Some trainers and trainees out there do a really good job of turning training into a veritable theater production, complete with the warm-up act, stretches/foam-rolling/whatever act, the workout act, the cool-down act, more stretches/foam-rolling/whatever act, then cardio act (or does that go in the beginning?), then whatever-else act... Could they possibly make this more complicated? Complication takes too much time. Is this stuff necessary? I really have my doubts. Even if I'm wrong about how effective all of this is, it doesn't really matter. You and I don't have the time and what's better: 30 minutes of (supposedly) incomplete, (maybe) half-ass training or none at all?
I don't think that 15-30 minutes of training time dooms the workout to being half-assed or incomplete at all. There are a surprising number of people that don't get a lot of attention for using such brief training sessions and gotten great results. I certainly have. If anything, I look at it as ultra-efficiency at it's best, not as a measuring stick of dedication or effectiveness.
I've never been a fan of doing the typical sets of reps training stuff. It just takes up too much time. For the past couple of years, I've been doing nearly every workout circuit-style. I'd rather work my ass off on one exercise and move to something else that I haven't worked out. Sure, I might pause for a bit in between but I'm not really "resting." I'll usually take a minute of rest after the circuit is completed. I'll mix it up between supersetting a lot, mostly with my pulls & chins and push-ups/dips. I also like to do a lot of sandbag squat-and-carry work.
Structure is important to shaving time off the time-crunched workout. Keeping the rest down is paramount. You've to to do everything possible to push the pace and keep moving. That's really the most important part. You can rest after you finish up! When I work out, I pause for maybe 30 seconds between exercises and about a minute in between circiuts, at most. Anything more than that is wasting a lot of time un-necessarily. Besides, there's some very convincing evidence that the abbreviated rest periods are better overall for you anyway. I recently read that Don Howorth used to rest even less than my self-imposed 30 seconds. Moving this fast won't make you miss the extra 30 minutes of rest in the workout. If anything, I see this move as maximizing efficiency of the entire workout.
There are other ways to make your workout more time efficient. Make sure that you're properly hydrated before you start. Get all your gear prepped and ready to go. Have a solid idea of what you're going to do before you start. If something's taking up a lot of time, ask yourself if it's really needed.
I've given some of my routines out in the past. I'm not the fondest of doing it though. I really believe in being self-observant and introspective. Experiment for yourself and work with what you have available. Cutters good for cookies, not training. I've given you some guidelines and tips. It's up to you to make them into something that will work for you. It's really that simple.
5 comments:
I have to say that I read your blog again and again.
From the self-resistant stuff in the past till kettlebells and sandbags now on. Are you never do self-resistant or DVRs again recently?
What gives me bad sleep recently is programming. How did I compose those stuff (BWE, kettlebells, sandbags, vest, running,...) together?
I mean, I bike a lot to and from work (40miles a day at least) beside training. So, I wonder how to deal with conditioning and strength? My goal is to run a 10k under 45minutes on new years eve. ;-) and such things like OAPU,....how do ya compose that things? are you into endurance a bit?
Hi Justin,
Just to say I really enjoy reading your log! I especially like the fact you mention not chasing numbers and using control to avoid injuries etc. keep up the good work!
Regards
David N
Taylor,
As much as I'd like to chain your computer to my blog, never letting you go elsewhere for training information, I have to tell you that I'm not sure. I don't train very much endurance like running long distance. Most of my work and my hobbies requires me to:
1. Move or lift a lot of light-to-moderately heavy (usually awkward) objects constantly at varying speeds.
2. Move or lift pretty heavy (and/or very awkward) slowly, carefully and under control.
Endurance training just doesn't amount to much for either. Like I've said, time is usually limited for training for me. Plus, I question its value as exercise, period.
I wouldn't get into the habit of doing a conditioning and strength routine too close together. Find a way to space them out.
As far as composing, I really never believed that there was anything special to doing this. I tend to but the heavier, less rep work in front of the higher rep stuff. Obviously, I'd jump around a bit via supersetting. If I did a weighted pull-up, I'll switch to a dip afterward, things like that.
Dave, numbers are just that: numbers. I've built strength using 20 rep-sets of pull-ups and HSPU's. That's supposed to be impossible!
So do you do stretches or anything? I find that with bodyweight, stretching isn't really an issue. Also, I have not read anything on your website about calluses, which are inevitable when doing pullups. Do you always do them bare hands like in the pictures?
Sometimes I do some fascia stretching before a workout and I limber up with my class @ BJJ but other than that, I don't do a lot of stretching. It's not a regular part of my training. I think it's over rated.
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