How should I train?

[chico1st]

Hey I am looking for peoples opinions on what how I should train. I am not looking for massive muscle gains and quite honestly I only work out like 10minutes a day in a gym 4 days a week.

My story is that I bike commute to work (I push myself pretty hard) for 1hr and there is a gym at work where I have to go to shower anyways. I dont want to spend lots of time in the gym but I would like to do a bit and im allready all warmed up and stretched.

Also the gym doesnt have a squat rack or real bench press.. it has freeweight dumbbells up to 45lbs and a bench though.

How should i split up my routine for 4 days in a row at 10 minutes each? I can usually do 3-4 sets of 2 exercises in that time frame.

Lastly I like working out my legs but since I bike so much im scared I would over train them.

Thanks for your help

PS: I used to do body building (attempted with great results for 1 year but i didnt want to keep it up) but this situation is so different im not sure what to think so you dont have to treat me like a complete newb

 

[Protheus]

Hi

I think a little more info on what your gym DOES have would be helpful

Is dumbells + bench all you have to work with ?

Does it have any other equipment

eg. leg-press, pulldown machine, or any others - dipping/chinning station ?

Knowing this people may be able to advise you better on what exercises to do.

How to train depends on your goals - to make the most of your time I would do a routine that emphasizes low volume/high intensity of effort, but not neccessarily to failure. ie after a brief warm up move quickly to using meaningful poundages (>70% of 1RM) and do 1-2 really hard working sets.

If you want to avoid training legs too often then:

Mon: Upper body

Wed: Lower Body

Fri: Upper Body

 

[chico1st]

ok my gym has:
Free weights
A bench (just a bench not a bench press)
Declined board for workouts
A barbell with maximum 100lbs
A machine benchpress (which I might be able to use for rows)
Lat pulldown machine
Pec Fly machine
Leg extender (quads)
Leg curls (hams)

I am not big on working out my arms specifically either

I was thinking.
Day1: Back - Rows (machine) + Deadlifts (volume since so little weight)
Day2: Pecs - Bench (machine) + Fly (free wieghts)
Day3: Shoulders/Lats - Shoulder Press + Lat Pulldown/Chinup Pulldown
Day4: Legs - Leg Extentions + Leg Curls

Anythoughts would be much appreciated

 

[natural^]

what gym do you go to?

 

[Protheus]

Hi

If you wish to perform a hard, abbreviated routine as I have suggested then the original split I posted may be a better option since it lets you hit all your upper body twice weekly and will result in better growth (you will be getting a more frequent stimulus but with the benefit of a days rest between workouts for your CNS). Something like this:

Mon: Upper Body

Close Grip Supinated Pull down: 2 Sets
Machine Bench Press: 2 Sets
Machine Row: 1 Set
Pec Deck: 1 Set
Dumbell or Barbell Overhead Press: 2 Sets

Wed: Lower Body

Lunges: 2 Sets
Leg extension: 1 Set
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 2 Sets (learn proper form)

Fri: Repeat Monday

The above are just suggestions for exercises and the number of working sets - do a warm up set with a light to moderate (40-60% of 1RM) weight first though. Terminate your sets 1 rep shy of concentric failure but don't sweat it if you occasionally hit failure.

Keep a training log - important.

 

[chico1st]

ok thanks a lot.. ill try that!

 

[fUnc17]

10 minutes?

Deadlift 1 x 5
Weighted pullups, 3x3

keep the weight heavy, do not go to failure

2 exercises, hits your whole body plus grip. and you have time to get some stretching in

 

[P-funk]

it takes the body about 10min. to get properly warmed up. i think you need to re-evaluate your goals.

 

[chilco]

Push-ups, sit-ups, and wind sprints. Done!

 

[Duncans Donuts]

Dedicate 20-30 minutes for workouts. 30 minutes is plenty. 10 is...well, not enough.