- Join a gym that is close to home.
- If possible, only visit the gym at off-peak, or less busy times
- Prepare your gym bag the evening before your workout.
- Consider showering when you get home, rather than at the gym.
Lift Weights No More Than Three Times A Week
As a new gym user, it’s easy to want to get the most value out of your expensive membership, and it’s not uncommon to see people hitting the gym five, six or even seven days a week! Even for a veteran this is counter-productive – your muscles need rest and recovery. By overtraining them you will encourage atrophy. Not only will they not grow, they might even shrink!
For the first 4-6 months of your membership, three visits to the gym each week is more than sufficient to obtain great results without risking damage to your health. It’s also a regimen that is easy to maintain.
Don’t Worry If You Miss A Workout
Life has a habit of putting things in your way, particularly when you’re trying to do something productive. From time to time something will happen that will mean you will have to skip a workout.
Here’s the thing – don’t worry about it. Just make up the workout the next day, or as soon as you can. One great method I’ve used to ensure I get to workout three times per week is to not plan my days off in advance. Many people like to take the weekends off, or only go to the gym Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. That sounds great on paper, but what if life gets in the way?
While it is essential that the body gets sufficient rest (see below), if you don’t plan your days off and attempt to go to the gym whenever you possibly can, you will find that you miss very few workouts. Think of your gym visits and recovery periods as constantly ongoing – by taking a day off in between each visit, you’ll automatically hit your target of three sessions each week.
Do A Full-Body Workout
None of us are professional bodybuilders, so why do so many of us attempt to follow their workouts? Bodybuilding magazines are notorious for this, endlessly publishing the routines of modern pros that are far too advance and strenuous for regular people.
A full-body workout is a great time-saver but also a regimen that offers the most benefits for beginner and intermediate gym users. Many new gym users concentrate entirely on the so-called ‘beach muscles’ – chest, shoulders and particularly biceps. This is counterproductive, as the largest muscle groups – back and legs – are often completely ignored. The body likes to grow proportionately, so by favouring some muscle groups over others you won’t see the best results.
Focus on the larger muscle groups through compound exercises. These move the body through multiple joint movements and provide complete muscle fibre stimulation, as opposed to isolation exercises, which focus on a single joint.
Example compound exercises include barbell squats, pull-ups, dead lifts, bent-over rows, bench press, military press, dips and lunges. (Tip: search YouTube for working examples of all of these exercises.)
Each full-body workout should contain six or seven of these compound exercises, performed in reverse-order of muscle size, i.e., legs, back, chest and then shoulders. (See example workout below).
Workout For No More Than 40 Minutes!
Your total time at the gym should take no more than 40 minutes, which includes preparation. Ideally, you should be lifting weights for no more than 30 minutes in total, which includes all exercises and rest between sets. Keep the intensity high.
To achieve this, it’s important to look at your workout program intelligently. Each exercise should be broken down into ‘warm-up’ and ‘working sets’ – the former prepares the muscle for the more intensive shock of the latter, which should be heaviest possible weight you can lift while maintaining proper form.
The size of the muscle group will determine the number of sets and repetitions necessary. Additionally, as a muscle group is warmed up there is less of a need for ‘warm-up’ sets with each new exercise.
Here’s an example workout:
LEGS
Barbell Squat: 2 x 10 (warm-up sets), 2 x 8 (working sets)
BACK
Pull Ups: 2 x 10 (weight-assisted), 1 x 8
Dead Lifts: 1 x 10, 1 x 6-8
Bent-Over Rows: 1 x 6-8
CHEST
Bench Press: 2 x 10, 1 x 6-8
SHOULDERS
Military Press: 1 x 10, 1 x 6-8
Total Exercises Performed: 6
Total Sets: 15
Each set, with rest, should last about two minutes, which makes 30 minutes in total.
Superset
A superset involves performing two exercises back-to-back without rest. For best results you should use opposing muscle groups. For example, one could superset back with chest by doing one set of pull-ups immediately followed by one set of dips. This counts as one superset. Then rest and repeat. It’s a great way to save time and produces great results. Consider using the superset method on alternate months, as the impact on the body, particularly with compound exercises, is significant.
Rest!
Rest is essential to muscle gain. If you visit the gym too regularly or don’t have sufficient rest between sets, your progress will suffer.
