if you had 4-5 hours a week to spend in the gym over 4 sessions, what would you do?

[mvelis15]

Busy parent here, as I'm sure many can relate to.
I go to the gym 4x and run 2x per week. Currently do an upper/lower split at the gym, with one upper day a push bias and the other a pull bias, one leg day a quad bias and the other a glute and ham bias.

With warm up and a bit of a stretch or a bit of core work at the end I can only really fit in 4-5 solid exercises of 3-4 sets each. I try to focus on compound movements first with some accessory lifts at the end.

Im tracking my progress and progressively overloading. Is this the best way for time strapped 30 something's to spend in the gym? Are there better programs to focus on? I feel like when I research routines most of them assume you have 90 minutes+ at the gym. I get to the gym when it opens at 5am and have to be out the door by 6:15. With warm up/cool down I get around 45 minutes of solid lifting time.

Any tips or advice would be appreciated.

 

[jely]

@mvelis15 5/3/1. You can easily get a 5/3/1 session done in an hour.

 

[dawn16]

@jely 5/3/1 BBB is quick and dirty gainz.

 

[nylde0705]

@dawn16 And impossible to just do the recommendations. I add so much shit to it it’s ridiculous. I’ve also been on it to long.

 

[dawn16]

@nylde0705 I think if you add too much you are just eating into your recovery and actually making less muscle gains.

 

[nylde0705]

@dawn16 Probably right. Pain is an addiction though.

 

[joeeldridge]

@jely Fantastic basic program that is easy to scale, tweak, customize and gives you a goal each session

 

[sw501]

@mvelis15 45 minutes is what most programs shoot for, any starting or intermediate strength program would get you in and out in 45 minutes. Warm ups would be included in the programming and personally I'd do the core work at home while playing with the kids. You could keep doing what you're doing and just alternate your days a little so one week would look like Push Pull Legs Push then the next week would be Pull Legs Push Pull, next week Legs Push Pull Legs. Lots of ways to make PPL work on 4 days.

 

[pilgrim8926]

@mvelis15 You are doing great. Get good rest, and nutrition,and really try to push yourself

 

[mefondo04]

@mvelis15 I'd recommend cutting down the cool-down and warm-up first. Just start with an empty bar for whatever primary lift you're doing that day and get a few sets in. Superset with face-pulls/pull-aparts, kicks, jumps, etc., if you feel you need to. From there, focus on work capacity: timing your rests will be key. 5/3/1, which someone else suggested, would be a solid choice. You should be able to make it through your 5/3/1 sets and something like BBB sets (8 sets total) in about 30 minutes. Superset the push, pull, and single-leg/core work and you'd be out in an hour easily. Cool down in the car.

 

[jacobian]

@mvelis15 I have a similar situation. 4x90 min sessions is what I do. Upper/Lower split. I do a mesocycle that ends with one week of myoreps. I only warmup with the first two movements, no stretching or anything like that. I start with compound lifts and then move to accessories. I've had a lot of great progress over the years. I'm 35 with 2 kids. I'm 6'1" with 17" calves and arms, 28" thighs and 52" chest at 192 lbs. Let me know if you have questions. I don't mind being specific in what I do or evaluating your program.

 

[freethinker711]

@mvelis15 I'd recommend switching to full body training. With the extra session do mobility and flexibility work. Do a proper program. 531 is great. Chad Waterbury has a ton of great programs online (TBT is super flexible).

The fitness wiki has a ton of great info.

 

[jmlemmons]

@mvelis15 Sit on my phone

 

[ruella]

@mvelis15 I haven't thought this through at all, but it makes sense off the top of my head.

1: Clean and Jerk, EMOM clean and jerk or just clean variations for endurance and cardio

2: Deadlift heavy, EMOM deadlift variations

3: Chest/back whatever exercises you like, pullups and core focused finisher

4: Squat variations (front/back/overhead), EMOM squats

For heavy exercises do something like 5x5 or 531 (maybe alternate weeks)