Workout Routine for Time Challenged

Training Bodybuilding
1

Ok, I am now serious about working out, and would like any feedback/suggestions about a possible routine.

About me:
I’m a 42 year old hardgainer - poor genes have resulted in small shoulders, and thin arms and legs. In addition, I need to lose 2" of fat in the belly (my ideal is 2" less in belly, 2" more on shoulders, arms and legs).

Here’s my problem with my routine:
Right now, and probably for the next 6 months, I am really short on available gym time. Like 30-40 minutes max twice a week, and maybe another 20-25 minutes twice a week which I plan to use for cardio and ab work. Knowing my time constraints, I’m thinking of doing a full-body workout twice a week: hitting standard compound movements for workout “A” (squat, benchpress, dips, and rows), and using secondary movements for workout “B” (deadlift, shoulder press, shrugs, lat pulldowns, and curls). And, like I said the other days would be jogging and ab work.

Any suggestions for a hardgainer short on time?

2

Take a look at Charles Staley’s EDT. The foundation is a 15 minute PR zone comprised of two antagonistic movements. (ex: bench press/row). Some nights I pair up two PR’s back to back - bench press/row then dip/chin. I’m in and out of the gym in a little over a half hour.

Use the search function. he’s written plenty on T-Nation. Also:

http://staleytraining.com/

3

Suggestions:

Try EDT as mentioned above

Try HIT training as single set workouts lead to short workouts designed to be intense

Try Crossfit - won’t get you big but can help you lose weight and the workouts are short.

Good luck

4

You could also do a 2xper week fullbody routine. The 20 rep squat routine might work, but you could skip doing 20 reps and just do 2x10 or 3x10 or 5x4 or whatever. Just stick to basic movements. This is just one of many examples

Mon: Squat 3x10
Dips 3x10
cable rows3x10
lateral raises 3x10
Highpulls 3x10

Thurs: deads 4x8
pullups/pulldowns 4x8
incline dumbbell press 4x8
barbell or dumbell press 4x8

Each workout change the sets and reps. Some workouts do higher reps and less sets others do lower reps and more sets.

5

I ran into the same problem - couldn’t get to the gym - so I got a barbell set off of craigslist.com at the time and did this:

Clean and strict Press
bent over rows
Pull ups (there’s always something nearby to hang from)
Deadlifts
1 arm pushups
1 legged squats

Sometimes my day was so broken up that I could only do 1 or 2 of the exercises, but just keeping at it over the week I hit everything and all my lifts went up. A couple exercises can even be done at work. I remember curling an office chair once…

6

Oh - and eat a bunch of really good food. Stay away from anything that comes in a box - as TC says.

7

Go to this site:

Click on the page for “The Book”. Download it.

In this book you will find a section called “Training For the Busy Guy”. It’s written for guys in your situation.

Another good workout plan is written by Christian Thibadeau on this site. Look up his “Part Time Lifting” article in the authors section or use the search engine.

Good luck with finding something that you can fit in to your schedule.

Ben

8

Thanks much, guys. I really appreciate the feedback, I’ll review each of those suggestions to see what works best for me.

This website is really great.