Many of us don’t have time for an hour in the gym, let alone two. Work, family, life stresses, these are all factors that can make trying to fit in a workout session a bit of a squeeze. But, just because you’re pushed for time doesn’t mean you have to put your workouts completely on the back burner and wave ‘bye-bye’ to all your hard-earned gains. You can still train, you just need to be a little smarter in your approach.
Jeff Nippard, an internationally qualified powerlifter, and pro-bodybuilder who regularly shares science-based training methods via his YouTube channel, has shared a new video with three simple tips that can help reduce your workout time by 30 minutes, that also won't lose you any muscle. Here's how you can do it...
1. Stop resting between warm-up sets
We can all relate to this. How many times have you done a set of light reps on the bench press and then taken a two-minute break, whether that be to check your phone or have a chat with someone? Probably a few times.
But, as Nippard rightly points out they’re just warm-up sets. “They shouldn't have you anywhere close to failure,” he says in his Instagram video. Your muscles therefore won’t need a rest so Nippard says you can just go from one warm-up set to another, then rest before your first working set. “This should save you 10 minutes across the whole workout,” he says.
2. Start doing supersets
Supersets are a great training method for those days you can’t commit to a long workout session, as they allow you to pack more into your training, but in a shorter time frame. Antagonistic supersets are what Nippard suggests, which is where you pair two exercises together that train different muscle groups, such as a bicep curl and tricep extension. This means while you’re working one, the other is resting and vice versa.
In the video, Nippard also references this 2024 study by SportRixiv which looks at the different outcome of traditional rep/set resistance training versus supersets. The results showed that both training groups experienced the same increase in muscle thickness, strength, power and muscle endurance, despite the supersets reducing workout time by 36% less time (Nippard says it saved them 25 minutes!).
Supersets will, of course, increase the demands placed on your body so, while it probably isn't wise to be doing them all the time, they're good for when you're up against the clock.
3. Use dumbbells
Before you immediately start thinking Nippard is trying to break you and the bench press up, he isn’t. But, what he is saying is that barbells and machines aren’t the most time-sensitive pieces of equipment, which is true. “You can pick up a dumbbell a lot faster than you can set up a barbell or pick a machine, adjust it for your height, and then load it up with weight,” he explains.
Using a pair of dumbbells also offers other benefits, such as training unilaterally and they often require greater stabilisation, meaning they can activate more muscle fibres. While Nippard does say they may not be as optimal as some machines in some cases, they will save you precious time.
