Help with a focused 30 minute workout

[dave43]

Untill about a month ago I lifted regularly 2-3 times a week. I burned out and stopped. My routine lasted around an hour. I saw gains but not to the level I wanted. I admit my routine was stagnant and I hit a plateau. I did base it on mainly compound lifts though. Having 2 children and limited time...I need a quick focused 30 min workout I can do 2-3 times a week. I was genetically blessed with muscular legs so my main focus would be upper body. My main goal is to be lean and defined. I'm currently 6'2 and 205 lbs. I'd like to stay within 195-205 lbs as I think it is the ideal weight for my body composition. Thanks for any help.

[acrawlingchaos]

I need a quick focused 30 min workout I can do 2-3 times a week. I was genetically blessed with muscular legs so my main focus would be upper body.

Oh you're one of those. Sure I think I can put together a routine you are looking for.

Shrugs
3 x 15

Arnold DB Press
3 x 15

Biceps Curls (straight bar)
5 x 10

Skull Crusher
5 x 10

Rest one minute in between each set. Repeat 3 times per week.

You'll look great in a pair of shorts and a wife beater.

[KPainter70]

I'd love to see a pic of what genetically blessed muscular legs look like.

[acrawlingchaos]

I'd love to see a pic of what genetically blessed muscular legs look like.

[jtroster]

Here is my suggestion:

Day 1
- Squats
- An upper body vertical pull exercise (e.g. chin-ups)
- An upper body vertical push exercise (e.g. dips)

Day 2
- Deadlifts
- An upper body horizontal pull exercise (e.g. T-Bar rows)
- An upper body horizontal push exercise (e.g. Bench Press)

Day 3
- Lunges
- An upper body vertical pull exercise (e.g. cleans)
- An upper body vertical push exercise (e.g. push press)


For each do 1-3 warm up sets then do 3 working sets of 8-12

[acrawlingchaos]

Here is my suggestion:

Day 1
- Squats
- An upper body vertical pull exercise (e.g. chin-ups)
- An upper body vertical push exercise (e.g. dips)

Day 2
- Deadlifts
- An upper body horizontal pull exercise (e.g. T-Bar rows)
- An upper body horizontal push exercise (e.g. Bench Press)

Day 3
- Lunges
- An upper body vertical pull exercise (e.g. cleans)
- An upper body vertical push exercise (e.g. push press)


For each do 1-3 warm up sets then do 3 working sets of 8-12

He doesn't need to do legs, he's gifted. The workout in my original posts is what he is looking for.

[dave43]

Don't you think it would be more beneficial to do more compound excercises?

Oh you're one of those. Sure I think I can put together a routine you are looking for.

Shrugs
3 x 15

Arnold DB Press
3 x 15

Biceps Curls (straight bar)
5 x 10

Skull Crusher
5 x 10

Rest one minute in between each set. Repeat 3 times per week.

You'll look great in a pair of shorts and a wife beater.

[MoldyGopher]

Don't you think it would be more beneficial to do more compound excercises?

Well, sure, but you are genetically gifted so there's no need.

[-=FLEX=-]

Untill about a month ago I lifted regularly 2-3 times a week. I burned out and stopped. My routine lasted around an hour.

How the hell does one get "burned out" training 2-3 hours a week?

I need a quick focused 30 min workout I can do 2-3 times a week.

So you're going to commit an entire 60-90 minutes per week to your training, and upper body only?


I think you need a new hobby. This one is clearly not for you.

[TenThreeFive]

Having 2 children

What has this got to do with the price of tea in China?

[dave43]

Wow...looks like I pushed alot of buttons by using the phrase genetically gifted. After reading an article on abs (which I need work on) written by rippletoe saying that exercises like squats are good I misjudged how effective leg exercises are for the entire core. I think I will work squats in and the occasional deadlift.

How the hell does one get "burned out" training 2-3 hours a week?



So you're going to commit an entire 60-90 minutes per week to your training, and upper body only?


I think you need a new hobby. This one is clearly not for you.

[acrawlingchaos]

Don't you think it would be more beneficial to do more compound excercises?

