I’ve seen many fitness enthusiasts who love exercising two hours a day. Working out two hours in a single session can be too much. But, more is not always bad if you know how to structure your workout effectively.
A long training session must be designed in the best possible way that can elicit the best results without hurting yourself.
In this article, I’ll share a well-designed 2-hour gym workout plan that combines cardio, strength, and mobility training.
This program will have three sessions each week and will help you improve your physical appearance and fitness over time.
Is it Ok to Train for 2 Hours?
Training two hours in one session isn’t okay for many people, particularly beginners and people with cardiovascular health issues.
However, if you have been exercising for a while and want to test your fitness level, then you can try working out for 2 hours per session for a limited time, such as 1-2 months.
You should focus more on your diet and recovery because if you train for a longer duration, you’ll have to consume more nutritious foods and you need more rest.
If you plan your workouts well and recover properly, training for 2 hours now and then is okay, especially for advanced lifters. But, if you’re not making progress or always feel tired, a shorter duration split workout (60 minutes) might be a better choice.
How to Design a 2-Hour Workout Routine?
Working out two hours a day can be great if your workout plan is well-crafted.
A 2-hour workout routine must include a combination of a dynamic warm-up, low-impact cardio, strength training, and post-workout stretching.
Here’s how you can divide the two-hour gym workout:
- 10-minute Dynamic Warm-up
- 75-minute Weight Training (+5 minutes break)
- 20-minute Cardio
- 10-minute Static Exercises
10-minute Dynamic Warm-up
You can do various dynamic exercises to reduce muscle stiffness, increase blood flow, and prepare your muscles for lifting weights.
Here’s how a full-body 10-minute dynamic warm-up looks:
- Leg Swings (10 per side x 2 sets)
- Banded Shoulder Pass Throughs (10 reps x 2 sets)
- Banded Pull-apart (10 reps x 2 sets)
- Resistance Band Deadlift (10 reps x 2 sets)
- Dive bomber Push-ups (10 reps x 2 sets)
75-minute Weight Training
Lifting weights is a crucial part of both muscle-building and weight-loss training. Strength training bolsters muscles, build quality lean mass, and helps achieve a firm physique.
You can follow split or full-body training, whichever is convenient for you. I recommend full-body training because it allows you to work on various muscle groups in one session without exhausting a particular body part.
Here’s how a 75-minute full-body training looks:
- Dumbbell Squats (3 sets x 20-30 reps)
- Overhead Press (3 sets x 10-15 reps)
- Bar Dips (3 sets x 10-20 reps)
- Seated Pec Fly (3 sets x 12-15 reps)
- Lat Pulldown (3 sets x 12-15 reps)
- Leg Curls (3 sets x 15-20 reps)
- Cable Crunches (3 sets x 15-20 reps)
20-minute Cardio Workout
Low-impact cardio after strength training is a good way to build endurance and increase calorie burn. You can do the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, or bodyweight cardio exercises for 20 minutes.
10-minute Static Exercises (Post-workout stretching)
Post-workout stretching helps reduce muscle soreness after intense weight lifting. You can perform various static stretching exercises, such as upward-facing dog, cobra pose, low lunge, 90/90 hip stretch, superman, and pigeon stretch.
Please note: If your primary goal is to lose weight, you can do cardio for 40 minutes and a strength workout for one hour.
By creating a workout plan with this pattern, you can utilize your time efficiently and achieve the best results.
