Time spent in the gym = 2 hours???

[Subsistence]

I have read in about a million different places that a workout over an hour is simply a waste of time. While I don't believe this is an absolute, as I am still making progress, I would really, really prefer to reign my workout times back in, at least to 1 h 30 mins. I feel like taking 2+ hours to finish a workout that should theoretically take an hour is simply trying to compensate for a lack of strength/endurance/whatever.

Well, if you are making progress then you have evidence that it is not a waste.

It may show you are lacking endurance, depending on what you consider to be lacking. You have the endurance to do 3 sets of 5 squats with 10 minutes rest and lack the endurance to do the same thing with 5 minutes rest. If that is important to you then deload and force yourself to only take that much rest when working back up.

It isn't an objective problem though.

[Jefferson]

I am eating as much as I can with a full class schedule at my university. Typically over 4k..

If you're not recovering then you'll simply have to eat more. Milk/McDonalds.

[Tamara Reynolds]

2 hours would be pretty typical for me, SS workout or not. I was resting 7-9 minutes between squat sets before I switched things up. My bench sets now have less rest than that, but I haven't been benching for that long. My current front squat programming is a ladder, and that took an hour and a half on its own one day last week. I would get rid of the row to save some time and let your squats be your warm up. I think when people say that any workout over an hour is a waste of time, they mean cardio. With SS you need to get the stress (reps) in no matter what. Time is only relevant in terms of how much time you have.

[Tiburon]

How much milk are you drinking during those 2 hrs at the gym?

http://www.cbass.com/ANDERSON.HTM

[moonshot]

I'd echo the "eat more", and maybe try some light cardio if you're not doing any--if your heart rate returns to normal faster due to better cardiovascular fitness, you might not need as long. I've never gone more than about 5 minutes between sets and usually my first set seems the hardest, so I haven't had your problem, but I'm starting from the opposite end, having more body fat than I'd like--I'm around 225 now at 6'0", and 40 years old.

Also, do you eat before your workout? I always try to have some calories about 15-60 minutes before my workout so the blood sugar isn't running on empty. I've also gotten into the habit of sipping my "post workout" milk/protein shake and sometimes some sugary carbs (e.g., dried tart cherries) *during* my workout rather than waiting until after.

If the total time is the issue, you could probably shorten the warmup too. I started out with Rip's SS template and just did 10-20 situps at first and had no issues being "warm"--the squat warmup sets are part of warming up too...

[kel]

Tiburon, thank you for a wonderful read. I think I will start taking a thermos of milk into the gym.

Moonshot: I typically fast the hour or so before workout because I hate the feeling of having something in my stomach while lifting. I start eating immediately during my squat warm up sets, sometimes paydays, clifbars, or bananas.

[Jefferson]

Tiburon, thank you for a wonderful read. I think I will start taking a thermos of milk into the gym.

Moonshot: I typically fast the hour or so before workout because I hate the feeling of having something in my stomach while lifting. I will start eating immediately during my squat warm up sets, sometimes paydays, clifbars, or bananas.

No. Don't eat while training you'll just vomit. And why would you eat bananas which have hardly any calories? Just add a 1000 calorie meal on top of what you've been eating.

[kel]

I eat almost every single time I go to the gym and have never thrown up. In fact, if I don't have some food in my workout I will usually feel nauseous.

[Jefferson]

I eat almost every single time I go to the gym and have never thrown up. In fact, if I don't have some food in my workout I will usually feel nauseous.

It's a gym, not a restaurant. The guy is already spending ten minutes resting between sets, he'd basically be slipping squats in between snacks.

I mean if that works for you then fair enough but it's pretty eccentric in my opinion.

Getting back on topic, the guy's problem is he is not eating enough to recover, plain and simple. He needs to up his calorie intake and suddenly he'll only need 5 minutes between squats and 2-3 minutes for presses.

[kel]

It's a gym, not a restaurant. The guy is already spending ten minutes resting between sets, he'd basically be slipping squats in between snacks.

I mean if that works for you then fair enough but it's pretty eccentric in my opinion.

Getting back on topic, the guy's problem is he is not eating enough to recover, plain and simple. He needs to up his calorie intake and suddenly he'll only need 5 minutes between squats and 2-3 minutes for presses.

Hmm. I am "the guy." The OP.