Any problem with long workouts?

[Kregna]

Recently gotten into the Olympic lifting, so doing 2 days strength stuff / 2 days oly stuff. Ideally I'd do at least 3 days strength stuff

What this means is I have a lot to cram in to just 2 days. Strength days are:

A
Dips (5 sets / 5+ mins break)
Chin ups (8 sets / 2-3 mins break)
Squats (5 sets / 8+ min break)


B
Front squats (5 sets / 5 mins break)
Push press (5 sets / 5 mins break)
Deadlifts (6 sets / 5-8 mins break)
Dips (3 sets / 2-3 mins break)


Ideally I'd do some more overhead stuff on Workout A, along with curls on both workouts. But these workouts take like 2.5 hours as it is!

For most exercises I'm doing heavier sets then back offs, so could drop the rest time between back off sets to like 3 mins to save time. But I don't want to if that's gonna interfere with the strength gainzzzzzzzzzz.

Any training negatives to such a long workout if I have the energy and time to do this? Dem anabolic windows, etc?

[Cody]

My two training days take 2.5-3hrs each.

[Kregna]

My two training days take 2.5-3hrs each.

That's good to hear someone else is doing it. I'm gonna carry on then and make sure I do get my assistance stuff in

Hard to get high volume workouts in over 2 days in a short space of time

[Manveer]

I usually take forever. Has not hurt progress.

You can get your rest periods down if you are focused on it.

[Kregna]

I usually take forever. Has not hurt progress.

You can get your rest periods down if you are focused on it.

Thanks for the input

If you and Cody are in a similar boat, I'm not gonna worry. It's just I don't know anyone else who does this - everyone else I know has shorter workouts, but more frequently

I don't really wanna go to the gym more than 4 days a week so if this isn't a heinous act I'm just gonna carry on.

[Chebass88]

The biggest thing is if you have the energy and time to do them. It might help to eat some carbs in the middle of a session for energy.

[Manveer]

If you and Cody are in a similar boat, I'm not gonna worry. It's just I don't know anyone else who does this - everyone else I know has shorter workouts, but more frequently

If Cody was in my boat, I would kick his ass out. He's too strong!

[Allentown]

I did 6 sets of dips and pull ups in 10 minutes, but just BW. Even weighted, day A should probably be under 2 hours...

[Kregna]

The biggest thing is if you have the energy and time to do them. It might help to eat some carbs in the middle of a session for energy.

Good idea, thanks. Especially as I leave squats/deadlifts till the end

If you and Cody are in a similar boat, I'm not gonna worry. It's just I don't know anyone else who does this - everyone else I know has shorter workouts, but more frequently

If Cody was in my boat, I would kick his ass out. He's too strong!

He's strong but light, right? My boat's built for fatties, so he can stay

I did 6 sets of dips and pull ups in 10 minutes, but just BW. Even weighted, day A should probably be under 2 hours...

Sounds like you're using dips and pull ups as an assistance, though, right? Supersetted and done within 10 mins. I'm guessing you take longer breaks with benching and pressing?

I do them as main lifts (especially the dips), so I wouldn't want to rush through a few fatigued bodyweight sets in 10 mins (although I do the 3 sets of bodyweight with 2ish mins at the end of the B workout)

[damufunman]

I hear ya dude! I was at about 2 hours every day. Managed to cut out about 20-30 minutes by shortening warm ups before snatching and taking bigger jumps working up to working weight. Also skipping C&Js is helping that out :/
Maybe take a look at adding in another Oly lifting day, possibly splitting up Sn/C&J on one of them, and then doing some strength work after the Oly lifts. I took the 3 day HLM for WLing template and broke up the heavy day into two: heavy Oly lifts, then volume strength stuff. You can really get some good, heavy snatches and clean & jerks in, then be rested enough to go after 5 squat sets.
Why dips over benching or overhead work? Pushing down is completely upside-down

[Allentown]

Sounds like you're using dips and pull ups as an assistance, though, right? Supersetted and done within 10 mins. I'm guessing you take longer breaks with benching and pressing?

I do them as main lifts (especially the dips), so I wouldn't want to rush through a few fatigued bodyweight sets in 10 mins (although I do the 3 sets of bodyweight with 2ish mins at the end of the B workout)

Yeah, assistance, but I take about the same rest times with bench. And squat, actually. You've got two days of dips, you could do one day weighted with 3-4 minutes rest, the other bodyweight with 1-2 minutes rest. If you are looking to shorten your sessions, that is. If not, no problem, I just probably only get 2.5 hours a week in the gym. Time will tell if my 30 minute session program gets me anywhere.

[cwd]

My sessions stretch long, but it's a home gym and I can do laundry, visit with my family, etc between sets. No hurry.

[LexAnderson]

As long as you have time for them then I think they are good.

[Kregna]

Maybe take a look at adding in another Oly lifting day, possibly splitting up Sn/C&J on one of them, and then doing some strength work after the Oly lifts. I took the 3 day HLM for WLing template and broke up the heavy day into two: heavy Oly lifts, then volume strength stuff. You can really get some good, heavy snatches and clean & jerks in, then be rested enough to go after 5 squat sets.

