Quick & Simple Muscle Building Workout
Posted on 2 September 2008
These days I like to spend the least time possible in the gym. I will try at max to be in there 2-3 times a week and I make my workouts short and snappy, This workout routine is something I put together in the last few months from reading and experimenting with how to get the most out of under 30 minutes in the gym in terms of muscle growth, fat burning and strength.
Start Heavy
The workout starts with a heavy compound, pick from the following (Change exercise each workout):
- Squats or Leg Press
- Barbell Military Press
- Bench Press
- Deadlift
Do one of these exercises for 5 x 5 which means 5 sets of 5 reps. Take 1 minute to 1:30 minutes rest between sets and work up to your maximum weight. In total this should take no longer than 10 minutes.
The main advantage of starting with a compound is it allows your body to push the heavy weight when you are freshest enabling you to be strong and the low reps are very good for building size and strength thanks to release of Anabolic hormones lifting heavy releases.
Next Some Super Setting
Now its time for fun pick one exercise from list 1 and another from list 2. Note these are flexible and feel free to use creativity with exercise choices.
List 1
- Kettle Bell Swings
- Clean and Press
- Incline DB Bench Press
- Bent Over Row
- Pull-ups
- Dips
List 2
- Plank (hold 30-60 seconds)
- Overhead Squat
- Pushups
- Lateral Raises
- Thrusters
- Burpees
Once you have picked (pick 2 opposing muscles ideally) go for sets of 10-15 reps with no rest before the next exersise and repeat for 2 sets. for instance:
Kettlebell Swings—>Stiff Legged Deadlift—>Kettlebell Swings—>Stiff Legged deadlift.
Repeat this for 2 different combination’s of exercises, only taking rest when you change your combination of exercise for 1-2 minutes. Keep the weight so its challenging for 10-15 reps.
Example Workout
Here we go so this is an example workout and one I did last week.
Shoulder Press 5 x 5 (work up to maximum weight)
Rest 1-2 minutes
KettleBell Swings—>Pushups—>KettleBell Swings—>Pushups
Rest 1-2 minutes
Power Clean—>Burpees—>Power Clean—>Burpees
Out the Gym in No Time
Throw in a quick warmup and cool down this should allow you to get in and out of the gym in around 30 minutes. I sometimes even manage to throw in some extra abs and cable curls at the end.
The added benefit of this workout is that it allows your body to activate itself in several different ways; you start of slow and powerfully then move to super setting compounds with little rest. This releases muscle building hormones due to the heavy weights. Then the supersets will activate your body turning it into a fat burning machine for hours to come after the workout.
Be sure to change up the workout every time you hit the gym (choose a different compound and different exercises to superset). Also be sure to warmup well and pro-long your fast after the workout maybe go for a walk so your body can use up the fat it released during the workout as fuel.
Bonus Shout out to Keith @ Theory to Practice. His blog has been superb in the last few days and some of his workouts are well worth a look into, so please check out his blog…….
9 comments so far
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Comment by Keith Norris
2 September 2008
One of my favorites –
Deadlifts + weighted dips + weighted pull-ups, 30 minutes worth. Pat yourself on the back when you’re done. Have a Guinness that night in celebration. But just one.
Thanks for the word, Chris –
Comment by Lance
2 September 2008
Great workout example! Yesterday, I did a 5×5 routine including deadlifts. It was a nice change of pace after having recently doing a 4×10 routine. I was able to lift heavier, and hope that this will pack on some more muscle. Compound exercises are a real key – they hit so many muscles!
Comment by Methuselah
2 September 2008
Nice workout – might try it next week. I tried something different this week, which a friend sent over. It also follows the idea of no rest between sets, with different exercises following one another to prevent fatigue. It’s an absolute killer but you can fit it into 30 mins.
25 pull ups
50 burpees
50 press-ups
50 deadlift
50 wipers
50 dips
25 pull ups
The idea is to complete this as quickly as possible. For the deadlift I used 50kg. I ended up doing singles with rest in between for the pull ups at the end…it took me 29.54.
Comment by Chris
2 September 2008
Thanks for the comments guys, Now this post has a host of under 30 minute workouts, amazing! Keith the workout you posted sounds killer, will have to treat myself to it sometime this week, I haven’t dead-lifted in a while so I’m sure it will hit me hard!
@ Methuselah. That workout looks awesome much like the famed 300 workout that was buzzing around the web a while back. Bet you must have felt it for days after those 29 minutes…..
Comment by Methuselah
2 September 2008
Yes, that’s it – I remember my friend saying something about spartans! I was sore, but really enjoyed it. Going to try it again this week I think.
Comment by Helder
5 September 2008
Gaining muscle mass is so simple, this post shows that, people don’t believe me when i give them very short workouts, with heavy compound exercises. Their minds are so filled with so much junk from bodybuilding magazines and other sources, they start to believe that one needs to be a genious scientist and to live in the gym to grow their muscles, but the truth is so simple. Nice post
Comment by Coed Fitness Tips
30 October 2008
That was an incredible post. That routine is pretty much the same routine I used to go from 155lbs to 200lbs with about 10% body fat in 1 year. Ahh… the good old days. I now opt for calisthenics, but if your looking for a bread and butter workout routine to build some serious muscle mass this is it.