16 Tips to Triple Your Workout Effectiveness

Every Friday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

You don’t want to spend long hours at the gym, but you want to get stronger, fitter, leaner, and just plain look good. It’s possible that you’re not getting the most out of your workout time.

It’s possible to get a super-effective workout in 30 minutes, and only do a few workouts a week, if you maximize your workouts.

Disclaimer: First, I’m not a certified trainer. These are tips I’ve read elsewhere that work well for me. Second, you should always get a doctor’s approval of any new workout plan. This plan is especially intense, so if you have a heart condition or other condition that might be affected by heavy exercise, you should definitely refrain from trying it until you’ve gotten checked out by a doctor.

And even if you have gotten checked out, or even if you don’t bother doing so, it’s still important to start out an exercise program slowly, until your body has the chance to adjust, or you will face burnout or injury.

Don’t dive right into this program — it’s designed for people who have already been working out but want to see better results, quicker, and spend less time doing it. Here’s how to do it.

Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes. Though the tendency of some people who really want to get a lot out of their workouts is to spend a lot of time at the gym, the truth is that after 30 or 40 minutes, the benefit isn’t as great. To go that long, you’d have to lower the intensity of the workout, and that means that you’re spending too much time working out. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.
High-intensity workouts. If you’re just starting out with exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. However, once you have that base of endurance, step up the intensity to step up the effectiveness of the workout.
Protein. Many people don’t pay enough attention to getting the protein their muscles need to rebuild. If you don’t, you are going to get very little out of your workout, as both cardio and strength workouts require protein for building muscles. I recommend either whey or soy protein shakes.
Water. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.
Carbs. Although the low-carb craze might say otherwise, carbs are our body’s main source of fuel. If you do intense workouts, you will need carbs, or you won’t have enough energy. If you do a shake, be sure to include carbs — or a banana is a great source of low fiber/high glycemic carbohydrates that you need for exercise.
Shake before and after workout. It’s best to take a protein/carb shake just before your workout and then just after. Taking it before your workout increases the flow of amino acids to your muscles during training, giving them the building blocks they need. After the workout, the shake stimulates muscle growth. Also take a small protein/carb meal 60-90 minutes after a workout — a meal replacement bar would work fine.
Slow lifting. Many people contract their muscles slowly and then release more quickly. But if you lift slowly in both directions, you are maximizing each move. Lift and lower to a 5-second count in each direction.
Heavier weight. When you’re starting out, it’s best to start with lower weights so you can focus on good form. But once you’ve gotten your form down, it’s best to lift the heaviest weights you can lift while still keeping good form. Don’t sacrifice form for heavy weights — that is ineffective. But heavy weights, with good form, can give you better results in a shorter amount of time. Heavy weights are not just for those who want to bulk up — that’s a common misconception.
One set, to failure. Instead of doing 2-3 sets, as many people do, maximize your effectiveness by doing just one, with heavy weights, until you can no longer keep the proper form. Lifting to “failure” doesn’t mean that you should lift the last few times with a wobbly or inefficient form.
Compound exercises. Instead of isolating your muscles with exercises such as the bicep curl, you can maximize the time you spend in a workout by doing exercises that work out multiple muscle groups at once. With just a few exercises, you could get a full-body workout. Another benefit is that your muscles are working together as they do in the real world, rather than alone. Some great compound exercises include squats, deadlifts, good mornings, lunges, pushups, bench presses, military presses, rows, pullups, dips, and more.
Balance lifting. Instead of having exercises where you’re sitting down or holding on to something or otherwise stabilized, it’s more effective to do them standing up, or on one leg, or on a Swiss exercise ball. These types of exercises force you to balance yourself while lifting, which brings your core muscles into play. This gives you a stronger overall body and allows you to lift more over time.
Pick a cardio exercise you enjoy. It’s no fun to exercise if you hate it. And you won’t keep it up for very long. Pick something that’s fun — running, walking, swimming, biking, hiking, rowing, stairmaster, etc. After the initial phase when you’re getting used to exercise, you’ll start to have a blast and look forward to it.
Mix it up. Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long, or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be getting an effective workout. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio, it’s best to cross train rather than, say, to run every time.
Good form. For strength training especially, and swimming, form is very important, but it’s also important for other types of exercise. If you’re strength training, start with lighter weights so you can work on your form. It’s good to have an experienced spotter or trainer who knows good form to help you for the first month or so. Never sacrifice form for heavier weight. For swimming, you’ll need to get a coach to teach you form.
Hills. If you run or bike or walk for cardio, you’ll want to incorporate hills (after the first month or two of doing it at an easy pace on flat ground). These will make you stronger and make your limited workout time even more effective. Take them easy at first, but once you’re used to hills, you can get a good pace going. Either use a hilly route or do repeats on one hill.
Circuits. One mistake that people make is to do multiple sets of the same exercise without rest between the sets. This doesn’t allow your muscles to recover and it’s a waste of your workout. But instead of doing a set, resting, and then doing your second set, it’s more effective to move on to multiple exercises in a circuit, so that you don’t rest between exercises but do rest each muscle group. This will give you a good cardio workout while you do your strength training.

