How long is too long at the gym?

[abpanther]

Hey all,

I'm currently going to the gym 3 days a week solely to do weights and strength training. I'm am doing the 5x5 Stronglifts program and have added additional exercises after the 3 compound lifts per day in this program. I’m doing 8 exercises per workout.

As a result, I am spending about 2 hours per workout in the gym. I don't loaf around, I go hard and by the end my shirt is drenched in sweat and all my reps are quality. I tend to waste most time at the start with exercises such as squats, where I give myself a couple of minutes rest in between as my weight is getting heavier.

I enjoy my workouts and don't have a problem being there for 2 hours, however people that I have spoken to tell me that it's too long, that workouts should be no more than 1 hour.

I'm happy with my routine at the moment, I feel like I’m hitting all the areas I want and all the exercises I want to do, plus I feel that I’m getting a good component of cardio done in my workouts as I’m there for 2 hours.

Just wanted to get thoughts, how long do you guys train for and is 2 hours too much?

 

[Thomas]

I can only spend 45 minutes a day due to work. I make sure those 45 minutes are f**king brutal.

 

[dogslife]

An hour is good for me, there are days where I feel like I could go on forever, but any longer than an hour is overtraining imo. If you want any info, look up the effects of cortisol and overtraining on the body

 

[_snafu_]

About 45 mins for me. I also have limited time.

I don't muck around between sets.

 

[Joker's Wild]

30-45min for me, as hard as possible

Studies have shown that not only will you not gain much by working out for longer than an hour but you actually go backwards in some cases. For instance if you do cardio for longer than an hour your levels of cortisol (a stress hormone that breaks down muscle) goes through the roof.

 

[abpanther]

An hour is good for me, there are days where I feel like I could go on forever, but any longer than an hour is overtraining imo. If you want any info, look up the effects of cortisol and overtraining on the body

So in an hour how man exercises and sets are you doing and how many days a week?

I just don't see how you can hit every body part successfully per week with 3 x 1 hour sessions

 

[abpanther]

So for all of you, how many exercises/sets are you doing in that time and how many days per week

 

[Rhino_NQ]

try not to go longer then 1hr. If its a proper workout i shouldn't be able to either

 

[abpanther]

This is what I’m doing at the moment

WEEK 1

Day 1 (5x5 + Chest/Triceps)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Overhead Press (8 sets with warmups)
Deadlift (4 sets with warmups)
Incline Dumbells (4 sets)
Flyweights (4 sets)
Dips (4 sets)
Tricep Pulldowns (4 sets)
Lying Tricep Extensions (4 sets)

Day 2 (5x5 + Back/Biceps)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Flat Bench Press (8 sets with warmups)
Barbell Rows (4 sets with warmups)
Pull Ups (4 sets)
Chin Ups (4 sets)
Seated Row (4 sets)
Barbell Curls (4 sets)
Concentration Curls (4 sets)

Day 3 (5x5 + Legs/Shoulders)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Overhead Press (8 sets with warmups)
Deadlift (4 sets with warmups)
Lunges (4 sets)
Calf Presses (4 sets)
Machine Leg Curls (4 sets)
Military Press (4 sets)
Upright Rows (4 sets)
Side Dumbell Raises (3 sets)
Rear Dumbell Raises (3 sets)

WEEK 2

Day 1 (5x5 + Chest/Triceps)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Flat Bench Press (8 sets with warmups)
Barbell Rows (4 sets with warmups)
Incline Dumbells (4 sets)
Cable Crossovers (4 sets)
Dips (4 sets)
Tricep Pulldowns (4 sets)
Dumbell Extensions (4 sets)

Day 2 (5x5 + Back/Biceps)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Overhead Press (8 sets with warmups)
Deadlift (4 sets with warmups)
Pull Ups (4 sets)
Chin Ups (4 sets)
Dumbell Rows (4 sets)
Barbell Curls (4 sets)
Incline Dumbell Curls (4 sets)

Day 3 (5x5 + Legs/Shoulders)
Squats (8 sets with warmups)
Flat Bench Press (8 sets with warmups)
Barbell Rows (4 sets with warmups)
Lunges (4 sets)
Calf Presses (4 sets)
Machine Leg Curls (4 sets)
Military Press (4 sets)
Upright Rows (4 sets)
Side Dumbell Raises (3 sets)
Rear Dumbell Raises (3 sets)

Then repeat.

Am I doing too much or am I resting too much and I should be able to get through this faster?


Any input would be appreciated

 

[abpanther]

try not to go longer then 1hr. If its a proper workout i shouldn't be able to either

How many days per week?

