Training frequency

[flexfit]

Just out of curiosity, how many times a week does everyone train each muscle group?

1x, 2x, 3x??

What frequency have you found most effective for lean gains?

 

[Devildog_]

Just out of curiosity, how many times a week does everyone train each muscle group? 1x, 2x, 3x?? What frequency have you found most effective for lean gains?

I like to hit legs and chest twice a week but that's just me. For lean gains just focus on workout intensity and HIIT as long as your diet is already in check. Everyone's body reacts differently. You need to gauge what works for you

 

[flexfit]

I like to hit legs and chest twice a week but that's just me. For lean gains just focus on workout intensity and HIIT as long as your diet is already in check. Everyone's body reacts differently. You need to gauge what works for you

Appreciate the response man.

I am certainly not a novice to bodybuilding, however I have recently been trying to broaden my horizons in regards to both training and dieting approaches. I have always trained each body part directly only once per week, however a friend of mine put on a considerable amount of size this winter using a program that hits everything 2x per week. Of course, his diet was in check as well.

I am currently cutting and feel that it would be foolish to double my training frequency while on restricted calories and no steroids lol, but am open to suggestions and experiences.

 

[McCrew530]

It depends on the program and intensity. With GVT I am hitting the same body part every 4th day where as doing 5x5 it was once a week

 

[PaulBlack]

I always did well with the larger groups (in general) ie: leg, back, hips 2x and smaller parts chest, shoulders, arms 2x-3x per since they recover faster and do not take as much out of you.
Eating enough in that period will also help the size and or some of the recovery.

 

[kisaj]

I don't concentrate on body parts, I focus more on the movement. Since most of mine are incorporating large compound moves, I am hitting body parts 2-3 times a week.

squats/fr squats
high pulls (clean and racked)
dl
sumo dl
bench/incline
OHP
cleans
weighted dips
weighted pull ups

 

[asooneyeonig]

seeing as how intensity and volume are directly related to that answer, only having frequency is near worthless info.

in other words, i have done it where i hit a muscle once every 10 days and my intensity was extremely high. i have done others were the volume a week is the same, no matter whether i hit a muscle once a week or 3 times a week.

in other words you can gain on hitting a muscle every day, every other day, every 3rd day, 4th, 5th, ad nauseam. it will work as long as volume and intensity are at the level to match your current work and recovery capacities.

 

[flexfit]

seeing as how intensity and volume are directly related to that answer, only having frequency is near worthless info.

in other words, i have done it where i hit a muscle once every 10 days and my intensity was extremely high. i have done others were the volume a week is the same, no matter whether i hit a muscle once a week or 3 times a week.

in other words you can gain on hitting a muscle every day, every other day, every 3rd day, 4th, 5th, ad nauseam. it will work as long as volume and intensity are at the level to match your current work and recovery capacities.

Very good point.

I guess I just assumed that as far as intensity goes, everyone is hitting it as hard as they can every time. I mean, if not, wtf is the point? I certainly strive to give it my all every time I'm in the gym.

Volume is a whole other animal. I suppose that since I dedicate a day for each body part (except for combining back and shoulders), I keep the volume pretty high.

 

[kisaj]

I guess I do not understand how someone works a single body part in a workout. Can you give a break down of what the workout looks like for a couple of different body parts?

 

[PaulBlack]

I guess I just assumed that as far as intensity goes, everyone is hitting it as hard as they can every time. I mean, if not, wtf is the point?

Well, because going all out everytime, especially on the really big exercises like squats, deads, and such, can have one burning out quite fast or even regressing. And one may want to wave the intensity or work ramps, or do an H/L/M, type set up thru the week, to keep them going much longer thru a cycle instead of hitting a wall faster. It is one thing to go to failure on curls, but a completely other, to do it on C&J's or parallel grip deadlifts.
If one was doing say the Russian % W/O for the BP, you stick with the guided weights in the program, in order to actually learn how to increase intensity and thus workloads and work capacity.
So that said, I still stick by my post for the majority of training.

 

[asooneyeonig]

Very good point.

I guess I just assumed that as far as intensity goes, everyone is hitting it as hard as they can every time. I mean, if not, wtf is the point? I certainly strive to give it my all every time I'm in the gym.

Volume is a whole other animal. I suppose that since I dedicate a day for each body part (except for combining back and shoulders), I keep the volume pretty high.

you can go as intense as you want and only be using 70% of your max. i train with a ME day, fewer total reps, but higher percentages. i also have repitition days which is all about the volume, intensity is secondary based upon percentages. i still go to failure using rest/pause and AMRAP sets. there is also a dynamic/speed day. i dont go to failure as that is not the purpose of that day. but with 10-20 sets of 1-3, even at a low percentage it beats you up good and the volume is pretty high.

 

[ZiR RED]

When we speak of intensity in the strength world we generally mean what % of your 1Rm are you using. If we are discussing how hard you are pushing or how close to failure you are working it is usually described as relative intensity.

Personally I train:

Bench and press twice a week.
Lower body 2-3 times a week.
Upper back 3-5 times a week.

Br

 

[jball63]

I use a full body routine 3/week. So far it's working out....

 

[Shaun235]

I use a full body routine 3/week. So far it's working out....

What do your routines look like?
1 on 1 off I'm assuming.

 

[jball63]

What do your routines look like? 1 on 1 off I'm assuming.

1 on/1 off or 1 on/2 off. I just make sure that I workout 3 out of 7 days. Check out my workout log/ video for my routine. Nothing fancy, just hard work.

 

[GoatNapper]

i used to do a 3 day week full body with a heavy day, moderate day, and then a light/high reps day. i get slammed for it, but have made huge gains with that. more recently i switched to 2 days upper and 2 days lower split. due to work i have to manipulate my routines.