how to bodybuild with time restrictions

Here is what we will cover:

✅ Time management principles

✅ How to adjust training

✅ How to adjust nutrition

✅ Importance of sleep

✅ Taking care of your mental health

introduction

We all deal with time restrictions. In today’s world, we have work, family, hobbies, etc all pulling us in different directions, sucking away our time. Whether or not you want to admit they exist, they are very real for many people. Not everyone is a 19-year-old influencer with no kids who lives at home with their parents and has all day to eat and train.

But the good news is, you don't have to be to bodybuild effectively and realize your physique goals. Whether you’re a mom of 2, a tax accountant during tax season, or a single mom of 2 who is a tax accountant during tax season (god bless your soul), you CAN still bodybuild with limited time. You just have to be that much more intentional with how you set up your plan to make sure you can fire on whatever cylinders you have available to the best ability possible.

We’re going to start with some principles regarding time management, then move into some more practical tips regarding the individual components critical to a successful bodybuilding plan.

Alright, let’s get into it.

time management principles

1. STOP DOING UNNECESSARY SH*T.

Yes, this means you need to prioritize what matters. RESPONSIBILITIES come first. Job duties put food on the table, sleep requirements, kid activities, etc. What you have left is what you work with. What more? Check your priorities or get more efficient. For example: what do you want more? to be a lazy f*ck or have a good physique? You're going to want to sit on the couch and watch Netflix instead of prep food at the end of a long day. Which will you choose?

Whatever you put your time into is what will develop. Identify your mission and make sure your actions align with that.

Think about it like this: if you were to spend 1 hr of your day every day doing ‘x’ that is 4% of your life. Would you be happy on your deathbed knowing you spent 4% of your day scrolling Instagram?

2. MAKE SYSTEMS EFFICIENT.

If you are still out of time and have already checked your priorities, then you need to get more efficient. For ex: hire someone to prep your meals, meal prep in bulk, buy things pre-made, etc. You need to create routines in your day to optimize your efficiency and reduce sources of friction in your day.

3. COMBINE ACTIVITIES.

Where possible, combine activities that make sense to save time. For ex: take calls while on a walk. Do cardio and watch your Netflix at the same time in prep. Just don't move too much while trying to eat (digestive issues) or combine exercises in the gym (like those IG-style lunge-curls) which is a surefire way to reduce your stimulus for muscle growth.

4. FASTER DOESN’T MEAN BETTER.

Like the NAVY SEALS say: “slow is smooth - smooth is fast.” If you make fewer mistakes you’ll save time in the long term. For ex: zooming through your workout just to get it all in doesn't mean you had a more effective workout. You still need to abide by some basic principles of creating an effective stimulus. More on training in the training section below.

5. HAVE A PLAN.

Do I need to say much here? If you're short on time, winging it won't work. Have gym clothes laid out and meals prepared the night in advance, etc. See points 1&2 if you feel like even though you plan you still don't have enough time.

Now that we have those principles out of the way, let’s dive into the nitty gritty of HOW to adjust your plan while on a time restriction.

*Quick note on phases of training: Your time obligations from bodybuilding will ebb and flow with the phases, as will your energy to put towards your tasks. For example, in prep, you'll have a bigger time obligation to get steps and cardio in. Yes, usually you're spending less time eating and training than in the offseason, but you’ll have less energy so it’s extra important you double down on your planning and task prioritization. To maximize your energy, you need to regulate the rest of your day so you can execute at a high level.

how to adjust training

The goal of training is to keep your sets productive. Refer to point #4 above. Faster doesn't always mean better. We need to provide an effective stimulus to the muscle to grow it or at least to retain it.

Here are some training tips:

1. Instead of training with reps in reserve (RIR), take your sets to failure. You’ll need less of them to get the job done.

2. Keep your sets productive. Make sure you’re getting in adequate rest between sets even if that requires you to do other things to save time — stimulus above all else.

3. Choose exercises that don't require a ton of setup. I'm all about a good setup that allows for a smooth pattern with a good resistance profile, but especially in a crowded gym with limited time that isn't always feasible. Choose exercises where you can get it and rip. Good machines help a ton here.

