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Training muscle once a week not enough?

R1187

R1187

Active member
If I switch to twice a week, I'd pretty much have to switch between upper body and lower body workouts; doing each twice a week.

But then I'd have to hit chest, bicep, tricep, shoulders, and back all in the same workout. Yes I know some of those exercises overlap (chest/tri, back/bi) but it still seems like a lot to get in in just 1 workout. I guess I would have to reduce the number of exercises and sets to be in and out of the gym within an hour.

So my question is, is there really any major difference (in terms of results) between doing lots of volume once per week, and doing lesser volume twice a week?

I have read that muscles can generally recover well before 7 days, and that idle time between recovery and training can be detrimental to gains.

I know there's so many variables, but looking for opinions on this.
 
I am only speaking as someone that doesn't train muscles but rather movements, and my belief is that hitting a muscle twice is better. By training movement, I hit muscles 2-3 times a week. I have no science behind it, only personal experience that tells me I react very well to this.
 
I've been running the same split for years, but with varying degrees of intensity, with continual results, and at times going 3 weeks at a time without a rest day.

Quads / Calves
Chest / Delts
Hamstrings / Calves
Traps / Lats

Gives you plenty of recovery, and isn't so taxing your CNS can't keep up.
 
kisaj said:
I am only speaking as someone that doesn't train muscles but rather movements, and my belief is that hitting a muscle twice is better. By training movement, I hit muscles 2-3 times a week. I have no science behind it, only personal experience that tells me I react very well to this.
Click to expand...

Would you mind posting your routine?
 
Twice per week crew checking in. Has helped me out heeeaps with growth.

Day one: Legs, Back, Core
Day Two: Chest, Shoulders, Bicepa
Day Three: Rest
Day Four: Back, Legs, Core
Day Five: Shoulders, Chest, Triceps

The first exercise is a primary movement and I use different movements each time
 
I think everyone is different. It depends on the type of workout you are doing as well. A few years back I could only get to the gym 3 or 4 days per week. I would lift as heavy as possible. I only lifted for 45 minutes a pop. I experienced some of my biggest strength and size gains back then. I only used Creatine, a carb supplement powder and protein mix. I'm not sure that my body could handle that now.
 
Assuming your body knows what a "week" is...
 
GreenMachineX said:
Would you mind posting your routine?
Click to expand...

I have several I work through, but it essentially looks like this and I will switch up sets, reps, tempo dependent on the goal in that routine. I seem to default back to R/P training for my best results. I strength train 4 days a week.

Current:
Day 1
Squat
RDL
Calf (seated and standing)
Bench
Weighted dips

Day 2
Deadlift
Highpull or upright row (alternating)
Weighted pullups

Day off

Day 3
Front squats
DB lunge or hack squat
OHP
Weighted dips

Day 4
Sumo deads
RDL
Calf (seated and standing)
BO one arm row
Weighted pull up

I also do steady state and/or HIIT 5 days a week. Generally running the dog to inspire me. :)
 
hvactech said:
Assuming your body knows what a "week" is...
Click to expand...

True and some routines wont really define but its still good to have a microcycle laid out in a format you can understand and keep track of.

I.e if you have a 11 day split that becomes harder to track than a weekly split.
 
kisaj said:
I have several I work through, but it essentially looks like this and I will switch up sets, reps, tempo dependent on the goal in that routine. I seem to default back to R/P training for my best results. I strength train 4 days a week.

Current:
Day 1
Squat
RDL
Calf (seated and standing)
Bench
Weighted dips

Day 2
Deadlift
Highpull or upright row (alternating)
Weighted pullups

Day off

Day 3
Front squats
DB lunge or hack squat
OHP
Weighted dips

Day 4
Sumo deads
RDL
Calf (seated and standing)
BO one arm row
Weighted pull up

I also do steady state and/or HIIT 5 days a week. Generally running the dog to inspire me. :)
Click to expand...

I like this routine. Simple and effective.

Mine is

Day One:
Squat
Good mornings
Single Leg DL
One Arm T Bar Row
Lat Pulldown
Face Pulls
Core

Day Two:
Bench
Db Press
Lateral Raise
Rear delt stuff
Close Grip Bench

Day Three: OFF

Day Four:
Deadlift
Pull-ups
Hip Ex
Front Squats
Db Row
Seated Row

Day Five:
OHP
Lateral Raise
DB Press
Incline Press
Core

HIIT 3x per week and steady state 2x per week.

Box Jumps every upper cycle and Pushups every lower.
 
R1187 said:
If I switch to twice a week, I'd pretty much have to switch between upper body and lower body workouts; doing each twice a week.

But then I'd have to hit chest, bicep, tricep, shoulders, and back all in the same workout. Yes I know some of those exercises overlap (chest/tri, back/bi) but it still seems like a lot to get in in just 1 workout. I guess I would have to reduce the number of exercises and sets to be in and out of the gym within an hour.

So my question is, is there really any major difference (in terms of results) between doing lots of volume once per week, and doing lesser volume twice a week?

I have read that muscles can generally recover well before 7 days, and that idle time between recovery and training can be detrimental to gains.

I know there's so many variables, but looking for opinions on this.
Click to expand...

I've had good success with upper/lower splits with high frequency, low volume but high intensity. Push/pull/lower splits are also decent (3 on 1 off). Great for gaining mass especially for nattys. It comes down to the more often you can train the more often you can grow! Recovery is key. Another way of looking at is performing the minimum amount of work for the maximal amount of growth. With upper/lower splits mainly focus on the exercises that recruit the most muscle fibers (compound moves) and only do 1 or 2 working sets per exercise but you have to give these working sets everything... Make every rep count. Also worth mentioning logbooking is vital to be able to progress each session.

