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Bad work schedule, how to time lifting?

sespress

Well-known member
I work Thursday through Saturday 7pm-8am. I was in a bad accident two years ago and finally got back in the gym after a long battle with reinjury. Right now I'm having terrible time building back up to my previous level (6' tall, used to be 220 with 15% body fat / now 250 @32%).

I lift the 4 days I'm off, but I barely have time to eat and sleep again between the three days I'm working. If I lift it's like 30m fast workout. Yesterday i did shoulders. 30m. After 13 hours at a desk your still tired and I got a crappy workout. Not even sore today even though i lifted until I had no energy left yesterday.

How should I time my workouts? Any advice?
 
Tylerclee said:
IMO 4 days per week can be perfect perfect
Click to expand...
OK so how would you pair exercises? Like
1. Leg / Shoulder
2. Chest / Tri
3. Back / Bi
4. Core / Cardio / Etc...

I guess I'm Looking for suggestions on how to setup an exercise regime precisely. I used to try and seperate things out a bit more so I could focus on individual muscle groups. But I'll be kind of slamming more into a single day here and I'm not positive on which way is best.

I had a guy tell me that I should run chest and triceps one day and break it up with legs the next before doing any other upper body work, to give a break for recovery. But if I do that I'll be sending shoulders onto another day. What day would I do that then?

Do you see where I'm hung up? I can feel the need to seperate some upper body work with lower body work, it just lengthens the schedule.

Just any ideas on what groups on what days would be appreciated.
 
sespress said:
OK so how would you pair exercises? Like
1. Leg / Shoulder
2. Chest / Tri
3. Back / Bi
4. Core / Cardio / Etc...

I guess I'm Looking for suggestions on how to setup an exercise regime precisely. I used to try and seperate things out a bit more so I could focus on individual muscle groups. But I'll be kind of slamming more into a single day here and I'm not positive on which way is best.

I had a guy tell me that I should run chest and triceps one day and break it up with legs the next before doing any other upper body work, to give a break for recovery. But if I do that I'll be sending shoulders onto another day. What day would I do that then?

Do you see where I'm hung up? I can feel the need to seperate some upper body work with lower body work, it just lengthens the schedule.

Just any ideas on what groups on what days would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Try a few things and see what works best for you. My favorite routine is this

Chest & biceps
Legs & abs
Back & triceps
Shoulders & abs
 
You can also throw in some very high rep 10 minute touch up work on rest days. Get a little more blood flow to that muscle and help recovery.
 
I work 0700-1900 for four, then four off, then 1900-0700 for four, four off and repeat. On days I work nights I typically wake up around 1400 and go about my day lifting around two hours prior to going back on shift. On my work days I focus on lighter weights, more reps, and shorter rest times. On my off days I focus on strength workouts with longer rest periods. Has worked for me and doesn't tire me out too much before shift.
 
Four days? A couple of different options

Push/pull split Monday/Tuesday Thursday/Friday

Or

What I used to do and had a lot of success with

Mon Chest/tris Tues Legs Thurs Shoulders Fri Deads/back/bis

Or set this however you need. There are options
 
Four days? A couple of different options

Push/pull split Monday/Tuesday Thursday/Friday

Or

What I used to do and had a lot of success with

Mon Chest/tris Tues Legs Thurs Shoulders Fri Deads/back/bis

Or set this however you need. There are options
 
andrewski48 said:
I work 0700-1900 for four, then four off, then 1900-0700 for four, four off and repeat. On days I work nights I typically wake up around 1400 and go about my day lifting around two hours prior to going back on shift. On my work days I focus on lighter weights, more reps, and shorter rest times. On my off days I focus on strength workouts with longer rest periods. Has worked for me and doesn't tire me out too much before shift.
Click to expand...
Swapping between those sounds like hell man, more power to you. The company has a tiny gym, nothing fancy but enough to hit some cardio or light weights high rep stuff like you mentioned.
 
Thank you for the advice I'm going to try different suggestions one week to the next and see what fits best
 
You could just keep it simple by doing the compounds with only light assistance. If you are in a rush you do only the important stuff and gtfo. You could only do those core lifts and cycle between hypertrophy and power. Personally when I am strapped for time if I can only do one thing it's deadlifts or squats. and a press.
 
Sadly I've been steering away from those two exercises as I had a back injury a few years ago after a car accident. In working my way back up to it though. Last week I did:. Chest/Tri. Legs/shoulders. Back/bi. Cardio. Then on my work days i just do some random 10-20 minutes at home on the TRX bands and so far I don't feel too bad about being unable to hit the gym on those other days.
 
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