Expert's Efficient Workout Gains Tips

Many of us struggle to find an hour, or even two, for the gym. Balancing work, family, and life's everyday stresses can make fitting in a workout feel nearly impossible. 

However, limited time doesn't mean you must abandon your workouts and give up on your progress. You can still train effectively by adopting a smarter approach.

Jeff Nippard, an internationally recognized powerlifter and professional bodybuilder known for sharing science-based training methods on his YouTube channel, recently released a video with three tips to cut your workout time by 30 minutes without losing muscle. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Skip Resting Between Warm-Up Sets

We've all been there—doing a set of light reps on the bench press and then taking a two-minute break, whether to check your phone or chat with someone.

But as Nippard points out, these are just warm-up sets. "They shouldn't have you anywhere close to failure," he says in his Instagram video.

Since your muscles don’t need a rest between warm-up sets, Nippard suggests going directly from one warm-up set to another and then resting before your first working set.

"This should save you 10 minutes across the whole workout," he adds.

2. Incorporate Supersets

Supersets are perfect for those days when you can’t commit to a lengthy workout session. They allow you to fit more into your training while reducing the time required.

Nippard recommends antagonistic supersets, where you pair two exercises that target different muscle groups, like a bicep curl and a tricep extension.

This method allows one muscle group to rest while you work the other.

Nippard cites a 2024 study by SportRixiv comparing traditional rep/set resistance training with supersets.

The study found both methods yielded similar increases in muscle thickness, strength, power, and endurance.

However, supersets reduced workout time by 36% (Nippard notes this saved participants about 25 minutes).

While supersets increase the demands on your body and shouldn’t be used constantly, they’re excellent for when you're short on time.

3. Opt for Dumbbells

Nippard isn’t advocating that you ditch the bench press entirely. However, he points out that barbells and machines are not the most time-efficient equipment.

"You can pick up a dumbbell a lot faster than you can set up a barbell or adjust a machine for your height and load it with weight," he explains.

Using dumbbells also offers benefits like unilateral training and greater stabilization, activating more muscle fibers.

While they may not be as optimal as some machines in certain cases, they will save you valuable time.

By integrating these three tips into your routine, you can significantly reduce your workout time without sacrificing your hard-earned gains.

Adjust your approach, and you'll find that staying fit doesn't have to be a time-consuming endeavor.

Source: yahoo

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