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Benefits of Timed Work Sets

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A Timed Work Set basically needs a few components:
1. A set time frame to complete the total number of reps within.
2. A lone, pair, or trio of exercises to do in the set time frame.
3. A goal number of reps to complete for the time frame
4. A sub-maximal load, such as a 10RM load, doing reps of 5-8 per set

This concept first came to me via the Charles Staley EDT program, which is Escalating Density Training. Essentially you are trying to complete more work (reps x weight) per unit of time.

EDT workouts range from 10-15 minutes in a pair of exercises chosen. To keep it simple, most EDT workouts have an upper body & a lower body exercise within each pair.

I have followed this format, but with 7 minute work sets, for 6 movements.

First 7 minute circuit: Squatting & Upper Body Pushing
Second 7 minute circuit: Lunging & Upper Body Pulling
Third 7 minute circuit: Twisting & Bending

I don't follow the EDT format 'to the letter', but I've noticed that the 7 minute workout circuits for each of those movements work greatly for a condensed workout format (i.e. total body workout in 21 minutes).

I've also used this 7 minute strategy with power-based kettlebell movements, such as a lone exercise and the 1 arm alternating exercises, like snatches, cleans, or if you want to get funky with a kettebell, the rotational swing & Figure 8 swing variants are nice little monsters to tame.

A common KB test to do is the 10 minute Snatch test, which is doing as many snatches as you can, alternating arms as you wish, but doing so continually.

The 10 minute Snatch drill/test is one hell of an intensified workout in itself. I would equal it to perhaps trying to complete 2 miles worth of running in 10 minutes (a 5 minutes/mile clip), equal to it energy-wise, perhaps.

My past experience with just a 25# kettlebell alternating swing for 5 minutes had me burning approximately 20 calories/minute, equal to a 7 minutes/mile pace calorie-burning rate-per-minute for my bodyweight. I tested this on a device called the BioTrainer in 2006. I know snatches require more control & energy exertion, and I don't need a scientist to tell me that, I can tell just by how I feel when doing a snatch workout.

Anyways, these timed work sets give you a simple thing in the end: a goal to shoot for, for your next workout.

Another advantage of doing these work sets is you can measure your total volume, and how much volume of work you can do on a per-minute basis.

Take for instance a 10 minute Snatch test with a 45# kettlebell.

Let's say you did 200 reps total, like a mutant would, in the total of 10 minutes. 200 x 45 = 9000 pounds of work, which would be 900 pounds/minute for your per-minute rate of work.

One of the simplest measurements of endurance is seeing if you can do more work in the same amount of time. In the previous example, 9000 pounds of total work could be improved upon to 9900, or 220 reps with your 45'er. That's a 10% increase in your ability to endure more work in an allotted period of time.

Since I discovered these methods, I don't do the typical '3 sets of 10' junk I used to do years ago, because simply I have timed, measureable goals to attain, and I'm not worried about muscle building & appearances any more. If I am doing more work overall, I know that a) my body is getting stronger to handle such increased workloads, and b) my body must be adapting to something good if I keep on looking better since I've done these kinds of workouts.

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