What's wrong with training chest and back together?!

[handzilla]

I've been supersetting chest and back heavy for a few months now. Some guy at the gym told me I should never do chest and back together. Are you kidding me? What's wrong with doing chest and back together?!

 

[Dwight Schrute]

There is nothing wrong with it, but its more a personal preference to me to keep large musle groups seperate. If I do 2 large muscle groups together, I tend to tire out and not perform as well.

 

[sage]

Nothing. Reason why you see more people staying away from a chest/back day is in the fact both groups are considered large and thought to be worked better with isolation. If you can give enough intensity and volume to both muscle groups, there is no reason not to. I tend not to hit biceps and triceps together however b/c the pump i get in the biceps does not allow for a full extention of the tris. (Hitting the tricep before would combat this somewhat) but getting back to your orginal question... no problems with back and chest on the same day.
Sage

 

[handzilla]

There is nothing wrong with it, but its more a personal preference to me to keep large musle groups seperate. If I do 2 large muscle groups together, I tend to tire out and not perform as well.

Thanks. I agree with the personal preference thing. I have no problems banging out an hour an a half of supersets for chest and back. I include stiff legged deadlifts in the routine as well and I feel good after I finish.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

The problem with such long sessions is elevated cortisol really starts to become a factor 45 minutes into your workout and anything over an hour really starts to become counterproducitve. I would suggest some sort or carb/amino mixture if you go so long.

 

[B5150]

I've been supersetting chest and back heavy for a few months now.

With what others have said, I do concur. Additionally, though, supersetting would even further reduce the intensity of one or the other depending the order. JMO. I used to at one time, but becuase after the full intensity of a set of one or the other I tended to lag on the latter.

 

[handzilla]

With what others have said, I do concur. Additionally, though, supersetting would even further reduce the intensity of one or the other depending the order. JMO. I used to at one time, but becuase after the full intensity of a set of one or the other I tended to lag on the latter.

No lagging on intensity here. After the workout I take Optimums Whey MRP. What kind of car/amino mix would you recommend and when should it be consumed?

 

[B5150]

What kind of car/amino mix would you recommend and when should it be consumed?

Pre and post w/o nutrition is important for sure, but is also specific to your goals and metabolism...IOW, leaning, bulking, overal caloric requirements, etc. There is sure to be much info that a search will bring you if for you were to start with the nutrition section.

EDIT: oh wait...your in Bobo's section right now, bump it for his input as well.

 

[handzilla]

bu-bumps

 

[willieman]

I almost always work back and chest together...opposing muscle groups and all, I try to do the same type movements at an opposite.Sometimes I alternate, or do one group first.I never go over 90(ussually 60) minutes and do abs too, and rotate light and heavy, chest and back on the days I do it.

 

[Jstrong20]

I go by a simple rule. If your gaining then keep going if not then switch it up.

 

[TheUsual]

Wouldn't another important reason to avoid chest and back on the same day be the secondary muscle groups worked by the respective exercises. What I mean is that most chest exercises work tri's and most back work bi's... so you would essentially be working chest and back extensively as well as bi's and tri's to a lesser degree.

That sounds pretty excessive for one day, if you ask me.

 

[supersoldier]

For me, it all falls into periodization and switching up you're routine every now and again. I'll go through months of training chest and back on separate days, then switch to a routine where chest and back are on the same day.

One good thing about including a chest/back day, is that I can add a bi/tri (or a shoulder/bi) day in my program, hitting the arms 2X a week, spaced about 3-4 days apart. I also don't really "superset", as I find it lowers my intensity for subsequent sets. I do alternate, but I'll do a set of chest, take a 2-3 min break, do a set of back, 2-3 min break, repeat...