Full Body workouts for extremely busy

[DontBurnMyFlag]

Hey all,

So I work for an agency whose officers are required to do a lot of court time. 5 days a week 8 hour shifts plus extra court time.

I came from an agency that worked 12 hour shifts about 3 days a week and rarely required you to go to court.

So now I am adjusting my workout routine to fit my schedule. I used to be able to make it 3 times a week with cardio on my off days.

Now its getting much harder to do a split body routine with cardio. Especially while working midnights. So I've come for advice in regards to full body workouts.

Ive done them before but never really felt like I was getting anything out of them. Ill maybe have 3 days a week in which to workout. And the times may differ.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas or plans they would like to share?

Any tips, tricks, and possibly underhanded cheating that will allow me to workout with this schedule, would be appreciated.

[Switchback]

Crossfit.

It is total body and does a good job with cardio, too. Most workouts are less than 20 minutes, once you get into shape with the routine. There are rare ones that take 45min, but they do not pop up too often.

[DontBurnMyFlag]

Ive heard nothing but good things about the program...mostly from you. lol.

But I guess I never looked into it hard enough. Are there pre-planned workouts or do you pick from their listed exercises and create your own?

It seems like I could crank out a good workout using the pullups, pushups, squats and situps routine that was listed. Doing it for time would be rough. Ill give it a shot.

Thanks.

[Jennifer]

Crossfit.

It is total body and does a good job with cardio, too. Most workouts are less than 20 minutes, once you get into shape with the routine. There are rare ones that take 45min, but they do not pop up too often.

Yet another reason to join this program!! You and Blue are gonna get me in there soon enough! Actually, I do plan on starting it but I want to join a gym that offers it as I am too much of a klutz to do it myself.

[Switchback]

Just got to Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness and follow their workout of the day (the uppermost workout on the page). There are many other crossfit sites that emphasize different sides of crossfit.

For example, CoC is big on the crossfit kids site. There is also a crossfit football site that tends to go a little heavier with the weights.

[bluelightzgrl]

I second the vote on Crossfit.

Yet another reason to join this program!! You and Blue are gonna get me in there soon enough! Actually, I do plan on starting it but I want to join a gym that offers it as I am too much of a klutz to do it myself.

Woman, am I gonna have to come out there and drag you to a CF gym?!

[Jennifer]

I second the vote on Crossfit.



Woman, am I gonna have to come out there and drag you to a CF gym?!

Yes....
(answers meekly)

[normal1]

Am I the only one who thinks CF is extremely expensive?

[Switchback]

CF gyms can be. You can do it in a globo-gym. I did for over a year and they tolerated me, for the most part. You have to remember that most gyms are charging you to show up or not show up. They don't care and they give you no assistance in your routines unless you pay more for classes/personal instruction. Crossfit gyms start by REQUIRING personal instruction to get you on board with proper form and familiarization with the routines. Then, nearly all of it is class driven. You show up for the classes and the competition of your classmates around you even further drive you. It is a GREAT environment and, if you can afford it, worth every penny.

The globo-gym will take your money regardless. In fact, if you do not show up, it is better for them, leaving their equipment free for those that do. If you show up to crossfit and put in a little effort (which is hard NOT to if you show up), you WILL get results.



Hell, it would be cheap to set up in your house/garage.

Let's see, the essentials include:
Pull-up bar
Chin-up bar
Rings
Medicine Ball
A couple kettlebells or dumb-bells
Adjustable squat rack
Weight bench
Homemade box(es) for jumping onto
3 bar bells
Bumper Weights (dropable weights)

You can get by with less than 3 bar bells, but I would buy 3 and enough weights to do the single workout that demands the most weight (1.5 body weight for deadlifting, body weight for benching and .75 body weight for cleans).... so for me, about 600lbs of weights.

I think I priced all that out and it came to less than $2k.

[bluelightzgrl]

Switch is right. You can do the routines in a globo gym if you have the room and they tolerate you. The globo I was prior to switching to a CF gym didn't tolerate CF and didn't have the room.

The other problem with a globo gym is having to vary the routines and/or exercises. For example, most globo gyms are not going to have the rubber plate weights. Also I think most of them will have an issue if you starting tossing medicine balls at the wall (an exercise we call Wall Balls). ...and I know a few of us were given grief for taking up two or more pieces of equipment at a time -a lot of CF routines will require this.

When it comes to pricing, each CF gym charges differently. I've have multiple friends across multiple states who are in CF gyms and everyone of us pays a different monthly due. The prices seem to range from about 50 to 200. However the costs from what I can see is largely based off levels of certifications the trainers/owner(s) hold.

I would LOVE to set up my own, problem with that is I currently (am renting) do not have a basement or garage. Plus, I love the "class" atmosphere. Meaning everyone in the "class" is doing the same routine, of course there are modifications pending each person's ability but I know everyone else is suffering just as bad as I am and in a deranged way that is very motivational.

[Ispbear]

I have the answer:

Sexual intercourse burns approximately 300 calories an hour. So get with your significant other twice a day and thats about 600 calories a day.


Then again you will also understand while after being married for twelve years I've put on several extra pounds.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I have the answer:

Sexual intercourse burns approximately 300 calories an hour. So get with your significant other twice a day and thats about 600 calories a day.


Then again you will also understand while after being married for twelve years I've put on several extra pounds.

Rep sent!

[greg72982]

I have the answer:

Sexual intercourse burns approximately 300 calories an hour. So get with your significant other twice a day and thats about 600 calories a day.


Then again you will also understand while after being married for twelve years I've put on several extra pounds.

In that case I burn about 10 calories per session...I better keep hitting the gym.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

See what happens with too much "alone time"?

[Ispbear]

In that case I burn about 10 calories per session...I better keep hitting the gym.

But thats just your right arm greg.