The ideal workout plan
If you take all of these tips into account, the ideal plan would be to alternate 2-3 days of high-intensity strength training with 2-3 days of high-intensity cardio. You could get by with 4 days of exercise if you do them at high intensity.

The high-intensity strength training would be 30-40 minutes of circuit training, with no rest or little rest between exercises within a circuit, and a short rest between circuits if you do more than one. The circuit should work out your entire body, using compound exercises such as the squat, deadlift, pullups, good mornings, etc., and either standing or using a Swiss ball so that you are working out your core. You should use heavier weights, one set for each exercise, doing them slowly (5 second up, 5 seconds down), and to exhaustion, making sure to have good form on each exercise.

You would have a protein/carb shake before and after the workout, and a small meal of protein/carbs within 60-90 minutes of the workout. Water is also important for both types of workouts.

The high-intensity cardio would be something you enjoy doing. You would do interval training, at a rate where you couldn’t talk, with short rests in between intervals. On some workouts, you would incorporate hills.

Remember, these high-intensity workouts are not for people just starting out. You should build up an endurance base before doing the high-intensity cardio, and start the weights with lighter weights, stressing good form.

Also see:

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us. Thanks!

16 Tips to Triple Your Workout Effectiveness

Every Friday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

You don’t want to spend long hours at the gym, but you want to get stronger, fitter, leaner, and just plain look good. It’s possible that you’re not getting the most out of your workout time.

It’s possible to get a super-effective workout in 30 minutes, and only do a few workouts a week, if you maximize your workouts.

Don’t dive right into this program — it’s designed for people who have already been working out but want to see better results, quicker, and spend less time doing it. Here’s how to do it.

Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes. Though the tendency of some people who really want to get a lot out of their workouts is to spend a lot of time at the gym, the truth is that after 30 or 40 minutes, the benefit isn’t as great. To go that long, you’d have to lower the intensity of the workout, and that means that you’re spending too much time working out. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.
High-intensity workouts. If you’re just starting out with exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. However, once you have that base of endurance, step up the intensity to step up the effectiveness of the workout.
Protein. Many people don’t pay enough attention to getting the protein their muscles need to rebuild. If you don’t, you are going to get very little out of your workout, as both cardio and strength workouts require protein for building muscles. I recommend either whey or soy protein shakes.
Water. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.
Carbs. Although the low-carb craze might say otherwise, carbs are our body’s main source of fuel. If you do intense workouts, you will need carbs, or you won’t have enough energy. If you do a shake, be sure to include carbs — or a banana is a great source of low fiber/high glycemic carbohydrates that you need for exercise.
Shake before and after workout. It’s best to take a protein/carb shake just before your workout and then just after. Taking it before your workout increases the flow of amino acids to your muscles during training, giving them the building blocks they need. After the workout, the shake stimulates muscle growth. Also take a small protein/carb meal 60-90 minutes after a workout — a meal replacement bar would work fine.
Slow lifting. Many people contract their muscles slowly and then release more quickly. But if you lift slowly in both directions, you are maximizing each move. Lift and lower to a 5-second count in each direction.
Heavier weight. When you’re starting out, it’s best to start with lower weights so you can focus on good form. But once you’ve gotten your form down, it’s best to lift the heaviest weights you can lift while still keeping good form. Don’t sacrifice form for heavy weights — that is ineffective. But heavy weights, with good form, can give you better results in a shorter amount of time. Heavy weights are not just for those who want to bulk up — that’s a common misconception.
One set, to failure. Instead of doing 2-3 sets, as many people do, maximize your effectiveness by doing just one, with heavy weights, until you can no longer keep the proper form. Lifting to “failure” doesn’t mean that you should lift the last few times with a wobbly or inefficient form.
Compound exercises. Instead of isolating your muscles with exercises such as the bicep curl, you can maximize the time you spend in a workout by doing exercises that work out multiple muscle groups at once. With just a few exercises, you could get a full-body workout. Another benefit is that your muscles are working together as they do in the real world, rather than alone. Some great compound exercises include squats, deadlifts, good mornings, lunges, pushups, bench presses, military presses, rows, pullups, dips, and more.
Balance lifting. Instead of having exercises where you’re sitting down or holding on to something or otherwise stabilized, it’s more effective to do them standing up, or on one leg, or on a Swiss exercise ball. These types of exercises force you to balance yourself while lifting, which brings your core muscles into play. This gives you a stronger overall body and allows you to lift more over time.
Pick a cardio exercise you enjoy. It’s no fun to exercise if you hate it. And you won’t keep it up for very long. Pick something that’s fun — running, walking, swimming, biking, hiking, rowing, stairmaster, etc. After the initial phase when you’re getting used to exercise, you’ll start to have a blast and look forward to it.
Mix it up. Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long, or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be getting an effective workout. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio, it’s best to cross train rather than, say, to run every time.
Good form. For strength training especially, and swimming, form is very important, but it’s also important for other types of exercise. If you’re strength training, start with lighter weights so you can work on your form. It’s good to have an experienced spotter or trainer who knows good form to help you for the first month or so. Never sacrifice form for heavier weight. For swimming, you’ll need to get a coach to teach you form.
Hills. If you run or bike or walk for cardio, you’ll want to incorporate hills (after the first month or two of doing it at an easy pace on flat ground). These will make you stronger and make your limited workout time even more effective. Take them easy at first, but once you’re used to hills, you can get a good pace going. Either use a hilly route or do repeats on one hill.
Circuits. One mistake that people make is to do multiple sets of the same exercise without rest between the sets. This doesn’t allow your muscles to recover and it’s a waste of your workout. But instead of doing a set, resting, and then doing your second set, it’s more effective to move on to multiple exercises in a circuit, so that you don’t rest between exercises but do rest each muscle group. This will give you a good cardio workout while you do your strength training.

You would have a protein/carb shake before and after the workout, and a small meal of protein/carbs within 60-90 minutes of the workout. Water is also important for both types of workouts.

Also see:

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us. Thanks!

Posted on 23 June 2007 in Health Tip Day |
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Comments (39)

Commodore Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 6:22 am

I heard that you get only 20% of the workout when you don’t drink enough water. I don’t know if it’s totally true but there’s at least a hint of truth. You got to drink before you get thirsty. It’s too late when you’re already thirsty.

Steve Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 6:59 am

Stay away from weights. Do body weight exercises - push ups, pull ups, crunches, etc. The people who are in the best shape are in the military. You will go much further just doing what they do. Get a hold of a military style workout on the internet, like a “Navy SEAL Workout”. No sense buying any new books either. Go to the library and get them for free. After you look through several, you’ll notice they all have the same 10 or so exercises. The only difference will be the models in the pictures. You will never look like that. You will never get to be like Arnold was in the 70’s, all ripped, cut, bulging, etc. nor will you get to be like those people you see on magazines or infomercials. In the real world, no one has the time to spend in the gym nor the money to buy the proper foods or hire a chef to prepare it. It takes years and years to get to the point of being able to look like that. There is also no pill you can take that will make you lose 80 pounds by next weekend, your high school reunion. Be realistic and you’ll go further and be much happier. Remember - comparison causes all unhappiness. Concentrate on losing 1-2 pounds a month. It adds up over the long haul.

Dennis Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 7:05 am

As a vegetarian (of eight years), I eat Kashi “GoLean” protein bars to make up for the protein I’m not eating regularly (I don’t always have time to prepare Tofu for lunch). I usually eat them in the late afternoon when I run out of energy from lunch.

I also try not to eat big meals and keep my caloric intake down by eating lots of fruits and avoiding heavier, sugary foods. (I’m looking at you, Mr. Cinnamon Scone from Starbucks.)

I’ve been consistently losing 1-2lbs a month for the past six months. Slowly but surely I’ll reach my goal of losing 25lbs.

