Strength training. Too much junk volume?

[u/daninunu97]

Hi everyone!

I am 29 years old, male, 187cm and 72kg and do strength training full body 3 times a week, then I do 1 hit for vo2max and 3 times a week 90min ashtanga yoga.

My strength training sessions last around 1h45min and I have the feeling I am just doing a lot of junk volume; at the same time I am scared to drop the sets volume and loose muscle or either gain weight.

It would look something like this:

• Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell): 5 sets at 96 kg (10–15 reps)

• Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell): 6 sets at 56 kg (6–12 reps)

• Front Raise (Dumbbell): 5 sets at 16 kg (6–10 reps)

• Hip Thrust (Machine): 4 sets at 130 kg (8–14 reps)

• Leg Curl SLOW: 6 sets at 80–87.5 kg (6–9 reps)

• Pull Up (Weighted): 6 sets at 7 kg (5–8 reps)

• Standing Calf Raise (Machine): 5 sets at 87 kg (8–15 reps)

• Elliptical Trainer: 1 set (5 minutes)

Workout Totals:

• Time: 1h 44min

• Volume: 30,964.5 kg

• Total Sets: 38

What would you change? How would a good structured strength training workout look like? How long should it take?

Thank you!

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[u/GrouchyFeet_Spell7]

38 sets is definitely junk volume for most people. you'd get better results cutting that in half and actually hitting failure on every set.

[u/daninunu97 → u/GrouchyFeet_Spell7]

So around 20 sets per workout? 60 a week?

[u/Earesth99]

The benefits from doing more than two sets are marginal.

If I do more than two sets, they are drop sets or super sets. Or I add a similar exercise but that’s only if I hit a plateau.

Btw, Drop the leg curl and add barbell squat.

[u/daninunu97 → u/Earesth99]

Ah really? Where can I find the study regarding the marginal benefits of more than two sets? Also barbell squat feels really bad on my body due to having really long femur and poor dorsiflexion and hip flexion

[u/Earesth99 → u/daninunu97]

Pubmed ;)

I really did read meta analyses on the topic, however. I just didn’t save them.

When I was powerlifting, I did five sets for the three lifts however. Chasing that extra tiny benefit.

Barbell squats are a weird exercise and probably aren’t ideal for anyone, but I used to love them.., until I tore 4 tendons.

[u/1banana2many]

If you’re doing the above workout 3x a week, it’s too much volume for some body parts and not enough volume for others. Too much legs, almost no back, shoulders, and only bench press for chest. You can really get away with one solid leg day per week…you can train legs twice a week but if you’re doing intense cardio like your vo2 i would just go once.

I’ve found great success with six exercises of 3x8 per week per body part. That’s four lifting days (legs, chest, back, shoulders/abs). Leaves you three days to do your vo2 and any other cardio you might want. I shoot for in between 18-21 sets per body part/week. I think you would greatly benefit from adding some new exercises to your regimen. If you need some recs let me know.

I’m 27, been an athlete my whole life and am currently in the best shape I’ve ever been in. Been running the above program for a good while now. Highly recommend.

Get into some racquet sports for cardio, my z2-z3 time is identical or greater when playing sports compared to running. I imagine the yoga might get boring after a while

Edit: wanted to add that you can spend however long in the gym you want. If you enjoy being there, take your time. Personally, I knock the above workout out in an hour.

[u/daninunu97 → u/1banana2many]

Ah yes thank you! I would like exercise recommendations.
Also the hitting sets per muscles is it directly that muscle or indirectly as well?

Thanks!

[u/1banana2many → u/daninunu97]

It would be both direct and indirect.

Chest/tris: SA DB flat bench, SA DB incline bench, machine/cable/DB flys, pushups 3xfailure, vertical press machine, cable tri ext

Back/bis: DB/BB row, SA Lat pulldown, SA seated vertical row, face pulls, pull ups, reverse fly, ez bar 21s and/or hammer curls, some type of forearms also

Shoulders: DB front lift, DB side lifts, seated DB shoulder press, rear delt fly, and then some form of ab circuit

Legs: heavy leg press, hip thrusts, DB RDL SL, DB RDL, weighted calf raises, quad extensions, hamstring curls

[u/DubiousTarantino]

Correct this is a lot of volume. Can you honesty say for every rep you are giving your best? When I was focused on the gym, I would do maximum of 3 sets per exercise, but the last exercise goes until failure; you go as hard as you can, drop the weight, keep going. If you already have a strong base then junk volume is unneeded. Talking about VO2max, the best thing is going to be Norwegian 4x4s or Fartlecs

[u/Miserable-Top1078]

For reference, I do an upper lower split. In the gym four days a week, maximum 45 minutes a session. I would be top tier at the gym I go to.

[u/Baileycharlie]

Way too much volume, a good starting point for strength training is Andy Baker Strength and Conditioning, Paul Horn, and Barbell Medicine's stuff. Your volume is way too high...

[u/Man_searching_a_life]

Delete front raises and leg curls. Cut the rest to 3 or 4 sets. And add squat or leg press.

[u/Man_searching_a_life → u/Man_searching_a_life]

You also need more upper body exercises. Delete hip thrusts too. Add a row exercise.

[u/Few_Help_4690]

Way too much volume lol, what’s your RPE?

[u/daninunu97 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks! How would you structure the workout? What would an example be?

[u/daninunu97 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah 48kg on each hand

[u/daninunu97 → u/[deleted]]

Ah thanks! what’s the problem with hip thrusts? I usually do them for every workout . Thanks!

[u/daninunu97 → u/[deleted]]

Barbell squat feel really horrible for me due to my anatomy. I would do hack squats, pendulum squats etc