Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

I know alot of you go to the Gym but what is a reasonable amount of time to spend in there in each session.

I go twice a week on monday and thursday with a partner and when I started I used to go for 1.5 - 2 hours now I have a new partner and he is a tad on the large side and is needing to lose weight so we are now doing 3 hours + per session. Is this to much or is it ok?

3 hours does not seem alot in the scheme of things when you are actually working out but ontop of my 2x3 hour gym sessions on monday and thursday, I play rugby for 2 hours on wednesday and friday, and I think things are starting to catch up with me and I am not suprisingly getting tired and achy.

I also do not feel I am benefitting from my 3 hours sessions in the gym due to being tired. My mate is also wanting to go 3 times a week and he also does not think 3 hours is enough he is wanting to extend it.

So back to my original question am I spending to much time in the gym and if so what would you regular gym goers say is a reasonable time to spend in the gym at one go, and how much rest should you take between sessions.

Cheers
Steve

Bubba po

I do 55 minutes twice a week in the weights room, an all-over session, not concentrating on particular muscle groups. I run 2-3 miles at least twice a week, too.

DavidBrown

There have to be more important things in life than spending so much time in the gym.

3x 1hr per week tops.

ozzy

I do 45-60mins for weight or circuit sessions (3 times per week). My main sport is running, so I do a 30-45min sprint session plus my usual 1-2hr runs about 3-4 times per week.

It's not the quantity that's important, it's the quality. The most important part of any training routine is rest. That's when you recover and grow stronger.

If you're not tired after a session, then I'd say you aren't trying hard enough or the intensity is too low. What the heck do you do in 3hrs?

Stefan

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Rather than being stuck in a gym, my weekly exercise involve manual labour. Gardening, decoration, DIY at home and abroad, walking (to the pub ). And the various non-ending maintanence works on the massive collection of cars and bikes thats in the family.

The sauna is usually swapped for bouts on the kart track or sweating it out in bike leathers.

Just as well I suppose, because I don't have much time to go the gym

Having said all that, I am due to buy my mates multi-gym once I've decorated the fornt room

lightning101

3 hours in the gym - you psycho


Like ozzy says, what the hell can you do for 3 hours, you must be fitter than paula radcliffe.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

what are you doing in those 3 hours?!!!!

SPEN555

Your not one of these that pace up and down the gym between sets admiring yourself in the mirror are you? If so, stop it and your workout will only last 15 minutes.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Ok here is a rough breakdown of our session

Start with 10 minutes on an exercise bike then move onto a machine that does stomach crunches, set weight to 70kg and do 3 sets of 20 crunches.

whilst me and my mate rotate on this machine we also do something that stretches the calf muscles by flexing your toes and knees, weight set to 100kg and do 3 sets.

then onto butterfly another 3 sets

Lat pull downs 3 sets

some other machine can't remember what it is called but you think it is another type of lat machine.

move on to seated row, and onto a onother one where you push up and then down to shoulder level. abit like rotary deltoids but without the rotary bit.

move onto leg curls again 3 sets.

leg abductions 3 sets.

bench press 4 sets 40, 50 and 60kg

then (creature) curls with a small barbel 4 sets 30, 40kg

onto leg press 3 sets 100 + kg

tricep thing 3 sets using a rope to pull on 40, 50, 60kg

then lats again using 2 hands holding a bar pulling to chest whilst lying virtually back 3 sets 40, 50, 60kg

then I do 3 bsets on a bench press machine so that I can do it with only one arm as my left arm is weaker than my right so I need to try and even up so that normal bench press is easier. this is normally 3 sets at 40, 45kg

finish off with between 10-20mins on an excercise bike.

a set is normally 15 reps but have been nkow to vary this from 10 - 20 depending on how I am feeling at the time.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

LOL no mate but there are a fair few of them down there

lightning101

Have you managed to break sweat using those ladies weights yet.


Bench pressing 40KG - why bother ?

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately not all of us were blessed with bodies that Arnie would be proud off and not all of us are giants some of us are small and skinny so we need to start small and work up to it.

