How long should your leg workout or arm workout day be if you're just doing weights that day?

[Anonymous]

[GingerGuy]

3 sets of 10-12 reps (ideally, or however many reps you can) of whatever and all you're doing. Eg, if doing squats, 3 sets of 10 reps, then next exercise.

[GingerGuy]

Time wise when I worked out I'd do anywhere from 1/2-1hr. Depending on how I felt that day and how much of my body I wanted to work on.

[Zanecyber]

Legs are a bigger. muscle than my arms so legs are be little longer for me, 30 mins for arms and 45-60 mins for legs.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the extent you're using compound vs. isolation exercises, and your time between sets.

The exercises, sets and reps determine the time, not the other way around, for the most part.

[Asker]

I was taught by a gym rat friend to concentrate on doing more compound exercises for the most results, but I can't follow his workout regime because he's a serious lifter and I'm barely starting up again---not to train for body building or anything, but just to become leaner all the way round. I'm trying to avoid over training and injuries though. When I was serious about this the last go round, I had less clue than I do now, and would just do like full body everything everyday which was not productive at all because it put my body under so much stress, so now trying to break it up, I'm just unsure of how much of anything to do and/or for how long.

[Opinion Owner]

I use mainly compound focused. That does indeed mean spending -less- time in the gym.

How often were you working out? You need to pay attention to the results. I train 3 times a week now but i'm not focused on mass gains.

When i last did barbell lifting, i found for me, squatting every -fifth- day was the best way for me to gain. More then that was too much.

[Asker]

I work out 6 days a week. Though it changes up sometimes, typically, my schedule is:
M- HIIT training, T-arms and back, W-legs/cardio, Th-yoga, ballet, or dance, F-HIIT training, S-cardio Sun-off

[Opinion Owner]

The HIIT puts a beating on your body. Pretty much what I do, but again, i'm not trying to gain size right now (though i wouldn't complain if it happened, lol).

Why are you doing legs/cardio? What order? Why aren't your legs shot :p

Steady state cardio and HIIT both have uses but target different things.

Outside of HIIT, you're basically doing resistance work once per week, per body part.

My inclination would be to do 6-8 week blocks. Keep your Thursday constant. For your other 5 workouts, for 6-8 weeks do 1 HIIT, 1 cardio, 3 resistance. Then do a block of 1/3/1. Then a block of 3/1/1. Basically each block the goal is to maintain two things while making -real- progress in one.

Hard to know since i'm not really sure what your goals are. You're doing lots of stuff but there's not a clear direction to it. If you're beyond basics, you probably need to focus on one thing at a time.

[Asker]

My goal is weight loss, to lean up, and have more stamina for some races I want to enter towards the back end of the year.

My HIIT workouts are 20 minutes max because they are so taxing and there is a day off between that and legs for that reason. I say legs/cardio because I do a combo of a jog, walk, and stairs, so its a bit of cardio, plus legs as opposed to working out in a gym to do a leg workout. I put in a lot of variety there because I get bored easily and so the change ups keep me motivated/focused as opposed to just being in a gym and staring at some equipment all day, everyday... and there is also variety because depending on the work load for the previous days I may only be able to do yoga and recover or if I took it easier the previous days, I can do the harder ballet or dance.

[Asker]

Thanks for the schedule. The reason I'm asking for advice is because this is all new to me again and I'm certainly (read: definitely) no where near some expert or declaring I have the best workout plan and it can't change. I am trying to find that more effective way to workout, and if as you suggest, this is all over the place, then by all means, I'm willing to try something new until I get something that's working for me. Thanks!

[WhereAmI]

I'm not a serious lifter but I have the best results alternating upper body one day and lower the next. I haven't bothered with a trainer to see if it's the best approach but it works for me.

[brewersfan01]

i do a 10 minuet warmup on the stairclimber, the 40-50 minuets of lifting.

[ConsultantIsBack]

An hour is great for most people

[TheBraveLion]

I spend 1.5 hours about.

[apple24]

I don't know maybe start with 20min.

[ihatethiswebsite]

If you move at a fast pace then an hour is enough.