I’ve Found a Lazy, Crazy Way to Exercise!
June 1st, 2011 
Todd In as little as two hours per week!
Are you adding power to your training?
Last year at this time I was doing a powerlifting routine for my training. It’s called a 5X5. This is largely due to the fact that, while using very heavy weight, you do five sets of five reps.
I had so much fun with that workout that I’m doing it again-well, sort of.
Because of my blood pressure, my doc wants me to drop a couple of pounds. I’m cool with that.
But what to do for training? I loved last years 5×5 so much that I decided to modify it for more aerobic activity.
I love the BIG three exercises.
- Squats
- Bench Press
- Deadlifts
Using the same exercises (I replaced one day’s squats with Power Cleans), I switched it up to a 3×15 (three sets of fifteen reps). By resting no more than 30 seconds between sets, my heart rate is pumping, and my muscles are begging for mercy.
In addition, I placed two days of HIIT on the treadmill. High Intensity Interval Training gets me on and off of the treadmill in 25 minutes, and sweating like Seattle Slew after winning the Triple Crown.
What’s the point?
If you’ve been paying attention, I’m all about training for Real Life Fitness.
Notice how I took a training format that I enjoyed, and had fun with, and modified it to achieve current goals. Also take note that by including the compound movements (squats, bench press, deadlifts, and power cleans) that I am working the entire body.
Real Life Fitness also has to take into account time spent training. If you have the time to spend an hour in the gym, more power to you.
I’m very pressed for time, so the shorter the better. When preparing my current exercise schedule, I kept this in mind.
As I mentioned, my HIIT time on the treadmill is 25 minutes, with 5 minutes of stretching at the end for a total of 30 minutes.
My shortest resistance workout takes me 30 minutes to go through, including warm-up, cool-down, and stretching at the conclusion. The longest session is 35 minutes.
In & Out
How much time do you spend with your workout? Are you happy with that?
Photo: ilker
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7 Responses to “I’ve Found a Lazy, Crazy Way to Exercise!”
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June 2, 2011 at 6:43 am
Todd, I’d like to hear more about the specific workout that you’re doing. Are you just doing those exercises?
June 3, 2011 at 8:07 am
Oh I agree, I want to here more about your workout. I hate spending an hour in the gym and would love to get out in half the time.
June 3, 2011 at 8:52 am
I don’t want to get into the full comparison of the original w/o and the new one. All resistance exercises are 3 sets of 15 reps with 30 seconds of rest between all sets. Here is the reader’s digest version:
Mon – 5 min on bike or treadmill for warm-up, Squats, benchpress, bent over barbell row, push-ups, barbell curls, 5 min cool-down, and stretching.
Tue – Interval training on treadmill-5 min warm-up, followed by 1-min intense run/2-min slow pace for recovery (this is done for 15 min.), and 5 min cool-down & stretching.
Wed – Yoga.
Thu – 5 min warm-up. Power cleans, barbell shoulder press, deadlifts, pull-ups, planks (3 sets of 30 sec.). 5 min cool down/stretching.
Fri – Interval training.
Sat/Sun – Off
June 7, 2011 at 8:36 am
I’m always excited to hear about a new routine. I love my variety!
Excellent point about watching how long you’re resting between sets. FEEL THE BURN! Timing is as important to a fitness routine as it is to comedy. No, it’s not ok to do a set and then wander around like a lost sheep for 5 min checking out all the girls (you know who you are).
I’d been working out with this new trainer who trains with lighter weights and higher repetitions, and I have to say its done wonders for breaking through plateaus.
-Matt
June 7, 2011 at 2:28 pm
I’ve heard of this 5×5 thing. I wonder if I could get the husband to do this since it seems quick. My daily training typically consists of plyometrics and other bodyweight stuff for approx. 30 minutes, and then a 30-minute HIIT run outdoors immediately after.
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June 13, 2011 at 9:27 am
@Yum Yucky, I love the 5X5 routine. It’s a pretty intense program, and about halfway through it, I had to modify it to 3×5 because the fast progress of the squats were killing my knees. There are other 5×5 routines out there… but Stronglifts’ was free.
@Matt, light weight-high reps is ok, IMO, to get over a plateau, or to induce more of a cardio burn. I actually much more prefer low reps-high weight, but I may do this type of routine for four weeks at the end of an eight week higher intensity routine.
October 3, 2011 at 8:02 am
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