Training Frequency

When it comes to training, whether it be training for gymnastics or not, what would be the appropriate way to approach it when an individual has long hours at work or an inconsistent schedule? I personally work in the television and film industry where a normal day on set lasts about 13-14 hours plus an LA commute. Also, I have weeks where I may only have 1 day of work, and other weeks where I may have 7 days. Currently I'm working on a project where I'm on for the work week, and down on the weekends. Any thoughts on how to train with this kind of schedule?

Should I pose this question in a different forum?

Train whenever you have time. Sure you may progress slower, but regardless, in a years time you will be far stronger than if you'd worried too much about training times now and not started. Maybe train a little harder on the weeks where you only work one day, and the weeks your working 7 can be thought as more rest weeks or shorter session/less volume-intensity weeks (assuming your not doing heavy physical stuff at work). 

This is just my opinion though, I'm not an expert in this stuff

I personally have days like that where sometimes my only option is workout early or not at all, so my rule of thumb is if i can train early, i will, if i cannot train, i'll do assorted mobility throughout the day or as a session to work on my tight spots specifically.

as a point of reference, i was doing a 6 day workout week, F1 on monday, tuesday, thursday and friday, H1 on wednesday and saturday. I changed it to F1 on same days and moved H1 to tuesday and friday, so that i can have a dedicated mobility/stretching on wednesday/saturday and because my recovery improved.

you can alternate depending on your schedule, if you're lacking mobility, do mobility, if you lack strength(im one of those and im inflexible as well) you do strength and mobility and as bare minimum do mobility to put you ahead of the game to be able to stack strength on the new ROM.

i've been on PE1's for a while because of working on posture, adjusting to the volume, learning how to eat, work and learning to be disciplined and consistent with workout frequency and consistency.

as long as you are moving with form and follow your progressions, you will be moving forward.

i might not be in the upper levels of the PE's or SE's yet, regardless my posture has changed dramatically, so has my mobility, joint health, health period and strength in all sorts of areas.

as an example, im able to do two dragon flag negatives(5-8sec) and im still on the first FL progression in foundation...what I want to say with that is that if you stick to mastering your basics and mobility, you will progress no matter what. the speed of that progress will be dictated by discipline in form and consistency.

edit: forgot to mention that if you're doing "sitting down work" if you can manage it with a stand up desk, adjust to that and give it a shot. it'll heighten your metabolism and also not negatively impact your hip mobility.

I also work around 3-14 hr days with fluctuating schedules and most of that time is in driving. so i might be doing 3 hrs of work, i'll have driven 4-8hrs in that day in an island measuring 110mi x 35mi.

what essentially worked for me was moving my training sessions to my non-productive hours (early hrs before stores are open and during the day if i have no appointments, chores, errands to run, girlfriend to spend time with or a life to live, in general) and if im watching a movie on my laptop/TV, ill lay down(so that im not sitting down) or do sitting stretches/mobility. if im reading or studying on my ipad, same.

Whatever you do, just don't try to work out at night...if you don't have time to work out during one particular week, it's better to do short minimal workouts but not to work out at night cutting into sleep. Bring a portable pull up bar on your set and use it in some doorway quickly, it takes a second to install and remove. Go for a quick pushup set on a break, use a tree outside to throw something you can hang off over the branch quickly, use steel railing for dips and rows, do a set of dips off the table, a quick elbow lever on a table corner, etc, etc. Squeeze the strength stuff into long workdays/weeks whenever you can.

3bears said:

Whatever you do, just don't try to work out at night...if you don't have time to work out during one particular week, it's better to do short minimal workouts but not to work out at night cutting into sleep. Bring a portable pull up bar on your set and use it in some doorway quickly, it takes a second to install and remove. Go for a quick pushup set on a break, use a tree outside to throw something you can hang off over the branch quickly, use steel railing for dips and rows, do a set of dips off the table, a quick elbow lever on a table corner, etc, etc. Squeeze the strength stuff into long workdays/weeks whenever you can.

Working out at night isn't ideal but I've had good results. I generally start around 8 and finish at 11pm

Learn to sneak in 5-10 minutes of productive movement as frequently as possible throughout your 13-14 hour days.  You might start your day with 30 minutes of stretching then start work.  While working, move, stretch & condition whenever you have a break or even while you are working - engage in passive stretches.

Attempting to be a weekend warrior and attempting to do high-intensity but infrequent work with long recovery periods is not typically a recipe for success.

Daniel Burnham said:

Working out at night isn't ideal but I've had good results. I generally start around 8 and finish at 11pm

Well, I meant after 11pm :X

With 14hr workday and LA traffic he's not starting at 8...

My best workouts were 8-10pm time.