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I'd strongly second resistance training, it doesn't really take that much time either. A simple program like Starting Strength will have you train for not much

by Guthur 6y ago

I'd strongly second resistance training, it doesn't really take that much time either. A simple program like Starting Strength will have you train for not much more than 60 minutes three days a week and you'll make significant strength gains up to 1.5x body weight easily.

Kluny 6y ago
For women reading this - beware, it's not that easy. I've followed Starting Strength a couple of times and I plateau at 1.3x my weight in deadlift and .75x my weight in squats. Sticking to the program doesn't get me past it. I have to shake it up a lot with more reps, smaller weight intervals, and nearly doubling my food intake. It was a great way to get started though, and I'm really happy about the changes my body went through in six months or so. After that, you have to find a different program or a trainer.
- Guthur 6y ago
  My apologies, my experience is from a male point of view on this, limits of my biology. There is a starting strength lift standards which shows more what to expect from a female perspective and is indeed a lot smaller relative to body weight. Starting strength is definitely a beginner program but it's simplicity is an excellent place to start. After the SS program I've gone to the Texas Method and enjoyed great success, ymmv.
- throw0101a 6y ago
  For women, the Strong Curves is a popular program/book: * https://www.bretcontreras.store/products/strong-curves https://www.bretcontreras.store/products/strong-curves * https://old.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves/ https://old.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves/ I still think that SS is a good starter for the first 3-6 months, but once you can no longer jump by 2-5 pounds (1-2 kg) per workout, you've basically used up your beginner gains. (True also for men.) SS isn't meant to be a long-term program, but mostly (a) getting people to actually do strength training with (b) proper form and (c) concentrating on the Big 5 movements that probably give the best bang-for-buck/time.
valenterry 6y ago
Speaking in effective time, it is obviously more than 60 minutes, I would say rather 160 minutes in the beginning and then getter lower with experience and getting used to it. Resistance training is great, but let's not oversell it to others! A beginner not only needs to buy stuff (or commute to/from the gym) and create their plan and schedule it, they also need to account for spending extra time to correct their posture, have a longer recovery time, shower etc. Thinking to get away with 60min from the get go might be discouraging.
- Lopiolis 6y ago
  > Speaking in effective time, it is obviously more than 60 minutes, I would say rather 160 minutes in the beginning and then getter lower with experience and getting used to it. I seriously disagree with this. 60 minutes is more than sufficient if you aren't screwing around. I also think it's baffling that people are still recommending Starting Strength when there are far more efficient and productive programs to start off with. Especially as a beginner, you can get a significant training stimulus without having to waste 2-3 hours of your day. How absurd. Think 80/20. I even think spending that much time would be more detrimental than beneficial in the beginning.
  - Guthur 6y ago
    I've never spent that long in the gym on starting strength. For beginners i doubt there is much variation in progress from one program to the other, and remember SS is for beginners. The benefit of SS is its simplicity, 4 basic lifts with simple programming. Beginners benefit from such simplicity.
  - karateka 6y ago
    Would you care to share any recommendations for alternative programs?
  - blodkorv 6y ago
    Could you name some of the more effective and productive programs?
- 6y ago
happyweasel 6y ago
yeah.. 60-90 min workout, but probably a minimum 30-40min recovery time to feel okay afterwards, plus extended sleep! You really tend to sleep longer.. You want that 8 hour sleep, if you are actually working with weights about 3-4 times a week. Compare that with 30-40mins of medium-to-intensive cardio.. Massive cortisol peaks after intense workout sessions, etc etc..
- porb121 6y ago
  if you need 40 minutes to acutely recover from anything but the most advanced powerlifting/bodybuilding training, then something is deeply wrong.
  - Guthur 6y ago
    Yeah, and most of the time I feel amazing after gym. One definitely should aim to eat well and sleep enough, but that's generally true anyway.

by Guthur 6y ago

Kluny 6y ago

For women reading this - beware, it's not that easy. I've followed Starting Strength a couple of times and I plateau at 1.3x my weight in deadlift and .75x my weight in squats. Sticking to the program doesn't get me past it. I have to shake it up a lot with more reps, smaller weight intervals, and nearly doubling my food intake. It was a great way to get started though, and I'm really happy about the changes my body went through in six months or so. After that, you have to find a different program or a trainer.

Guthur 6y ago
My apologies, my experience is from a male point of view on this, limits of my biology. There is a starting strength lift standards which shows more what to expect from a female perspective and is indeed a lot smaller relative to body weight. Starting strength is definitely a beginner program but it's simplicity is an excellent place to start. After the SS program I've gone to the Texas Method and enjoyed great success, ymmv.
throw0101a 6y ago
For women, the Strong Curves is a popular program/book: * https://www.bretcontreras.store/products/strong-curves https://www.bretcontreras.store/products/strong-curves * https://old.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves/ https://old.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves/ I still think that SS is a good starter for the first 3-6 months, but once you can no longer jump by 2-5 pounds (1-2 kg) per workout, you've basically used up your beginner gains. (True also for men.) SS isn't meant to be a long-term program, but mostly (a) getting people to actually do strength training with (b) proper form and (c) concentrating on the Big 5 movements that probably give the best bang-for-buck/time.

valenterry 6y ago

Speaking in effective time, it is obviously more than 60 minutes, I would say rather 160 minutes in the beginning and then getter lower with experience and getting used to it. Resistance training is great, but let's not oversell it to others! A beginner not only needs to buy stuff (or commute to/from the gym) and create their plan and schedule it, they also need to account for spending extra time to correct their posture, have a longer recovery time, shower etc. Thinking to get away with 60min from the get go might be discouraging.

Lopiolis 6y ago
> Speaking in effective time, it is obviously more than 60 minutes, I would say rather 160 minutes in the beginning and then getter lower with experience and getting used to it. I seriously disagree with this. 60 minutes is more than sufficient if you aren't screwing around. I also think it's baffling that people are still recommending Starting Strength when there are far more efficient and productive programs to start off with. Especially as a beginner, you can get a significant training stimulus without having to waste 2-3 hours of your day. How absurd. Think 80/20. I even think spending that much time would be more detrimental than beneficial in the beginning.
- Guthur 6y ago
  I've never spent that long in the gym on starting strength. For beginners i doubt there is much variation in progress from one program to the other, and remember SS is for beginners. The benefit of SS is its simplicity, 4 basic lifts with simple programming. Beginners benefit from such simplicity.
- karateka 6y ago
  Would you care to share any recommendations for alternative programs?
- blodkorv 6y ago
  Could you name some of the more effective and productive programs?
6y ago

happyweasel 6y ago

yeah.. 60-90 min workout, but probably a minimum 30-40min recovery time to feel okay afterwards, plus extended sleep! You really tend to sleep longer.. You want that 8 hour sleep, if you are actually working with weights about 3-4 times a week. Compare that with 30-40mins of medium-to-intensive cardio.. Massive cortisol peaks after intense workout sessions, etc etc..

porb121 6y ago
if you need 40 minutes to acutely recover from anything but the most advanced powerlifting/bodybuilding training, then something is deeply wrong.
- Guthur 6y ago
  Yeah, and most of the time I feel amazing after gym. One definitely should aim to eat well and sleep enough, but that's generally true anyway.