Amount of time working out

[johnathan1995]

Hey guys,I heard that training longer than an hour causes our cortisol to rise and your testerone starts to plummet.this means it wouldn't be such a good idea doing that but I do a 3 days split and two muscle groups each day and usually my workouts last up to 1.5 hours.i wonder if this really hinder gains and it isn't effective in building muscle.

 

[Celorza]

Hey guys,I heard that training longer than an hour causes our cortisol to rise and your testerone starts to plummet.this means it wouldn't be such a good idea doing that but I do a 3 days split and two muscle groups each day and usually my workouts last up to 1.5 hours.i wonder if this really hinder gains and it isn't effective in building muscle.

Try to keep it from 50-90 minutes tops, if you have to take longer it means you are resting too much or not focused enough. It is true that cortisol levels rise, if overtraining is happening, which I am assuming you are NOT doing, but if it takes longer then 60 mins to get a workout done, either you are doing way too many sets and exercises OR you are resting too much .

 

[johnathan1995]

I think I would start a four day split from now on considering legs,shoulders and abs take quite long.i would like to ask if training only shoulders on one day a good idea?

 

[Celorza]

It is, but rather than focusing on splits, look more to a more complete program that will engage the core and main targeted muscle group, plus assistance/dynamic/power movements. 5/3/1 poses this quality, and so does PHAT by Layne Norton. Another thing you could try is West Side for Skinny Bastards, all great programs and good 4 day a week applications

 

[boogyman]

I think I would start a four day split from now on considering legs,shoulders and abs take quite long.i would like to ask if training only shoulders on one day a good idea?

If your gonna do that give legs their own day, and put shoulders and abs together. Legs should take much more to recover from, and adding a extra minute or so between sets of squats may help you get more weight up.