What is the optimal training time for a combined weight training and cardio workout?

How can I improve my physique workout plan?

• I'm a guy, 21 years old, 6' tall. I injured my back doing deadlifts (doing sets of 415 to show off for my gf at the gym) 4 months ago and had to take the last 4 months off to heal. During my time off I got kind of depressed at the way I looked, and couldn't workout to fix it. It was a downward spiral, and I ended up gaining around 15-20 lbs. I've lost 10 of those back on my own in the last 4 weeks, but I'm starting to see less and less results. My goal isn't entirely weight loss though, I would like to improve my physique as a whole. I'm on a strict(ish) diet. I avoid most fat and bad carbs. I eat no junk food. Most of my meals are chicken/lean hamburger/or eggs with carbs like potatoes, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta. Every Saturday is my day off from lifting weights and from my diet. Complete rest and complete freedom to eat so I don't get fed up with my program. I don't eat many vegetables, but I go through at least 1 container of v8 vegetable juice a week and take a multivitamin every day. I also get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and aim for 8 hours. My workout schedule is broken up into a 6 day split. Every other day is weight lifting, with the other days being cardio. After 6 days I take a rest day. For lifting I had 2 different workouts I do. I avoid hard back exercises (squats and deadlifts) because I don't want to injure myself again and my back is still a little finicky. Weigh Splits: Workout 1: Flat barbell bench press, Bent over rows, standing barbell shoulder press, power cleans, back extensions(backward crunch-ish), hanging knee raise Workout 2: Incline barbell bench press, Chin ups, Upright rows, Back extensions(backward crunch-ish), hanging knee raise I do 3 sets of 10 of each exercise with 30 second rests between each (time via stopwatch) and 3 warm-up sets for each body part. On cardio days I do interval training. Each interval is 40 seconds long with 20 seconds rest. Nonstop I do: 5 intervals jump rope 1 interval goblet squat 1 interval mountain climbers 1 interval kettle bell swings 1 interval push-ups 1 interval split jumps 1 interval planks (I dont like this one, but can't convince myself to get rid of it) 1 interval lunges 1 interval burpees 5 intervals jump rope My goal in the end is to get my 6-pack back. Its there now but it is faint. What can I do to improve on my workout plan, besides adding squats and deadlifts? My back just can't take doing those. Below is a pic of how I currently look. Thanks in advance for any help. http://i45.tinypic.com/6g8k91.jpg

• Answer:

  Your work out timing maybe a problem. According to my PT one should work the muscles (weight lifting) to get the body to use the energy stored in the muscles/blood to burn and then move right into cardio which will now burn fat as the bodies other energy sources are depleted by the weight lifting.