The truth is, I doubt there is anyone here that would take you seriously.

. No leg training (because you are gifted, really). Let's see a photo of said gifted legs.

. Burned out on 2-3 days a week of training? What was the routine, and what "burned you out"?

. Plenty of people here have children, families, animals, jobs (some weird shifts) etc. Children is a poor excuse to not being able to train.

By the tone of your first post, it seems like you just want some quick upper body aesthetics. You want a quick fix and what I gave you was a Hollywood style quick fix routine.

[HairyScandinavian]

Rippletoe

[MoldyGopher]

Wow...looks like I pushed alot of buttons by using the phrase genetically gifted.

I notice that you didn't disavow your claim. Let's see a picture of these genetically gifted legs.

[gray73]

The truth is, I doubt there is anyone here that would take you seriously.

. No leg training (because you are gifted, really). Let's see a photo of said gifted legs.

. Burned out on 2-3 days a week of training? What was the routine, and what "burned you out"?

. Plenty of people here have children, families, animals, jobs (some weird shifts) etc. Children is a poor excuse to not being able to train.

By the tone of your first post, it seems like you just want some quick upper body aesthetics. You want a quick fix and what I gave you was a Hollywood style quick fix routine.

Nice post.
My advice is to FIND the time to train properly or give it up altogether. Those "gifted legs" are more than likely fat. I have a wife and four kids, and I find the time to train properly. Do it right or don't do it at all.

[billb7581]

Monday flyes
tues curls
wed flyes
thurs curls
fri flyes
sat curls
sunday flyes

[acrawlingchaos]

Monday flyes
tues curls
wed flyes
thurs curls
fri flyes
sat curls
sunday flyes

You been peeking in my journal? :P

[Minotaur]

How the hell does one get "burned out" training 2-3 hours a week?

Personal experience only: boredom with the same routine over and over; no variety; too predictable; i.e. in a rut. "OK, it's Monday, gotta do legs... OK, it's Wednesday, gotta do chest... OK, it's... gotta do... "

Wow...looks like I pushed alot of buttons by using the phrase genetically gifted.

Might have been better to say "my legs respond pretty quickly, so I back off on working them". Of course that's subjective. My legs always responded better than my upper body. I wouldn't say my legs are genetically gifted, they just respond differently.

Just sayin'.

Plenty of people here have children, families, animals, jobs (some weird shifts) etc. Children is a poor excuse to not being able to train.

^Qft. Sometimes you have to think outside the box. If there's no one to watch the kids to go out to the gym, bodyweight exercises are great. Don't sell the $29.99 Iron Gym door bar short... pull ups, push ups, dips (gotta elevate it to get a deeper r.o.m.) Add some straps and do some suspension training (OK, TRX, you had to see that coming ). Or get a damn TRX system for $200. Bolt it to a basement or garage joist, or whatever the instructions say. You can squat, lunge, do push ups, chest ups (inclined pull ups). Get a kettlebell ffs (had to see that one coming too ).

Where there's a will, there's a way, and a barbell in the gym isn't the only way.

[otiskii]

Those routines suck. Why, why, why do you guys keep pushing routines with no wrist curls?

Dave, seriously, if you do Starting Strength you can get the workouts done in 30 minutes for a long time until the weights get heavy enough that you need to rest 5 minutes between sets. By then you won't mind 45-60 minutes a w/o.

This is NOT SS but you can do:

Day A
squat 3x5
bench 3x5
row 3x5

Day B
squat 3x5
ohp 3x5
DL 1x5

Your week w/o looks like:

ABA
BAB
ABA, etc. and don't forget wrist curls on your off days.

[Dirk57]

I have big legs. Am I "genetically blessed" no. It comes from rollerskating all my life. I do squats in my workout. My legs are getting more ripped and not that much bigger.

[HairyScandinavian]

I have big legs. Am I "genetically blessed" no. It comes from rollerskating all my life. I do squats in my workout. My legs are getting more ripped and not that much bigger.

Squatting in roller skates would make them even bigger!

