Shift Worker Dilemma

[TylerVRS]

Hey everyone, I have a question for any of you who are more educated than I in bodybuilding.

I’m a shift worker, I work away for 3 weeks on/3 weeks off. When I’m at work I do 12 hour shifts for 21 days straight. After work and commute/eating/cleaning/etc I don’t have enough time to workout and get enough sleep. So I’ve stopped working out when I’m away and focused more on getting sufficient sleep.

My goal is to put on weight, to reach my goal weight of 150lbs. I’m a small guy (currently only 119lbs) and am an ectomorph. Even eating 2800 calories a day and not even exercising while I was at work caused me to lose 2 lbs last time I was away. So my goal now is 3500 cals/day.

My question is this; for the 3 weeks that I’m home am I still able to put on muscle if I workout for those 3 weeks? I was thinking I could do this one of two ways.
1) I could do a 4 or 5 day split for 3 weeks, focusing on hypertrophy. Eating plenty calories and the right macros.
2) Each time that I’m home I could focus on 1 muscle group for the entire 3 weeks. Again focusing on hypertrophy and plenty of calories.

My problem is that I’m afraid I will lose any muscle mass gained if I stop working out for 3 weeks while I’m away. I will continue to eat plenty of calories and the right macros while I’m away. And my job is physically demanding. But I won’t be weight training.

Any feedback is appreciated!

[DCSpartan]

You simply arent going to make any headway taking 3 weeks off every 3 weeks.

That being said I and many others worked 12+ hour shifts for a year straight in Afghanistan and found working out in the morning right before the shift was the best path. Shorter workouts (like just doing KB swings) are better. KBs are also very portable if you have to be away.

3 weeks of KB swings and TGUs followed by 3 weeks of regular weightlifting should be fine for now. Best of luck!

[health4life24]

Don’t say you don’t have time, you need to make the time. That might mean getting up earlier or going to bed a little later, but if this is important to you then you will find a way.

Many of us on here have hectic busy schedules and still train 5 or more days a week.

I get up at 3 am to get my session in.

Look at your schedule and figure out what you need to do. 45-60 mintes is plenty of time for a good workout.

[BenMcLeodNZ]

If you took 3 weeks off you would still hold onto some gains, but it's not ideal.

If I were you I'd workout like crazy for the 3 weeks you have off work, then when you work try to get just one exercise in per day, preferably before work. Make it compound if possible.

E.g.
Mon Bench Press x4 of 8
Tue Squat x3 of 10
Wed Pull-Up x4 of 8
etc

And make them full effort sets, go there knowing you are there to do a job and hold onto your gains. Should take 15min including warm-up sets.

[TylerVRS]

Thanks for the feedback. Decided I’m gonna try StrongLifts. Only working out 3 times per week while I’m away is manageable and there’s a nearby gym with everything I need