Joel Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 7:06 am

Good tips.

Fitness Destinations Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 7:11 am

Leo,

Great lists of tips! I was a personal trainer for 3 years and I can say honestly that I agree with the basics of almost every one of these tips. I would change up some of the detailed parts, but overall this is a useful list.

One tip that I didn’t like, however, was #9. The “one set to failure” routine I see that as best for someone who has mastered the exercises included in their workout routine. The reason for that is because one of the benefits of exercise is “neuromuscular coordination” which is the ability to have a high level of control over your muscles.

By only doing one set to failure, you aren’t cementing those neuromuscular pathways enough, especially in the beginning. However, I might incorporate one set to failure workouts after a particular workout routine has been mastered.

- Aaron

Som Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 7:46 am

An additional tip: Incorporating Yoga. You can either get a dvd or use a book. Yoga once a week in between cardio and weights is a great idea. It provides for stretching, empowering parasympathetic over sympathetic systems, calming the mind, body and ’soul’. : )

HH Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 13:34 pm

Thanks for the article and that’s absolutely true. My brother is a personal trainer and he keeps telling me the exact same things you write here. You are helping a lot with posts like this.

Mehdi Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 14:07 pm

Leo,

Slow lifting. All sports are performed fast, weight lifting is the same thing. You should lift as fast as possible. You don’t hold back when hitting a ball, neither should you when moving a barbell.

Lifting to failure. Potentially dangerous, leads to overtraining when done systematically. Leads also to bad technique, which can cause injury. I’d advise to stay away from failure.

Overall good tips, especially the use compound exercises tip. This is the key to weight lifting together with Progressive Loading.

Continue the good work.

Dustin Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 16:22 pm

A few points about the article and the followup comments:

1. One set to failure is not necessarily a recipe for success. I typically try to structure my workouts around those constructed by top-class bodybuilders (many of whom, like all of us, started out scrawny). They usually advise, a) a warmup set to loosen joints and tends, b) pyramiding up, 2-3 sets, with increasing weight, each time to failure with 6-12 reps, c) a heavy set, with maybe 2-4 reps, d) possible use of supersetting or strip sets, where you keep using lighter and lighter weight or go immediately to a different exercise for the same muscle group.

2. Balance lifting is not entirely necessary if you’re doing full-body weightlifting exercises. Although not popular amongst beginners, I would recommend squats, deadlifts, and clean & presses.

3. To Steve, about not using weights: completely untrue. Navy SEALS all use weights to train. The notion that weights are unnecessary is old-school and rather out-dated. To truly see development, you have to shock yourself into growth with weights that are heavier than your bodily resistance.

4. Slow-lifting needn’t be executed in both directions. In fact, the most effective lift comes when you slow down only the eccentric (or down part… for a bench press this is where you’re lowering the weight towards your chest). Typically, the best results can be found with a count of 1 for the concentric motion and a 1-2-3 count for the eccentric.

Other than that, spot-on article! I particularly liked your bit about the importance of form. Most people think that stacking on as much weight as possible is the ticket, but proper form and coordination make real results possible.

Gilbert Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 20:46 pm

Protein shakes and/or drinks are very popular these days for workouts. As a college student though, I have no money for that kind of food. Any tips on what I can eat as an alternative?

Lenin Glass Says:

June 24th, 2007, 3:25 am

” Leo,

Go to hell with that s**t. Slow lifting is one of the best techniques you can do for weight lifting. By doing it fast, you would actually create a momentum on the weight which then reduces the weight which THEN you don’t really lift the weight correctly. So go to hell and do them slow people.

Mehdi Says:

June 24th, 2007, 8:26 am

“Go to hell with that s**t. Slow lifting is one of the best techniques you can do for weight lifting. By doing it fast, you would actually create a momentum on the weight which then reduces the weight which THEN you don’t really lift the weight correctly. So go to hell and do them slow people.”

No need to be harsh Lenin Glass.

Fast lifting indeed creates momentum and this will allow you to move more weight. More weight = more strength = better physique.

Again, all sports are performed fast because it allows more power, more speed, more acceleration. Same with weightlifting.

KAJ Says:

June 24th, 2007, 9:29 am

Re: #11, balance lifting — I’d be very cautious about that and would class it as suitable only for more advanced lifters (if anyone). I’ve seen people sustain injuries due to losing control of a weight while trying to balance themselves.

