Aug 1, 2022
It's a common complaint for lifters becoming more and more advanced -- my workouts are taking too long! For lifters coming out of a Starting Strength style LP, for instance, and starting the Texas Method or some other popular 5x5 programs, they soon realize that doing five sets of five squats across takes a LONG time, and can be quite fatiguing too. And let's be honest, most of us have lives with higher priorities than training. So training needs to fit in a reasonable time frame, and leave us with enough energy to get on with the rest of our lives.
Andy lays out ten ways you can shorten your workouts, decrease your fatigue, and enjoy training more.
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Lower your training volume — especially if you’re pushing the two hour mark on your workouts. You probably don't need as much volume as you think you do to progress.
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Ditch your phone during the workout — let's be honest, it’s a major distraction device.
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Plan your workouts — have your sets, reps, and weights planned beforehand if possible. This way you'll walk into the gym focused on what you need to do, and probably have a more productive workout as a result.
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Practice logistical efficiency — try to pick exercises that "fit" together, that is, that you can load and unload efficiently without excessive setup and tear down time.
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Use supersets and circuits for accessory/assistance lifts
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Warm up your next lift during the rest time for your current lift
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Increase your training frequency for shorter sessions
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Incorporate rest pause sets
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Use the dynamic effort method for volume based strength work
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Improve your conditioning so you can do more work in less time (increase your work capacity)
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Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick