Decrease Frequency = Decrease Overload OR Decrease Frequency = More Time Recover

[Eagleman003]

Monday - Chest 12 Sets
Tuesday - Back 12 Sets
Wednesday - Shoulders/Traps 9 and 9 Sets
Thursday - Superset Arms 9 Sets
Friday - OFF
Saturday - REPEAT

Most sets are 1 rep short of failure if not to failure. Do you guys think it is more important to use more training volume and take the extra day off or use a little less and workout another day earlier.

From what I understand if I ADD an extra day to my current split of rest between back and shoulders I would work each muscle out every 6 days as opposed to every 5 days. This would decrease the overload I am putting on my muscles by allowing them more time to recover between workouts. But on the other train of though this would increase the amount of time my muscles have to recover from training leading to greater gains. Hmmm... Idk what to think. When I workout each muscle every 6 days I kinda feel a lot less of a full feeling in my muscles as opposed to every 5 days where I feel more fullness. I read somewhere that you really only need around 8-9 sets for each muscle and sets after that really just fatigue your CNS and increase the time needed to recover between workouts.

I am feeling overly tired and slightly overtrained even though I have seen no strength decreases in the gym. I have three options. Either I can stay with a higher number of sets and train every 5 days and suck it up untill it is blatant that I am overdoing it. I can stay with the higher number of sets and train every 6 days but this might cause a decrease in muscle size due to an overload decrease. Or, I can lower the number of sets by 2-3 and stay with a frequecny of every muscle 5 days. Thoughts guys? lol

[TeamSavage]

If you are feeling slightly tired and overtrained, then you may be overdoing it a little. Also, even if your strength isn't decreasing, it should be INCREASING. Sometimes rest is the best way to burst past a plateau.

More frequency is always nice, but every 5 days is only about 17% less than every 6 days. But by adding in a second day of rest, you are DOUBLING your rest, which is definitely a good thing. So I say add a second day of rest. 2on/1off works well for many people, while 4on/1off is a lot.

[Eagleman003]

If you are feeling slightly tired and overtrained, then you may be overdoing it a little. Also, even if your strength isn't decreasing, it should be INCREASING. Sometimes rest is the best way to burst past a plateau.

More frequency is always nice, but every 5 days is only about 17% less than every 6 days. But by adding in a second day of rest, you are DOUBLING your rest, which is definitely a good thing. So I say add a second day of rest. 2on/1off works well for many people, while 4on/1off is a lot.

yea I can understand what your saying. Also i read that higher frequency workouts lead to greater strength gains and lower frequency (more rest) leads to greater gains in size. That extra day off is such a good break too lol... thanks for the help

[SureShot]

Yeah that looks like you are possibly overtraining. If you want to get away from a traditional bodybuilding workout, try DC training or HST, both are full-body workouts, increased frequency and less volume

[TeamSavage]

Yeah that looks like you are possibly overtraining. If you want to get away from a traditional bodybuilding workout, try DC training or HST, both are full-body workouts, increased frequency and less volume

Well DC isn't full-body, usually it's a 2-day split. But it's definitely increased frequency, decreased volume, and high intensity.