The Best 2 Hour Gym Workout Plan to Get Strong & Ripped
Day 1 – Monday
10-minute Dynamic Warm-up
- Leg Swings (10 per side x 2 sets)
- Jumping Jacks (15 seconds x 2 sets)
- Mountain Climber (15 seconds x 2 sets)
- Resistance Band Shoulder Pass Throughs (10 reps x 2 sets)
- Banded Pull-apart (10 reps x 2 sets)
- Dive bomber Push-ups (10 reps x 2 sets)
75-minute Weight Training (+5 minutes break)
| Exercise | Muscles | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Hammer Bench Press | Chest | 3 | 10-12 |
| Bent-Over Row | Back | 3 | 10-12 |
| Dumbbell Squats | Quads | 3 | 15-20 |
| Rope Pushdown | Triceps | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lateral Delt Raises | Shoulder | 3 | 10-12 |
| Calf Raises | Calves | 3 | 15-20 |
20-minute Cardio
- 10-minutes Treadmill
- 10-minutes Core Workout
10-minute Post-workout Exercises
- 15-sec Upward Facing Dog
- 15-sec Downward Facing Dog
- 15-sec Superman
- 15-sec Pigeon Stretch
- 15-sec Cat-Cow
- Repeat until 10 minutes
Day 2 – Wednesday
10-minute Dynamic Warm-up
- High Knees (15-second x 2 sets)
- Mountain Climbers (15-second x 2 sets)
- Bear Crawls (30-second x 2 sets)
- World’s Greatest Stretch (5 reps per side x 2 sets)
- Resistance Band Deadlifts (2 sets x 10 reps)
- Cable Reverse Fly (2 sets x 10 reps)
75-minute Strength Training (+5 minutes break)
| Exercise | Muscles | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunges | Legs | 3 | 15/leg |
| Lat Pulldown | Back | 3 | 12-15 |
| Cable Crossover | Chest | 3 | 10-12 |
| Overhead Press | Shoulder | 3 | 12-15 |
| Romanian Deadlift | Hamstrings | 2 | 12-15 |
| Chin-ups | Biceps | 3 | 15-20 |
| Hip Thrust | Glutes | 3 | 12-15 |
20-minute Cardio
- 10-minute Treadmill
- 10-minute Bicycle
10-minute Static Exercises
- 15-sec Cobra Pose
- Bird Dog (10-sec/leg)
- 15-sec Superman
- 15-sec Pigeon Stretch
- 15-sec Cat-Cow
- 15-sec Glute Bridge
- Repeat until 10 minutes
Day 3 – Friday
10-minute Dynamic Warm-up
- Jumping Jacks (2 sets x 30 seconds)
- Straight Leg Marches (2 sets x 30 seconds)
- Thoracic spine rotations (2 sets x 30 seconds)
- 30-second Lying Hip Rotation
- Deep Squats (2 sets x 10-12 reps)
75-minute Resistance Training (+5 minutes break)
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | Full Body | 3 | 6-8 |
| Pull-ups | Back | 3 | failure |
| Seated Cable Row | Back | 3 | 12-15 |
| Incline Hammer Strength Press | Chest | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lateral Raises | Shoulder | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lying Leg Curls | Hamstrings | 3 | 15-20 |
| Cable Crunches | Abdominals | 3 | 15-20 |
20-minute Cardio
- 10 minutes Treadmill
- 10 minutes Elliptical Cross Trainer
10-minute Static Exercises
- 15-sec Cobra Pose
- 15-sec Superman
- 15-sec Downward Facing Dog
- 15-sec Superman
- 15-sec Pigeon Stretch
- 15-sec Cat-Cow
- Repeat until 10 minutes.
Can 2 Hours Workout Increase Weight Loss?
Working out for 2 hours a day burns more calories and will help you stay in a calorie deficit. 1Role of Physical Activity for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance – Diabetes Spectrum It also boosts endurance, develops strength, and improves the quality of life. 2Health benefits of aerobic exercise – National Institue of Health Database
However, exercising is not the primary way to lose weight. You lose weight when you consume fewer calories than your body burns over time.
To stay in a calorie deficit, you have to consume low-calorie foods that fill up for longer duration and try intermittent fasting.
Download The 2 Hour Workout Program PDF
Save this PDF and start training. You can also increase the frequency from three to four days but make sure you consult with a professional training before doing it.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding this program.
References
- 1Role of Physical Activity for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance – Diabetes Spectrum
- 2Health benefits of aerobic exercise – National Institue of Health Database
