Gym for 30-40 mins. Selling myself short?

[Jozifp103]

I hit the gym for literally 30-40 mins. I'm in and out. I do 1 muscle group per day with the exception of Mondays which is bis and tris. I do 3-4 sets per workout and 4-5 workouts per muscle group. For example my chest routine might look something like:

-Incline dumbell press 12x12x10x8
-iso-lateral chest press 12x12x10x8
-decline cable presses 12x12x10x10
-machine or cable flys 12x12x10x10

Sometimes I'll only do 3 sets if I feel I've hit it hard enough. I can get all this done in 30 mins. Sometimes I feel like a lot of people train harder than me....maybe not harder, but longer. I've always had a fear of overtraining, whether it's a myth or not, I still try to avoid going over the top. My progress seems to be fine, I'm just wondering if I'm selling myself short by not spending 1-2 hours in the gym destroying my muscles.


***What are your thoughts? I'd like to hear from both sides of the spectrum.....
-the quick and to the point trainers.
-the fanatic spend hours on end and destroy every muscle until you pass out trainers.

[Runfromsafety]

I'm not an expert, let me say that up front. Based on the books I've read, and what I do, I'd say it depends on the amount of weight you're using, how long you rest between sets and the speed you are working out at. Heavy weights? Circuit? HIIT? Are you including cardio in this time frame or are you doing it at a separate time of the day?
If you're happy with your progress then I'd say stick with what you're doing-if it ain't broke why fix it? If the progress slows down then switch things up!
I am looking forward to hearing what some brothers have to say that are more knowledgeable than me! Great question!

[Wshadrick]

I do the same thing, stick with one muscle group each day and knock it out in 30-45 minutes 4 sets each group, but I switch tris and bis every workout at the end and leave the gym in 1hr.

[overfiddy]

my training is similar in length like Dorian Yates style. If you give everything you've got to failure with the heaviest possible weight, you dont have much left in the tank to go past 45 minutes. Minimal rest, razor focus no phone, no bs, no eye contact, Get in, smash it, get out, go eat. Simple as that

[maxmuscle1]

I spend 50min-1hr and do a 4 day a week split. During cutting or recomp I spend more time in the gym simply because I do more exercises and cardio. Time in the gym can be 30 minutes! For me after twenty plus years of training, I’ve built my base long ago.. so it’s all about intensity and efficiency. I don’t have my phone, I steer from talking to others(besides workout partners) and lift. The MEALS and supplements take up the most time. Designing, prepping, cooking, shopping, and eating!


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[NoMMAdd]

Im gonna tell you EXACTLY what you want to hear. IF YOU HAVE TO ASK YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER BRO. try adding another set to each exercise. or change the weight. one day start heavy and then Finnish light then the next start light and finish heavy. also you can do only 5 reps but dont count reps until you start getting sore. then at the very end add in some band work ( my favorite for chest is to wrap one band around the leg of my cage and do a pushup and when i come up take the arm closest to the cage and pull the band across my chest do x amount each side after your workout) or after workout do dips then pushups.
but im that crazy fuck that lives in the gym. hell i put Olympic rings in my office at work :D 36609

[Vision]

Time frame really doesn't matter, to a degree.. The only time your body knows is TUT.. It knows no weight, just TUT.. If you can get in there and during your session smash some demons all the while TUT is at its level were you're drop setting and can barely complete sets of 30-40% of your existing load and you keep time intervals with rest limited in a narrow range, than you're heading in the right direction and optimizing on hypertrophy, the more intense the state of hyperemia is, the greater chance you will achieve your adjective..
If this can be done all the while without compromising your form, than I call that a good session in my book..

Always remember; Where were you mentally during those sets/reps? If there's no mind-muscle connection than you wasted your time...During those last few reps in each set, you must be in a state of fucking zen, an altered universe, it's just your will to drive and the mind to muscle connection..

Post-workout carbs/protein is equally or if not more important.. Capitalize on that window before it closes!

Get'er done...

[overfiddy]

Time frame really doesn't matter, to a degree.. The only time your body knows is TUT.. It knows no weight, just TUT.. If you can get in there and during your session smash some demons all the while TUT is at its level were you're drop setting and can barely complete sets of 30-40% of your existing load and you keep time intervals with rest limited in a narrow range, than you're heading in the right direction and optimizing on hypertrophy, the more intense the state of hyperemia is, the greater chance you will achieve your adjective..
If this can be done all the while without compromising your form, than I call that a good session in my book..

Always remember; Where were you mentally during those sets/reps? If there's no mind-muscle connection than you wasted your time...During those last few reps in each set, you must be in a state of fucking zen, an altered universe, it's just your will to drive and the mind to muscle connection..

Post-workout carbs/protein is equally or if not more important.. Capitalize on that window before it closes!