4. Choose exercises that require less warm-up. Whether that be mobility-wise, number of sets to “feel loose” or even just the total load you can move. For example: leg presses usually require less warm-up than barbell squats, and RDLs require less loading and therefore prep sets than a deadlift.

5. Do fewer total exercises. Fewer total exercises mean fewer warm-ups. Instead of 3 different chest movements, choose one or two. The second exercise probably needs even fewer warm-ups since the joints, muscles, and nervous system are already good to go.

6. Save unilateral work for when you have more time or only when necessary.

7. More multi-joint exercises, less single-joint exercises when REALLY crunched on time. Look, I love training every possible angle and function of a muscle as much as the next person, but the reality is, sometimes you need to condense things when in a time crunch. A multi-joint exercise by definition trains more muscle groups than a single joint motion. This doesn't always mean more effective, but it can save you time. For example: do a dip for chest and triceps vs having to do both a pec fly and triceps extension. You’ll save yourself some time AND build muscle in the process.

8. If you can't train longer, consider training more frequently. This might look like training shorter sessions more days of the week or day even per day if you have to. It might make sense to split your workouts up in the latter case especially if they get particularly lengthy. In the case of two-a-days, there are a few different ways to skin the cat — you could do compound movements in the morning and isolations at night, or alternatively, you could do one body part in the morning and another later in the day, with movements/muscles that take priority going first in the day.

9. Get in, and get out. Stop chit-chatting between sets and get off your d*mn phone.

10. Prioritize lagging body parts first. At least if you get short on time, you hit the movements or body parts you needed to.

11. Consider supersets or other intensifiers to accumulate volume. Generally, intensifiers aren't quite as effective as straight sets in volume-equated conditions, however, if you're truly short on time, it's better than nothing. Antagonist/agonist super sets and rest-pause sets are my go-to's here and seem to be more effective than supersets of the same body part and drop sets.

HOW TO ADJUST CARDIO

Cardio is a staple in bodybuilding. Time considerations will differ between the offseason and prep, so when transitioning phases, understand the requirements that will be on your time so you can adjust properly.

To help get cardio in on a time crunch:

1. Get steps in while working. If you have a desk job, having a treadmill desk can be extremely helpful, but make sure to keep an eye on your total steps. Consider taking calls on walks when possible, instead of sitting. If you work from home, trade your drive time for intentional walks. Make it a non-negotiable to get steps in.

2. Take quick walk breaks instead of one long walk or do just one long walk. A few 10-minute walks between meetings or meals might be easier to squeeze in than one long 1-hour walk. Make these part of your daily plan.

3. Shorter, harder cardio — if (and this is a big if) — you can recover from it. HIIT can provide a similar or greater stimulus for a variety of adaptations, but the key deciding factor is CAN YOU RECOVER? If not, find another way to get your cardio in.

4. Wake up earlier or go to bed earlier. I have coached many people who said they were out of time for cardio. Don't sacrifice your 7-8 hours of sleep, but finding 30 minutes a few times a week especially in the offseason is pretty easy to find if you just eliminate that snooze button or turn off the TV a little earlier.

5. Get a cardio piece for your house. If you are in prep, the last thing you want to be doing is taking multiple trips daily to the gym. Save yourself the extra hour of travel time and get a treadmill or stairmaster for your home. I know it requires a bit of $$, but TIME IS MONEY.

HOW TO ADJUST NUTRITION

You can't be a good bodybuilder without focusing on your diet. Being able to plan, prep, and eat all your meals isn’t for the faint of heart!

Here are some tips on how to squeeze food into your busy schedule:

1. Prep meals the night before. It ALWAYS saves time the next day. I know you're thinking: “I can squeeze it in if I wake up a few minutes earlier.” I'm sure you can, but let’s be honest, it's more likely you’ll hit that snooze button come time to wake up.

2. Limit on-the-go gas station meals and DoorDash meals even though it's tempting. The more you risk your digestion with that gas station burrito or that Door Dash chipotle, the more time you risk losing on the porcelain pot. I'm not joking. IYKYK.

3. Consider liquid meals if you’re limited on time or on the go. When I work with people running from meeting to meeting, call to call, patient to patient, quick options are paramount. Liquid meals can be huge here, but be careful of relying on them exclusively.

