Last summer, I was stumped… how could I use bodyweight training to build substantial muscle mass using exercises like pushups where I could do 30 to 50 reps per set?
Enter training time/volume…
This technique allowed me to take exercises where I could do a LOT of reps and turn them into effective mass builders.
It’s basically kind of a cross between my compound exercise resistance training (where you take a weight you can do 6 reps with and do 3 sets of reps until you can’t do 3 reps anymore, then drop the weight and keep going) and Increasing Density Training (by Charles Staley, where you take an assigned time frame and do as many reps as you can within that time frame).
Time/volume training is relatively simple. I’ll use back training for my example here (pull-ups, specifically). To work the back, I use a 15-minute block of time (this will vary by body part; use less time for smaller parts).
First, start by doing a set of 3 repetitions. Then stop and rest 10 seconds. Now do another set of 3 repetitions. Stop and rest 10 seconds.
Continue using sets of 3 reps on 10 second rest until you can no longer do 3 reps. When you get to this point, start resting 20 SECONDS between your sets of 3 reps.
Continue using sets of 3 reps on 20 second rest until you can no longer do 3 reps. Then take 30 SECONDS of rest between your 3 sets of reps. If you have to increase again, go to 40 seconds, and so on. Continue like this until the 15 minutes are up.
It’s that easy! Basically, the idea here is not to miss any of your reps, but to manage your fatigue so that you can maximize your training volume (ie more reps and sets).
And, because I originally worked on this technique to go with bodyweight training (where you can’t change the resistance), instead of decreasing the weight (as in compound overload), you’ll instead just increase the periods. rest, which gives your body a little more time to recover between sets, allowing you to keep doing sets with exactly the same resistance.
But just because it’s originally designed for bodyweight training doesn’t mean you can’t use it with free weights and machines too – it’ll work great for that too!
You’ll find that by using this technique with different exercises (especially bodyweight exercises, where some tend to be a bit easier than others), you’ll be able to last longer before having to increase your rest. For example, when doing pull-ups, you’ll probably need to increase your rest before you do push-ups.
But rest assured, even if you can do 50 pushups, you’ll STILL reach a point where you can’t do sets of 3 reps on 10 seconds of rest and you’ll have to increase your rest periods.
It’s a great way to work up bodyweight exercises without resorting to high-rep resistance training. With 3-rep sets, you’re still engaging power-oriented muscle fibers, which is what allows you to make this type of training work for building mass. Take a few minutes between body parts for recovery.
These are the time intervals I have been using for this type of training:
Back, Chest and Thighs – blocks of 15 minutes each
Hamstrings, shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, and abs: 10 minute blocks each
I also changed some of the body part blocks to work 2 body parts at a time (I did this with abs and calves).
Here’s a split I’ve been using (based on bodyweight training), but you can certainly feel free to create your own. Just make absolutely sure you keep your total training time under an hour (I’ve been shooting for 40-50 minutes).
This type of training concept is simple enough that you can simply insert it into whatever your favorite training split is.
My preference is a 2 day, 1 day off, 2 work days, 2 day off type of training split, eg Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
Day 1:
Back – 15 minute chin-ups – I was using a regular close grip underneath for these, working up and down to full extension.
Chest – 15 minute dips – I was using two chairs with their backs facing each other. I would put my hands on top of the backs of chairs and do dips between the chairs. It works like a charm!
Calf Abdominal Combination – 10 minutes – NO rest between body parts or sets. I would just go straight from single leg calf raises (5 reps each leg with no weight), then straight into crunches (5 reps on that exercise as well) and then back to calves. Because they are such unrelated parts of the body, they rest while you work with the others, so you don’t need a specific rest for them.
Biceps – Since I was doing 15 minute chins, the biceps already had a lot of work to do. He would simply end the workout with a set of bent arms.
Total training time: 45 minutes
Day 2:
Thighs: 15 minutes of squats with one leg and bench step. Basically, this exercise is a single leg squat done while standing on a chair or bench. Because you’re standing off the ground, you can drop much lower, adding to the overall workload. I also recommend holding on to something for support. This exercise for so long will really blow your mind.
Hamstrings – nothing for me here – the deep bench step squats were a LOT of work for the hamstrings, trust me. In a normal split, you would do 10 minutes of hamstring work for this type of Time/Volume workout.
Shoulders – 10 minutes of Pike Handstand Push-Ups. This is a great exercise for the shoulders – it’s a bodyweight exercise, making it very effective for functional strength AND it’s fairly easy where if you have decent shoulder strength you should be able to get a good volume of training out of it. At that same link above, you’ll also find Horizontal Push-ups, which is an easier version.
Triceps: 10 minutes of close grip pushups, although I can normally do 40-50 in a row, after about 8 minutes straight with 10 second rest, I had to increase to 20 second rest. Tiredness catches up with you and you will really feel how effective this training is. Again I ended up with a set of Flexed Arm Hang here.
Total training time: 40 minutes
That’s the scoop with time/volume training! As I mentioned, you can insert this methodology into virtually any training split and any program.
It’s one of the best ways to get a mass-building effect from bodyweight training (when you can get a lot of reps out of an exercise) that I’ve found.
Give it a try at your next workout to prove the concept, and then try a couple of full workouts with it. Then take the concept with you the next time you travel and apply it to some bodyweight training.
You’ll see the hotel gym (with the seatless stationary bike and creaking hydraulic resistance machines) and LAUGH!