How long should your workouts be?

[seth78]

I am rather new at body building. I just wonder what everyone says the time limit should be. I started a year ago and am currently working out about 45 minutes to an hour at a time. Is this similar to your time frame?

[Off Road]

Yup, same here.

[Shadowschmadow]

Keep things simple. Go in to the gym to do what you need to do, and get out. Don't take substantial breaks in between sets, and don't dick around. If you do that, and have a halfway decent program, you shouldn't really be able to exceed an hour unless you're throwing cardio in there.

[Disciple X]

I disagree with the hour limit stuff...

Sometimes my workouts take 3 hours. Most days around 2. I take long rest periods and dont rush anything. My progress has been great. Of course, i am strictly powerlifting, and my only goal is to move big weight, so i make sure i am fully rested before i hit another set.

[Shadowschmadow]

3 hours IMO is pretty extensive. I know of quite a few lifters who put up big numbers in half the time. No offense because I'm not trying to shoot what you do down by any means; you can train however you want for all I care.

Personally, the only time I would recommend extended breaks is when you're going for new maxes and 1RMs. And that's balls to the walls, all out, 1 time kind of effort.

[Soldier]

It's extremely rare for me to go over an hour. I did Saturday just because I was getting a 1rm for squats followed by some upper body work.

If I was powerlifting then I'd be in there longer, probably 1 1/2 hours per session just because of longer rest periods.

[5kgLifter]

I'm extremely pleased if I manage 25 minutes but that only tends to occur if all the equipment is already set-up such as at the gym.

Generally, 45 minutes to an hour is the normal for me; but I have been known to get to one and a half hours, though that's mostly through time taken to move one piece and set up another whilst at home, since I don't have the sort of set-up that can be just left in place.

[bruteforce]

90 minutes is usually about the longest for me, and thats if I need to spend a long time stretching at the beginning and take frequent breaks. Usually mine are done in 50-70 minutes

[Jamesw]

An hour or slightly over an hour for me. Yoga sometimes goes up to an hour and a half.

[Traphouse86]

Originally Posted by Disciple X

I disagree with the hour limit stuff...

Sometimes my workouts take 3 hours. Most days around 2. I take long rest periods and dont rush anything. My progress has been great. Of course, i am strictly powerlifting, and my only goal is to move big weight, so i make sure i am fully rested before i hit another set.

You are correct about the " dont rush anything" ........... the one minute hang clean LOL