Hi, I was looking for some help on programming decisions for longer term time issues. I have an hour to train four days a week (I could fit some GPP in at the weekend’s). I have tried running the bridge on a couple of occasions but by the time I get to do the middle of the program I don’t have time to fit in all work for each day in a 60 minute session even with cutting the rest times to 2.5/3 mins.
I have the time crunch template but have read this is for a shorter term time problem. Is it worth just running this over the longer term? If so should there be any modifications? Or should I be running something else?
For background, I’m 36 and looking to improve my general strength.
Got a strategy for you that is not perfect but can reduce the lifting time significantly… super set the first two lifts such as squat with OHP, you will typically use the same height on both and you can use the “rest time” to switch out the weights between the two lifts. Also if you do deads and bench together, it is easy to set up two bars close to each other and just go one to the other… you can also go between squat and bench as well… this is not a perfect solution and your lifts might not be as heavy as you would like however I have been able to cut time to well under 60 min if I am booking it. Also beware depending on the gym you may get a stink eye for using too many bars/racks so just watch for that as well, want to keep your fellow gym rats happy:)
Another option would be to break up a 3 day template into the 4 available days that you have. How you break it up would probably depend on the template. You could do 2 lift each day (that usually takes me around 60 minutes) for a total of 8 out of the typical 9 prescribed exercises for a 3 day template. One day you would either have to do 3 lifts in one work out (possibly with supersets a previously suggested) or worst case scenario you cut out an exercise completely from your week, hopefully one of the exercises listed 3rd for the day. It sounds like you might have some separate GPP time where you could also do the 9th exercise.
I have also found setting a rest timer helps with my overall time.
Monday: Day 1’s Squats and DL variant
Tuesday: Day 3’s Press, Day 1’s Bench variant
Wednesday: GPP
Thursday: Day 5 DL, and Squat Variant
Friday: Day 5 Bench, Press Amrap or Myo reps. Some rows/pullups GPP
I lose one squat block, and the Pendelay Rows, which I’m generally non-compliant on anyways since I hate them. Not having the upper body block between the Squats/DL blocks means the second block is probably at a little lower weight than it would be otherwise, but I can generally do my workouts in less than an hour.
I’m currently doing the legacy 4 day hypertrophy, and it’s the first time I’ve done a squat or DL variant every day of a 4 day program which is an interesting switch. Sucks when I have a 4 day work week and dont get wednesday as a break from those.
Others have discussed some of the below strategies for trying to get more work done in a session, but I’ll put my own spin on them.
For workouts with 3 exercises:
Warm up for the 2nd exercise during the rest periods of the first
Change the 3rd exercise into a Myo rep version Other strategies:
Convert a 3 day to a 4 day
Cut rest times down to 3 minutes, 2 or less for @7s or less
10# and 25# bumper plates take longer to swap out than the steel versions
Deadlift jacks of some kind also save time. If your gym doesn’t have them, a dead wedge costs $14 and fits in your pocket/bag. I’ve got a buddy I’ve been working out with for a year now, and at first as he was getting up to speed with BB work, my workouts took longer. That’s no longer the case. If he’s not with me, a workout takes 10 minutes longer. We have a good groove where we divy up the work of getting and returning plates and such.
Quick follow up (possibly stupid) question. Are myo reps always performed with an activation set of 12-15 reps or can that range change to something lower? Just wondering this for something like pause deadlifts where the program calls for sets of 5 but I’m replacing with myo reps to save time.
After reading that, you might have a better grasp on how to answer your question based on your goals. In the context of that writeup, Paused/tempo exercises are normally programmed with the intent of touching up technique, and for adding volume at a lower recovery cost due to inherently lower intensity. Myo reps concentrate on the volume part of that, and the technique part not so much.