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MyFitnessPal Community

How long should a workout take?

pmaxson

Good morning,

I've just started SL 5x5 and love it so far, 1 week in. I'm wondering, though, how long the workouts should take. It seems like I am finished in 20-25 minutes total - which is great, but I'm wondering if I'm forgetting something.
Thanks!

Pam

Replies

chocolatecroissant

Mine only took 20 mins today and I thought it seemed a bit quick so would be interested in other people's responses. (Mind you I'm still pretty light and focusing on form so minimal rest times between sets)

tameko2

First few weeks it will only take 20-30 minutes. When you start hitting your limits on weight increases, it will be taking closer to an hour (and once you start crossing an hour, you'll know its time to move to an intermediate program - or at the very least you need to drop to 3x5).

Basically you start needing a lot of rest time. And each rep starts to take a second or two longer (like I need a few breaths between reps when it gets heavy) but its MOSTLY due to rest time. Towards the end I was giving it like 4 minutes between the final sets or I wouldn't be able to complete at that weight.

a_vettestingray

Once you starting getting heavier, you will need a longer recovery time. My workouts are closer to an hour (with warm up, workout, and maybe a quick stretch after). I am curious how long others are taking.

tameko2

Once you starting getting heavier, you will need a longer recovery time. My workouts are closer to an hour (with warm up, workout, and maybe a quick stretch after). I am curious how long others are taking.

technically at the end of the program, it was taking me closer to 90 minutes than 60, BUT that was partly because I was lifting with my husband, who's 6'2" which meant we had to un rack and re rack between EVERY single set (and move the pins and everything), and then for stuff like rows and deadlifts we'd have to set up plates for me, then change the plates for him, blahblah. I think its what burned him out on lifting for a while. But that was without any warmup or cool down. (other than warm-up weights.)

sarahstrezo

I'm really only about 4 weeks into SL, but I did NROLFW for about 3 months before this. My workouts take me about 50-60 minutes from warm up to stretching afterward.

mareeee1234

Its meant to be 25-30 mins initially

But as you lift heavier, you'll need longer rests (3-5 mins) between sets

So the workout does get longer eventually

I only just started today, took less than 30 mins!

stfuriada

THANK YOU for allaying my fears.

I'm starting this program on Wednesday and I'm thinking ... wtf I'll be done in less time than I usually do cardio. At least now I know it's normal at the start.

erincampbell9

The guy that runs the website recently posted videos for workouts A and B, both are about 30 minutes. He said these are the complete sessions (including warm ups)...start to finish.

Workout A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP2g3Sj3qSw

Workout B:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro3Mh9o7JPU

stfuriada

So what else do you guys do after?

I'm like 30 ish mins from my current gym, so driving that far for just about 30 mins of a workout seem weird yknow?

Fr3shStrt

The guy that runs the website recently posted videos for workouts A and B, both are about 30 minutes. He said these are the complete sessions (including warm ups)...start to finish.

Workout A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP2g3Sj3qSw

Workout B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro3Mh9o7JPU

Thanks for this!

His accent is killer!

jaymek92

So what else do you guys do after?

I'm like 30 ish mins from my current gym, so driving that far for just about 30 mins of a workout seem weird yknow?

last night i had 25 minutes until the gym closed after i finished, so i did some negative pull ups and chin ups. that's only like another 5 minutes of work, but i take a sports conditioning class on monday and wednesday (i do SL tuesday, thursday, and right now sunday), and i also run on tuesday, thursday, and sunday to train for my half marathon. so i don't want to overtrain or burn out.

iorahkwano

It takes me about 40mins as well. I take a lot of time loading the weight bar because I'm bad at math, and sometimes I put too much weight on & have to readjust it after attempting the first set. Sometimes that 5lbs increase is all too much!

tameko2

if I wasn't lifting with my husband, who gets bored and impatient quickly, I'd possibly add 30 minutes of steady state cardio to the end of my workout. Probably the elliptical as I can go faster on that without the impact to my ankles and knees (as long as I don't also turn up the resistance).

But instead I just go and come home.

Fittreelol

It takes me about 40mins as well. I take a lot of time loading the weight bar because I'm bad at math, and sometimes I put too much weight on & have to readjust it after attempting the first set. Sometimes that 5lbs increase is all too much!

I am so bad at doing math in my head! I'm really visual what can I say? I even have to cross out the number and carry the one if I randomly have to do long division. lol. I've been known to use the calculator on my phone to do (x-45)/2 :embarassed:

I do 15 minutes to start my warm up on the elliptical, and I do 15-30 minutes afterward. It depends if I bring shoes other than my chucks to the gym, or how fast my feet fall asleep if I'm wearing chucks. Then I do 10 minutes or so of stretching. Pigeon pose is chronic after squats.

xidia

30-45 mins cardio depending on day
45 mins weights for workout A
30 mins weights for workout B
Cool down/stretching as needed, given that I walk home and can often stretch there instead.

michelledsmith517

i'm still pretty early in. mine takes about 25 minutes. sometimes i do it after spin (ugh). before is preferable, but with 3 little ones i kinda fly by the seat of my pants. if it's a night workout i go just before the gym closes (no curlbros!!!) and do just that routine. sometimes i add accessory lifts or planks. what i cannot do, is run after lifting.

summary: i'm all over the place.

iorahkwano

5 min - jog with 20 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups & 10 squats
45 min - workout A (or) 30 min - workout B
5-10min - abs, mountain climb, lunges & high knees

chocolatecroissant

But as you lift heavier, you'll need longer rests (3-5 mins) between sets

I couldn't find fractionals in the gym yesterday so went too heavy on the overhead presses and could only complete 3-4 each set. The app told me to wait 5 mins between sets - but I'm so impatient - it seemed like ages so I didn't wait so long! I guess I'm the only loser in this scenario!

What do you guys do when you're recovering between sets?

xidia

[What do you guys do when you're recovering between sets?

Stare into space. Breathe. Walk. Stretch if anything feels tight. Drink water.

But mostly the first two.

lesita75

I just started on 1/7/13 and the first few workouts including warm-ups took less than 30 min. I noticed yesterday that as I progress it is VERY NECESSARY to take longer recovery periods in between sets.

chunkmunk

The guy that runs the website recently posted videos for workouts A and B, both are about 30 minutes. He said these are the complete sessions (including warm ups)...start to finish.

Workout A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP2g3Sj3qSw

Workout B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro3Mh9o7JPU

Am I missing something? I don't see how it is possible do this entire workout in 30 mins once you start lifting heavier, because you HAVE to take longer rest periods. For example, to do 5 sets of 5 reps, I'm finding that I need to rest 3-4 minutes in between sets. That means just the squat part of the workout takes 15 to 20 minutes. With that amount of rest, I'm finding my workouts are taking an hour or often just over an hour.

Am I wrong to rest so much? I feel I need it, but its boring as hell.

newjourney2015

The guy that runs the website recently posted videos for workouts A and B, both are about 30 minutes. He said these are the complete sessions (including warm ups)...start to finish.

Workout A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP2g3Sj3qSw

Workout B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro3Mh9o7JPU

Bump - I've seen workout A but not B and couldn't remember how I found A. Thanks! Now I get to see B.

And mine take about 27 minutes warm up to finish. Then I stretch afterwards.