 

[Rhino_NQ]

5 days a week. Mon, Wed, Fri are more weights but still done at high intensity and tues and thurs are high interval type cardio with alot of explosive stuff using weights and cardio machines

 

[dogslife]

I don't know enough about the 5x5 program to comment really. But for me it's usually 4 days a week, around the 18 set mark per workout. But I try to stay in the 8-12 rep range so our workouts are different. You're doing close to 40 sets a workout, to me that is way too high.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Id say you are doing way too many sets on the Squats and Bench abpanther. 5x5 will yeild the best results if your looking for strength gains

Id cut out most of the isos too and stick to compound moves like Deadlifts, Squats, Military Press, Power Cleans, etc

 

[abpanther]

Id say you are doing way too many sets on the Squats and Bench abpanther. 5x5 will yeild the best results if your looking for strength gains

Id cut out most of the isos too and stick to compound moves like Deadlifts, Squats, Military Press, Power Cleans, etc

But the 5x5 program says to do 3 warm up sets before you start you 5 sets?

Maybe I need to tweak this a tad

 

[dogslife]

Don't count your warm up sets as part of your workout. My hour starts after I've finished my warm up sets

 

[Thomas]

So for all of you, how many exercises/sets are you doing in that time and how many days per week

The 5x5 workout also tells you to only work out for an hour. As the guys have said, any longer is probably not going to assist you. I am also doing the 5x5 workout and it generally only focuses on the large compound exercises. I see you're doing a lot of isolation exercises (like barbell curls and tricep extensions) which the 5x5 workout doesn't recommend. Perhaps you should just do the large compounds and then do some isolation ones if you have time.

I do a similar workout to you (3 days a week). If I did any more at the intensity I am doing, I'd probably injure myself. Are you making solid gains?

 

[Joker's Wild]

Meh, 3 warm ups is excessive imo

I currently do back to back sets of exercises for 55 reps across 4 sets. Eg:

Pushups 20 reps then Squats 20 reps
Rest
15 reps of each
Rest
10 reps of each
Rest
10 reps of each

Move on to the next pair of exercises for a total of 3 pairs

30-40min and Im done

 

[SpaceMonkey]

But the 5x5 program says to do 3 warm up sets before you start you 5 sets?

Maybe I need to tweak this a tad

Nah I reckon you're about right. 5x5 is a strength programme where you're meant to lift heavy so you need the warmups. How many reps are you doing on your warmup squat sets? If I'm doing say 145 for my work sets I'd typically do a couple of sets of 5 with an empty bar, then 5x60, 4x100, 3x120, 2x135,as my warmups, with only brief pauses between them before doing my work sets. Thats doesn't really expend a lot of energy and it warms you up safely for your work sets.
Squats take ages when you're strength training, if I'm lifting heavy I'll take 3-5 minute breaks between work sets so you do end up in the gym for a while. Luckily my gym has 3 power racks.

 

[abpanther]

The 5x5 workout also tells you to only work out for an hour. As the guys have said, any longer is probably not going to assist you. I am also doing the 5x5 workout and it generally only focuses on the large compound exercises. I see you're doing a lot of isolation exercises (like barbell curls and tricep extensions) which the 5x5 workout doesn't recommend. Perhaps you should just do the large compounds and then do some isolation ones if you have time.

I do a similar workout to you (3 days a week). If I did any more at the intensity I am doing, I'd probably injure myself. Are you making solid gains?

I remember it saying that if you want to do isolation exercises afterwards it is ok but not essential?

I can probably drop off some isolation stuff, I just feel like there's some compound exercises (e.g. dips, pull ups, etc) that I should be doing.

I am making gains, I've pretty much been going up in everything since I started it 2 months ago, the only one I've failed at a couple of times is overhead press but from what I have read it is normal for that to be the first to fail

 

[abpanther]

Nah I reckon you're about right. 5x5 is a strength programme where you're meant to lift heavy so you need the warmups. How many reps are you doing on your warmup squat sets? If I'm doing say 145 for my work sets I'd typically do a couple of sets of 5 with an empty bar, then 5x60, 4x100, 3x120, 2x135,as my warmups, with only brief pauses between them before doing my work sets. Thats doesn't really expend a lot of energy and it warms you up safely for your work sets.
Squats take ages when you're strength training, if I'm lifting heavy I'll take 3-5 minute breaks between work sets so you do end up in the gym for a while. Luckily my gym has 3 power racks.

When you say I'm about right are you referring to the time spent in the gym or the 5x5 set up?

For warm up sets I generally do 1 set of 5 reps at 33% of the work set weight and 2 sets at 66% of the work set weight. I don't have a break in between other than to change the plates and do a quick stretch of my hamstring, quads and lower back.

So how long are you generally at the gym dude?