Caligula Says:

June 24th, 2007, 9:35 am

Gilbert:

Peanut butter sandwiches, preferably on whole wheat bread. There is plenty of protein in a good one and provides some good carbs as well. If you can afford it a small-medium chocolate milkshake wouldn’t hurt, either.

Niran Sabanathan Says:

June 24th, 2007, 10:59 am

The newest advice, that is covered in the points but not explicitly, is to hit an activity hard and fast then slow and easy — interval based exercise training can significantly reduce exercise times. It seems that varying the intensity of an exercise causes the body to adapt faster. The link touches on a study that explores this idea.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/09/22/exercise-interval.html

csco Says:

June 24th, 2007, 11:27 am

Check this site out: http://www.crossfit.com

We’ve adopted their style of training at the Fire Dept. Excellent philosophies on workouts and nutrition.

Nice blog Leo…thanks for the tips.

Joe Says:

June 24th, 2007, 12:10 pm

Edumacate yourself.

T-nation.com

DRoss Says:

June 24th, 2007, 12:38 pm

In the “Also See” bulleted list above the link to the flatter stomach article is broken.

David Teague Says:

June 24th, 2007, 12:56 pm

The exercise program that works, like the dieting program that works, among other things, is the one that YOU STICK TO. If it is not pleasant, you are unlikely to stick to it.

Your program must be fun, or you have to make it fun somehow.

When I could run, running was the most fun I could have moving on 2 feet at 6 miles an hour or faster. So I stuck to it, and stayed in shape for 20 years. (I did other exercises too.) Why did I stop? I thought I wanted to run faster, and my knees couldn’t support it. I do my running on a Schwinn Air-dyne while watching TV now. And I dream of running outside. I do walk, but nothing beats running.

Jeff Says:

June 24th, 2007, 14:22 pm

I agree with Dustin; although, body weight exercise is better than nothing for those hesitant to go to the gym, for whatever reason. The key to putting on muscle is damaging it, that is, creating small tears. When it repairs, via the protein you’ve recommended, sleep, and the day in between exercising that body part, it will be stronger (and assumedly, larger). One set, will not create this tearing. You need 2-3 sets with 1-3 minutes of rest in between. On the last set, what is especially helpful, is negative resistance (i.e. someone pressing on the bar).

One other thing, I don’t agree with is “good form”. Sure, you don’t want to be throwing your back out, but a little bit of wobble works the small muscles that aid the larger ones, therefore strengthening joints, tendons, etc. That wobble also increases core strength; for example, if you’re using free weights, which is what I recommend over machines for this very reason, you work core muscles all the time, like abs, gluts, etc, with every pump/press. Even Arnold recommends imperfect form, for these reasons.

This is why doing free weights on those palates balls is such the craze in hollywood. Actors/actresses are able to get ripped twice as fast because they maximize this wobble, hitting muscles that your average joe in the gym (using perfect form) will take years to work.

Ben Says:

June 24th, 2007, 15:01 pm

“In the real world, no one has the time to spend in the gym nor the money to buy the proper foods or hire a chef to prepare it.”

I don’t think so. I prepare my own food every day and eat right 90% of the time. It doesn’t take that much effort to prepare a lunch the day before. Shove an apple in a bag, get a few almonds, and make some kind of sandwich on whole wheat bread (or those great Flat-Out Wraps I love) or George Foreman some chicken. It takes about ten minutes. And wake up about 10 minutes earlier in the morning and make some eggs (well, a bit of egg beaters and one real egg), or at least some oatmeal. There’s plenty of time throughout the day to prepare food and workout. Turning off the TV is all it takes.

Great tips, this is exactly how I try to structure my gym time. 3 days in the gym, hitting everything as hard as possible. Feels good the day after.

Although personally, I would never have a soy protein shake. Like Joe said, t-nation.com.

Steve Says:

June 24th, 2007, 18:38 pm

Dustin - you need to re-read what I wrote about military workouts, instead of claiming I said SEALs never use weight training.

I said to do body weight exercises, like the guys in the military do, and made a reference to finding a workout using a search engine that has a name like “Navy SEAL workout”. Body weight exercises seem to save time, which is an effective way to get a good workout, and is what the title of this article is about.