A good rule of thumb is to rest 45-60 seconds between each set. Consider resting an additional 30 seconds between exercises (i.e., 90 seconds). Be mindful of your total workout time!
If you plan to workout three times per week, you need a minimum of 48 hours of rest between workouts. This is essential. Your body needs the recovery time, and trying to do too much will lead to poor results.
Don’t Waste Time
Increasingly gyms have become places for people to meet and chat with their friends. Don’t waste time chatting at the gym. Leave your mobile phone in your locker and if you workout with friends, keep it as professional as possible.
By following the advice above, you can ensure that your gym sessions will be as productive as possible. Because you’ll be spending less time there but still seeing great results, you'll also have a strong motivation to keep going.
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This is for some of the reply messages
Thanks for nothing assholes i log on to find somthing that might help instead i get a bunch of dribble.
I go to the gym 6 days a week for 1.5 hours mainly weights and a bit of cardio at the end is that wrong????? well shut up!! who the fuck r u to tell me if it is or not?
Hi,
This is julia. I felt the author brought up a very good point in the fact that the average Joe going to his local Lifetime is not looking to become a bodybuilder. Therefore, it makes no sense that Mr. Joe is mimicking a bodybuilder's workout routine.
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julia
visit
Workout Routines
Don't be so quick to put down this article. These shorter, less frequent workouts work great for some people, myself included. My weight goes 210 - 215, around 10 percent bodyfat, following this type of program. I lift maybe an hour tops, 2-3 times a week. I never gained till I shorten my workouts and reduced the frequency. I do cardio, though, normally HIT style, as HIT cardio gives me much better results.
Just hammer the basics, mixing up your workout frequently but always on the basics. Get your big lifts up, squat, deads, bench, dips, rows, etc, 2-3 days a week. Mix in some HIT cardio afterward or on different days, and you should do great.
u r mad
are you talking about his brain? lol j/k but am pretty sure there pills for that to , not sure if they work. But if it got a no named build builder a acting job that lead to other and other then Governor. I think it might be worth a try. At least that the message i think he's trying to get across. ;)
I loved this article , it not only lays it all out for you in a simple steps but to give me the routine was awesome. I'd have to pay for something like this in most magazines. And read at least five pages of no-scene but this is great thanks.
the story is good but i would have left arnold out of it!
These are really good advices. I've done different exercises and took classes for weight training, but I really liked how you put all those knowledge into one post. You are definitely right when you say that it's important to prepare and rest; part of the way you can have successful exercise program is both in and outside of the gym. Great information! Thanks for blogging!
I just joined a gym and this article is really helpful. I enjoy working out but with it being winter feel guilty if I miss a day. I appreciate being told not to stress about it!
This is a good article, at least for men who like to lift weights. For women, I don't think the tips you've posted here really help unless they happen to be body builders. I myself do mostly cardio 45 mins -1 hour and then a small amount of weights, sit-ups and stretches.
Great Site! This would serve as a good reference to my workout routines! I'm still in the early process of building muscles and losing the buddah belly.Ü Hope you could share me some tips.
Thanks,
Siegfried Garcia
http://thebloggerexperiment.blogspot.com
Proper diet and regular exercise is still the best and now one can outstand that fact! Discountpharmacy.bz
Definitely a good read - but, living in SoCal, I'm not sure how to keep up with the bodies at the beach.
I heard that one needs to workout at least 40 mins because you need 20 mins (or thereabouts) to burn up glucose. I'm sure that this figure varies depending on when someone's eaten. I also heard that one needs a day off when working on a given muscle group, so if one works out the legs on Monday, the earliest one should workout the legs again is on Wednesday.
I like author's mentioning time management, that preparation is important. I do think that the amount of workout should vary with the person. A person who trying to lose 80 lbs has different goals than one trying to build lean muscle. And other factors (lifestyle, gender, age) play a part in the type of regimen that yields the best results.
-d.
Dont forget this is only for strength training not aerobic, you need more than 3 days a week for that.
Lots of different theories from lots of different sources???
beginners should start with pregnant women and the elderly. Then, slowly work your way up to besting the s*** out of the homeless. Having a spotter is a good idea too.
LMAO. Thanks for making me spit iced tea all over my computer screen.