Yeah it's not a bad idea. I was just following this sort of split from the 70sbig transition article and also an article Glenn Pendlay wrote on the same thing (2 days strength, 2 days oly). In the long run I'm sure you need more than 2 days practising the oly lifts, so 3 days sounds like a reasonable place to start!

I am surprisingly tired after just an hour of snatching + C&Js though lol. Probably take some getting used to squatting afterwards

Why dips over benching or overhead work? Pushing down is completely upside-down

I just don't care about the bench press and always wanted to try dips as a main lift. I replaced bench with dips in summer and have been increasing the weight each week (total of that day's bodyweight + weight plates on the belt).

I think on paper it's a better exercise... compared to bench: more of your body moves, you can get a greater ROM and you're lifting heavier than your bench (bodyweight). One disadvantage I see is not being able to microload as easily, but I just weigh myself before I put the plates on so it hasn't been a problem

Also you don't need a spotter or safety bars and there's never any competition for the dip bars

The pressing I talked to you/Mbasic about in a log and have never really liked it (has never increased in the absence of a bench press increase), more prone to form problems (hyperextending) and the weight is so light relative to even my lowly jerk that I don't see why it's an exercise for olympic lifting? The push press makes more sense to me (and I've found this thinking from 70sbig and catalystathletics)

Sounds like you're using dips and pull ups as an assistance, though, right? Supersetted and done within 10 mins. I'm guessing you take longer breaks with benching and pressing?

I do them as main lifts (especially the dips), so I wouldn't want to rush through a few fatigued bodyweight sets in 10 mins (although I do the 3 sets of bodyweight with 2ish mins at the end of the B workout)

Yeah, assistance, but I take about the same rest times with bench. And squat, actually. You've got two days of dips, you could do one day weighted with 3-4 minutes rest, the other bodyweight with 1-2 minutes rest. If you are looking to shorten your sessions, that is. If not, no problem, I just probably only get 2.5 hours a week in the gym. Time will tell if my 30 minute session program gets me anywhere.

Yeah it's not a bad idea, thanks. My worry is that I'm gonna start failing reps on the dips doing that. Currently doing a sort of linear periodisation where I just add 1-2kg a week and reps drop when they need to. Went from 5x5 to 5x3 to 3x3 + 3x5 (back offs). So for my current programming, more important to get the reps than the rest break

For me, it's more of a pain going more days than it is doing a few huge days

My sessions stretch long, but it's a home gym and I can do laundry, visit with my family, etc between sets. No hurry.

Yeah I'm jelly of that. I'd love a home gym, but no garage. You can just practice snatches and grease the groove chin ups as much as you want

[Cody]

If you and Cody are in a similar boat, I'm not gonna worry. It's just I don't know anyone else who does this - everyone else I know has shorter workouts, but more frequently

If Cody was in my boat, I would kick his ass out. He's too strong!

I'm not sure if my feelings are hurt or not...

Kregna, I'm between 215-225 most of the time. Right now I'm coming off of (still kinda) some sickness, so I'm at the low end of that range. Hopefully the holidays fatten me back up.

[Kregna]

If you and Cody are in a similar boat, I'm not gonna worry. It's just I don't know anyone else who does this - everyone else I know has shorter workouts, but more frequently

If Cody was in my boat, I would kick his ass out. He's too strong!

I'm not sure if my feelings are hurt or not...

Kregna, I'm between 215-225 most of the time. Right now I'm coming off of (still kinda) some sickness, so I'm at the low end of that range. Hopefully the holidays fatten me back up.

But you have a 6 pack, right? Sounds like you'd be better off Abzsailing than getting on my Manoe or Chestski

[Skid]

I use the stop watch on my iphone. Typically 5 minutes rest between heavy stuff, and 3 minutes rest between assistance exercises. I could probably take more time in between sets and lift a little more, but my workouts take around 2 hours already.

[iamsmu]

3 hours is a really big chunk of the day. Then again, I guess most people just dick around watching TV for 3 hours or so before dinner. But I don't even have a real job and I don't know how I find a 3 hour block like that.

[Cody]

But you have a 6 pack, right? Sounds like you'd be better off Abzsailing than getting on my Manoe or Chestski

Depends on my diet. Those extra 10-15 lbs sometimes put me just over into a 2 or 4 pack, and sometimes if I'm bulking and my sodium is way up I get kind of bloated looking. I think retaining water makes the abs less visible. But yes, currently I have a sweet 6 pack.

[Cody]

3 hours is a really big chunk of the day. Then again, I guess most people just dick around watching TV for 3 hours or so before dinner. But I don't even have a real job and I don't know how I find a 3 hour block like that.

What's your total gym time in a week? I'm 5-6 hours, just in 2 days. If you're lifting 3x 1.5-2hr sessions or 4x 1-1.5hr sessions it's the same total time.