How long should a bodybuilder's workout last?

This article will touch on one of the most important aspects of the training process - how long should you train? This question is mainly of interest to newcomers to the world of fitness or those who have decided to change the approach to their training for some personal reasons. To write this article, I used information based on scientific research. So, let's begin.

Factors affecting workout duration

When building her training process, it is very commendable if a girl immediately thinks about such questions as: what time is the best time to do fitness, what type of training should she choose, how long should the training last? Knowing the answers to these questions, you will be able to train correctly, and most importantly, efficiently.

While studying this topic, I found out that many scientific studies voice the figure for the optimal duration of training at 45-60 minutes. Below I present the arguments on which all these studies are based, and explain what happens to our body during this time.

1. Hormonal background and training

During exercise, your body produces two types of hormones: anabolic and catabolic. The first are represented by growth hormone, testosterone and insulin. All of them are responsible for the construction of new and regeneration of tissues damaged by physical activity, as well as for muscle growth and recovery. The second type of hormone is the so-called “stress hormone” cortisol. It is responsible for blood glucose levels and regulates metabolism in the body. But the prolonged presence of cortisol in the blood, caused by too much training, negatively affects the general condition of a person: dizziness, increased blood pressure, decreased functions of the immune system, etc. may occur. But the most unpleasant thing is that the long-term effect of cortisol leads to the destruction of muscle tissue, which makes all your many hours of training efforts aimed at building muscle mass and even losing weight absolutely useless. You will ask why? Yes, because your muscles are your main assistant in consuming calories and burning fat. The more muscle, the less fat! Therefore, before exhausting yourself with long workouts in the gym (more than one hour), think about what the consequences may be after this. For the body, training is stress, and for cortisol, prolonged stress is a green light to destroy and create good conditions for fat accumulation! What happens? You train hard to lose/gain weight, but in the end, at best, the weight does not move, and at worst, you even gain weight and burn your own muscles.

• Your body is your best motivation

To prevent this from happening, the duration of strength training should not exceed more than 60 minutes. Since the growth of anabolic hormones in your body reaches its peak at the 45th minute of exercise (after which their production declines), and the active growth of the catabolic hormone cortisol begins from the 40th minute of exercise.

1. Participation of oxygen in energy production

It's no secret that during training, calories are burned so that the body receives the energy it needs. But not everyone knows the fact that energy can be taken from different channels. During prolonged low-intensity training or aerobic training at a moderate pace, the body uses oxygen, due to which the process of burning glycogen and fat reserves occurs, further releasing energy. The body uses this energy for your effective training.

If you decide to engage in high-intensity training (Tabata, interval training, sprinting), then your versatile body can do without oxygen, using muscle reserves of glycogen and creatine phosphate to produce energy.

Depending on what type of training you choose, its duration will depend. I will talk about this further.

1. Neuromuscular wasting

And finally, the last factor, which, according to many scientists and doctors of science, affects the optimal duration of training is neuromuscular exhaustion of our body.

Long and long workouts have a negative impact on both the physical and mental state of your body. A large variety of exercises and their repetitions in approaches will very quickly lead to you getting bored with the workout, and you will not think about the correct technique for performing this or that exercise, but about how to quickly finish the workout and go home. The fewer exercises and sets in your training process, and the more intense your workout, the faster it will fly by, and you will also receive a pleasant bonus: greater results in less time. Isn't this what you dream about?

But if suddenly you cannot live without long, many-hour workouts, then do them no more than 2 times a week. This way you can protect yourself and prevent overtraining of the body and neuromuscular burnout.

And now we will learn directly about how long the training should last , depending on its type and the use of a certain energy system of the body during it.

Depending on gender and well-being

Not tired Tired Very tired Your gender is another factor that influences the length of time you exercise. Men are more physically resilient and, therefore, can train longer. Of course, everything is purely personal and depends on the individual and the capabilities of his body.

Depending on the intensity of the load, other continuous type methods differ. The duration of the load ranges from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

• Increased use of lipid metabolism.
• Greater efficiency of the cardiovascular system.
• Keep your aerobic level achieved.
• Improving peripheral blood circulation.

The duration of the load ranges from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

How much do you need to exercise to lose weight?

With this type of training you get. Increase glycogen storage levels. . Tempo changes are determined by the terrain or the speed of the athlete. The duration of the effort ranges from 1 to 10 minutes, alternating with duration efforts that allow some recovery before the next effort. This method can be applied to both cyclic sports and team sports or wrestling.