Ben - you are only 16 (according to your web site). Once people get married, have kids, buy a house, work full time, go through a divorce or two, get forced to work more hours to please their boss, etc, they do not have the time or energy to hit the gym, nor the extra cash to buy the proper food needed to get in good shape, let alone hire someone to cook it. When you get older you’ll see it happen, and it’ll start right when you get out of high school.

Sorry to be blunt, but it upsets me when people start to see things that aren’t there, or twist them around to fit it into a way to write a rebuttal email. This happens enough on TV and in the newspapers. Do we really need it on something like this?

Dustin Says:

June 24th, 2007, 18:54 pm

Steve,

First of all, there’s no need to throw out the age card. Someone who is 16 has just as valuable an opinion as someone of your indeterminate age. Ben makes some solid points about nutrition.

Eating properly is not difficult. You don’t need to eat fancy or expensive food to get your proper intake of protein, carbs, fat, fiber, vitamins, etc. My diet consists largely of egg whites, chicken breasts, whole wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, various fruits, mixed vegetables (which you can purchase pre-mixed and ready to go at the supermarket for mere dollars), flax oil, oatmeal, and protein powder. I take a workout-friendly multivitamin every day to ensure I’m not missing anything.

Yes, we’re all busy, but that’s an excuse. All you need is 3 solid hours a week. 3 hours. How many hours do you spend watching television a week? Reading the paper? Surfing the web? Everyone can find 3 hours. If you’re lacking in energy, perhaps you might want to examine your diet more closely.

Finally, bodyweight exercises alone might be a way to “save time”, but I guarantee you will never get the same results doing 15 minutes of bodyweight exercises every morning (still almost two hours a week) as you will doing 3 hours a week at a gym with free weights.

If you doubt the “3 hours” figure, up until very recently that’s all I did, and I saw tremendous improvements in my strength, physique, and overall level of fitness. I’ve recently moved to something closer to 5-6 hours a week, but this is still manageable considering that you probably spend at least a few hours every week reading your RSS feeds ;-)

Anyway, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. And if you’re that exasperated about TV and the newspapers, stop watching/reading them!

Johnno Says:

June 25th, 2007, 23:04 pm

Mehdi - I must respectfully disagree with you re:

“Fast lifting indeed creates momentum and this will allow you to move more weight. More weight = more strength = better physique.”

I can understand the logic but there are other factors involved - one is your joints. By moving too fast you risk damaging cartlidge (sp? sorry) and bones.

The slower the moves, the more control is needed and thereby more “stress” is induced in the musclefibres without the risk of out-and-out tearing of fibre. Stress your muscles and they’ll grow. Rip em and they hurt like hell. Healing time is not workout time.

I would recommend that you “feel” your push/pull-stroke like a spring er…..springing but slow it RIGHT down on the return journey. It works a treat for me. If the “fast” method works for you, go for it (don’t forget your good form) and happy physique building, mate.

Roz Says:

June 27th, 2007, 18:11 pm

Definitely some good tips, but I disagree with some of the nutritional aspects. I have found that the Warrior Diet has worked extremely effectively for me. I have been following it for over 2 years now and was able to drop 20 lbs. while maximizing my fat loss and muscle gain by following Ori Hofmekler’s Controlled Fatigue Training (CFT) program. Now, I spend maybe 20 minutes in the gym tops.

Derrty Says:

June 29th, 2007, 1:16 am

Ive been playing football and basketball all throughout high school, and i have to disagree with the “slow lifting” and repping out exercises. Dont get me wrong, negative/slow exercises are great for training muscle pairs, but if you play a sport you need explosiveness. If you slow lift for a long period of time you will realize that you aren’t getting any faster/quicker. Explosive exercises force you to use your muscles to the max every rep. I would recommend explosive exercises over slow/one rep exercises any day. Fast twitch muscles seperate athletes from those bulky gym worms you see everyday. I mix jump squats with my exercise routine every other day, and i found that after 8 weeks my vertical went from 28 to 33 inches. Also, repping out is only good if you want to keep track of your progress. If you work your muscles to the point where you cant move them, then come home and don’t get adequate protein, they will actually deteriorate.
Props on the water segment. Water naturally enhances mineral absorption by your muscles, works great with creatine.

