Lunchtime Workout

Diceicle

Hello Boardsies,

Thanks for reading.
I'll try to be brief - but I would like some help / opinion in designing the optimum lunch-time workout.
My wife and I had a baby in the last year, so life has changed and with it the number of hours a week I can dedicate to the gym.
In the before baby times, I used to go after work a couple of times a week and them Saturday and or Sunday - made some gains but not much as I would have as my diet was not as strict as it should have been (I am tracking my macros more now - still room for improvement though).

Recently a gym has opened near work which enables me to get a couple of workouts in during the working week.
Realistically I have 40 mins (max) of floor time.

Is there a plan you are aware of to suit my situation?

Right now I'm doing some squats, deadlifts, dumbbell work. Cardio pretty much consists of Kettlebell swings.

Suggestions as to an optimum routine?

Mellor

My gym time is almost exclusively at lunch. I do one day a week of long steady cardio, 1 session bodyweight training, and 2 of weights.
My weights sessions are;

Squats
Press
Pull-ups

Bench
Deadlift
Rows

I also do some specific stuff at the end of each like fat bar holds, plate pinches, wrist curls. You could add in some bicep curls and kettle swings if you had time. If you only get the three main lifts done that is still plenty if you are working hard.

Diceicle

Thanks Mellor,

Do you do any particular rep ranges? I tend to stick with a 5x5 ranges for the likes of squat and DL - somewhat out of ego....though I am varying that of late.

Just back from a session now where for whatever reason time got away from me - only managed Squats (after some warm-up sets) 3 x 10 and some Kettlebell swings 3 x 15. Felt I got a good sweat up. Could feel the heart going, despite the lack of variation in todays session.

GiftofGab

I always do lunch time workouts. Just bring a Casio stopwatch and time your rest between sets from 1min-3 mins.

Stronglifts or Wendler 531 are great programs that you can do within 45mins.

Mellor

Diceicle wrote: »

Thanks Mellor,

Do you do any particular rep ranges? I tend to stick with a 5x5 ranges for the likes of squat and DL - somewhat out of ego....though I am varying that of late.

I'd usually worth with 5 rep sets.

For the last while I've been doing 8 reps. But now coming down - 7 this week, 6 next week, then a few weeks at 5s

guile4582

Mellor wrote: »

My gym time is almost exclusively at lunch. I do one day a week of long steady cardio, 1 session bodyweight training, and 2 of weights.
My weights sessions are;

Squats
Press
Pull-ups

Bench
Deadlift
Rows

I also do some specific stuff at the end of each like fat bar holds, plate pinches, wrist curls. You could add in some bicep curls and kettle swings if you had time. If you only get the three main lifts done that is still plenty if you are working hard.

would this be a typical powerlifter regime? is there any point in isolation exercises?

how many sets ?

**i am seeking at some point to do a powerlifting comp and the workshop COH will put on will probably answer a lot of my questions but I currently do a 5 circuit (3 exercises in each circuit - all the compounds covered) workout (3 sessions a week takes about an hour). just wondering should i refine it if powerlifting is my goal.

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

is there any point in isolation exercises

Yes there is. They make muscles stronger so you pick isolation exercises that will contribute to a compound, e.g. hamstring curls will help strengthen hamstrings which will contribute to your deadlift.

If you have limited time, get the main movements done properly, which may squeeze your time for accessories...but there is a point to isolation exercises.

Mellor's isolation stuff probably wouldn't be typical of a powerlifter but powerlifting isn't the primary focus of his training.

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

i am seeking at some point to do a powerlifting comp and the workshop COH will put on will probably answer a lot of my questions but I currently do a 5 circuit (3 exercises in each circuit - all the compounds covered) workout (3 sessions a week takes about an hour). just wondering should i refine it if powerlifting is my goal.

It depends what the circuits involve.

If you put up what you do, it might help indicate where refinement for powerlifting would be warranted.

guile4582

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Yes there is. They make muscles stronger so you pick isolation exercises that will contribute to a compound, e.g. hamstring curls will help strengthen hamstrings which will contribute to your deadlift.

If you have limited time, get the main movements done properly, which may squeeze your time for accessories...but there is a point to isolation exercises.

