How long should my strength training workouts be? Someone said like an hour, but how in the world do you fit so many moves in an hour!?

This really depends on what you are doing....

Intensity is more important than time. Right now, I'm doing ~40 mins, 3 times per week.

Ok I did 15 minutes today but did arms abs and legs. I will work at a more longer routine

My whole body lifting routine lasts 90 minutes.

If I were to break it down by body part and do segments each day, it would probably still be 90 minutes.

There are just SO many ways to lift and SO many muscles!

Doind body muscle groups cuts down on time and works the body how it was intended to work.

Separating muscles can help with imbalances and when you're "cut", can increase definition, but that's the part that takes so darned long.

I rarely weight train for more than 35-40 minutes, different body parts 3x/week...then I'm outta the gym! I do my cardio outside by biking and running, 4x/week.....

Hm... I do 30 minutes cardio every day, and weight train for anywhere between 30-75 minutes after that. It really depends on what muscle group I'm working. My legs take less time than my arms (even though I WISH it was the other way around). But I make it a point to use every machine in the gym, so that's why it takes me so long. (I feel like I'm cheating if I skip machines.)

Well having a plan will help. I wouldn't recommend doing machines but even if you do, there are some machines that shouldn't be done. Here is a sticky on some of those.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/exer...exercises.html

I don't break workouts into body parts because compound movements work many parts. Squats will work various parts of the lower body including abs, pushups/pull ups work various parts of the upper body including abs.

Right now my workouts consist of 3 exercises each workout (alternating 2 of the exercises) but they are exercises which work multiple parts of the body so I end up getting a full body workout within 2 workouts.

Thanks everyone! Thank you nelie for the link. I like cardio the best because you just get on the machine and go. I am intimidated by strength workouts cos there are so many. I refuse to do lunges since the last time I did them and my knee popped out resulting in me falling on my elbow and breaking it. Not fun.

Cardio is realy only good to increase your overall daily caloric burn, when in fat loss....... A good strength training program should be the focus, and there is no reason to spend more than 45min to 60 min in gym, per session. Break up cardio and strenth, if possible. If not, ddo strength first. I would look into a good 2 day upper/lower split or 2 day push/pull split... you could make this f 4 days a week, or 3 or 2..... Of course, many times, people inexperienced with weight traiing will benefit from a good, total body workout ~ 3X a week.... again, if you are spending longer than 45-60 mminutes, you are either dawdling, or doing too much..... you past the point of diminishing returns, at that point..... glycogen is depleted, and your muscles cant lift effectivly anymore= waste of time

Look into New Rules Of lifting for Woman if you want a good, total body workout that teaches you large, compund movements (the most effectrive)

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have a question that is related....

nelie, I have a question regarding the link you posted (or anyone of course can answer this of course). Why do they say that the abductor and adductor machines are a waste of time? I'm not expecting to reduce my inner and outer thighs in size. The reason I do them is because I'm building muscle in my body and doing those machines makes me sore and so I know that I must be tearing muscle and repairing (that's how muscles are increased from what I understand), creating a higher muscle to fat ratio and burning calories in the rebuilding process.

Do you all believe that these two machines truly are a waste of time? I certainly don't want to waste my time.

Ok, sorry, I did go back to the original post and found an answer from Meg that made me understand. She said that doing the abductor and adductor exercises expands the muscle in those areas so that the fat sticks out even more and instead of making you slimmer, it makes you look bulkier. Yikes! I have some jiggle to my thighs so I thought that making that area muscular would fill in what seems to be loose skin and then that would make me less jiggly, but I certainly don't wanna take a chance that it will appear even bigger!