WSBB Blog: Maximum Results in Minimal Time

WSBB Blog: Maximum Results in Minimal Time

Tags: Mini Workouts, Conjugate Method, Organization

Time to Read: 3min 

A common issue that many powerlifters, athletes, or general gym goers have is a lack of time to train. The average person has to work an eight to twelve hour day, take care of their family, take care of their home, and often these folks can end up giving up on training when energy levels begin to run low and strength returns on time invested are dwindling. Thankfully, there is a solution that can allow practically anybody with an hour to spare in their day the chance to make rapid gains in strength.

Less Can Be More

When it comes to barbell training, certain exercises are of high value and provide great return on investment when dealing with a limited timeframe. When taking into account the training effect of the different powerlifting exercises, it is rather easy to realize which sort of exercises have the potential to have massive impacts on your strength and structure, while single joint exercises like dumbbell curls can serve as time wasters for the lifter with a limited training window. For instance, a lifter could lift five sets of five on the bench, do bent over rows for four sets of eight to ten, followed up with pullups for as many sets and reps as possible, and have a better arm training day than they would’ve if they were to run through the gamut of single joint arm exercises.

Using those examples to understand the idea, it becomes easy to begin identifying upper and lower exercises that may largely target one or two muscle groups, but have a positive training effect on additional muscle groups as well.

Skip the Cardio, Pick Up The Pace

One of the biggest wastes of time the already time constrained lifter can do is include cardio or GPP specific work into their training. This is not to say at all that cardio and GPP are not necessary, they are, but when dealing with a limited schedule you have to cut the fat when necessary, and kill two birds with one stone when you can. By just picking up the pace and taking shorter breaks between sets, especially on dynamic effort days, you can make massive improvements to your cardiovascular health and your overall GPP level.

Do What You Can When You Can

When training with a reduced amount of volume due to time constraints, sometimes you might have to train an extra day or two per week to make sure you can get all of your work in. This is not an issue, considering the fact that a limited training schedule does not impact recovery the same way that a typical Westside Barbell four day per week template would. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to train six days per week, choosing two exercises per day, one exercise for the main exercises of the day followed by a high value accessory exercise, or a lower intensity secondary main exercise.

As long as caloric intake and sleep times are on point, recovery will not suffer.

When it comes to training with a limited schedule, frustration can easily set in. Don’t allow yourself to be defeated by your circumstances, use the above suggestions to begin getting your training back on track. Identify exercises that have high value to you, choose two or three exercises per workout, and rotate exercises week to week. Follow these instructions, and you will be able to make twice the gains in half the time it takes the average joe.

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