Thread: strapped for time

fitness magazines, as opposed to body building magazines, tend to concentrate on shorter higher rep training plans, would that suit you if you could find one?

you could always superset too
that gets you in and out in a hurry

i'd use clustering instead of supersetting. so you lift a weight for say 8 reps and this should be close to but not at failure, you then set the weight down for 20 seconds pick it up and lift as many reps as you can, set it down for 20 seconds, pick it back up lift etc.

it might go something like 8 reps, 3, 2, 2

the advantage is that the first 8 reps should come close to activating all the muscle fibres if its close to failure, the short rest means that when you then lift again your exposing all the muscle fibres to the weight. in conventional 3 x 8 formats by the time you lift again after rsting 2-3 mins you have to go through the process of activating the muscle fibres again. look up DC training (although it suggests going to full failure, i find this incredibly hard on the CNS, i prefer going to 1 just before failure) or myo reps. i actually do a sort of hybrid of this and conventional lifting so will do

1 activation set, 2 mini sets then rest a full 3 minutes and do 1 activation set, 2 mini sets and then rest a full 3 minutes and do 1 activation set, 2 mini

so it might go 8,3,2 rest 3 mins 6,2,2 rest 3 mins 5,2,1

3 days a week is plenty in my opinion.. what are your goals? to lose weight or gain?

3 days a week is fine. You can do a HIT routine in 20-30 minutes 3 times a week and make great gains, I was doing 4 days a week like that and I am about to start again.

Thank you all!
I'm looking to lose fat, and gain quality mass. I am 5'10 and weigh in at 260. I'm looking to cut as fast as I can, then run a cycle to add quality mass back.
I do take spin classes on those days for cardio as well. I was just checking in to see if I was on the right track with things.

if you are looking to cut fat but strapped for time, just focus on the compound lifts and you should be fine. do like bench, military press, dips on one day, then deadlift, pull ups, bent over rows one day, then the last day do squats, leg press, and maybe leg curls or bulgarian squats. the key to cutting is really a good diet combined with compound movements, i've cut a little over 30 pounds just working out 3 days a week at my little rinky dink home gym lol

whats tour body fat %

Originally Posted by dteller1

i'd use clustering instead of supersetting. so you lift a weight for say 8 reps and this should be close to but not at failure, you then set the weight down for 20 seconds pick it up and lift as many reps as you can, set it down for 20 seconds, pick it back up lift etc.

it might go something like 8 reps, 3, 2, 2

the advantage is that the first 8 reps should come close to activating all the muscle fibres if its close to failure, the short rest means that when you then lift again your exposing all the muscle fibres to the weight. in conventional 3 x 8 formats by the time you lift again after rsting 2-3 mins you have to go through the process of activating the muscle fibres again. look up DC training (although it suggests going to full failure, i find this incredibly hard on the CNS, i prefer going to 1 just before failure) or myo reps. i actually do a sort of hybrid of this and conventional lifting so will do

1 activation set, 2 mini sets then rest a full 3 minutes and do 1 activation set, 2 mini sets and then rest a full 3 minutes and do 1 activation set, 2 mini

so it might go 8,3,2 rest 3 mins 6,2,2 rest 3 mins 5,2,1

gonna try that one

i'd read up on myo-reps or dc as that will explain the philosphy much better than i can

What do you mean "only" three times a week? I've rarely trained more often than that since i was 17 years old. Thats 6 years.

Pretty much any program can be tailored to 3 sessions a week, and if you keep each session to 20 sets and under you can knock the whole thing out in 60 minutes and go home.

I don't see the need for any fancy shit here.

What do you mean "only" three times a week? I've rarely trained more often than that since i was 17 years old. Thats 6 years.

Pretty much any program can be tailored to 3 sessions a week, and if you keep each session to 20 sets and under you can knock the whole thing out in 60 minutes and go home.

I don't see the need for any fancy shit here.

Originally Posted by leei515

Thank you all!
I'm looking to lose fat, and gain quality mass. I am 5'10 and weigh in at 260. I'm looking to cut as fast as I can, then run a cycle to add quality mass back.

Any particular reason for the rush? Sounds like you could be headed for trouble.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

What do you mean "only" three times a week?

thats exactly what I thought when i opened this post

You could do

upper,lower,upper and then lower,upper,lower the following week or,

chest/shoulders, back, legs...

Originally Posted by Gazhole

What do you mean "only" three times a week? I've rarely trained more often than that since i was 17 years old. Thats 6 years.

Pretty much any program can be tailored to 3 sessions a week, and if you keep each session to 20 sets and under you can knock the whole thing out in 60 minutes and go home.

I don't see the need for any fancy shit here.

3 hours a week for weightlifting is plenty for weight loss. losing weight is all about diet. You really just lift weights to hang on to the muscle while you are in a deficit. look into a push/pull/legs routine.

Yes three days is plenty. Lets all be reminded that most people have a mental need to over-train or get close to it in order to feel like they are getting the best bang for their buck.

When I said "cut it as fast as I can", I did'nt mean doing anything stupid. I meant to take it off in months rather than years. My situation (I should have clarified), is that I work about sixty to seventy hours a week. Right now, I make it three times a week (various days), but due to my overall fatigue; sometimes I cant say I get a very good workout. I am super focused on diet right now. Thank you all for your replies!

every other day should be great actually

Again, thank you all for your help. I'm staying with a 3 day routine, and re-arrange my work schedule to benefit those three days the most.