Can 5x5 be done twice a week?

[it stars sAddam]

Is the 5x5 workout strictly limited to training each bodypart once a week, or could I up it to two?

If so, would I use the same weight for both days I did the bodypart during that week???

 

[forgotten1]

I'm setting up a program for myself right now, based heavily on the 5x5.

I didn't feel my chest was being worked enough while doing it 1-day per week. So, what I did was incorporate a "light chest" day in with my arms day. I do just a few sets of chest exercises on arm day to get a nice pump, but I want avoid overtraining at the same time.

For example, I'd have my chest day at
5x5
2x8
2x8
etc.

So on arms day, I'll throw in something new for my chest, perhaps some heavy pin presses or whatever else is feeling good. On this day, I keep the the volume low, intensity high. I only do one (maybe 2) chest exercises..and they actually incorporate my tri's for arm day too.

To answer your question more directly: I think 5x5 twice a week is asking to be overtrained. And overtraining sucks.

If this makes no sense right now, I'll clarify if you need it.

 

[crew9]

Is the 5x5 workout strictly limited to training each bodypart once a week, or could I up it to two?

If so, would I use the same weight for both days I did the bodypart during that week???

You grow from eating and sleeping not from overtraining.

 

[it stars sAddam]

so you're saying that hitting bodyparts twice a week with 5x5 would be indefinitely overtraining even if I had 48 hours of rest?

 

[chewyxrage]

so you're saying that hitting bodyparts twice a week with 5x5 would be indefinitely overtraining even if I had 48 hours of rest?

Yes.

 

[casualbb]

so you're saying that hitting bodyparts twice a week with 5x5 would be indefinitely overtraining even if I had 48 hours of rest?

Not necessarily. I do squats 10x3 three times a week without any issues. As long as you don't hit failure you'll be fine.

But if you're gonna do that I'd lose the auxiliary stuff.

Also if you're gonna do it twice a week, I'd increment the weight. But you'd have to start lower to avoid stalling out quickly.

 

[arrow]

Have fun overtraining!!!!

Seriously, as previously mentioned by a couple of others, do not work out a bodypart more than 1x/week. Unless you're a newb to training...newbies seem to be able to get good growth despite overtraining/bad training/poor diet, etc. But if you've been lifting for a while, don't overtrain! That means 1x/week per bodypart is sufficient. (Unless you're on a tweaked system like Dogcrapp's routine.)

Just stick with the 5x5 as outlined by needsize and you will make some tremendous gains.

 

[Yarg!]

so if youre working out a muscle more than once a week youre over training? There goes HST.

 

[crew9]

so if youre working out a muscle more than once a week youre over training? There goes HST.

No but pushing yourself hard on a 5x5 and other accessory lifts then doing it again the same week sure as hell seems like a good recipe for it dont ya think?

 

[needsize]

a muscle generally takes 72 or so hours to recover from a workout, so it can be done 2x weekly, but not on a higher volume system