40kg is just a warm up because I was told to do a lighter set first to get the blood flowing. I can only go by what I am told whether it is true or not.

Bubba po

Have a heart, Lightning! Not everyone is huge.

lightning101

Just kidding. To be honest all you are doing is getting fit, so don't expect to look in the mirror when you get home and see the results of your hard work.


Some aerobic work is fine, but with anaerobic workouts, slow and heavy with perfect form is the order of the day.

3 hours eating would be better Also why not concentrate on certain muscle groups on different days so you give the ripped ones time to rebuild, you won't get so bored either.

A&E

what's a gym?

lightning101

Its where men that 'aren't getting it' go to release testosterone and be manly

Bubba po

I'm worried what this muscle development does to the brains of blokes, actually. I took Frank to the baths on Sunday and this chap was there in the training pool with his two kids. He was quite well-developed, particularly in the pectoral area, but he kept striding around thigh-deep in the pool, looking down at himself and checking himself out all the time. It was a totally embarrassing narcissistic display. Foofing ridiculous.

A&E

but you said you got plen.....

Abdabz

A few months ago I binned my gym off and now cycle 50miles (on and off road) per week and run 2x2 miles a week and feel richer and fitter for it...
Have cycled for some time anyway and am not bothered by dark winters nights etc and am lucky to live so close to miles of green belt...
Personally I think 3 hours per visit in the gym is too too much, unless you're spending 120mins in the Jacuzzi eyeing up the ladies, or you work there .

afroking

Wurzel wurzel wurzel, old flower, three hours is doing you no good at all!!!

In fact, its more than likely going to be destroying your muscle mass rather than toning/building etc.

Let me expand:

Lets say to start your gym visit youll do a ten minute warm up followed by stretching (pretty much essential!!!).
When you start lifting heavy weights your muscles have a ~40minute "anabolic window" of optimum delivery to your muscles, after this 40mins your muscles will start enter the "catabolic phase" - not good. After this 40mins, your body will be looking for energy to feed the muscles and if it cant get it then your muscles will suffer.

As for your overweight friend, its a good idea for him to lift weights as tho he's trying to get massive. The reason for this is that the bigger your muscles are, the higher your metabolic rate is, therefore the more calories you will burn!!

Also - advise him to throw away the theory that eating less calories than you burn will lose weight, it wont! PM me if ya wanna know more!

But basically, this is how I structure my workouts:

Enter the gym, 10mins warm up on Xtrainer.
5 mins stretching arms, legs, back, chest etc.
One hour max lifting weights (this includes the warm up sets I do before heavy lifting, imperative to getting the most from BB'ing).
I should do some stretching at the end, but never do.

Leave gym!

Im currently slotting in 3x20/30 minute cardio sessions at the end of my workouts, but i never really like spending more than 1.5hrs in gym!

Hope this helps!

Adam

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Adam that is exactly what I wanted to know thanks alot.

I will formulate a PM and send you one.

Cheers

Steve

ozzy

Wurzel,

What are you trying to achieve? tailor any routine around your goals. 3hrs to do what you've listed is wasting your time.

Here's my routine:-

10min Warm-up (jogging, press-ups, sit-ups, burpees)
Bench Press
Lat Pulldowns
Leg Curls
Weighted Stomach Crunches
Barbell Bicep Curls
Seated Pulley Rows
Squats
Shoulder Press
Leg Extensions
Tricep Pushdowns
5min Cool-down and Stretches

That takes me an average of 60mins.

I lift as heavy as I can and keep the reps low. I do the routine around lunchtime and leave my running to later in the evening or leave it completely if I'm feeling tired.

The amount you lift isn't important to the rest of us, but you need to lift weights that will help achieve your own objectives. e.g. if you want to add bulk, forget such high reps. Stick to low ones (5-6 range) but lift heavier (for you).

40Kg might be nothing for Lightning101, but if it's working you hard enough then thats the important bit. You can always work up or add a few kg's for down the pub

Stefan

afroking

Im not a big fan of full body workouts at all.

