How to Workout Efficiently: More Efficient Strength Workouts to Maximize Gains in Minimal Time

Learn how to have more efficient strength workouts. Reduce wasted time with short yet effective warm ups and rest periods. Add training aids to each set to prepare for your work sets. Get stronger as quickly as possible.
More Efficient Strength Workouts
You begin your workouts with warm ups, so let's begin examining how to lift more efficiently with warm ups.
Most people don't need a general warm up, but if you want a general warm up, do something like 5 minute of aerobic activity: walk, rower, bike.
Your warm ups for strength training consist of lighter sets.
Begin with the empty barbell (or typically 135 for the deadlift). Perform your reps (typically 5-8).
Once you're done with the first warm up, immediately add weight for the next warm up, and perform the next warm up. As you get closer to your work set, you may add rest time.
Efficient warm ups lead to more efficient strength workouts.
Matt monitors his heart rate, but you may simply rest 1 minute before the last warm up and then 2 minutes before the work set.
The point is that warming up should consist of minimal rest and no wasted time. Add the weight, quickly rest (or don't) and add more weight.
Warming up is important, but don't waste time warming up.
Adding Training Aids Each Set
This doesn't necessarily improve the efficiency of the workout.
Adding a training aid each set (or at least for the warm ups closer to the work sets) mentally prepares you for the work set. It becomes a part of your workout routine, and prepares you for the harder work sets.
You may take off your shoes. You may add chalk or straps or wraps. You may add a belt. You may sniff ammonia. You may play a song that gets you psyched up for your heavy work sets.
Shorten & Time Rest Periods
For more efficient strength workouts, ensure you don't waste time during your warm ups. You also don't need to waste time during the rest periods.
Resting between sets is important. The higher the intensity and the more muscle mass is used, the longer you need to rest.
At one extreme, you have muscular endurance sets or power sets, with minimal rest, such as one minute.
The other extreme is something like deadlifts above RPE 8, where you may miss your work sets without longer rest.
The need for longer rest periods for strength is one reason it's hard to add much weight as an advanced athlete - it takes a lot of time and effort and consistency over a long period of time.
How to Workout Efficiently
We've addressed specific ideas for how to shorten your workouts. The first step, though, before you change your programming is to tighten things up where you can.
For more efficient strength workouts, look at your warm ups, your rest periods, and any other time you can cut.
Ensure you're monitoring your time. You might track workout duration, warm up duration, and time your rest periods.
Tracking something often changes the behavior, as you'll want to see the workout duration go down.
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Learn more:
Video page:
0:00 Introduction
1:12 Clock Starts & First 2 Warm Ups
2:39 Load Weighs Quickly + 3rd Warm Up
3:52 Longer Rests & Training Aids Each Set
5:22 Last Warm Up Set (Double Overhand 405x1)
6:07 Work Set (Preparation & Execution)
8:02 Why & How to Workout Efficiently --------------
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[@BarbellLogic]

Share your tips or ask your questions below for how you can have more efficient (yet effective) workouts!

[@OnlyTruth2023]

I loved every part of this clip. What an inspiring man you are I hope you post more of these clips. I love you from Iraq

[@anoophn1001]

Oh wow! 405 with double over hand 👏👏👏 Amazing!!!

[@ladislavgitanohorvath]

Nice video and nice gym

[@dangoldstein152]

This answers the question of, what would it look like to see a barbell coach perform a lifting session in real time? Here it is, simple, straight forward and fast. Everyone does need to keep in mind that this is what works for Matt since he's been training for decades, this wasn't a PR session and other people will almost definitely require different weight jumps and rest periods. I'm not currently a client, but this is certainly where coaching can aid in making your training efficient and effective. Would love to see the three other big lifts in this format.

[@BarbellLogic]

Thanks for the comment. Agree with all your comments (i.e. this isn't what someone does who wants to get to a 700 lb deadlift). Thanks!

[@rutatutut]

Matt, this is one of my favorite videos from Barbell Logic in the past year.

[@BarbellLogic]

Well thanks for the kind comment...glad you liked it!

[@hussainnabi1232]

Just found this guy brilliant will be wstching this channal now

[@BarbellLogic]

Awesome!

[@MrTsinobmort]

Awesome! This is why I love barbells. 20 to 30 minutes can be enough time for a really effective workout. Is it important to do some deadlifting without shoes? I’ve only done it once when I forgot to pack my lifting shoes and almost fell over backwards on my first set. I was used to the shoe pushing my balance forward I guess.

[@BarbellLogic]

It's not important to do it with or without shoes. Obviously, your balance will shift without shoes (so it will feel weird). Shoes effectively lengthen the range of motion you have to pull (because of the heel). Don't worry about it.

[@darracqpatrick5823]

my conditionging is bad, i would be breathing like your were at the end after first work set.

[@hrmarkley9758]

I don't like my belt as tight for the DL as the squat.... probably 1/2 notch looser on the DL....is this wrong? Also, what was the squat training you did before this?

[@BarbellLogic]

He didn't squat before this. These days, he tends to do heavy squat or deadlift, then some leg assistance work (which we'll make a video on soon).

[@acidreign6]

Did you do any assistance exercises after?

[@BarbellLogic]

So, on video shoot days, he shoots videos back-to-back-to-back, so following this he immediately shot another video, BUT his normal workouts he does one big lift (e.g. the deadlift) then accessory work (such as leg extensions, glute ham raises, and reverse hypers). We're actually going to do a video on his lower body circuit in the next couple months.

[@acidreign6]

@@BarbellLogic thanks for your reply. That would be a very good video. Interested in what you think of using the reverse hyper for leg extensions in a home gym or for ideas to get more out of limited selection of equipment.

[@JohnnyMcMillan]

At the start how come his feet were so close together? Surely shoulder width apart?

[@rutatutut]

Most people prefer hands under the shoulders. Hanging meat hooks. Legs have to fit inside the hands, thus...

[@BarbellLogic]

Typically, use a narrower stance for deadlift than squat (more like hip width or the stance you'd jump up from). Some people (Matt included) take an even wider stance.

[@SteveW67]

Warm ups performed at speed ? Why the hip extention at top of the warm up lifts ? Interesting video thanks.

[@bernie569]

Isn't it better not to sit down when resting? I mean to keep some tension up

[@BarbellLogic]

Sitting down while resting is not a problem. If you're used to standing, though, keep doing that (also not a problem).

[@Adamhegemon1]

Did anyone else have Metallica start playing in their house while watching? :p

[@BarbellLogic]

Haha

[@frodothehobo9938]

Superset opposing muscles ala brian alsruhe style.i.e bench press and then barbell row right after then some abs or something

[@BarbellLogic]

sounds like a plan