Doug Kent Says:

July 31st, 2007, 1:36 am

I’m a big fan of the short high-intensity workouts, because I can’t come up with an excuse not to do them. I recently got back into the gym and exercising. I go to the gym twice a week for 20-30 minutes and do one set of the following: squats, bench press, pull downs, military press, and dead lifts. I do the super slow 5-seconds up and down. It’s not a “perfect” workout, and I’m not sure what is, but I know a couple things:
1. For only 20 minutes, I can’t imagine any other workout making me as tired.
2. I can always find time for a 20 minute workout after I leave the office.

I also started doing hill sprints 3-4 mornings a week for 15 minutes. I’m doing the “Sprint 8″ program. I run 8 sprints of 20-30 seconds each, with about 90-120 second break in between. I gradually increase intensity. I’m also trying out a 3 minute ab program after the sprints.

I doubt I’ll be a bodybuilder or a decathlete from this, but it sure makes a difference in how I feel. My advice is to keep it simple and go with what you enjoy. You can do a lot in just 20 minutes a day. Great article.

Daniel Says:

August 1st, 2007, 23:00 pm

I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100% regarding to Triple Your Workout Effectiveness | zen habits, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong :)

Bryan Says:

August 20th, 2007, 8:15 am

Longer workouts don’t necessarily mean more effective workouts. Good read. Referenced it in my article “14 Simple Things To Do For A Better Body” here at http://www.kumito.com/articles/14-simple-things-do-better-body

Apclik Says:

October 2nd, 2007, 16:42 pm

Good article. All not exactly on point, but an overall good read.

Shawn Fumo Says:

December 17th, 2007, 13:59 pm

Part of the problem that I see with a lot of the comments here is advocating of certain methods without really getting into what the aims of the person is. A lot of the options could be right or wrong depending on what someone wants to achieve.

There’s different forms of strength. Maxmimum strength, explosive strength, strength endurance, etc. You can target one or all of them depending on what you need. There’s also conditioning (which could be aimed either at shorter bouts like a boxer or longer style for a marathon runner).

Someone who is a powerlifter (name is kind or a misnomer) is after pure max strength with slow movements. An olympic lifter in comparison uses explosive lifts. Bodybuilders are focused on hypertrophy and will use a lot of isolation exercises. All three people are competitors who lift heavy weights, but are very different. And none of them need anywhere near as much conditioning as a boxer or basketball player would.

I think weight machines are probably less useful for most people besides bodybuilders. Free weights (not just barbell but also dumbbells) and bodyweight exercises give a lot of stablization benefits (I’d be careful of going overboard with balance balls and such with heavy weights though). I think that’s safer in the long run since too much isolation can leave you with weaknesses when using the body as one unit.

Free weight versus bodyweight is kind of a false argument. They can both be very helpful depending on what you need. Push-ups may be more limited for max strength work (even a weighted vest may only get you so far) but can be good for explosive work (clap pushups), endurance, and as part of a conditioning circuit.

On the other hand, weighted pull-ups and dips and handstand push-ups can be good max strength exercises. And free weights can be used for conditioning, like dumbbell or kettlebell swings, lighter weight snatches, etc.

As for conditioning goes, I think slow-steady long distance stuff isn’t so useful for most people except for those who actually do long races and marathons. Better to go more intensive which gives many benefits (lose weight while keeping muscle, general conditioning, etc) once you have a basic level of fitness. Can experiment with different kinds of intervals. Could be running, stationary bike, regular bike, jump rope, etc.

One area where bodyweight stuff is especially helpful is doing conditioning outside. Like 10 burpies, sprint 50 meters, 20 bodyweight squats, sprint back. Or sprint up a hill, do 15 medicine ball slams, jog back down and do 15 pushups. Or trying to do 100 burpies as quick as you can is killer for a quick conditioning workout.

One site I recommend is Ross Training. He’s a boxing trainer, but I’ve found his books, forum, etc to be extremely helpful. He breaks down why to do things so you can modify the workouts to what you need. Also good info on working at home and building equipment, etc.

A lot of his techniques are similar to CrossFit or Gym Jones, but I think of him as a happy medium. CrossFit has a ton of good info and I think is a good idea, but I’m not totally sold on the one-size-fits-all kind of approach.

There’s tons of misinformation out there, so try to be careful and always challenge your previous beliefs. For instance, women’s lack of much testosterone means the fear of getting “big” from weight lifting is pretty unfounded. Also, a lot of strength changes come from the nervous system recruiting more fibers instead of just hypertrophy. There are some incredibly strong people out there without much muscle mass. A lot of the different comes from rep schemes and how much you eat.