However, in addition to gender, you need to take into account your well-being before training. Since many athletes train after work, this will therefore affect the duration of training.

Duration of strength training

During strength training, both anaerobic energy channels and aerobic ones are used. The reserves of creatine phosphate and glycogen are enough for only 4 minutes of work in anaerobic mode, then aerobic energy production mechanisms are activated, through which fats are oxidized and burned under the influence of oxygen, and energy is released. The duration of a strength training session, taking these factors into account, can average 40-45 minutes (excluding warm-up and cool-down). Since after this time, the effect of cortisol, which we discussed above, leads to the destruction of muscle tissue, which is accompanied by the “burning” of muscle proteins and loss of muscle mass.

How long should cardio workouts last?

Cardio exercise allows you to burn calories while increasing your heart muscle endurance and improving your breathing. Find out how long your cardio workout should last based on the goals you want to achieve.

Goal 1 : Return to sport or physical rehabilitation. The goal of training in this case would be to maintain fitness level and limit weight gain.

• Activity: walking, leisurely cycling, exercise bikes.
• Intensity: low.
• Duration: Start with one 30-minute session per day, then increase to 45 minutes (train at least three times a week to see results).

Goal 2 : weight loss. The goal of this workout will be to burn calories.

• Activity: running, exercise bike, cross training.
• Intensity: medium.
• Duration: 40-minute workout two or three times a week. You can slightly increase the duration and frequency of your workouts if you feel that the load is not enough.

Goal 3: Improve athletic performance, as well as increase cardiovascular endurance and increase lung capacity.

• Activity: sprinting, interval training, cycling.
• Intensity: high.
• Duration: 20-30 minute session two or three times a week (mandatory: 48 hour recovery break between sessions).

Remember: as you progress in your sport, your body will require more and more energy to keep your muscles toned. This way, your muscles will burn more and more calories, and your metabolism will speed up.

Duration of cardio training

The duration of a cardio workout , where the body uses oxygen to produce energy, can range from 40 to 60 minutes. Here, your body works entirely in aerobic mode, where after only 40 minutes of low and constant intensity training, the glycogen reserves in the muscles run out and fats begin to “burn.” Therefore, in this type of training, which is aimed at losing weight, the training time should not be less than 40 minutes. But don’t overdo it too much with its duration, since the destructive effect of the stress hormone on your muscles also works during cardio sessions.

How long should training last for a beginner and a pro?

As it turned out, even this factor plays a huge role, because the beginner’s muscles are not yet accustomed to recovering quickly and withstanding the same loads that a professional can give himself. Moreover, it doesn’t matter whether we are talking about running or powerlifting, the training regime for weak and atrophied muscles will always be softer than for a trained person. After all, even an athlete who was a professional and was injured, returning to training, will start small, so that later he does not miss training for several days due to muscle pain. Thus, remember the following rules:

• If you have been training for less than one year, you are a beginner. No matter how many articles you read on the Internet, reading will not help your muscles grow, but a little smart approach will do the opposite. Training time is about 30-40 minutes.
• The training period after the first year for three years is considered a transitional period when the body reaches its physical peak and reaches its practical genetic limit. The workout lasts approximately an hour, plus or minus ten minutes.
• Training in people with four to five years of experience is a phenomenon that allows you to develop muscles above your genetic limit, and accordingly these muscles are more resilient, which means that the time of a regular workout should be at least 70-80 minutes.

Advice from fitness trainer and nutritionist Elena Vostrikova regarding extending your workout

Taking BCAAs is simply necessary if you play sports and expose your body to active physical activity every day. Many athletes, in pursuit of a beautiful body, go on a low-calorie diet, forgetting that the body needs to get nutrients from somewhere. In such cases, it is recommended to take vitamin complexes. BCAAs are one of the dietary supplements that benefit the body by providing it with vital amino acids: leucine, valine and isoleucine. Today there are many manufacturers producing BCAAs in various forms and dosages. And there really are a lot of them, look at the assortment, for example, here and it will become clear that BCAA are very, very popular. So, read the reviews, buy.

Duration of high-intensity training (HIIT) for fat burning

The duration of high-intensity training, when the body uses both the aerobic energy system and anaerobic (and more so the second) for energy, should average 20-30 minutes. During this time, the body metabolically adapts to the high intensity of exercise and begins to burn its own fat in order to maintain this intensity at the required level for a short period of time.

