Short workout vs. long workout

laura9503

Hi!
I'm currently maintaining (or trying to maintain at least). I workout about 4 times a week, and my workouts usually consist of 30 minutes strength and 30 minutes cardio. However, on Monday, I did a new workout called Grit Strength and I'm still sore. It was a great workout, but it only lasted 30 minutes but afterwards my muscles were shaking so much I only managed 10 minutes on the hometrainer. Yesterday, I did a 30 minute core workout and was still too sore to do any cardio after. I tried, but the lowest resistance felt too heavy. So, then I thought to myself that I should train 1,5 hours during my next workouts to catch up on the lost 2 x 30 minutes on Monday and Wednesday. Or would you say that it doesn't matter if a workout if long or short, it is the intensity that counts?

sijomial

"So, then I thought to myself that I should train 1,5 hours during my next workouts to catch up on the lost 2 x 30 minutes on Monday and Wednesday."
No you don't have to force yourself to catch up.

"Or would you say that it doesn't matter if a workout if long or short, it is the intensity that counts?"
Of course duration matters - I'm currently training for an all day cycle ride so the duration of my training sessions is far longer than someone with different training goals.
Duration, total volume and intensity matter and they need to work together in alignment with your training and fitness goals.

Silentpadna

sijomial wrote: »

Duration, total volume and intensity matter and they need to work together in alignment with your training and fitness goals.

This is truth. OP, I wouldn't look at trying to "make up" time like you might make up a deficit through the week when you eat a little more one day. It's not going to give you near the same effect.

The bottom line is that there needs to be both intensity and volume.

For strength training, for example, there are three factors: intensity (how hard it is), volume (weight x reps), and tonnage (the product of weight x reps x sets). Obviously all play a role in how much total work your body does.

In cardio it's roughly the same thing. I can burn more calories doing a brisk 4 mile walk through our hilly neighborhood than I do when I jog a slow 5K over a flat course. Pick any variation you want - both factors play.

But also remember that, in terms of weight loss, the time doing exercise or training is a smaller factor than your food intake - quite a bit smaller.

JaydedMiss

Your maintaining. A few "missed" exercising isnt going to hurt you. Even if you were losing. Agreed on no need to make anything up thats a harmful road to begin going down.

To me it sounds like you found what timeline you enjoy and id see no reason to change it. If seen people in and out of the gym in 30 minutes after killing it and just dripping and iv seen people there all day and clearly get very little done. Id say its not so much the intensity or the time that matters, But how you use the time.

Personally id rather give it my absolute all for 30 minutes allowing 15 minutes of rest/lower intensity stuff my gym routine is 45 minutes add much more i get bored and become inefficient and sort of lazy.

laura9503

Thanks everyone! I'm pretty new to the 'fitness-scene', I've been very active all my life, but always in sports outside the gym where the duration etc. would be provided by a trainer. But I agree, I still feel sore from a half hour workout on Monday while I hardly ever feel (this) sore after a 1 hour workout. And those half hour workouts give me a lot of inspiration for the days I don't train in a group-lesson.

hesn92

Meh. I’m not very hard core. I keep my workouts short (about 30 min) 4-5 x a week. I’m busy. I work full time, I have 2 kids. I’ve got *kitten* to do, kids to pick up, dinner to make etc. maybe in another phase of life where I’m not so busy I will work out more but this is good for me right now.

JBApplebee

My workouts at 9Round last 35 minutes or so & they burn 450-550 calories & I go between 7-10 times a week. They leave you tired & sometimes a little sore.

Maxxitt

If you are still really sore on day 4 after an intense workout, especially a new program, it might be that you asked your body to do too much, too soon. You might try dialing back just a bit the first week or two on that new program (go to the point of "I could do maybe 1 or 2 more repetitions of this exercise" and stop there). You can actually progress more quickly this way, because you won't be too sore to move for 4 days Another tip is to keep light movement going following an intense workout and for the next day or two - I find walking really helps with DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

gearhead426hemi

When you try new exercises you will find your bodies week spots. It's good to change things up and keep your body guessing. I say hit the 90 workout and see how your body responds. You'll definitely be sore but how will you know your bodies limits if you don't push them.