As many experience, life occasionally gets busy. Like, real busy. Won’t go into excessive detail but I work a fairly intense security job in a rougher part of town. After long hours (sometimes doubles) of verbally and very often physically dealing with lots of resistive people I’m mentally taxed when I get home. Coupled with training martial arts regularly by the time my scheduled weight training sessions come around I’m wiped.
This is my proposed layout (further explanation below):
Deadlift (possibly trap bar/carry frame for more quad involvement)
Snatch high pull (possibly from floor?)
Muscle snatch
Overhead squat/drop snatch/snatch balance
Push press/overhead press
Superset of 1-arm rows and dips
Further notes:
I would run this layout on both days, probably running Day 1 as a RM or ramping day, and Day 2 as reps at fluctuating percentages based on the week. The rows and dips would be constantly lighter with a focus on AMRAP.
I chose these exercises based on 1) my preferences, 2) their impact on performance (being big is nice, but I’d rather be athletic) and 3) the “bridging” effect they have on each other; I don’t do well changing movement patterns within a workout, but these exercises seem to flow into each other due to overlapping patterns (the pull of the deadlift overlaps with the high pull, the arm involvement of the high pull transitions into the muscle snatch, muscle snatch into overhead movements, etc etc)
I would try to add in things like prowler pushing/pulling, push-ups/pull-ups, walking lunges etc on different off days to add in extra work. This would be short, EMOM style work for 10-15 minutes.
I would love to train 4-5 days a week, but right now it’s just not possible nor desired. Any advice or constructive criticism is very welcome.
but maybe you can change exercises over the week and keep the same Rep scheme ! better to do this 4-5 times of 20 mins than only training 2 times a week ( thats what i think )
I think he specifically says not to switch the exercises within the week though, correct? I suppose I could swap exercises after a 3-4 week rotation and periodize things.
I much prefer shorter, more frequent workouts too.
As some of you might know my schedule is crazy busy at the moment. An average day might look like this:
3:30am Wake up
4:00am Feed the baby
4:45am Go to the gym
5:00 - 5:40ish Train
6:00 - Eat
6:30 Walk the dogs
7:15: Feed the baby
7:30ish Answer forum questions/write article
9:00 - 13:00 - Coaching/Teaching coaching staff
13:30 Eat
14:00 - 17:00 Work (can be writing programs, articles, creating seminar,or any other project)
17:30 Eat
18:00 Feed the baby
Then from around 18:30 to 20:00 it is 'me time" in which I either watch a series or read a book
Go to bed at 8
And that is am easy day, when I give a seminar and travel it’s worse.
Anyway, the point is that I can train for 30-40 minutes at the most. At first I did a modified conjuga template 4-5 days a week. Did that for 4 weeks, my workouts lasted 40-45 minutes.
I then switched to a giant set training à la Milos Sarcev… 10-12 exercises for the same muscle as a giant set, very little rest.I can now get a good workout in 20-30 minutes (I only do 1 muscle per workout, which is unusual for me). I train every day and hit one muscle a day (except that the leg workout is quads, hams and calves). My physique is actually improving.
My point is that if you select the proper training style you can get a solid workout in 20-30 minutes which makes it possible to train 5-7 days a week if you want to, Heck, on one day I trained at 2:40am to get the workout in.
My “Best Damn Workout for Natural Trainees” would also fit the bill because they can easily be completed in 20-30 minutes.
Understood. Would you recommend The Best Damn Program or 20-Minute Muscle Builder, then? My goals are strength and performance first, size second (but don’t get me wrong, I enjoy looking good). I also want to keep my conditioning levels up (to assist with martial arts), so would a quick and intense Tabata-style session on the end of a workout suffice?
If I’m reading this right…you only have 2 days to go to the gym right?
Theres a nice 2 full body workout (one volume day, one intensity). Rotate through and hit the main compounds. In between these days try to do some band work and targeted muscle isolation, maybe some calisthenics and sprints.
CTs current style looks great if you can only be in the gym for a short period of time BUT can go daily. In fact, one exercise (muscle group) per day sounds fantastic…some of the best/fastest gaisn come from ust pounding one major compound per training day (intensely, 30 min done) → ala layers!
Well, I have a super ghetto home gym, so in reality I always have time to go to the gym, the issue is mental and physical fatigue. As mentioned, I work security in a very rough part of my city and constantly have to either verbally subdue people or physically restrain them. All. Damn. Day. By the time I get home I’m wiped. Usually I have a couple days that are less intense at work (even crackheads have to take a day off, I guess) so my plan was to hit my 2 strength sessions on those “lighter” work days.
I’m liking the sound of short, 20-30 minutes sessions throughout the week, though. Take my daily frustration out on the weights by going crazy.
The layers system DOES look very appealing, especially since I have extreme difficulty (mentally) changing movement patterns within a workout. Might be difficult with my bare-bones home gym to make it work, though. I’m sure I could with a little finagling.