The one hour max rule

[monkeybrain]

Hey guys I want to put this out here because I think it is massively overlooked. This is specific to strength training. The idea is that for 90 plus percent of my workouts I keep it to 60 minutes maximum not including warm up time/sets. The reasoning is that you body perceives exercises as stress and will begin to secrete cortisol in response to it. If you workout for longer than 1 hour you are basically spinning your wheels because the cortisol to testosterone ratio becomes unfavorable. Your goal should be to raise cortisol during your workout and then very quickly bring it down post workout. You can accomplish this from the insulin response of a post workout meal. What do you guys think? How long are your workouts usually?

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

Depends how I feel, sometimes 2h, other times 20m, just go based on what I feel needs to be done and a 2h workout is the best, the other day I spent 2h on my upper body I felt like a God after

 

[SargeMaximus]

I always go less than an hour except back day can cut it close. Too many exercises

 

[metalwater]

depends on if I am intentionally burning or want to pump up. sometimes just don't want to stop yet.

 

[EyeBRollin]

If you are natural there is no need to exercise longer than an hour. Possible exception for marathon training..

 

[BackInTheGame78]

I try and keep mine under 30 minutes. Low to no rest periods. Intensity always beats length of time in terms of results.

 

[SargeMaximus]

I try and keep mine under 30 minutes. Low to no rest periods. Intensity always beats length of time in terms of results.

Same. Plus I don’t like wasting time. Working out is a chore especially back day. Just get in and out

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

I almost always workout for about 25-45 min, excluding warm ups. I go hard and fast, for instance I'll do 4 ramping sets of 5 deadlifts and 4 supersets of dips and pullups, and I'm done in 25 min. If I exceed go over 45 min typically start to feel like absolute **** for the rest of the day.

If you do meme lifts with machines/dumbbells or cheat reps every time, I can see how people would think lifting for 1-2 hrs is normal.

I do make an exception for HIIT because I like to run 3 miles to the track, do about 30-45 min of HIIT sprints, then run back, typically exceeding 2 hrs. I only do this once a week, however I always feel fantastic after doing it.

 

[TheCharmingGuy]

Hey guys I want to put this out here because I think it is massively overlooked. This is specific to strength training. The idea is that for 90 plus percent of my workouts I keep it to 60 minutes maximum not including warm up time/sets. The reasoning is that you body perceives exercises as stress and will begin to secrete cortisol in response to it. If you workout for longer than 1 hour you are basically spinning your wheels because the cortisol to testosterone ratio becomes unfavorable. Your goal should be to raise cortisol during your workout and then very quickly bring it down post workout. You can accomplish this from the insulin response of a post workout meal. What do you guys think? How long are your workouts usually?

Well, studies HAVE shown that during the 61st minute of your workout, the cholesterol fairy will fly into the gym, wave her wand and shrink your muscles, zap your testosterone, and add a pound of fat directly to your belly for every extra minute you spend in the weight room.

Pardon my sarcasm OP, but there is no way to put a time stamp on your workout. What works for you works for you, but there has never been and will never be a one size fits all. Sometimes I workout longer than 60 minutes, sometimes less, depending on what I’m focusing on. And I used to be a personal trainer, so I know what I’m talking about. Workout times can vary hugely from 20 minutes to even 90. And it can even go past that if you are doing an endurance-based workout that employs a lot of bodyweight exercises (crunches, push-ups, planks, etc.)

In case anybody is wondering, my upper-body workout takes a little over an hour, and my lower-body workout takes about 40 minutes. I’ve been working out in almost entirely the same way (gradually increasing weight as my physique gets better) since I was 15.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

Hey guys I want to put this out here because I think it is massively overlooked. This is specific to strength training. The idea is that for 90 plus percent of my workouts I keep it to 60 minutes maximum not including warm up time/sets. The reasoning is that you body perceives exercises as stress and will begin to secrete cortisol in response to it. If you workout for longer than 1 hour you are basically spinning your wheels because the cortisol to testosterone ratio becomes unfavorable. Your goal should be to raise cortisol during your workout and then very quickly bring it down post workout. You can accomplish this from the insulin response of a post workout meal. What do you guys think? How long are your workouts usually?

Cortisol is a major beeotch, and you are on the right path to minimizing it, even if one does shorter but multiple workouts instead.

 

[monkeybrain]

Well, studies HAVE shown that during the 61st minute of your workout, the cholesterol fairy will fly into the gym, wave her wand and shrink your muscles, zap your testosterone, and add a pound of fat directly to your belly for every extra minute you spend in the weight room.

