sub-1 hour workouts?

[aussieluke]

Found out last week that there is an awesome gym across the road from my office.

I just finished my second lunchtime workout. It took me an hour and a half - including getting changed before and getting showered after ...ie I was half an hour late back from lunch, though thankfully no one noticed.

Does anyone work out in their lunch hour? and if so, how the f**k do you get it all done and get back to work in time?

I'm wondering if I could spread my week's workouts over four sessions?

...maybe following the old CFWF program but without the conditioning?

maybe something like:

MON: Squat, Press 3x5
TUES: Power Cleans 5x3
WED: Rest
THURS: Squat, Bench 3x5
FRI: Deadlift 1x5

does anyone else have any recommendations?

[Baker]

do whatever it takes to cut down on time....less work sets (maybe just 1 top set), less movements per day, whatever. as long as you are progressing then you're good.

[gzt]

You actually get an hour for lunch?

Cut down working sets, exercises, things like that. Don't cut down warmups. If you don't have time to warm up properly, you don't have time to work out. I'm usually 20-25 minutes after I step into the gym before I finish my first working set on the squats (that includes changing and stuff). That means I can be done with squats in an SS-style workout in 30 minutes if I hurry a little. If I'm in a rush, I can probably get through squats and bench in 45 minutes if I start light warmups on the bench supersetted. Squats and a press will keep me at at least 80%. If I'm doing a different style of workout than SS, perhaps I can get something productive done a little faster.

If you're doing the 4 day thing, might as well do some quick conditioning (10 minutes or so) on the day with one exercise if you have time and inclination.

[cannibal.horse]

5/3/1 would really suit this kinda time constraint.

[aussieluke]

Yeah I've looked briefly at 5/3/1 before - isn't knowing what weight to use really complicated?

Thats the beauty of SS for me – I always know exactly how much weight should be on the bar – more than last time!

I've thought about going a bit Dan John-ish again, something like One Lift a Day, or just squats one or two days a week, and just 'lifting things overhead' in various ways on other days, including some oly lifts etc

Trouble is, every time I contemplate these things I imagine Rip screaming at me JUST DO THE FUCKING PROGRAM

...and end up more confused than ever as to what to do for best.

[tallison]

Brings up an interesting question: How important to the program is the closeness in time of the various exercises?

Suppose you showed up for work 45 min early and got a five minute row, your squats for the day and a shower, then did your lunchtime workout? (Or, of course, the same thing but after work instead of before). Whether that sounds at all appealling, or not, does anybody know if it should work?

There is evidently good evidence that the calories you consume within 1/2 hour of serious exercise contribute proportionally more to muscle growth -- so you wouldn't want to skimp on your warm up or on your eating, immediately post workout, just to fit it all in in an hour.

[gzt]

5/3/1 is pretty simple, actually, once you get used to the idea behind the percentages. Just make a spreadsheet.

[gzt]

Brings up an interesting question: How important to the program is the closeness in time of the various exercises?

Suppose you showed up for work 45 min early and got a five minute row, your squats for the day and a shower, then did your lunchtime workout? (Or, of course, the same thing but after work instead of before). Whether that sounds at all appealling, or not, does anybody know if it should work?
That should be fine, though I'd imagine doing, say, deadlifts or cleans might be tough after the break.

[tallison]

That should be fine, though I'd imagine doing, say, deadlifts or cleans might be tough after the break.

Do you mean without another 5 minute warm up or just period (without all the activation that doing the squats, first, yields)?

[aussieluke]

I'm sure I've read Rip comment before that splitting one day's workout into two sessions is fine. eg. squat and bench at lunch, deadlift after work.


doesn't help me too much though - the point of working out at lunch is that I get to go straight home at the end of the day.

[gzt]

Do you mean without another 5 minute warm up or just period (without all the activation that doing the squats, first, yields)?
What I mean is that I think I would feel like the fatigue has set in from the squats by then.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

I've only worked for an employer that cared how long my lunch was once and I didn't like it very much. Whats the point of being salary if you have to worry about the clock?

[tallison]

doesn't help me too much though - the point of working out at lunch is that I get to go straight home at the end of the day.

OK, well, I guess I'd still try to see if you can do the full warm-up and workout (do you already know exactly how much time that takes?) and squeeze time on the getting from your desk to the rower and from the last lift back to your desk - before I'd look at alterations. I once had it set up so that I wore shorts and t-shirt under my work clothes and just needed to strip and change shoes to start, had short hair that didn't need anything done to it after a shower and ate at my desk after "lunch". It still took me over an hour, but that was before I was doing Starting Strength and the gym was a good 15 minutes away (I also had a lot of control over my schedule, but was just trying to minimize my time in the gym as I was usually otherwise quite busy).

I'm a noob to the Starting Strength program, though, so I'm certainly in no position to talk about the implications of changing it up, in any way (though I've gathered that its pretty damn well optimized).

[Chewie_jrc]

I've only worked for an employer that cared how long my lunch was once and I didn't like it very much. Whats the point of being salary if you have to worry about the clock?

Amen Jamie, two hour lunches ftw.

That being said, if you MUST keep it within an hour. I believe Rip has indicated that you can split the workout over two sessions. It won't kill ya, just seems inconvenient to change and warmup all over again.

[drlvegas]

If you're close to intermediate programming, the split routine in the back of PPST II takes less than an hour each day.

[hatmanii]

I'd go with the wichita falls conditioning program if I were in your situation.

You have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Be it staying after work, or splitting up your workouts, etc... You have to figure out what you want to compromise.

Much Luck.

-Hat

[cannibal.horse]

Yeah I've looked briefly at 5/3/1 before - isn't knowing what weight to use really complicated?

Not at all - its just based on percentages which isnt that complicated (you need it for anything past TM anyway).

The triviumate design would be your best bet. You keep the rest breaks of your main exercise the same (3-5 minutes) and short for your accessory movements (1-2). Thats already a massive time saver. If you needed to go further I'd either:
a) Ditch some sets (eg 3x10 lunges rather than 5x10)
b) Ditch an exercises (eg on bench day ditch the chest supporting exercise and just do pull ups)

Basic scaffold:

Squat day
5/3/1 Squat
3x10 Lunges or leg press or hack squats
3x15 abs

Bench
5/3/1 Bench
5x10 dumbbell press/incline press/dips
5xfailure pull ups

Deadlift
5/3/1 Deadlift
either ab work, leg curls or a few sets of powercleans

Press
5/3/1 press
3x10 side laterals or 5x10 press @ 50% of your 1RM or dips
5x10 bent rows or dumbell rows

[WaWa Bird]

I made a 5/3/1 spreadsheet in excel. If anyone wants a copy send me a PM with your e-mail address.

[toddmr]

If you're going to show up 45 minutes early to get the first part of the workout in and then get the second part at lunch, why not either:

1. Ask your boss if you can come in 45 minutes early and take 1:45 for lunch; or

2. Ask your boss if you can come in late so that you get 1:30 workout in the morning and then no lunch or a short lunch; or

3. go in very early, full workout in the morning, and lunch/nap in the hour you have for lunch?

[aussieluke]

How does this sound as an abbreviated program:

(keeping reps x sets as per SS)

Mon: Squat, Press

Wed: Deadlift/Power Cleans (alternating), Bench (DBs)

Friday: Squat, Press