Splitting Weight Training

**scipio** · Posted On: 1/30/2012 9:52am

As part of my training I like to do weights every other day. The problem I have is that due to work commitments I can only manage to do two half hour sessions (plus warm up/cool down) in the day.

My question is - is doing two half hour sessions as good as doing a one hour session, worse or no difference??

I try and do one session in the morning and one at lunchtime. I quite often chuck some TRX and Vipr in as I get bored just doing weights.

**MikeRC** · Posted On: 1/30/2012 1:38pm

It's doable in that time frame if you don't screw around.
A common am/pm split would be to do power work in the am and then repetition training in the pm on the accessories (ie squat in the am and do glute ham raise, leg curls, lunges etc in the pm)

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 2/01/2012 2:53am

I was able to go a SL5x5 workout in under 30 minutes when I did it (I hated being in the gym so this suited me just fine) and that includes a brief warmup and cool down. You don't even need that second session, but if you want to that'd be a perfect "cardio + weights" thing to my very, very untrained and non-fitness-guru-of-any-kind-and-still-fat self so take that second part with a grain of salt.

**scipio** · Posted On: 2/01/2012 4:21am

Thanks Guys, I do tend to do more heavier weights/reps in the morning and more vipr/trx/cardio second session. The one thing I try and do as time is of the ecense is to keep moving and don't stand around between exercises.

**Gypsy Jazz** · Posted On: 2/01/2012 6:39pm

It may be slightly tricky to do depending on the crowd in the gym, but pairing non-competing movements and using fillers (some sort of mobility/activation/prehab during rest periods) will increase what you're able to do in the same amount of time.

Example: 1 set of deadlifts, filler/rest, 1 set of push ups, filler/rest

Even at 1 minute rest periods you'll still get to have 2 minutes before you get to do the same exercise again. The important thing is not to have a major crossover between the exercise pairs otherwise the performance of both will suffer ie no deadlifts paired with squats. I've heard arguments for and against antagonist movements such as rows paired with push ups, and that's not my cup of tea, but play around and see what you like.

**Lindz** · Posted On: 2/01/2012 7:35pm

Originally Posted by WorldWarCheese

I was able to go a SL5x5 workout in under 30 minutes when I did it

What? did you stick with it long enough for the weights to get challenging? It takes me 25 minutes for the squats alone when the weights are close to my limit

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 2/01/2012 9:50pm

Maybe? If I remember correctly I got to the point where I couldn't make the 5x5 itself and had to down-weight or whatever for a week or two and then kept going again. Even at that point I was in and out around 30-40 minutes and that sometimes (read rarely) included the additional exercises. I kept decent records on paper, but they are back in the US so I can't get you my final weights or how many weeks I did it.

**scipio** · Posted On: 2/02/2012 8:00am

Originally Posted by Gypsy Jazz

It may be slightly tricky to do depending on the crowd in the gym, but pairing non-competing movements and using fillers (some sort of mobility/activation/prehab during rest periods) will increase what you're able to do in the same amount of time.

Example: 1 set of deadlifts, filler/rest, 1 set of push ups, filler/rest

Even at 1 minute rest periods you'll still get to have 2 minutes before you get to do the same exercise again. The important thing is not to have a major crossover between the exercise pairs otherwise the performance of both will suffer ie no deadlifts paired with squats. I've heard arguments for and against antagonist movements such as rows paired with push ups, and that's not my cup of tea, but play around and see what you like.

Thanks - you right it does depend on who is in the gym - I'm normally fairly lucky in that respect. I try to work on the principle that I do something for arms/shoulders, then abs/core and then legs so I am not working the same area all the time. It can get a bit of rush to get everything in in 30 minutes.

**micalhassi** · Posted On: 5/02/2012 1:21am

I do these both session at the same time mean after one session and take 15 mints rest then do second session. It is not consider bad as you did. I thing it is better there are long time between sessions. Is work out before lunch or after lunch time?

**scipio** · Posted On: 5/02/2012 3:10am

Originally Posted by micalhassi

I do these both session at the same time mean after one session and take 15 mints rest then do second session. It is not consider bad as you did. I thing it is better there are long time between sessions. Is work out before lunch or after lunch time?

Tend to do one in the morning (around 8am) and another mid afternoon. Saying that my work has changed recently and I'm able to do an hour in the gym now so I'm not having to split my workload up.