4. Have easy to prep back-ups in place. If you didn't have time to prep food, quick meals like canned chicken and Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice instead of your prepped chicken and rice can be a godsend.

5. Eat fewer meals in a day. No one has time to spend eating 6-7 big meals a day. Condensing the number of meals down is an easy way to save time (and potentially improve digestion, but we’ll save this for another article).

6. Fast if needed. This kind of goes with tip #5, but if you're short on time, sometimes adjusting your eating window can be a good move. This is phase-dependent, but can help save time and help fit in cardio, especially when in prep.

7. Make other family members eat what you eat. If you have kids, live with your significant other, etc., it can be time consuming to prep all that food. If you're the person who makes the food, you make the call. Make it work for you. As a parent and spouse, I can attest to the fact that they will adapt even if they complain. If have time to prep theirs as well, great, otherwise, stick to your guns.

8. Keep food prep simple. There is no need to make a fancy Pinterest recipe for every meal. Keep it simple. Bulk cook meals and KISS.

9. INSTACART. Don't spend HOURS going to the grocery store every week. Spend a few extra dollars for Instacart delivery services. You'll end up SAVING money because you won't buy unneeded food items, you won't be spending $ on gas, and you’re more likely to make better decisions and stay on plan. Plus, again, TIME IS MONEY. This has been a HUGE time-saver for Eileen and me once we had kids.

10. Prep your supplements. As important as prepping your meals to save time having to cook, measure, etc is taking the time to prep your supplements in advance! This one might seem like a simple/unnecessary one, but is a game changer! Here is the pill container I use.

sleep matters

I bet you're expecting me to say: “rest when you’re dead,” right? Im not. Planning to hit your 7-8 hours is a STAPLE whether you’re a bodybuilder or not. We know every aspect of your life is worse when sleep is inadequate. From productivity to muscle growth to mental health, if you don't prioritize your sleep, good luck hitting your bodybuilding goals and lasting in this game long term. We all start with the same 24 hrs in a day. Immediately take off 7-8 for sleep, that's a non-negotiable. So now you have 16-17 hrs to work with and your time-efficiency planning can begin. Don't mess around.

*Aside, if you need to catch up on a little sleep, and are short on time, a quick power nap of 20 min or so can pay dividends. I am also a huge fan of Non-sleep Deep rest where you spend 10-15 min in essentially a meditative state activating your Parasympathetic Nervous System. It can be highly restorative and doesn't take a ton of time. When I'm short on time and/or sleep and need a quick recharge before a lift or work, this is my go-to.

Additionally, if you are short on sleep and time and need to optimize your workout, a hit of caffeine and a quick nap outperformed solely nap or caffeinated conditions in a recent study .

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

An overlooked part of bodybuilding is the mental health component. To reach the highest level of any endeavor, you need to be strong not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

If you are someone like me who is constantly short on time, it’s easy to let stress, anxiety, etc. elevate. It is incredibly important to maintain a healthy state of mental well-being to maintain that high level of efficiency and execution you need to have. You can't afford to spend time in a sub-optimal mental state, having your energy drained with stress or even worse, spending time being frozen with anxiety and indecision. At the same time, being in a constantly go-go-go fight or flight state (even if you feel “low stress”), can take a toll over time, not on just mental health but physically (I’ll cover all the effects of stress on the body in a future blog).

Something I coach all my clients to do is to take an intentional moment (or a few) each day to stop and take a centering breath. That tiny moment where you slow things down can help to provide a “home base” state where you can troubleshoot anything going wrong in your day, bring that CNS state down for even a brief second, and help turn a bad day around. If you can do this while doing another activity like walking or sitting at a stop light makes this even more time efficient.

Bodybuilding is a 24-7, 365 activity, and to do it effectively on a time restriction, you must manage your mental state to manage your efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Bodybuilding at a high level CAN be done with limited time. We coach our clients to INTEGRATE bodybuilding into their lives so that they can do it all. You will just need to be intentional with your thoughts and actions.

If you are someone who is serious about achieving your physique goals and needs help optimizing your plan for your busy schedule we can help. Schedule a discovery call here !