I recently read an article that mentioned recent studies showing you can get a decent workout by doing one set (10-12 reps to exhaustion). What time I have to exercise, I'd rather be in the water, but I can easily spare 5 minutes on my way out the door to hit some of the muscle groups in the weight room. Any one have suggestions for super fast workouts? Thanks.
Check out this website: biggerfasterstronger.com
This is a strength program that I use with my high school team. We don't spend a lot of time in the weight room (10-15 minutes per day two days per week) but many of the skills that are used during this strength program are readily translated into the pool.
I swam faster times this year with less yardage using the BFS program.
I don't know about a 5 minute lifting routine but I can tell you that I don't lift more than 5-7 reps. If my muscles can take more than that many reps, then I go up to the next weight.
I know one that takes 20 minutes and gets great results in strength. Special Ops use it.
pick 7 exercises:
Flat bench
incline bench
decline bench
military press
Lat pull down
tricep pul downs
curls
Do as many reps in 2 minutes as possible then move on as fast as possible to the next exercise. You have to do a minimum of 20 reps per. If you exceed 40, add weight. During the two minutes, you can take as many breaks as you need to catch your breathe.
For a while I was reading about Mike Mentzer and his training where he'd warm up, then do one set of one exercise to failure and then that was it. He claimed to get results, and what I liked about his approach was the emphasis on spending more time away from the gym to allow your body to recover and get stronger.
I think it's possible to achieve results with a one set workout but I believe you really have to push the intensity level to make it work. I'd also say adequate warm-up would be a definite necessity.
I'd probably stick to compound exercises where you can lift heavier weight and incorporate as many muscles as possible - bench press, deadlift, squat, chins.
:weightlifter:
Did some lat pull downs after swimming yesterday and my AC joints were aching the rest of the day. I might have to rethink this weigh thing or just do leg exercises, which given how pathetic my kick is might not be such a bad idea.
Our team did different stations each time out. I.E. on "Day 1," we would do bench press & squats. Usually the swimmers did three sets of each with the weight increasing each time. On the third set, they would lift "to fatigue"
"Day 2" was called dead lift & power clean. If you visit the website: biggerfasterstronger.com, it should give you a pretty good description of how to do each workout.
You want to do less weight in the beginning. You'll find that this program makes you more explosive off walls and more efficient in regards to your stroke technique. Hope this helps!
I think it's possible to achieve results with a one set workout but I believe you really have to push the intensity level to make it work. I'd also say adequate warm-up would be a definite necessity.
And have a really good spotter! If you go to absolute failure your spotter is going to have to do some work and also give you lots of encouragement.
do circuit training
bench press
lat pull
leg press
sit ups
lat press
something would be way better than nothing
I recently read an article that mentioned recent studies showing you can get a decent workout by doing one set (10-12 reps to exhaustion). What time I have to exercise, I'd rather be in the water, but I can easily spare 5 minutes on my way out the door to hit some of the muscle groups in the weight room. Any one have suggestions for super fast workouts? Thanks.
