Workout length

[Sukh]

I recently bumped into someone that suggested that a workout longer than an hour is wasted. I suspect his sources are not correct, as I struggle to believe people get really big spending just an hour a day.

I was advised that too many exercises for a muscle group was not good and that the pyramid system is better than my current 3 X 8 sets. Anyone shed some light on the two issues?

 

[A2Z]

what is your current routine?

 

[Styles]

You should never have the need for your workout to last longer than an hour. During the hour your body will be in an anabolic state but it will soon reach a catabolic state and begin breaking down muscle for fuel.

Your workouts should be at an intensity level which is high enough for your workouts to only need to last 45minutes to 1 hour.

People don't get huge from spending 1 hour in the day each workout, they get huge from having productive, intense workouts and most importantly, from their diet. (Genetics etc etc play a part as well.)

 

[Clipsey]

Depends what your working on really.
If your doing weights then you should not need more than 45mins to an hour really. Maybe you should time your rest periods. For gains you should be looking at 60-90secs between sets. So say if you did 5 different exercises thats only 22mins rest doing 3 sets on each exercise.

 

[sunama]

I always aim to be done in about 45mins. I remember reading something along the lines that testosterone levels tend to go down after about that time, so you have to make sure that you keep your workout short and intense and make the most of those elevated testosterone levels.

I see a lot of young, thin, teenagers at my gym who are there before I arrive and are there when I leave. I feel like telling them to increase the intensity and reduce the duration, but I think its best for them to find this out for themselves. Besides, doing those long workouts can prepare you mentally, for when you get older and train correctly.

 

[Ultra_Extreme]

most people get huge jaw muscles at the gym and little else.

Work more
Work harder
Talk/sit around less
Finish sooner.

Its different for everyone though, i respond well to longer high intensity and low intensity trains, but ive got moderate BF% so...

 

[Killa_ken]

My workouts never take longer then an hour....and I'm pretty big

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Very rarely finish a workout within an hour and some have lasted as long as 3 hours.

Take as long as you need and don't let anyone convince you that there's a specific amount of time you should spend at the gym.

 

[A2Z]

some have lasted as long as 3 hours.

lol what exactly did you do for 3 hours?

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

lol what exactly did you do for 3 hours?

5x5 Squats, 5x5 deadlifts, 5x5 shoulder press and 5x5 chin ups.

 

[sunama]

5x5 Squats, 5x5 deadlifts, 5x5 shoulder press and 5x5 chin ups.

So you do most of the major muscle groups all in a single workout, on the same day? What do you do for the remainder of the week?

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

So you do most of the major muscle groups all in a single workout, on the same day? What do you do for the remainder of the week?

I'm following Bill starrs 5x5 routine so it's:

Monday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Bench
5x5 Rows
Hyper Extensions
Crunches

Wednesday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Deadlifts
5x5 Shoulder Press
5x5 Chin-Ups
Crunches

Friday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Bench
5x5 Rows
Skull Crushers
Curls

Edit: Must add I haven't done a workout that's taken more than two hours for nearly a year when I was a lot unhealthier than I am now.

 

[sunama]

I'm following Bill starrs 5x5 routine so it's:

Monday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Bench
5x5 Rows
Hyper Extensions
Crunches

Wednesday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Deadlifts
5x5 Shoulder Press
5x5 Chin-Ups
Crunches

Friday
5x5 Squats
5x5 Bench
5x5 Rows
Skull Crushers
Curls

That looks brutal, unless you are lifting well below your limits. If you are lifting close to your limits, then you would surely need a Wolverine-like recovery rate to recover fully from workout to workout. I wouldnt even think about doing something like that unless I was on anabolic steroids. My muscles would still be in pain from Monday's workout, come Wednesday and eventually the effects of overtraining would set in.

But, hey, if it works for you, keep at it.

 

[sunama]

Edit: Must add I haven't done a workout that's taken more than two hours for nearly a year when I was a lot unhealthier than I am now.

Hang on. Are you therefore suggesting that now that you have ditched those extra long workouts, you are now fitter/stronger?

 

[MaX_PoWah]

I can spend as long as 3 hours as well in the gym, my new routine for a saturday consists of

10mins cardio cycling

3 x 10 leg press
2 x 10 leg extensions
2 x 10 leg curls

3 x 10 pull downs
2 x 10 low downs

3 x 10 something for your arms that i cant remember the name of
2 x 10 something for your pecks that i cant remember the name of

2 x 10 something for your shoulders

2 x 10 bar curls
2 x 10 pull down thing

all done with proper form on machines, apart from the last 2, an instructor at the gym made that routine up

i then usally do 30mins - 45mins cardio depending on how much energy i have, then go for a swim/sauna, by then 3 hours seems to have gone usally, but im at uni all week eating crap and drinking and only go to the gym friday, saturday, sunday, i seem to be seeing more gains from only going 3 days a week than i was going on and off randomly all week.

 

[sunama]

... an instructor at the gym made that routine up

Did the instructor suggest that you do 3hr workouts?

The way I see it is that after all the weights you do, you wont have enough to push really hard on the 40min cardio you do at the end. Your intensity throughout your workout wont be intense, as mentally, you will always know that you have x hrs to go.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

That looks brutal, unless you are lifting well below your limits.

It's all based on a percentage of your 5 rep max which is worked out before you start the routine. Each week that percentage increases so the weights get heavier and heavier.

For example, three weeks I ago was deadlifting 147.5K for 5x5 which is just under 75% of my 5 rep max. Next week I'll be deadlifting 195K for 5x5 which is 97.5% of my 5 rep max. The weight's heavier meaning it takes longer to recover between sets and you're more likely to injure yourself if you're not 100%.

If you are lifting close to your limits, then you would surely need a Wolverine-like recovery rate to recover fully from workout to workout.

First two weeks are usually ok but because of the weights you're expected to lift during the third and fourth weeks injuries and physical and mental fatigue should be expected. That's why the program switches to the deload and intensification phase after the fourth week to stop you overloading your CNS and ******* yourself up.

But, hey, if it works for you, keep at it.

This is the fourth time I've followed the routine and I've always made very good gains on it so I'll continue with it until I stop progressing.



You can read about the 5x5 routine here

 

[MaX_PoWah]

Did the instructor suggest that you do 3hr workouts?

The way I see it is that after all the weights you do, you wont have enough to push really hard on the 40min cardio you do at the end. Your intensity throughout your workout wont be intense, as mentally, you will always know that you have x hrs to go.

he did not suggest i do 3 hour workouts but he said dont do anymore weights after that routine as it will comprimise its effectiveness and that if i still had energy do more cardio as im still trying to get my bodyfat down a bit more.

i have been using a heart rate moniter to make sure the intensity keeps me within my aerobic zone which works quite well.

 

[Morba]

he did not suggest i do 3 hour workouts but he said dont do anymore weights after that routine as it will comprimise its effectiveness and that if i still had energy do more cardio as im still trying to get my bodyfat down a bit more.

i have been using a heart rate moniter to make sure the intensity keeps me within my aerobic zone which works quite well.

if your aim is to be in the aerobic zone i do not understand why you take 2 hours to do the weights, especially as you are using machines!

 

[sunama]

Well, he has said that he drinks a lot and that he isnt really committed to fitness work. He does gym work only on the weekends, which isnt ideal, but it is better than nothing. I think it just fits into his lifestyle. To do things properly, you really do need to make a massive commitment, which most people are not prepared to do.