New Father Short on Time

[jaredwassink]

**Quick disclaimer that I did read a thread that was posted a few years back that was a similar question**

Hello everyone,

I'm a new 26 year old father. I've done NLP in the past but it was long enough ago that its barely worth mentioning other than I understand the layout.

Ive read starting strength and I'm in the process of reading the Practical Programming for Strength Training.

However. I'm wondering if there is any adequate alternative for me as my schedule between 12 hour shifts (1pm - 11pm) and 1 hour commute (leave at 12pm/home by 12am) leaves me with very little time with my family if I try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.

Ive seen things mentioned about alternating Squat 2x5 DL 1x5 and Bench 3x5 Press 2x5 6 days a week. These workouts obviously wouldn't take much time to complete.

1. Is this a viable option? Can meaningful progress be made for a novice this way?

2. If so, how would one introduce the Powerclean?

Thanks a ton to anyone who is able to take the time to answer. I appreciate it!

- Jared

[Satch12879]

My opinion and experience in this matter is diametrically opposed to many others here, and that is, leave your training for a while until your kids are old enough that you can devote the necessary resources to it. Your wife in particular will appreciate you for it. This is not the answer you wanted, but it's likely the correct one.

Watch your eating, try to walk on your breaks/at lunch, and take it up again later. You're 26; you've got time.

If you want to tempt fate and/or your wife is not the getting resentful type, there is also the unofficial four day novice program:

M: SQ/PR
T: DL/BP
R: SQ/PR
F: DL/BP
Chins M and R to start; PC introduced as per usual.

[jaredwassink]

I appreciate the honesty. I think I may be able to do that on my way home from work without cutting into my time too much - I could likely spare half an hour without neglecting my home duties, although time will tell. It’s at least worth taking a run at in my estimation as opposed to quitting cold turkey. Thank you for the advice!

[Sebastian Ohanian]

**Quick disclaimer that I did read a thread that was posted a few years back that was a similar question**

Hello everyone,

I'm a new 26 year old father. I've done NLP in the past but it was long enough ago that its barely worth mentioning other than I understand the layout.

Ive read starting strength and I'm in the process of reading the Practical Programming for Strength Training.

However. I'm wondering if there is any adequate alternative for me as my schedule between 12 hour shifts (1pm - 11pm) and 1 hour commute (leave at 12pm/home by 12am) leaves me with very little time with my family if I try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.

Ive seen things mentioned about alternating Squat 2x5 DL 1x5 and Bench 3x5 Press 2x5 6 days a week. These workouts obviously wouldn't take much time to complete.

1. Is this a viable option? Can meaningful progress be made for a novice this way?

2. If so, how would one introduce the Powerclean?

Thanks a ton to anyone who is able to take the time to answer. I appreciate it!

- Jared

Why don't you workout on your off days or in the mornings? Newborns drink milk, cry when they are hungry or need a diaper, but mostly they sleep. There is time to lift between feedings when they sleep. Consider a home gym.

This is a lifestyle. You need to prioritize lifting and fit it into the schedule. You will enjoy your time with your kid a lot more if you are strong. The carseat is heavy, heavier with a kid that will weigh 20 lbs in a few months.

I missed a few sessions around the time my son was born, with another toddler. You can make it work. Make sure your newborn is on a sleep schedule. I could not have kept it up if my kids woke up in the middle of the night.

[bobman]

Don’t lay-off totally

If you cannot find the time do an entire workout just do your squats and call it good. It’s not optimum but if you keep your squats progressing you will be strong.

If been using this technique for years when job or travel limited my free time.

Any man that can do five reps with 400 plus is going to have his entire body very strong.

Just do a couple sets of 10 with the empty bar then do doubles up to your training weight with no rest between adding weight to the bar, then do your first set of five, rest 7-8 minutes and do a second set of five.

This entire thing can be done in less than 15 minutes.

Keep adding weight over time little by little and you will slowly get stronger.

It’s not optimum but it’s way better than stopping and keeping the routine is important psychologically.

Pick back up to Marks complete workout when your situation changes

Get a rack and barbells in your home

[RMiller1991]

**Quick disclaimer that I did read a thread that was posted a few years back that was a similar question**

Hello everyone,

I'm a new 26 year old father. I've done NLP in the past but it was long enough ago that its barely worth mentioning other than I understand the layout.

Ive read starting strength and I'm in the process of reading the Practical Programming for Strength Training.

However. I'm wondering if there is any adequate alternative for me as my schedule between 12 hour shifts (1pm - 11pm) and 1 hour commute (leave at 12pm/home by 12am) leaves me with very little time with my family if I try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.

Ive seen things mentioned about alternating Squat 2x5 DL 1x5 and Bench 3x5 Press 2x5 6 days a week. These workouts obviously wouldn't take much time to complete.

1. Is this a viable option? Can meaningful progress be made for a novice this way?

2. If so, how would one introduce the Powerclean?

Thanks a ton to anyone who is able to take the time to answer. I appreciate it!

- Jared

First, congratulations on the new addition.

31 yo father of 5 here - the most recent being born in December of 2021.

I am blessed to have a wife who since very early on has taken care of the babies at night as she breast fed exclusively, and most of our babies sleep decently at night, but I have still had to deal with a newborn crying in the wee hours especially in the first few weeks when I try to give my wife a break whenever possible.

That said, ain't nothing to it but to do it. You won't be hitting PRs every session or feeling like superman, but you can still workout at least a couple times a week, hit it hard, and get your nutrition in.

Otherwise it will be twice as hard to go back to it in the future - sleep gets better but your life won't get less busy as your children grow.

[Steven Z]

We had our fourth kiddo this spring. She will be four months in a few days. I train while she sleeps or I stick her in her little infant chair thing and set her in the corner of the garage (far enough away so she doesn't get skwished). Home gym = answer to training parents of young kids.

[Johnsonville]

There are tons of guys who have trained just fine with multiple kids and jobs. It can be annoying listening to these guys here claim you can’t train unless life is perfect. There are programs in ppfst that are pretty short on time. If you aren’t that strong you may become an artificial intermediate, but don’t think you can’t make very good progress just because you’re short on time.

[TommyGun]

Jared,
There are no easy answers for fathers with young families. Each guy’s situation at home is unique.
Some guys have wives that don’t care how often they go lift, other wives get resentful.
If I had to do it all over again, I would not have stressed myself out about being consistent, sometimes that is a fantasy when kids have ear infections, the wife is tired and cranky, and you are not resting enough. A home gym would have helped for some (not all) of that.

Do what you can. Keep your priorities in order. They are not little for long, there will be more structure in the near future which will allow some time for yourself.

[Jp1983]

Get a different job, move closer to work, and/or get a home gym. I've got 5 kids, all under 10 years old. Lifting at home is the only way to do it.