How many sets per bodypart?

[nEwSkIn]

Hello!

I usually do about 9 sets for large bodyparts, like back, legs and chest (3 exercises, 3 sets each) and then for calves 1 do only 3 sets, and smaller body parts lake triceps and biceps I do 6 sets (2 exercises, 3 sets each).

Is this ok? I´m wondering, because I´ve just read an article whose purpose is to make your biceps grow like hell, and it was like 8 sets overall (with many differente exercises), and then the final exercise was standing barbell curls, starting at 3 reps, then lowering the weight and doing 5 reps, and so on, until failure.

Isn´t this too much? I´ve read that overtraining can be worse than not training enough. Anyways, I could use some tricep/bicep growth!

thanx!

 

[gettinlarger]

Don't get so caught up in the numbers that you lose sight of the goal. The goal, I think, is to grow. You are going to do most of your growing OUTSIDE the gym. So while you're in the gym, hit hard, and get out.

You may have totally different fiber ratios than some guy in an article.

Overtraining IS worse than undertraining. Don't neglect active recovery. It will allow you to do more work, more often, without interfering with growth.

Word is bond.

 

[spatts]

Don't get so caught up in the numbers that you lose sight of the goal. The goal, I think, is to grow. You are going to do most of your growing OUTSIDE the gym. So while you're in the gym, hit hard, and get out.

You may have totally different fiber ratios than some guy in an article.

Overtraining IS worse than undertraining. Don't neglect active recovery. It will allow you to do more work, more often, without interfering with growth.

 

[FatRat]

Get strong one those larger body parts are your arms will grow along with them...

 

[PolishHammer1977]

I believe it is better to undertrain than overtrain. I feel I am far less prone to injury and I grow faster. Key word is "I".

Isolation movements specifically targeting singular bodyparts are ok at best. Hit the compounds, hit them heavy, you will grow everywhere

 

[PolishHammer1977]

That too!

 

[spatts]

Key words: ACTIVE RECOVERY

 

[nEwSkIn]

sorry spatts, what exactly do you mean with active recovery?

(newbie) ehehe

 

[PolishHammer1977]

STICKY

ACTIVE RECOVERY - HOW TO

I suggest that you read this. It will aid you in your quest.

 

[nEwSkIn]

thanx!

I had seen it before though... but are we supposed to do the active recovery the day after working out? Also, should cardio have the same effect on recovery?

I guess that doing the movements I made on my workout, even without elastic bands, would help then? or probably use really light weights...

 

[spatts]

New Skin, I am wirting an article on this topic for TotalElite.com. It shoud be done by tonight and I will post the link here. It will answer all your question.

 

[nEwSkIn]

looking forward to it spatts, thanx!

 

[Debaser]

No more than 3 work sets per bodypart, IMO. If you're doing singles, then maybe a few more.

 

[casualbb]

9 sets A WEEK isn't unreasonable, but 9 sets in a day is more than necessary, especially if taken to failure.

 

[nEwSkIn]

casual BB,

I end up working out each bodypart once a week (except legs if you count my HIIT sessions), so despite the fact I work them at 9 sets a body part at once(the bigger ones like chest and back), it should even things out ok because I don´t hit them more than once a week, I guess.

 

[casualbb]

it should even things out ok because I don´t hit them more than once a week, I guess

That's not the way the body works. What I was hinting at is take those sessions and distribute them over the course of the week. 9 sets in a single session won't do much more than 3 sets, and it'll put you out of commission for longer to boot.

 

[nEwSkIn]

hmmm,

what split do you recommend, then? I´ve been doing a 4-day split but inbetween i do HIIT, so in order to hit a muscle group twice every week... I´d probably need a 2-day split? what do you think?

 

[casualbb]

Something DC-ish. Like a 2-way split done 1.5-2 times a week. If it's pure size you're after I recommend HST, but it can be hard for people to swallow.

 

[Debaser]

HST is a very worthwhile program to gain lots of muscle. The only problem with it for me is that I don't enjoy doing it very much. I like low numbers of exercises and sets, with hard to very hard intensity. Right now I'm less focused on size anyway

 

[casualbb]

Yeah it can be less exciting because you're not setting PR's each workout...in fact, you're not setting them for 1-2 months. I'm thinking it has greater appeal to the older age group, to whom training, rather than being their obsession, is just another item on their daily list of activities. Imagine 20 years of uber-intensity lifting. Sounds tiring!

I'd probably personally enjoy performing DC more, I just trust in the growth power of the program.

Here's a results thread: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=14;t=21

 

[nEwSkIn]

Something DC-ish. Like a 2-way split done 1.5-2 times a week. If it's pure size you're after I recommend HST, but it can be hard for people to swallow.

I´m really not looking to gain massive amounts of size... rather defining what I have, or maintaning - except for my biceps and triceps, those could be bigger lol

As for DC training, Ireally needed to study their principles and so on, so I could design a good workout program for me... is it ok if I stick to the regular 3x 8-12 rep range on exercises? I´m a bit confused though, because you said we should only do 3 sets for each bodypart in a given day, and would get me doping just one exercise for that bodypart?? For example, on biceps day, I wouldn´t be able to do barbell curls all the time, because you should be changing it up, right? Would that be productive, anyways?

As for the 2-day slpit, what bodyparts do you recommend on each day? Also bearing in mind I do HIIT every other day, would the legs be overtrained? I´m doing low intensity cardio the after leg workout, hope I´m doing well!

thanx for reading

 

[casualbb]

I forget what the dc split is, check the sticky at the top. And no, cardio shouldn't interfere much.