New dad looking for advice

[the1stlady98]

Hi, just had a kid about 3 months ago. I haven't been working out for almost a year (diff reasons); I used to go to the gym 3x a week; started out with barbell stuff like 531, then moved towards bodyweight exercises with some dumbbell work too.

I realize I'm getting softer, haven't really changed size tho. So I want to work out again. My plan:

Lunch break is 1hr, I'll go work out for 30 mins. freshen up and eat in the other 30 mins (any suggestions for this? showering might not be the most time efficient)

I plan to mimic Wendler's 531 and just do one BBB exercise each day and that's it. So something like:
M - Squats
T - Bench
W - Deadlift
Th - OHP
F - Squat
M - Bench
T - Deadlift
etc....

I know that doing something is better than doing nothing. But are there any reasons I shouldn't do this and/or any ways I can do something better but with the same time constraints?

Thanks!

 

[ljhope]

@the1stlady98 So, the 3 month old might look a little fat right now, but it should start to thin out once it gets a little taller. If the belly isn't flattening by the time it's crawling, consider getting a treadmill. You might need to regulate the boobie juice. It's high in protein, but also has a lot of calories in sugar and fat. Calories in < calories out. I wouldn't start 531 until it's walking.

 

[davidgarcia]

@the1stlady98 I'd do the 531 sets, one FSL widowmaker, then back or abs after. You could get that done in 30 if you hurried.

 

[_%D7%A1%D7%AA]

@the1stlady98 Dad advice. Avoid frustration by planing on only doing 1/2 of what you used to do. Kids need contact time and you only get one go around with each one. Make the most of it.

On the workout front, when my kids were younger I biked a lot after I put them to bed. 8:30 -10:30 PM. I heard a workout podcast that suggested the Dad’s routine. It worked well for me for many years.

Start Saturday, thanks your full body heavy day. Give your partner, a break this is your morning. Get up with the kids, feed them, watch some cartoons, do your inside chores. Maybe take them to the park or a walk for some cardio. Trade the kids off mid morning/ mid day and go to your gym and do a killer full body heavy workout.

Sunday - DOM’s! This is your mobility and active recovery day. Take those kiddies for a long stroll. Maybe do a yoga class. Maybe some accessories work.

Weekdays - Quick gym trips when you can. Be consistent in the time to get there - workout - and return. Try to keep it steady and consistent, say 60 minutes round trip. That way you and your partner can properly plan around the time.

Good luck

 

[dawn16]

@the1stlady98 I personally can barely get warmed up and set up in 30 mins but that’s because it takes a while to work up to my working weights

30 minutes just doesn’t seem like long enough to properly run a program

You could probably do some bodybuilding stuff

I’m 39 and have a year half old

The first 6 months were rough I mostly did a lot of gosh weight squats and push ups between naps and feedings while taking him on multi mile walks daily we bought one of those things you pull behind your bike but you can run and walk with it also

From 6 - 12 months my wife and I started trading gym hours. Before baby got we both powerlifter together for almost 6 years

I’d go for my 2 hour full body workout bench ohp superset / deadlift and squat super set then a bunch of accessory work then I’d come home take baby boy and she’d go do her workout we couldn’t only make this work 1-2 days a week

12 months to now

Same as before but we’re able to make 2-3 days work and we are slowly building up our home garage gym her buying a squat rack for the garage she doesn’t like squatting without me there.

I run 2 full body days doing all 4 compound lifts plus accessories

the 1rm% change week to week for each lift or on the spot some days if I’m tired by the time I get to deadlift squat I’m gassed and lower weight and push volume. I switch which compounds take priority from one day to the next

It’s not perfect and I’ve been on a cut since my son turned 1 I gotta drop some LBs for longevity reasons lol but when after cutting 30lbs my main lifts have pretty much maintained on 2 full body days a week. The drop in total being more due to weight loss than anything else.

Both days are intense and leave me in recovery mode for days after lol so I help myself to some extra calories for the first 48 hours after a workout for muscle retention

 

[dixieheart]

@the1stlady98 You could do 5/3/1 with 5 pros instead of + sets and then 5x5 FSL supersetted with a pulling exercise or core. Set a 10’ timer for warming up including your jumps/throws, 10’ timer for the main lift, and a 10’ timer for the supplemental and assistance superset. Be strict about it, once the timer goes off you’re done with that portion of the day.

You may want to build up to the FSL, you could run a cycle at 55% first if your conditioning needs work before attempting FSL with short rest and supersets.

FWIW our first kid is 12 days old and I’ve been doing a modified 5/3/1 template that has me in and out in 45 minutes in a similar fashion (I get a set amount of time for each thing) and it’s been working really well so far, efficiency wise!

 

[the1stlady98]

@dixieheart Sorry can you explain 5 pros instead of + sets bit?

 

[dixieheart]

@the1stlady98 Yup - instead of the main lift being 5,5,AMRAP week 1, 3,3,AMRAP week 2, and 5,3,AMRAP week 3, it’s just 3x5 at the normal percentages each week.

 

[jik]

@the1stlady98 Ultimately you’ll have to work it out with your wife and a lot depends on your child.

My daughter is 3 and would sleep until 10 if she could. During weekdays she goes to daycare and my wife and I alternate taking her. The days I take her, I’ll go to the gym at 630 and come back at 730. By that time my wife’s got her dressed and fed and I take her to school.

During the weekends I go over nap, which usually ends up being 2 hours. I leave after she’s down and get back before she’s up.

My wife doesn’t care because I go during times where the impact of my absence is minimized. Even during days when it’s not, I find the time that best suits the family.

Overall though, just talk with your wife. In my household there is an agreement that there is no “budget” on bettering yourself. Books don’t count toward a budget. Education is paid for and the time is found, no questions asked. Exercising is prioritized and accommodated.

 

[jmh137]

@the1stlady98 I run full BBB sessions (with + sets) in 30 minutes at 6:30am before the family gets up. Totally do-able. But start light. Super low training max, 40% for the BBB sets. Your improvement will come from density for a while, not intensity, but honestly that will serve you really well for your fatherhood journey.

Alternatively... when my son was born, I did Dan John's 10k swings challenge since each session took less than 30 minutes and I could do it right in the living room. That was the single most effective month of my life in terms of fitness. Worth looking into.