40 minutes are too short dude,
Why doesn't anyone understand that going to the gym ISN'T complicated. All you have to do is be motivated enough to go a few times a week for an hour or so. It doesn't really matter what you do there, aslong as you find it difficult and you break a sweat. Sooner or later you'll figure out about reps and sets and times and what works for you and stretches and rests and warm ups and cardio - that's part of the fun of going to the gym.
You'll be paying for that when you get older. Maybe even five years down the road.
This is a serious warning. You sound like someone who wants more than they really need.
i started going to the gym six months ago, i go three times a weeks, and my sessions last about two hours or a bit more, in the past six months i've gained 8 kilos (14 or 15lb)muscle weight.
Completely incorrect. Get to the gym and make yourself lift larger weights. I run 3-4 miles a day, and do weights 4-5 times a week, splitting between super setting and not. Keep your workouts intense, which means you should sweat all the way through, and at the end of it, you're physically tired. I've gone from starting out (in my early 20's) from benching 80 lbs to 270 now (at 30). I alternate between times when I bulk up and get strong, and then thin down and get into running shape where I'm running 10k in under 40 minutes. I'm fit and strong, and the only chemistry I take is my coffee in the mornings. The answer is to feed your body with the correct foods, avoid alcohol and push your body farther every time you exercise.
i doubt it.
oh please! that is the most offensive comment i've seen in ages.
who raised you? wolves?
I go to the gym every other day & do a mix of cardio, weight machines & free weights, if i don't feel like it i take a day off... Works for me.
I've been an amateur bodybuilder for 5 years now and you got some good points, but 30 minutes of exercise is way to little time! If you want to get the best results you should warm up for at least 10 minutes before doing any lifting. And I have found out that having a proper rest (2-3 minutes) between your sets is alpha omega! By the way, don't forget stretching after the workout! My experience says that I get the best progress by hitting the gym 2-3 times a week for one to one and half hour each time.
This pretty much is just repeating the basics of Rippetoe's Starting Strength book. High intensity compound exercises 3 times a week, WILL build muscle in the key areas, and show much more "Real world" results if you don't use machines, use bars. A lot of people and trainers for example, say that deadlifts are "too dangerous" and as one of the posters said, overhead presses as well.
The truth is that you need technique, and you need to actually work your ass off. Theres a lot of misinformation out there (Women who lift heavy weights get big, for example,) that is just untrue.
If you want a real foundation for a BEGINNER to strength training, google Rippetoe and starting Strength. They've worked great for me and many others in the past. Or you can you know, just do your elliptical and hammer machines. Thats cool too.
Nothing.
My Brother is a Marine, 40 years old, and has been working out since he was 17 years old.
He is not massively huge, but at 5'7 and 180 he is a big guy.
He works out 3-4 days a week, never more than 30 minutes.
Just FYI.
I HATE gyms. I HATE Jocks. I hate bright lights. I hate sweating and stinking so screw this! I am totally happy being fat and drinking beer and eating pizza. You only live once. Why not make the best of it? You could die in a car tomorrow. Fools! I am sick of all this "you better do this or that". Screw that.
I quit smoking but that's it. This health craze is just that, a craze. Get over it.
'one size fits all' fitness advice is bad mmkay?
When you workout, your working both primary and secondary muscles. For instance, on Bench the primary muscle group is your pectorals, while your secondary are your biceps shoulders, lats, and triceps.
In this workout, you work until failure. IE. on the last rep of each set, you should be strugling to finish the rep.
High Intensity.
He is taking his information out of science.
The maximum amount of time your body can be at its highest intensity is for 30minutes (more or less). This is completely based off of Glucose (sugar) storage in your body. The human body only can maintain a constant high Glucose (which is extremely important in body building) level for 30 minutes. After that your body begins to burn fat. Hence, why almost every physical trainer will recommend that if you desire to burn fat while running, you MUST run for more than 30 minutes (Otherwise your likely just burning your glucose(energy) and losing water via sweat.
I have been doing a similar workout for the past month or so, and have noticed great results.
"lift weights that you can't lift" That is the most irresponsible advice I've ever heard. If you have someone who is not used to working out goto the gym and try that odds are he/she will hurt themselves plain and simple.
What does Marijuana have to do with building muscles?
