Here is my PPLx workout that I perform every 4 days. Unfortunately, since recently I have more commitments and I cannot spend more than 1h at a gym.
My rest periods are as follows:
sets of 6-8: 3 min
sets of 9-12 (compounds): 2 min
isos: 1 min
What would you suggest to do in this case?
Pull day
Barbell rows 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
Lat pulldowns 3 x 9-12
Seated rows 3 x 9-12
Barbell curls 3 x 9-12
Hammer curls 3 x 9-12
Leg raises 3 x max
Cable crunches 3 x 12-15
Push day
Bench press 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
Incline DB press 3 x 9-12
Low to high cable fly 3 x 9-12
Shoulder press 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
Side lateral raises 3 x 9-12
Bent over lateral raises 3 x 12-15
Rope pushdown 3 x 9-12
Overhead rope extensions 3 x 9-12
Legs day
Barbell squat 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
Leg press 3 x 9-12
RDL 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
Leg curls 3 x 9-12
Standing calf raises 3 x 15-20
Seated calf raises 3 x 15-20
If you are short on time you need to find a way to get less work done more often or same work done more quickly.
If it’s the latter then you have a couple options as I see it and it may involve going slightly lighter weights at first but you will build back up in time anyways.
Double up lifts into super sets (A1 Row, A2 Bicep Curl…B1 Latpull B2 Hammer Curl). Or even giant sets, but this works better for training different movement patterns in a workout imo (squat, curl, dips) rather than pull#1 then pull#2 and pull#3.
Decide how you want to progress each week: by adding weight, by adding reps within the sets, or by adding sets (3x12 becomes 4x10 and so on). Using an intensity approach (DC style or what have you) is probably one of the fastest ways to get a lot done outside of giant sets.
Adding sets will take the longest, and it looks like you have quite a few in a more traditional style approach (4x12, 3x10, 5x5 etc). Switching to completely different exercises (squat, bench, deadlift) will also take extra time to warm up on each lift. Admittedly with PPL you won’t have this last issue.
Depending on what you choose you can eliminate a ton of time. Rather than doing 4x12; instead ramp up to a working weight and then see how many reps you can get using a double rest pause work set. If you get more than 15-20 total reps add more weight next time. Ideally you will have a target range in mind (8+4+2) and then don’t confine yourself to that range but see what you can actually do. You can get a great workout this way inside of 45 mins.
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Alternate these every other workout.
And these.
And these.
And these.
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I’ll rebel - take out all the arm and calf stuff and make it its own day
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I think that’s the best solution. The program actually looks pretty good and I think moving the arm stuff to its own day is the best way to cut down on time and it also allows for full attention and energy to be given to the arms on their day.
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Nice I like that idea also
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Thanks, but adding the arm day means the frequency I’m hitting each BP will be lower.
It really doesn’t matter to any real extent, at least in my experience. We tend to get caught up on frequency and we’re talking a matter of hours within a process that takes months.
There’s also a question of trade-off: you’re better able to tackle any individual workout to make up for any minor reduction in frequency.
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I like the super-set idea. Pull downs and dips, curls and skull crushers, thighs and hamstrings, those are just a sample. In fact I was thinking last week I had not super-set-ed in quite sometime. I like pull downs and dips. Of course others have different approaches.
Do two splits, upper body day and abdominal/leg day. Another suggestion.
Or, as the audience gasps, my always mentioned favorite, whole body.
I know this, no matter how much I try to limit responsibilities, somehow I can leave one behind and another takes its place. Sometimes two things.
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OP by rearranging your pull day for instance…
Pull day
A1: Seated rows 3 x 9-12
A2: Barbell curls 3 x 9-12
B1: Barbell rows 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
B2: Leg raises 3 x max
C1: Lat pulldowns 3 x 9-12
C2: Hammer curls 3 x 9-12
C3: Cable crunches 3 x 12-15
Seated rows serve also as a warmup for barbell rows if you are going to do both in the same workout. Maybe you need one or two quick bb row warmup sets afterwards depending on how much heavier you do on these or to get in your groove.
Still a lot of sets in the workout (time consuming with the rest you mentioned in original post), but you can see how by super setting and giant setting you can get more done in less time (much less idle rest time).
You take that same workout and change it to 1-2 all out work sets DRP or just “heavy”and you can probably even add another exercise to the mix (assisted pull-ups as a warmup) and still be done inside of an hour.
Push day
A1: Bench press 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
A2: Side lateral raises 3 x 9-12
B1: Incline DB press 3 x 9-12
B2: Bent over lateral raises 3 x 12-15
C1: Shoulder press 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
C2: Rope pushdown 3 x 9-12
D1: Low to high cable fly 3 x 9-12
D2: Overhead rope extensions 3 x 9-12
Legs day
A: Barbell squat 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
B: RDL 4 x 6-8 (+ warmup)
C1: Leg press 3 x 9-12
C2: calf raises on leg press 3 x 15-20
D1: Leg curls 3 x 9-12
D2: Standing calf raises 3 x 15-20
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How long have you been training, and what are you trying to achieve with lifting now? How long will your gym time be limited?
If you’re old, or already big, or this limited time thing is temporary it might be best to drop 1 set off of all your lifts.
If you’re younger, and you’re not super experienced, and you’re not a Hugely muscled dude you could Easily shorten those rest times.
If your primary goal is building muscle you could switch biceps to Leg day, triceps to Pull day and calves to Push day. Then do those little accessory lifts during the rest periods of your primary lifts.
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Frequency May be a bit lower, but intensity will likely be higher. Your frequency is taking a very slight reduction and adds recovery time, so you may even gain better. Just give it a shot. Frequency isn’t the be-all, end-all.
Yeah, I’d also recommend push (without triceps)/pull (without biceps) / Legs / Arms… that’s what I use when I do bodybuilding training
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Thanks. If I was going to split this into 4 days, wouldn’t it make more sense to rather have
chest/triceps
back/biceps
shoulders/abs
legs
so that I’m fresh for shoulder press?
With the same logic, I’d put abs with legs (doing squats and/or deadlift with a tired core would be similar to doing military presses with tired triceps). You could add traps and to the shoulder day.
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