Get'er done...
Amen... A fucking Zen about sums it up. During those last few reps, in my mind Im the only one in the gym

[Enigma]

With only 30-40 minutes, when is there time to do FB updates, do Instagram selfies or text your mates on the opposite side of the gym? I though that was a critical part of working out.

[joko123]

I hit the gym for literally 30-40 mins. I'm in and out. I do 1 muscle group per day with the exception of Mondays which is bis and tris. I do 3-4 sets per workout and 4-5 workouts per muscle group. For example my chest routine might look something like:

-Incline dumbell press 12x12x10x8
-iso-lateral chest press 12x12x10x8
-decline cable presses 12x12x10x10
-machine or cable flys 12x12x10x10

Sometimes I'll only do 3 sets if I feel I've hit it hard enough. I can get all this done in 30 mins. Sometimes I feel like a lot of people train harder than me....maybe not harder, but longer. I've always had a fear of overtraining, whether it's a myth or not, I still try to avoid going over the top. My progress seems to be fine, I'm just wondering if I'm selling myself short by not spending 1-2 hours in the gym destroying my muscles.


***What are your thoughts? I'd like to hear from both sides of the spectrum.....
-the quick and to the point trainers.
-the fanatic spend hours on end and destroy every muscle until you pass out trainers.


All depends on your results are you progressing, staying the same or regressing ?

There’s no clear cut answer. I’ve felt as you become a more advanced lifter you’re mind muscle connection becomes that much better and with that you’re able to hit the muscle group much faster and directly stimulate and contract much harder. Where as a newbie might need 1.5-2hrs to throw around some weight in hopes they’re hitting the right muscle group


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[Vision]

Amen... A fucking Zen about sums it up. During those last few reps, in my mind Im the only one in the gym

Like seriously.. I'm talking like weirding the fuck out, my wireless JBL's on, Five finger death Punch blasting.. I'm rocking back and forth with my eyes shut between sets, my mind is in a complete fucking different dimension..

If I look unapproachable, then I'm in the state of mind that I want to be.. and sometimes my eyes may water up a bit, it's not because I'm weak, it's because I'm smashing fucking demons..

[m314]

I get best results on cycle with higher volume. I'll typically do 30 - 36 high intensity sets in 60 to 72 minutes, 5 days a week. I'll do a second workout with 20 to 30 minutes cardio later in the day. It's good to try higher volume workouts to see how your body responds.

I have to dial it down a little between cycles. I can't recover fast enough with this kind of volume on just a cruise dose of test.

[chadmack282]

From your example workout if u have focus & INTENSITY time doesn't matter. A lot of guys that r in the gym for hour are taking 5 minutes between sets instead of 30-60 seconds.

[trenbolognaa]

Experimentation is always great. Some people grow from less volume. Some can do pump sets for hours and grow.

I would advise that you attempt variations and see how you respond to the stimulas. I feel good around 45m currently with my intensity and volume preference. I used to like longer workouts but I feel like I can get the job done quicker now and if I keep going it's just trying to keep a pump that's fading, no real benefit to that.

[Jozifp103]

Time frame really doesn't matter, to a degree.. The only time your body knows is TUT.. It knows no weight, just TUT.. If you can get in there and during your session smash some demons all the while TUT is at its level were you're drop setting and can barely complete sets of 30-40% of your existing load and you keep time intervals with rest limited in a narrow range, than you're heading in the right direction and optimizing on hypertrophy, the more intense the state of hyperemia is, the greater chance you will achieve your adjective..
If this can be done all the while without compromising your form, than I call that a good session in my book..

Always remember; Where were you mentally during those sets/reps? If there's no mind-muscle connection than you wasted your time...During those last few reps in each set, you must be in a state of fucking zen, an altered universe, it's just your will to drive and the mind to muscle connection..

Post-workout carbs/protein is equally or if not more important.. Capitalize on that window before it closes!

Get'er done...


All depends on your results are you progressing, staying the same or regressing ?

There’s no clear cut answer. I’ve felt as you become a more advanced lifter you’re mind muscle connection becomes that much better and with that you’re able to hit the muscle group much faster and directly stimulate and contract much harder. Where as a newbie might need 1.5-2hrs to throw around some weight in hopes they’re hitting the right muscle group


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Every year my mind to muscle connection improves. I feel like i've mastered the skill. It's kind of cool actually it's like a 6th sense that I didn't know I had. Trying to explain it to people who are new to lifting is like trying to explain having psychic powers. It's like a phenomenon that can only be understood once you experience it. I feel like I can control individual muscle fibers. For example, if I'm doing say decline cable flies, I can do one rep and focus on my outer chest, then noext rep focus on inner chest without even changing my ROM or form. I can just shift the tension to another part of the muscle using my magic brain powers. Makes all the difference when it comes to the effectiveness of your training.