Pardon my sarcasm OP, but there is no way to put a time stamp on your workout. What works for you works for you, but there has never been and will never be a one size fits all. Sometimes I workout longer than 60 minutes, sometimes less, depending on what I’m focusing on. And I used to be a personal trainer, so I know what I’m talking about. Workout times can vary hugely from 20 minutes to even 90. And it can even go past that if you are doing an endurance-based workout that employs a lot of bodyweight exercises (crunches, push-ups, planks, etc.)

In case anybody is wondering, my upper-body workout takes a little over an hour, and my lower-body workout takes about 40 minutes. I’ve been working out in almost entirely the same way (gradually increasing weight as my physique gets better) since I was 15.

Haha I actually just spend 62 minutes in the gym and lost all my gains from last year.

 

[monkeybrain]

I almost always workout for about 25-45 min, excluding warm ups. I go hard and fast, for instance I'll do 4 ramping sets of 5 deadlifts and 4 supersets of dips and pullups, and I'm done in 25 min. If I exceed go over 45 min typically start to feel like absolute **** for the rest of the day.

If you do meme lifts with machines/dumbbells or cheat reps every time, I can see how people would think lifting for 1-2 hrs is normal.

I do make an exception for HIIT because I like to run 3 miles to the track, do about 30-45 min of HIIT sprints, then run back, typically exceeding 2 hrs. I only do this once a week, however I always feel fantastic after doing it.

I have a lot of days like you described. To me it is all about efficiency

 

[monkeybrain]

Depends how I feel, sometimes 2h, other times 20m, just go based on what I feel needs to be done and a 2h workout is the best, the other day I spent 2h on my upper body I felt like a God after

Truth. cannot argue with that. You ever do multiple 2 hour workouts/ week?

 

[monkeybrain]

Cortisol is a major beeotch, and you are on the right path to minimizing it, even if one does shorter but multiple workouts instead.

I'm with ya

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

Truth. cannot argue with that. You ever do multiple 2 hour workouts/ week?

Depends how I feel, some weeks I feel bloated, other weeks not so much

 

[darksprezzatura]

Great share!

From a strength training perspective.

I do 1 exercise of 5 hard sets of 5 repetitions per body part.

Two body parts a day.

That's 50 hard reps a day.

This does not include warm ups sets which are about 30 reps for both body parts.

Each rep is about 4 seconds.

= 320 seconds. ~ 6 minutes.

After each set I rest for 1-3 minutes ~ 30 minutes.

Isolation 2 exercise x 3 sets x 10-15 reps for each body part

Warm up ~ 15 minutes if mobility before the workout.

Post stretch ~ 10 minutes

That's about 60-90 minutes.

Progression of strength hasn't flatlined since three years ago when I started.

Nutrition is maxxed out tho.

YMMV.

 

[sosumba]

Mine are usually 90 minutes, no warmup, cardio once a week, no stretching. I do that 4 times a week.

 

[monkeybrain]

Great share!

From a strength training perspective.

I do 1 exercise of 5 hard sets of 5 repetitions per body part.

Two body parts a day.

That's 50 hard reps a day.

This does not include warm ups sets which are about 30 reps for both body parts.

Each rep is about 4 seconds.

= 320 seconds. ~ 6 minutes.

After each set I rest for 1-3 minutes ~ 30 minutes.

Isolation 2 exercise x 3 sets x 10-15 reps for each body part

Warm up ~ 15 minutes if mobility before the workout.

Post stretch ~ 10 minutes

That's about 60-90 minutes.

Progression of strength hasn't flatlined since three years ago when I started.

Nutrition is maxxed out tho.

YMMV.

Thanks! I like the approach to your routine. Are you training for purely strength? and you have been doing this exact routine for 3 years and continually made progress? That's impressive.

 

[monkeybrain]

Mine are usually 90 minutes, no warmup, cardio once a week, no stretching. I do that 4 times a week.

Do you mean 90 minutes not including warm up time or that you never warm up lol?

 

[darksprezzatura]

Thanks! I like the approach to your routine. Are you training for purely strength? and you have been doing this exact routine for 3 years and continually made progress? That's impressive.

Correct.
The progress has not been linear but in short jumps. Not sure why that happens.

Had a 50 pound strength gain on squats in the last 2 months itself. That's more than the previous 6 months combined.