Are you feeling stuck in your workouts? Maybe you’re bored with your routine, or not seeing the progress you expected in your strength and endurance. It’s easy to lose motivation when results aren’t happening as fast as you’d like, or when you feel like you’re just going through the motions at the gym.
Here’s a simple, yet highly effective tip: Focus on time, not reps.
Instead of counting reps during your workouts, try setting a timer. Time-based workouts are a great way to shake things up, challenge your muscles, and keep things fresh. Rather than aiming for a specific number of reps, you’ll aim to do as many reps as possible in a set amount of time. The best part? You can keep track of your progress by trying to beat your own numbers each time you do the workout.
Why Time-Based Workouts Work
Counting reps is a traditional method, and while it’s effective for building strength, it can sometimes work against you. Here’s why:
- Too Light Weights: If you’re only focusing on hitting a specific number of reps, you might choose a weight that’s too light for you. You’ll reach your rep goal easily, but you’re not truly challenging your muscles. This means you won’t see significant progress because your muscles aren’t being pushed to their limits.
- Too Heavy Weights: On the other hand, if you choose a weight that’s too heavy, you may struggle to hit your target reps, leading to frustration. But here’s the thing: failure is actually part of the process! In the gym, muscle failure is a sign that you’re working hard and pushing your limits.
Focusing on time takes the pressure off hitting specific rep counts and helps you get the most out of each workout. Time under tension is a proven method for building muscle and increasing endurance. It allows you to slow down the movement, which leads to better muscle engagement. Plus, it’s a great way to keep your workouts from feeling repetitive and boring.
How to Do a Time-Based Workout
A simple way to structure your time-based workout is through AMRAP, which stands for “As Many Reps As Possible.” Here’s how to do it:
- Choose your exercises: Pick 3-5 exercises that target different muscle groups (full-body workouts work great for this).
- Set the timer: Decide how long you’ll perform each exercise, typically anywhere from 30-90 seconds.
- Number of rounds: Do 2-4 rounds depending on your fitness level and how much time you have.
- Rest between rounds: Take a short rest, around 1 minute, to recover and go hard again.
The key to success with this method is to focus on good form. The goal is quality reps, not speed. You’re not trying to rush through the workout—rather, you’re pushing your muscles to their limit in each time frame.
Full Body Time-Based Workout Example
Here’s an example of a time-based workout that targets your entire body. It’s a fast and efficient way to get a full-body workout in 30 minutes or less. You can adjust the time for each exercise based on your fitness level:
- Kettlebell Swings: 1 minute
- Dumbbell Clean & Press (Seated Shoulder Press): 1 minute
- Leg Extensions: 1 minute
- Captain’s Chair: 1 minute
- Ball Slams: 1 minute
Do 2-3 rounds of this circuit, taking 1 minute to rest between each round. You’ll feel the burn by the end, and the constant movement will get your heart rate up, making it an excellent cardio workout too!
If you find that you’re not feeling exhausted after each exercise, challenge yourself by using heavier weights or extending the time for each set. This will help boost your metabolism and build muscle more efficiently than sticking to traditional rep-based workouts.
Conclusion
Switching from counting reps to focusing on time is a simple yet effective way to spice up your workouts. Not only will it help you push your muscles to failure, but it’ll also keep things interesting, challenging, and productive. Give it a try and see how it works for you—soon, you’ll be leaving the gym feeling stronger and more accomplished!
