Organizing Workouts

This post deals with organizing workouts for those (many of us) with a very limited amount of time. It is hard organizing workouts which cover all the components of fitness when time is limited. Below is a question and answer I received from a blog reader about organizing workouts:

Q: "I am your typical 43 your old male with a 60 hour per week job, married, 3 kids and very little time. I love to train and workout, but am having a hard time fitting in all the different qualities and components of fitness into one workout. Practically, I have only an hour 3 days a week to train. I want to make my workouts as comprehensive as possible, but it seems hard to address all of the qualities I read about on your site in an hour: dynamic flexibility exercises, corrective exercises, foam rolling, strength training, fat loss resistance training, and some type of cardio or interval training...this seems like a lot to get in with 5 or more days available to train, let alone 1 hour 3 days/week. What's my solution to organizing workouts which cover all these bases?"-JB from Cleveland, OH

JB, your situation is not the exception but the norm, and is very similar to most of my baby boomer clients. This is how I suggest organizing workouts to address everything:

Phase I: Dynamic Warm-up, Pre-hab, Corrective Exercise/Activation Work, etc. (10:00)

Inch Worm 5 reps
PNF Diagonals 8 reps each side
"Greatest Stretch in the World" 5 reps each side
Wall Slides 8 reps
Hip Swings 8 reps each leg both front to front and side to side
Blackburns 8 reps
Glute Bridges 15 reps
Cat Camel Drill 10 reps
Birddog 8 reps each side
90/90 Thoracic Rotation 8 reps each side
Single Arm Blackburns w/ Serratus Activation 8 reps each side
Seated Dynamic 90/90 8 reps each side
Subscapularis Activation 8 reps each side
3D Dynamic Hamstrings 5 reps each direction
Ankle Mobilizations Against Wall 10 reps each ankle

This seems like a lot for a warm-up, but if you move quickly between exercises, you can get it all in 10:00. The above drills will prep your body optimally for the rest of the workout and address common dysfunctional and inhibited muscular structures. Perform this warm-up on all 3 days

Phase 2: Strength (15:00)

Week 1: 4 sets of 5 reps @ 80% of estimated one repetition maximum (1RM) resting 2-3 minutes between sets. After your last set, go down to 60% of your maximum and perform the maximum number of repetitions possible.
Week 2: 4 sets of 4 reps @ 85% of estimated 1RM with one back off set of max reps @ 60%.
Week 3: 4 sets of 2-3 reps @ 90% of estimated 1RM with one back off set of max reps @ 60%.
Week 4: 10 single reps @ 90% of your estimated 1RM (1.5 minutes between sets)

Day 1: apply the set/rep directions above to an upper body pressing exercise (some form of bench pressing or overhead pressing)
Day 2: apply the set/rep directions above to a squat or deadlift variation (alternate squats and deadlifts each training cycle...every 4-5 weeks)
Day 3: apply the set/rep directions above to a chin-up or row variation (alternate chin-ups and rows each training cycle)

Phase 3: Metabolic Resistance Training (22-25:00)

DAY 1
A1. Dumbbell Swings (10 reps)
A2. Dumbbell RDL to Row (10 reps)
*perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the A1 & A2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time)

B1. Pillar Bridge to Push-up Circuit (10 sec pillar bridge transitioning to 5 pushups for 3 cycles)
B2. Cable or Band Combination Push/Pull (10 reps each side)
* perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the B1 & B2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time and progress slightly each workout from there)

DAY 2

A1. Stability Ball Push-up to Pull-in (10 reps)
A2. Jump Split Squats (5 each leg for a total of 10)
*perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the A1 & A2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time)

B1. Squat/Squat w/ Rotation Series w/ Band (5 middle, 5 left, 5 right)
B2. Stability Ball Leg Curls (8-10 reps)
*perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the B1 & B2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time)

DAY 3

A1. Front Squat to Press (10 reps)
A2. Barbell Rollouts (6-8 reps)
*perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the A1 & A2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time)

B1. Split Squat to Low Cable or Band Row (8 each side)
B2. Combination Woodchops (8 each side each direction)
*perform as many sets as you can in a 10:00 block (set a timer) going back and forth between the B1 & B2 exercise (resistance is not important…choose a weight during the first workout which allows you to complete all the sets within the block of time)

The goal of the metabolic (or fat loss) resistance training phase is to get in a high volume of reps for all of the muscular structures and keep your heart rate elevated. This means you should rest no more than about 15-25 seconds between sets of each exercise during your 10:00 block, and no more than 60-90 seconds between the A&B blocks. This also serves as your “cardio” or conditioning due to the short rest periods.

You’ll notice the exercise selections are mostly combination exercises, multiple joint exercises, or low level plyometric exercises…all of these engage multiple muscular structures simultaneously and keep the overall metabolic demand high. Again, although the metabolic exercises will certainly build strength, strength endurance, power, power endurance and (due to the high volume of reps) hypertrophy, we are not trying to maximize training loads/weights here, especially during the first week of the workouts. I would rather see you go to light than too heavy. If you can’t complete the goal reps throughout the entire time block on any of the exercises, the weight you chose is too heavy.

Even though maximizing weights/loads isn’t of top priority in this phase of the workout, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to progress a bit each week. This can mean shortening your rest periods between exercises in each block, or using SLIGHTLY (and I mean slightly) heavier weights or band resistance. I would rather see your shorten the rest periods and get in more volume than go too heavy.

Phase 4: Preventative Work for The Shoulders/Scapula and Hips

Day 1
A1. Scapula Push-ups
A2. Side Lying Hip External Rotation
*2 sets of each with a very moderate resistance for 12-20 reps on each set

Day 2
A1. Face Pulls
A2. X Band Walks
*2 sets of each with a very moderate resistance for 12-20 reps on each set

Day 3
A1. Scapula Walkups w/ Band Tension
A2. Hip Fire Hydrants
*2 sets of each with a very moderate resistance for 12-20 reps on each set

All of this looks like a ton of work, but you should be able to complete this in an hour’s time if you follow the directions. On your off days, devote 5-10 minutes before bed towards foam rolling the IT bands, Glutes, and Upper Back. If you have more time after you roll out, do 1 traditional stretch for each of the following areas (30 seconds each):

Pecs
Lats
Levator Scapula & Upper Traps
Rotator Cuff (sleeper stretch)
Posterior Shoulder
Glutes
Piriformis
Hip Flexors/Psoas/Quad
Hamstrings

What is presented in this blogpost is about the most time efficient way I know of to cover all the bases…it will get you where you want to go.

If you would like more in-depth information about organizing workouts, alternative exercises for the template above, or how to build more variety into your workouts while adhering to a scheulde which accomodates your busy life, check out our WORKOUT PROGRAM DESIGN or ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING services.

Better yet, if you live in the Cincinnati, OH tri-state area, want to take all of the guess work out of organizing workouts, and want accountability, motivation and a great private training environment...check out the CINCINNATI PERSONAL TRAINING PROGRAM we offer at our FORCE Fitness & Performance private facility located in Hyde Park.