Time as a Factor in Weight Training is almost a direct quote from Arthur Jones. It's from his almost revolutionary Nautilus Bulletin Number 1, chapter 29, published in the early 1970s. The Nautilus time factor was related to what later became popularized by both Ian King and Charles Poliquin as Time Under Tension (TUT). In Nautilus training, the trainee was asked to perform a concentric contraction of two seconds, pause for one second in the fully contracted position, then perform the eccentric phase of each rep in four seconds for a total repetition time of seven seconds. A set of eight to twelve repetitions would then take approximately 56 to 84 seconds to complete. However, each set was taken to momentary muscular failure during the concentric phase for most trainees.

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Poliquin went on to discuss the total time for a workout. He summarized in his own inimitable humorous style, “If your workout takes longer than an hour, you are making friends, not building size and strength.” I first heard this phrase at one of his seminars back in the late 1980s early 1990s. I would agree for most sessions, but I would probably have that as a range between 60 to 75 minutes to cater to everyone.

Rest Time

When you consider the rest time in between sets that Poliquin also advocated (45 to 60 seconds when training for hypertrophy and three to five minutes when training for strength), you can then accurately assess the number of exercises that you can fit into that one hour time slot to optimize your training intensity. If you need to train longer than an hour, I would say that you are not training hard enough, or you need to split the workout into two or even three sessions throughout the day, allowing sufficient time for recovery.

All these thoughts were spinning through my head whilst training at my local fitness center this morning. I saw the techniques and the total disregard for intensity and timing that was going on by most trainees resulting in un-productive workouts at best and potentially injurious situations at worst.

“If your workout takes longer than an hour, you are making friends, not building size and strength.”

Charles poliquin

I have always advocated for the majority of trainees a three-day-a-week full-body workout incorporating a pull, push, and squat. By using a variety of movements within these three categories, you can modulate intensity by the mechanical advantage that some movements have over others. With some people, I may add another movement category like a hinge category and others a possible fifth using a variety of loaded carries. I am a huge fan of how Dan John programs. Three or four main movements, plus core and/or arms will work very well for most people training for size and strength.

Time Strategy

Digressing back to the gym session this morning, one man caught my eye. He showed no regard to the rep on each of his three biceps and three triceps movements. It appeared that he was late getting out of bed and had to rush through each rep to get to work on time, effectively devaluing each rep he performed. If only he would have slowed down the rep on each exercise and cut back on the rest between exercises. Certainly a cart before the horse situation he was.

Utilizing the Nautilus rep speed or a King/Poliquin timing of 3:3 and working to technical failure or an inability to maintain the given rep speed, this gentleman would have needed approximately 60 to 75 seconds per set. With 60 seconds of rest in between sets, he could have done five sets on each of his movements in approximately 10 minutes, so perfectly placed to get all six exercises done inside the hour (if he was using five sets on each for a total of 30 sets for arms). Personally, I would never program that many sets, but this is just an example of proper planning. I would also advocate you have a stopwatch and that you plan your work to rest times. Know that you are starting a new set every two minutes and fifteen seconds to maintain focus.

Now getting back to the three-exercise session using the major compound movements and training for strength, the trainee will be resting three to five minutes between each set. Depending on the program that is chosen, the timing will be ideal for the one-hour mark. I have included a sample program below to show how you can accommodate the rest into the program to keep on track.

Pull, Push & Squat

Mobility & Preparatory movements 5-10 minutes

Box Squat with Safety Bar, 2 x (6/5/4) @ (75%/80%/85%) INOL = 1.44

  • Go every 4 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 4, 18, 12, 16, 20 minutes

Incline Bench Press s/s Weighted Chins, 4 x 6 @ 75% INOL = 0.96 for each exercise

  • Go every 3 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 3, 6, 9 minutes

Core

Barbell Rollouts, 3 x 10

  • Go every 90 seconds
  • Stopwatch: 0, 1.5, 3 minutes

Stretch 5-10 minutes

Total Workout Time less than 60 minutes

*If you were inclined to add a fourth movement, I would allow another 15 minutes at max.

Lower Body Push & Pull, Upper Body Push & Pull

Mobility & Preparatory movements 5-10 minutes

Front Squat, 4 x 6 @ 75% INOL = 1.44

  • Go every 4 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 4, 18, 12 minutes

Romanian Deadlift, 5 x 5 @ 80% INOL = 1.25

  • Go every 5 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes

Bench Press, 6/5/4/4 @ 75%, 80%, 85%, 85+% INOL = 1.07 (depending on how much an increase for the last set is used)

  • Go every 4 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 4, 18, 12 minutes

Pendlay Row, 5 x 8 @ 75% INOL = 1.6

  • Go every 3 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 minutes

Stretch 5 – 10 minutes

Total Workout Time approximately 75 minutes

Lower Body Push & Pull, Upper Body Push & Pull + Loaded Carry

Mobility & Preparatory movements 5-10 minutes

Trap Bar Deadlift, 40 reps at 8 RM (approximately 75%) INOL = 1.6

  • Go every 90 seconds until you have completed all the required reps
  • Stopwatch: 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, 10.5 minutes (as a general idea)

Sprinter’s Squat/Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat, 4 x 6 @ 75% INOL = 0.96

  • Go every 3 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0,3, 6, 9 minutes

Military Press s/s Weighted Chins, 4 x 6 @ 75% INOL = 0.96 for each exercise

  • Go every 3 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 3, 6, 9 minutes

Farmer’s Walk, 4 x 50 metres

  • Go every 5 minutes
  • Stopwatch: 0, 5, 10, 15 minutes

Core

Weighted Sit Ups (with a barbell or weight plate), 3 x 5

  • Go every 90 seconds
  • Stopwatch: 0, 1.5, 3 minutes

Stretch 5–10 minutes

Total Workout Time approximately 75 minutes

As the Mentzner brothers used to extol in the 1980s and 1990s, intensity for immensity. Time is an important aspect of that equation that needs to be monitored and strictly applied to ensure you get the results you are training for in the gym. Remember, we're not here to make friends.

Ashley Jones has just completed his 30th pre-season in professional sport, working across three professional sports on four continents. Ashley currently plies his trade in Major League Rugby (MLR) with the Houston Sabercats as their Head of Performance.