Read more about HIT in my article Interval training - enemy of fat No. 1.

And after 20-30 minutes of such intense training, the body begins to consume several times more oxygen than after regular aerobic or strength training. And this in turn leads to even greater burning of subcutaneous fat. So 20 minutes a day will be enough for you to burn fat, lose weight without losing your muscles.

Exercising too long is bad for you

Excessive zeal does not lead to good - this was the conclusion made in 2010 by scientists from the University of Massachusetts, USA. Their studies showed that long-term training leads to a decrease in testosterone levels, increases the risk of injury and threatens overtraining. In addition, having used up the supply of glycogen, which is the fuel for training, the body begins to obtain energy from proteins, breaking down muscles into amino acids.

Photo: from personal archive

Sergey Yugay, bronze medalist of the open bodybuilding championship of North-West Russia, comments:

– The most effective part of the workout is the first hour. During this period, the concentration of anabolic hormones somatotropin and testosterone in the blood increases, and later it begins to decrease, and stress hormones, such as cortisol, are released, which destroy muscles.

High intensity Tabata workout duration

Training according to the method of the Japanese doctor Tabata fully utilizes the body's anaerobic energy resources and takes place without the participation of oxygen in energy production. The duration of a Tabata workout should be 4 minutes , since glycogen reserves last just that long (creatine phosphate reserves last only 10 seconds). The body simply physically will no longer be able to work at such a pace; it will have nowhere to draw energy from.

Duration of Mind Body training

If you prefer Mind Body group training (Pilates, yoga, callanetics) in a fitness club or do it yourself at home, the duration of this type of training should be on average 60 minutes (including warm-up and cool-down). During this time, you will be able to thoroughly work out all muscle groups and relieve nervous tension, if any, of course.

Number of workouts per week

This factor also affects the duration of training in the gym, since there is a big difference if you train 5 times a week for 40 minutes and 5 times a week for 2 hours. In the first case, you will be able to progress easily, since you will have time to fully recover, but in the second case, such pronounced progress may not be observed, since there is very strong stress and a heavy load. To grow, there shouldn't be too much stress (will lead to overtraining) and too little stress (not a sufficient impetus for growth). You need the optimal amount (golden mean).

It turns out that the more workouts per week, the shorter each workout should be. If you can only train once a week, then you can actually hang out in the gym for 2.5 – 3 hours (if you can survive). Yes, the level of destructive hormones will be high, but in the future you will have 6 days of rest to fully recover. If you train 3 times a week, then the training can be 60 - 90 minutes (again, you need to take into account your experience and genetic potential). In general, I think you got the main idea.

Duration of oxysize and bodyflex training

This type of training is a type of breathing exercises. The duration of such a complex can be 20-25 minutes every day, preferably in the morning. This way you will help your body wake up and speed up your metabolism well for the whole day.

• What is the secret of a beautiful figure?

I hope my article helped you finally figure out how long you need to train and what is the optimal duration of training? I tried to give as accurately as possible the real numbers that relate to a certain type of training. But still, the most important factor by which you should focus on the duration of your workout is, of course, the physical and moral state of your body. The main thing is that the training brings you pleasure and is aimed at a positive result. So listen to your body - you will be healthy and beautiful!

Your coach, Yana Skripnik, was with you.

Basic exercises in the gym

It is important not only how much time you need to work out in the gym, but also how to correctly design your training regimen. Basic exercises are considered the basis for increasing muscle mass. They are present in almost all training programs. It should be remembered that not all basic exercises are capable of “pumping up” more than 2 muscle groups. However, they all help achieve the goal.

The following basic exercises are distinguished:

• on the back;
• on the pectoral muscles;
• on shoulders;
• on the biceps;
• for triceps;
• on your feet.

The following exercises have the greatest effect on muscle growth:

1. two types of bench press: standing and lying;
2. squats;
3. two types of deadlifts: deadlifts and bent-over barbells.

Minimal amount

First of all, you should proceed from your condition. This is not about giving yourself concessions or anything like that, but about being guided by your current level of preparation.

Let us repeat, there is no universal answer here, and it is not possible to give individual recommendations to each reader, so we provide guidelines that will allow you to draw conclusions specifically for yourself and your own situation.

Note. Fat burning processes start after 20 minutes of exercise.

The minimum amount of time required to train for weight loss is about half an hour. First, for about 20 minutes, transfer the body to the phase of absorbing its own energy, and after that, actively work to initiate the production of calories from the fatty tissue of your body.