Does this article's workout regimen apply to men and women equally? I feel like women need to work out more frequently and for extended periods of time in order to achieve the same results. Also, women don't typically wnat to build a lot of muscle at the gym. For us it's usually more about toning and defining. I'm not sure this article was very inclusive of our needs, which may be different than a man's.
I've gotta throw in with my brothers. This article is okay, but if you want an elite workout program, www.crossfit.com. Say what you will, Crossfit has evidence to back it up.
As for you guys talking about cardio, the facts are that you can develop amazing cardiovascular endurance/ aerobic capacity by performing high intensity weight lifting/ gymnastics exercises.
Good luck, all.
Who wants to weight 220 lbs? You're just going to be fat when you're 40.
As an amateur bodybuilder i can honestly say this is bunk, every last bit of it. you are retarded. lift four days a week minimum to cover all body parts, about 9 sets per bodypart including warmups and you'll actually see results, which is how i went from 6'1 160 pounds to 220 pounds in 4 years, and yes ladies its all muscle
I've been working out 3-4 days a week, eating right (including supplements), and running 2-4 miles on my no-lifting days for 2 years. I've only lost 20 lbs, and look nothing like a body builder or model. I think all of those dudes (bodybuilders, movie superheroes, etc) only look that way because they have the right trainer advising them on the right chemistry to ingest/inject.
I hit gym six days a week and alternate muscle groups 2-2-2 mw, t th, w sat. Umm, this guy is like a spokesperson for a fad diet, only he doesn't even mention the diet - all his talk is about yet another shortcut for hte masses. If yo uwant results get real professional advice, not some joe-blow on this site that I got off of digg.com. amateurs!
What results are you trying to accomplish? Seriously if it's weight loss then this isn't going to cut it.
Desiree
Based on my education and experience within the field of health and fitness, I agree with the basic premise of the article but with a few reservations. Basically, one needs to workout smarter not harder but 40 minutes is too short, especially considering there is no warm-up or stretch routine noted within the article. A better time frame would be no more than 60 minutes. I would also discourage the whole body workout routine in favor of a basic periodization model where the whole body is split up over 3-days (i.e. legs/back, bi's/tri's, chest/shlds). The sets/reps/rest range is also based on basic physiology/metabolism. I would reccomend 3 sets of at least 12 reps no more than 18 reps with 120seconds rest thus relying on more aerobic metabolism and hypertrophy of the muscles being used. Keep in mind this is for the "average Joe" and frequent reevaluation is needed.
In summary form and simplicity is key workouts don't have to be hard...but they are "work".
Eating properly is equally as important, because you can add bulk and muscle if you workout 3 times per week, but if you're eating cheeseburgers and Pepsi, you will have clogged arteries and heart problems in the future. Oh, and smoking is bad, VERY bad.
Good point on the cross fit routine BUT the author just says hi-intensity..Go to your local gym...the big ladies sitting on the exercise balls for 30 minutes with 5 lb weights think that's intense...
Crossfit is a whole other world. personally I'm doing the p90x routine...similar in some ways to crossfit more structured but I'm spending more time doing it with some other bench workout stuff.
To each his own really. Doing super intense..don't do it for long but make sure it's worthy of the word intense.
I did the three workout per week routine for years, and wasn't able to gain any muscle mass; I actually lost weight doing it that way. When I joined my current gym, the membership included several free personal training sessions. My trainer set me up in an "incorrect" workout routine which consisted of a 4 day spit. Monday: chest and triceps, Tuesday: legs and lower back, Wednesday: off, Thursday: back and biceps, and Friday: shoulders and abs. Each workout consists of 25-30 sets (6-8 exercises) of 6-8 reps each. I have so far gained 15 lb and am continuing to get stronger every day. The only way to get stronger and bigger is to exercise muscles to exhaustion with very heavy weights!
PS-My workouts usually take about 1.5 hr.
Maybe some of you are missing were he stated that this is for those folks who are busy!?!?
T.O. doesn't work out for more than 45 minutes.
The who exercise field is full of different theories.
To each is own!!
"Man can make every part of the body huge, except for one."
What's that? his brain?
What? Only 4 sets for legs but you want them to do 6 sets for back and only 3 for chest? Talk about disproportion... and with such a small workload they could also throw in some direct bi and tri work.
Yeah and leaving out diet really makes me question your self proclaimed "strength trainer" title.
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