How long do you spend at the gym?

Stratos · 31 Jan 2011 at 10:30

Want to get back into the gym routine and was just thinking how long is enough to work out? 30mins? an hour?

Thanks!

Steedie · 31 Jan 2011 at 10:37

For weights, I never spend more than 40 minutes in there

Cortisol levels start to rise and GH levels start to drop after this

Cardio, I'm guessing it doesn't matter so much if you're in there longer

Morba · 31 Jan 2011 at 10:38

What are your targets and what time do you have available?

Stratos · 31 Jan 2011 at 10:50

Aim is weight loss and i have 1.5 to 2 hours free for the gym each night, also be cycling to work.

Morba · 31 Jan 2011 at 11:04

HIIT and some weights then

alexakasloth · 31 Jan 2011 at 11:10

I can only really echo what Morba has said, interval cardio work...my personal preference is treadmill with an incline and rowing, although the x-trainer is good, weights aswell. BennyC recommended barbell complexes which involves high volume/reps and I think it could help you with your goals and you can easily tailor it for your preference.

As an example:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...ng_performance/blood_on_the_barbell_waterbury

If my workout is conditioning then it will be 10 minutes cycling to gym, barbell complexes, interval running, 1k row, situps/hyperextensions/press ups, 10 minute cycle home.
Don't forget to stretch!

Messiah Khan · 31 Jan 2011 at 11:41

I have just started going to the gym, and am currently spending about an hour each Monday/Wednesday/Friday before work. I wouldn't mind spending more time in there though, as after about 50 minutes my body starts to feel a lot better and warmed up.

BlackCoat2k10 · 31 Jan 2011 at 12:11

1 hour maximum a session, but this depends on how busy the gym is when I go.

In my opinion if you are doing more than an hour of constant solid weight lifting then you are doing too much. Sometimes I can go in and wrap up within 40 minutes and feel totally destroyed.

WantoN · 31 Jan 2011 at 23:03

At the moment :

20 minutes steady state
10 minutes dynamics
15 minutes pads
20 minutes explosives / transitions
10 minute cooldow / flexibility

1 hr 15mins

Ant :cool:

zetec452 · 31 Jan 2011 at 23:08

Around 40 mins Mon - Friday. I love having a gym at work I can use at lunch.

icecold · 31 Jan 2011 at 23:19

Depends what I'm doing, if it's general hypertrophy or plyo/cardio then around an hour. But powerlifting can go on for a lot longer as rest intervals are not important in the same way.

TommyV · 1 Feb 2011 at 11:28

30 mins cardio + around 30/40 minutes doing weights

crunchman · 1 Feb 2011 at 11:59

60-80 mins including warm ups and warm downs atm, I'm currently on the 10s for HST

Dj_Jestar · 1 Feb 2011 at 12:09

about 60mins, but of that time I'd guess no more than 45-50mins is actual lifting.

BennyC · 1 Feb 2011 at 12:14

crunchman said:
60-80 mins including warm ups and warm downs atm, I'm currently on the 10s for HST

Sounds about right. It's quite quick if you consider that it's between 10-12 exercises so you're only spending roughly 6 minutes on each exercise (including rests!)

crunchman · 1 Feb 2011 at 12:34

BennyC said:
Sounds about right. It's quite quick if you consider that it's between 10-12 exercises so you're only spending roughly 6 minutes on each exercise (including rests!)

Good to hear then, feels like a hell of a sprint compared to my times during the 15s !

BennyC · 1 Feb 2011 at 12:45

crunchman said:
Good to hear then, feels like a hell of a sprint compared to my times during the 15s !

Haha! yep the 15's are quite slow due to the recovery. 10's goes nice and quick. I've found that on the 5's my rest times are as short if not shorter than the 10's due to increased fitness/recovery

Supercow · 1 Feb 2011 at 13:46

I spend 30 -40 minutes on the cross trainer (solid state cardio) and then proceed to do about 40 minutes of weights 4 day split (cardio only on 2 other days).

I love to do HIIT, however my lungs tighten up too much afterwards ( i sometimes have very mild asthma) and I can't get through my lifting routine as I don't get enough oxygen to my muscles to do it.

FoxxyAxel · 1 Feb 2011 at 15:35

Weights - 45-60 Minutes like previous mentioned levels start to drop after this point.

Cardio - God I wish I lasted 60 minutes!

Clipsey · 1 Feb 2011 at 16:18

All depends on what you are going to achieve really. My weights sessions are usually around 50mins but my cardiovascular can be anywhere from 20mins to 4hrs.