At the end of the day it's personal preference and at the very least worth trying something different to see how your body responds.
 
JezPudzian said:
I've had good success with upper/lower splits with high frequency, low volume but high intensity. Push/pull/lower splits are also decent (3 on 1 off). Great for gaining mass especially for nattys. It comes down to the more often you can train the more often you can grow! Recovery is key. Another way of looking at is performing the minimum amount of work for the maximal amount of growth. With upper/lower splits mainly focus on the exercises that recruit the most muscle fibers (compound moves) and only do 1 or 2 working sets per exercise but you have to give these working sets everything... Make every rep count. Also worth mentioning logbooking is vital to be able to progress each session.

At the end of the day it's personal preference and at the very least worth trying something different to see how your body responds.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I also like to split mine so the first two sessions are heavy relative to 1RM and the others are light relative to 1RM.

So like 6-8 reps for the first upper lower set and 9-12 for the second
 
I too have experienced more athletic improvement by switching between one week working in 3-5rep range and the next week 8-12, then back again. I keep the sets the same, but increase the reps.
 
kisaj said:
I too have experienced more athletic improvement by switching between one week working in 3-5rep range and the next week 8-12, then back again. I keep the sets the same, but increase the reps.
Click to expand...

Likewise. I'm not a HUGE fan of increasing volume as I work quite long hours so I prefer to get more done in the same amount of time through intensity manipulation.
 
JezPudzian said:
I've had good success with upper/lower splits with high frequency, low volume but high intensity. Push/pull/lower splits are also decent (3 on 1 off). Great for gaining mass especially for nattys. It comes down to the more often you can train the more often you can grow! Recovery is key. Another way of looking at is performing the minimum amount of work for the maximal amount of growth. With upper/lower splits mainly focus on the exercises that recruit the most muscle fibers (compound moves) and only do 1 or 2 working sets per exercise but you have to give these working sets everything... Make every rep count. Also worth mentioning logbooking is vital to be able to progress each session.

At the end of the day it's personal preference and at the very least worth trying something different to see how your body responds.
Click to expand...

How many exercises and sets would you suggest for the push/pull/legs 2x a week?
 
I'm thinking of trying a new routine based around push/pull/legs, where each muscle group is trained every 5 days.

This way I'm upping the frequency, but not quite to 2x a week. So, it's not a huge leap from once a week, but on average each muscle group will be hit 6x a month instead of the usual 4 or 5. If I feel I'm recovering well enough, I may switch to a genuine 2x a week routine.

Only downside is workouts will constantly fall on different days. Harder to track, but nothing a calendar won't solve.

Any thoughts on this appreciated.
 
Do you think it is worth starting a whole new program to only add in an additional day per month? Just something to think about.
 
kisaj said:
Do you think it is worth starting a whole new program to only add in an additional day per month? Just something to think about.
Click to expand...

This. Seems like you are making it complicated for no additional benefit.
 
kisaj said:
Do you think it is worth starting a whole new program to only add in an additional day per month? Just something to think about.
Click to expand...

I don't know why I'm so afraid of 2x a week. Just worried about recovery when not on cycle. I especially worry about my legs recovering in only 96 hours.
 
Well, stop it. :) Our bodies are so much more resilient than some people that read too much about CNS fatigue will have you believe. Those of us that have posted are living proof that you won't fall apart from multiple sessions of the same parts/groups and will only benefit.
 
Some guys do 2 a days, so workout in morning and another in the evening on the same body part.. Never tried it, but food for thought.
 
kisaj said:
Well, stop it. :) Our bodies are so much more resilient than some people that read too much about CNS fatigue will have you believe. Those of us that have posted are living proof that you won't fall apart from multiple sessions of the same parts/groups and will only benefit.
Click to expand...

You're probably right.

I guess I have nothing to lose by trying it for 12 weeks or so.
 
kisaj said:
Well, stop it. :) Our bodies are so much more resilient than some people that read too much about CNS fatigue will have you believe. Those of us that have posted are living proof that you won't fall apart from multiple sessions of the same parts/groups and will only benefit.
Click to expand...

This right here is spot on. I have my 3rd leg day since Saturday coming up tomorrow.
 
R1187 said:
You're probably right.

I guess I have nothing to lose by trying it for 12 weeks or so.
Click to expand...

Hes more right than you think. Athletes are the only populations typically prone to overtraining as they fight through the symptoms that non athletic populations wouldnt.

Also most people tend not to train intensely enough (relative to 1RM) without adequete recovery between similar movement patterns.

More often than not the only issue is muscular recovery and that can be solved through volume reduction. iMO if you are just starting on a 2x per week schedule you should reduce volume to 3 sets or so or drop the number of exercises per muscle group. Work up as you grow accustomed to the workload.

Try also to not repeat similar movements during the same week - so if you bench on one day, do another variation the next chest day (slower, wider or narrower grip, pause, block or whatever).
 
Jiigzz said:
Twice per week crew checking in. Has helped me out heeeaps with growth.

Day one: Legs, Back, Core
Day Two: Chest, Shoulders, Bicepa
Day Three: Rest
Day Four: Back, Legs, Core
Day Five: Shoulders, Chest, Triceps

The first exercise is a primary movement and I use different movements each time
Click to expand...

Switching to something almost exactly like this in two weeks! First two days lower reps, second higher
 
R1187 said:
I don't know why I'm so afraid of 2x a week. Just worried about recovery when not on cycle. I especially worry about my legs recovering in only 96 hours.
Click to expand...

How long does it take you to recover currently? If its usually within 2-3 days, than no need to hold off another half week+. Another thing to look into is adjusting your nutrition to help maximize recovery.
 
I train mine 1-2 times a week. The way my routine is set up, I hit it 3x every 2 weeks for the most part.
 
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