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The Question: Short on time? Most of us, regardless of age, are pressed for time and unable to perform an average length workout. What we need is an effective and efficient workout. What is the best 20-minute weight training workout? Please list rep, sets, etc. Would this type of training work with a longer workout? Why, or why not? What type of training, if any, would you avoid when trying to complete a 20-minute workout? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
2nd place - 50 in store credit. To use your credit, e-mail Justin @ justin.podzimek@bodybuilding.com for more info.
Holidays come and go, with many people traveling to spend time with relatives and loved ones, while others are working longer hours to stave off the effects of a slumping economy. Whatever the reason, free time is at a premium, and that means less time to devote to working out. But does less time have to mean less muscle? Not if you follow this routine.
With limited time, the best workout is one that is simple yet also packs a lot of power into a brief amount of time. For reasons of simplicity, I'm not going to give you a complicated split, but rather one intense workout that can be performed every other day. This routine focuses on compound exercises to maximize muscle growth and fat burning.
 Click Here For A Printable Log Of soundcheck129's 20-Minute Workout.
Also, most of the exercises can be performed with minimal equipment. For those who are training at home, dumbbells can be used for each exercise and the lat pulldown can be replaced with pull-ups.
Of course! Intensity doesn't have to be reserved for those who are short on time. Even though I usually have more than 20 minutes to work out, my routines are similar to the one above. You can simply add another set, perhaps one at the end as an "all-out" set. In addition, between supersets, you can do the desired cardio, rest 30 seconds, and then repeat. Also, you can lengthen the rest time in between sets to make sure you are giving everything you have each time.
While the compound exercises do give you a lot of bang for your buck, they are not so physically demanding that you can't turn this into a longer workout. The exertion is spread throughout the entire body, so you don't have to worry about one or two areas getting hammered for a long period of time if you choose to stretch this routine over a longer duration.
There are several things to avoid when one is short on time. The first would be routines with an abnormally high number of reps and/or sets per exercise. If you're trying to pump out 20 reps or 8 sets of one exercise, there is no way you're going to be able to finish in a reasonable amount of time. And if you can... then you definitely didn't get a solid workout.
Similarly, avoid long rests between sets. While rest is necessary, you don't want to spend half of your workout sitting idly when you're short on time.. Also, try to avoid unnecessary socializing. Yes, there are a lot of hot, sweaty members of the opposite sex in the gym, but a 20-minute workout window is not the time to be attempting to score dates. Stay focused! Along the same lines, don't devote too much time to checking yourself out, either. You can flex later. And please, don't spend 10 minutes trying to pick the next song on your iPod - your finger muscles don't need to feel the burn. Another very important thing to avoid when time is in short supply is reliance on isolation exercises. You'll get much less out of a simple curl than you will from a bent-over row. Don't waste time on individual muscles when you could be targeting the entire group.
Limited time is no excuse for limited gains. Simply work as hard as you can for as long as you can, and you'll be well on the way to a better you. Intensity is key!
Busy for the day? Busy for the week? Need to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible without feeling like you wasted your precious time. Not everybody has an hour a day to spend at the gym. Heck! Most people don't even have 45 minutes a day to spend at the gym. You either have school (for teens and college students) and studying, or you have work, or you have to take care of the kids. Whatever it is that keeps you busy, know that there is a way to get great results without taking up all your time.
The best 20-minute workout is one where you can leave the gym feeling like you've done more than enough for the muscles you are trying to work. And the answer to me is basic. Giant sets. That's right, giant sets are the answer.
Monday - Legs And Calves:
Click Here For A Printable Log Of sweatbloodtears' Legs And Calves Workout.
Click Here For A Printable Log Of sweatbloodtears' Chest And Abs Workout.
Wednesday - Back:
Click Here For A Printable Log Of sweatbloodtears' Back Workout.
Thursday - Shoulders And Abs:
Click Here For A Printable Log Of sweatbloodtears' Shoulders And Abs Workout.
Friday - Arms And Calves:
Click Here For A Printable Log Of sweatbloodtears' Arms And Calves Workout.
There's one very important thing to remember in order to keep this workout under 20 minutes. You'll have to keep the weights at a medium level. High enough to stimulate the muscles to the fullest extent possible, but not so high that the exercises at the end of the giant set are nearly impossible to complete. Secondly, if you are more advanced you might try doing two sets of each giant set instead of just one.
This type of training could work with a longer workout for more experienced lifters. But I wouldn't suggest it for beginners or even intermediate lifters for long workouts or over long periods of time. Maybe for a week or two to shock the muscles, but unless you've been lifting for years, I think it would be a bad idea to stretch out a giant set workout. The reason is simple. For a short workout it's great. It's basically doing the same amount of work in less time, like taking a 60 minute workout and shoving it into a 20 minute time frame.
Now, doing it over longer periods of time would just obliterate your body. It'd be like forcing a 3 hour workout into 60 minutes. You'd be ridiculously sore and unable to go about regular life. Most basic and intermediate lifters don't go lift for 3 hours for that very reason, so don't try to stretch a giant set workout over too long of a period either.
I'd try to avoid any workout that is going to make you rest too long in between sets, or that is obviously too high of volume such as a traditional bodybuilding split like most of the workouts you'll find in different muscle mags. Again, try to avoid any workout that's going to absolutely obliterate you and leave you unable to function. Focus on simply stimulating your muscles to the greatest extent in a short time frame.
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