Tailor me a workout...please?

Hey guys!

Okay, short and sweet, I may be going back to work fulltime (as opposed to working from home) plus I'll also be working a second job (my current job) after hours. So two jobs, kids and little time for anything else. Reality is my training will suffer...which I don't want happening.

So I need to "compact" my training. Currently am doing a 3 day split *dodges some rocks* which takes me about 75mins with warmups. I need to cut this down to 2 routines per week at no more than 60mins each.

I'm thinking two full body workouts per week maybe Tuesday night and Sat. day?

What exercises should I do? Take into account I workout from the garage and don't have access to dip or chin up bars.

I was thinking of something along the lines of Josh's 5x5 but instead first set a warm-up and then four working sets.

Something like -

Squat/Bench/Dead-lift/Overhead press/power-clean in that order. (woohoo, no more crunches).

What do you all think? I don't want to give it up all together as I've worked so hard and have gotten decent results, especially from 5's.

Thanks in advance.

Ed

Why not get a VKR, that will take care of your pull ups and dips.

First up, if you have a squat rack then you have a chinning bar. If the rack for the bar can support 80kg of bar and plates, it can support 80kg of Ed.

Aside from that, it sounds like you know what to do already, mate, and just want us to order you to do it. DO IT!

I would just say that with warmups and 5 sets each exercise, you're looking at 6 sets per exercise with 5 exercises, 30 sets in all. Doing 30 sets of things like bicep curls in an hour is one thing, doing 30 sets of things like squats in an hour is another. Between loading and unloading the plates, moving benches and so on, the actual lifting and any stretches afterwards, you're looking at less than a minute's rest between sets.

If you drop your regular weights a bit and have someone there instructing and pushing you, or enormous self-discipline, you can get the 30 sets out. Otherwise, 15-20 sets is more realistic.

For that you'd need to choose three exercises per workout. If you add bent-over barbell rows to the five you've got, then you could have two different workouts, like,


The other thing you can do to squeeze a bit of extra work out of your muscles is that if you enter and leave your house through the garage where you workout (I'm imagining the car parked by the weights), put the bar loaded to some middling weight right by the door. Whenever you come to or leave home, pick it up and do a quick set of presses, squats or whatever. This is not a big deal, won't be enough to really make you sweat and won't take up much time, but will help you along a little bit - it could be the difference between that last rep or extra 2.5kg on the next proper workout.

Doing that with some dumbells was the thing that stopped me going completely to crap in my non-training years.

EdCid said:

Squat/Bench/Dead-lift/Overhead press/power-clean in that order. (woohoo, no more crunches).


Ed

Click to expand...

just do that ^^^

5 heavy compund lifts done 5x5. ive been doing this for awhile now with good strength results i mix up the order occasionally and sometimes i drop an exercise for something different like rows or combine the cleans and presses into one exercise. lately ive been doing just 1-2 of my weaker lifts for a shitload of sets to try and improve it a bit.

Hulk, looks the goods, unfortunately can't afford it atm.

Kyle, no squat rack, using the normal bench with arms on full extension.

Just an update, I got offered the job which I've accepted so nice knowing you all!







JUST KIDDING! LOL

Does mean though that definitely need to sort this out now. Okay Kyle, you're suggesting a two day split which looks really inviting cause two weekly full body workouts may be a killer with this new busy workload of mine.

BUT Hyjak's idea is tempting as I believe my body could handle the double workload....BACK THEN.

So as off next week I'll kick off with the compound two day splits and if time and energy allows I'll try the full bod workouts.

Cheers gentlemen [thumbs]

Technically it's not a "split" because the full body is worked out in each session. It's just changing exercises, slightly different emphasis.

The overhead press works shoulders, triceps, pecs, as does the bench press; but the bench puts more on pecs and less on shoulders.

The squat works quads, hams, glutes and lower back, as does the deadlift; but the deadlift uses relatively little quads and much more hams, glutes and lower back.

The barbell row uses lats and a bunch of middle back muscles, and if you're above about 30 degrees from the floor some traps too, and your arms; the powerclean uses the same, but with a lot more emphasis on the traps, and some hip work, too.

A "split" would be upper body one day, lower body the next, that kind of thing. Please don't ever think I would advise a split. It offers no advantage to the vast majority of people training. I would sooner suggest bicep curls than a split routine.

[Technically doing strength and fitness work on different days is a split routine, however most of us don't talk about fitness, so...]

Ideally you would as Dave says do all five exercises in one workout. However, as I said that's hard to do in a single hour unless:-
- you've dropped your weights used quite a bit or
- have a trainer there pushing you or
- have very good willpower and drive

Which is why I suggest spreading the exercises out. Not a split

Makes sense when put that way Kyle. And will definitely be giving it a crack. Looking to kick it off Tuesday fresh.

Thanks for advise [thumbs]

Best of luck, mate. I really admire you for being able to do all this on top of work and kids, plus I'm sure you must have some hobbies, too. It takes true dedication and love.