[ilovethe80s]

I have 3 kids under age 5, one is still up all night, I work nights and my husband works 6am till 8 each night so I can understand the time issue. I have to train in around 30 minutes or less and many times my workout time gets cut short by someone waking up or something. Sometimes if you know you can only get 10-15 consecutive minutes, go and get your big lift out of the way then finish up on the doorway pull up bar as someone mentioned or some dumbbell accessories in the kitchen in between doing dinners and diapers.

How about something like Max-OT? That's usually right around 30 minutes. Most programs can be wrangled into 30 minutes, even if it means you rest 2 minutes instead of 5. Might not be 'ideal' but consistency still pays off. Gotta train your legs though, they are half your body!

[-=FLEX=-]

Personal experience only: boredom with the same routine over and over; no variety; too predictable; i.e. in a rut.

Well we won't know, because OP never answered my question. He quoted me and made a refernce to 'pushing buttons' by saying he was genetically gifted and I never even commented on that.


However, if it is the case that he was bored, then my comment stands; bodybuilding is repetitive by nature. If that bores the OP, there's lots of other activites he can be doing.

Perhaps he can take up interpretive dance and show off his genetically gifted legs.

[acrawlingchaos]

Perhaps he can take up interpretive dance and show off his genetically gifted legs.

Why you no like interpretive dance?

[dave43]

Personal experience only: boredom with the same routine over and over; no variety; too predictable; i.e. in a rut. "OK, it's Monday, gotta do legs... OK, it's Wednesday, gotta do chest... OK, it's... gotta do... "



Might have been better to say "my legs respond pretty quickly, so I back off on working them". Of course that's subjective. My legs always responded better than my upper body. I wouldn't say my legs are genetically gifted, they just respond differently.

Just sayin'.



^Qft. Sometimes you have to think outside the box. If there's no one to watch the kids to go out to the gym, bodyweight exercises are great. Don't sell the $29.99 Iron Gym door bar short... pull ups, push ups, dips (gotta elevate it to get a deeper r.o.m.) Add some straps and do some suspension training (OK, TRX, you had to see that coming ). Or get a damn TRX system for $200. Bolt it to a basement or garage joist, or whatever the instructions say. You can squat, lunge, do push ups, chest ups (inclined pull ups). Get a kettlebell ffs (had to see that one coming too ).

Where there's a will, there's a way, and a barbell in the gym isn't the only way.

Thanks for the thoughtful post. Looking back, my first post came off arrogant and looking for a quick fix which was not the way I intended it to be. I know how important compound excercises are. I like the idea of the iron gym bar....does it work solidly? I'm thinking about joining a club but not sure. Previously I was working out at a rec center but equipment was limited. They had basics like dip and chinup bars and dumbbells for One arm rows and DB presses. Lately I have been doing a simple home workout to try to maintain a little muscle...4 sets of 30 pushups, 10 bicep curls with a kettlebell, 10 one arm rows with a KB (all in succession, one minute rest between sets) Then on the 5th set I max out on each excercise. I've been doing this 3 times a week and also 2-3 times a week I do 3 sets of 50 KB swings. It would be nice to be able to add pullups and dips...especially since any tri excercise is absent.

[Brackneyc]

I have a genetically giftet caboose. Big and, well, big. No pics, but trust me, it is glorious.

[Dirk57]

Squatting in roller skates would make them even bigger!

Not a bad idea. If I am not on here for a couple of weeks you will know I gave it a try!!

[billb7581]

You could do All Pro's and dump all the isolation and only do 2 heavy days with no deload and get done in 30-40 minutes.

Squat
Bench
Row
OH press
Stiff Leg Deadlift


do 2 warmup sets with 25 and 50% of your 10 rep max on the first 3

everything else just do 2 sets of your 10 rm

Week 1 do 8 reps, week 2 do 9 reps, etc up until you get to 12 reps, then reset your weight 10 percent higher.

[Minotaur]

If that bores the OP, there's lots of other activites he can be doing.

Yep, that was my point... plenty of other things to do.

[crupiea]

Try some snatching.

Works the whole body and after 30 minutes you will be pretty much pooped.