As far as my progress...it's steady but not as rapid as it used to be....but that's to be expected as you improve. Results don't come as quick as they used to. I miss those newbie gains and first cycle gains lol.

Like seriously.. I'm talking like weirding the fuck out, my wireless JBL's on, Five finger death Punch blasting.. I'm rocking back and forth with my eyes shut between sets, my mind is in a complete fucking different dimension..

If I look unapproachable, then I'm in the state of mind that I want to be.. and sometimes my eyes may water up a bit, it's not because I'm weak, it's because I'm smashing fucking demons..
I always work out alone and when it's just you and there's no one to socialize with you really get into a trance. Music blasting, open playground of weights just for you. It's like I'm alone in my own universe.

That being said....There's no one to tell me I look like an idiot, or I'm making weird noises or funny faces. I have become very NON self-aware because of this. I ended up moving in with my father in my early-mid 20's and we became gym partners for a few years. Man did he rip me apart. He would sneak pictures of my face while i was lifting or take a video of me doing squats because of the ridiculous noises I would make. Man was that eye opening....I didn't realize what a primitive, barbaric state I would go into. It was like I was completely de-humanized and was running on pure animal instinct. My faces and sounds were the ugliest things I have ever seen/heard. I got a good laugh out of it and continue to do it today. I wear it proud now because I know it's because I'm so focused :)

I get best results on cycle with higher volume. I'll typically do 30 - 36 high intensity sets in 60 to 72 minutes, 5 days a week. I'll do a second workout with 20 to 30 minutes cardio later in the day. It's good to try higher volume workouts to see how your body responds.

I have to dial it down a little between cycles. I can't recover fast enough with this kind of volume on just a cruise dose of test.
I'm sorry I've never heard of cardio. ​Is that spanish for something?

[Vision]

Honestly man I don't pay attention to anyone in there.. whenever some of my buddies are in there I even ignore them, once in a while they'll bumped me on the shoulder and say hey bro did you see that new ass that came in? Man I don't fucking care..

If people are too busy watching me and the faces and noises and I'm doing then that proves they're not busy enough with their own priorities..

I'm confident that I appear bizarre enough that people want to look away before I make eye contact with them.. you think I look awkward? Wait until we lock eyes motherfucker?
The only people I really talk to is the old ladies, they're very well-mannered and know how to hold a decent conversation, and most of them are absolutely hilarious..

After most of the old ladies that are regulars got a chance to know me, they know I'm just being me in the moment.. for all of the other guys who were standoffish and failed to make an approach to talk, I'm entertained by how they look at me and what's possibly going through their minds..

[Scott84067r]

I don't think you are selling yourself short. If you read about the Eastern Block Soviet countries the Bulgarians took blood tests and found that after 45 minutes the testosterone in the blood had declined by over 80%. They also would train six times a day but short duration. I will post the article where I found the information later.

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[m314]

Blood testosterone levels don't decline for people who blast and cruise. Steroids let us push harder for better results. There's no way I could do as much as I do in the gym if I was stuck relying on my natural testosterone production.

[Vision]

I don't think you are selling yourself short. If you read about the Eastern Block Soviet countries the Bulgarians took blood tests and found that after 45 minutes the testosterone in the blood had declined by over 80%. They also would train six times a day but short duration. I will post the article where I found the information later.

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these articles always contradict themselves because there's other research to prove that testosterone increases.. articles are very misleading along with studies because something can equally contradict it with supporting evidence

[Ryan1007]

With the exception of legs I take about 30 minutes to hit each muscle group and I am happy with the results. I see guys in the gym that lift for an hour but you wouldn't know it by looking at them. I don't think the length of time matters as much as intensoty.

[Jozifp103]

I don't think you are selling yourself short. If you read about the Eastern Block Soviet countries the Bulgarians took blood tests and found that after 45 minutes the testosterone in the blood had declined by over 80%. They also would train six times a day but short duration. I will post the article where I found the information later.

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Hmmm, I'd like to see that article because I've read differently. Also 80% is a huge drop. If you think of it post the article I'd like to read it.

Blood testosterone levels don't decline for people who blast and cruise. Steroids let us push harder for better results. There's no way I could do as much as I do in the gym if I was stuck relying on my natural testosterone production.
Also valid point that I was going to mention. Also, temporary drops in T levels doesn't really matter as a natural body will produce more. Just because (supposedly) T levels drop shortly after intense workout, doesn't mean it has any effect on recovery. Your body will produce a certain amount per day regardless and will make more as needed.

But since I myself rely on exogenous testosterone, I don't have to worry I can replenish myself when I see fit :)

these articles always contradict themselves because there's other research to prove that testosterone increases.. articles are very misleading along with studies because something can equally contradict it with supporting evidenceI was thinking the same thing. I've always read the total opposite. Unless you're completely overtraining yourself to the point of adrenal fatigue, you're T levels should spike a bit during heavy lifting. Even after 45 mins.