For safety, try to be reasonable. Don’t increase weight too too fast. Heavy weights can be safe, but try to learn the proper techniques first with lighter weight. If you find tendonitus issues (or you’re just not strong enough) for pull-ups, strong resistance bands can assist you. Be sure to exercise both sides of your body (not just quads but hamstring, not just chest but back, etc.). Explosive can be save, but get a base first. Don’t do clap pushups, if you can’t do at least 20 regular first. Don’t do olympic lifts too heavy until you learn the right techniques, etc.

Olympic lifters have some of the least percentage of injuries of pro atheletes and they lift heavy weights explosively and squat with their knees bent more than 90 degrees. Be careful but remember that even trainers and doctors may not necessarily be up on the latest health info out there, and may be relying on what they themselves have heard from others, so don’t be afraid to do your own research.

Warm up first, but don’t wear yourself out. Most people now recommend stretching after instead of before, since too much stretching before strength training weakens the muscles.

The most important thing is to actually get out there and do something! Personally I find waking up early and doing it first thing is the best for me since I never get around to it otherwise. And going to a gym really isn’t necessary depending on what you need to do. I’ve slowly been building up equipment (power tower, jump rope, strong resistance bands loops, heavier medicine balls, spinlock dumbells, stationary bike, etc), but I was able to do a lot even without that. Find what works for you!

Andrew Says:

February 9th, 2008, 20:22 pm

Pretty good advice for a non-trainer!

I have some similar tips for making your own effective circuits at
http://aggfitness.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/how-to-make-your-own-basic-effective-exercise-circuits/

Harry Chittenden Says:

February 11th, 2008, 18:13 pm

Good job, Leo, as usual.

I’m seeing a little glitch in logic here. If it “…takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise.”, how can you expect your body to absorb protein just before exercise? Protein goes through extensive metabolic processes before it’s ready for use by the body. Probably the protein that your body is using in response to today’s workout was eaten for breakfast yesterday.

It’s really a stretch to imagine that you can down a protein shake and have it rushing to your muscles a few minutes later.

And I suspect most bodies will give you a choice. Mine says to me, “you can either lift weights or digest. You can’t do both.”

For my friend Gilbert up there, whey protein is actually pretty cheap. If you do a by-the-gram analysis, you’ll find it’s very economical. You just have to shell out about $20 for a two-three week supply.

Thanks for a good post, Leo.

Stomach Muscles Says:

February 28th, 2008, 12:20 pm

These are great tips Leo you taught me a few things I didnt know.

Tad Says:

March 7th, 2008, 16:08 pm

I was a college/pro baseball player and I will agree with the slow movement part, but only on the downward motion of bench or squats, on the way up, you need to explode the weight. I believe going slow both ways is a great way to help a person add on a lot of muscle mass, but it is not necessarily a great way to help athletecism. This is just what I have learned during my training with professional strength training coaches, major league baseball players, and other athletes.

Bryan Says:

April 5th, 2008, 12:26 pm

Well, my website has loads of information like this

Ivana Says:

April 6th, 2008, 9:09 am

Good points, the only thing I would disagree with would be #9. Maximizing effectiveness could also mean supersetting with another exercise so that you can get benefits of both without having to rest and only do one set–> better workout and more efficient. Another way to get the most of your workouts without having to only do one set is lowering the reps for each set and alternate the amount of weights for each set. But then again, it all depends on what type of muscle building you want. Endurance, power, or strength….I suppose if you want strength, your tip would make sense.

Josh Says:

April 29th, 2008, 15:00 pm

There’s always going to be an intensity versus volume debate.

There’s no best way to approach lifting; it’s something that must be tested personally to find out what’s best for you. Every has different genetics, so obviously what works for the genetic superior may not be as effective for a typical small-framed hardgainer.

I certainly agree with most of your points. The only one I tend to disagree with is slow lifting for a count of 5 in the lifting phase - it’s not very effective. The best way to hypertrophy is explosive (controlled form, mind you) movements in the lifting phase.

Muscle Post Says:

May 11th, 2008, 20:20 pm

I tend to disagree with the 5 seconds in both direction theory as well. I advise that you explode during the lifting phase, but take the weight back a little more slowly in the return phase of the exercise. So on bench press, you will push the weight up quickly in about 1 second, but bring the weight back down more slowly, in 2-3 seconds.

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