You get much better results no matter what your goals are by splitting your workouts into specific groups, i.e. my fave grouping is push/pull.

One session is Back and Biceps - the pulling muscles (my biceps are certain a pulling muscle, )
Another is Chest and Triceps - the pushing muscles.

And then do the rest in different sessions sticking the abs at the end of your sessions. Doing the abs at the end ensures you're saving your energy for your main body parts.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Stefan

It seems that you are doing the same as me.

Ok I am currently 6ft - 6ft 1 and I weigh in between 79 - 81 kg depending. 81.6kg being the heaviest I have ever been.

What I want is to define my uper body more, as I said I also play rugby and the 7 months I have been going to the gym I have noticed a big change in my appearence however over the last 2 months since changing partner and extending my sessions I have not noticed any improvement, infact I am losing weight now, I can bench press and arm curl more and also butterfly more but seem to have stopped growing.

I think I as we seem to be doing the same excercises I will take your advice along with that of Adam from page 1 and increase the weight and shorten the session and see what happens.

Cheers
Steve

Tiggs

never been in a gym for more than an 1hr!

i do chest monday, legs tuesday, back friday

high intensity cardio monday/friday, low intensity cardio thursday/saturday.

never train biceps/triceps (pointless)

never spend more than 30 mins on weights (maybe 45 on legs day)

longest day in the gym is low intensity cardio day which is 45 mins.

T

(lots of cardio for fat loss at the moment - only change i would make is reduceing cardio when fat % is better - currently droping overall weight while increasing lean weight at the same time...which means my diet/training is spot on)

afroking

Tiggs - whats your diet like?

afroking

I would honestly recommend a training split tho!

Only time id think about doing full body was with plenty of cardio after a break such as coming back from holiday, after Xmas etc...

I always remember the following three as the major foundations of getting bigger:

1. Variety

Shock your muscles into getting bigger. Your muscles will get used to doing the same old thing and will stop responding half as well after a certain period so mix up your workouts and exercises!

2. Diet

Eating little and often is key here as you are constantly keeping your body fuelled for whatever you will throw at it. Your muscles will appreciate getting the important macronutrients of Protein, Carbs and Fat before during and after exercise too.

3. Rest

Contrary to what people commonly think, you actually get no bigger in the gym. Your muscles repair and grow in the time the spent resting. Dont let them rest enough - and you get muscle breakdown. Daft as it may sound, but sleep is really important, starve your body of enough sleep and less and less growth hormones (GH) will be released to your muscles. 7-9 hours with give you the best rate of GH release.

Again, any questions drop me a PM.

If anyone has anything to correct me on, or is confused about anything, then just holla.

Adam.

Tiggs

for a while now i have logged everything (easy once in the habit)

i eat 75% of the recommeded cals for my lean bodyweight and activity level. On every 5th day i eat 110%.

I load my carbs early on in the day and have low carbs at tea and none after that.

carb/prot/fat is about 45/35/20 (ish) - get most of my protein from food but will fall back on a shake if needed.

my weight (last 15 wks as an example) dropped 10% in fat, avarge loss of 2lb a week total weight but slightly higher fat loss as my lean weight has increased by about 10lb.

did before/after pics every week - quite freaky to see the change! (no they are not getting posted

i follwed burn the fat feed the muscle by tom venuto.....nothing stunning but all good sensible stuff in one book - i learnt little new but was able to get what i did know to work better by follwoing it.

T

afroking

Great stuff, im trying a 60/30/10 split at the minute and zig zagging my weekly foods, so having 5 days at, for example, 100% daily cals, and 2 and 120%.
Using an example, the 100% days would drop your BF by 3% and the 120% would put it up by 1% (thats an example, actual % will be closer to 0.3% not 3%!!) This keeps the body wondering whats happenin, and as per last post, shocks it into achieving your goals...

afroking

Also, Id be interested to see your progress pics!! (not gay or owt!)