Mellor's isolation stuff probably wouldn't be typical of a powerlifter but powerlifting isn't the primary focus of his training.

thanks. i am a mixed bag myself. probably need to focus on one sport at some stage

i play 5 aside, cycle a lot and do kettlebells and do all the heavy lifts. I reckon each of those is effecting the others - not neccessarily in a negative way always but 5 a side for example - trying to do short bursts at 90kgs is becoming more difficult in my mid 30s!

guile4582

3 sets of circuit (exercise 1, 2,3 - rest between complete set 30 secs)

(i warm up with a medicine ball and some wide grip chins (3 sets of 8)

Circuit 1
Dumbell Squat to Overhead Press (16kg) - 8 reps
Push Ups - 10 reps
Cable Chop (36kg) - 8 Reps

Circuit 2
Deadlift (130kg) - 8 reps - *warm up 20kg, 50kg, 90kg about 5 reps each
Bench (45kg) - 8 reps - (disgraceful low kg i know!)
Wide Grip Pull down (8 plates) - 8 reps (heavy enough to maintain perfect form)

Circuit 3
Deep Barbell Squats (70kg) - 8 reps (glutes almost touching calves)
Standing Dumbell Rows (35kg) - 8 reps
Squat Stance One Arm Cable Pull (45kg) - 8 reps

Circuit 4
Seated Smith Machine Barbell Shoulder press (40kg) - 8 reps
Dips - 8 reps
DB Hammer Curls (16kg) - 6 reps

Circuit 5
Plate (front) raise to shoulder level (20kg plate) - 8 reps
Two handed tricep cable pulldown (50kg) - 6 reps
Seated Concentration Curl (12kg) 6 reps (very slow on the negative - perfect form)

Alf Veedersane

So you do 3 rounds of circuit 1, then on to do the same of circuit 2 etc?

How many times a week do you do that?

guile4582

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

So you do 3 rounds of circuit 1, then on to do the same of circuit 2 etc?

How many times a week do you do that?

correct.

3 times a week - mon, weds and friday

Alf Veedersane

guile4582 wrote: »

correct.

3 times a week - mon, weds and friday

If you want to focus on powerlifting, you're better off splitting the training up. So Monday might be your day focussed on squats, Wednesday omn bench and Friday on deadlift.

You wouldn't be doing 3 sets of 15 exercises per day.

Start with the main compound. If you're doing 9 sets before you do your deadlift, then you're not prioritising your deadlift and you're shortchanging yourself. Of course that's fine at times but you're better off concentrating your efforts on the main event and if something gets cut for time, it's less important in a powerlifting sense.

There are plenty of ways to go about it but what has worked for me has been having the second exercise being a compound movement that goes with the main event. So after squats, I might do front squats. Or lunges. After deadlifts, I usually do RDLs. After bench i might do close grip0 bench or incline bench. Basically a variation of the main lift.

The other exercises across the 3 days need to being something to the party - there should be a specific reason you're doing them. RDLs complement deadlifts because they work the glutes and hamstrings. What else would strengthen your deadlift? Rows.

If you do close grip bench after your benching, you're after working triceps harder. What else would help? Shoulders. So could be incline bench or overhead pressing etc.

The long and the short of it is that after the squat bench and deadlift, you're picking movements that strengthen elements of your squat bench and deadlift.

guile4582

sorry OP i may of hijacked your thread!! Alf i might send you a pm if thats ok in a bit

lots of food for thought

Diceicle

No problem - by all means continue - its all good info.

Mellor

guile4582 wrote: »

would this be a typical powerlifter regime? is there any point in isolation exercises?

how many sets ?

**i am seeking at some point to do a powerlifting comp and the workshop COH will put on will probably answer a lot of my questions but I currently do a 5 circuit (3 exercises in each circuit - all the compounds covered) workout (3 sessions a week takes about an hour). just wondering should i refine it if powerlifting is my goal.

Alf pretty much nailed the responses I'd have given.
Isolation is useful but my isolation is not necessarily powerlifting relevant. For example, at the moment I'm doing a lot of grip training at the end of my main lifts. Also doing some weight stretching, which is isolation strength training in a way.

If you want to focus on power lifting do a powerlifting routine. The circuits will generally general strength and conditioning, but to focus on strength do a strength routine.
IceCream Fitness 5x5 has a good mix of compound and isolation. 3 days a week