how often do u workout each muscle?

[Power5220]

exclude abs and calves from this unless u do them the same number of times that you do the rest of your muscles

also if you have a workout routine that worked very well for you plz post it for the benifit of others and myself

 

[swordfish151]

I work out each muscle group 1 time per week, but am starting to think that i should hit it twice a week...my overall development seems to be lagging...

 

[n0th1ng]

I hit everything twice a week. I get the best results with low volume high frequency.

 

[tzan]

Direct work once a week......

 

[Madcow2]

This is something I wrote in another post regarding frequency but it's fairly pertinent to this so maybe it's worth pasting in.

Source Thread is Here: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391562

would doing the muscle group twice a wk lead to "overtraining" ..whats up with the myth about doing a body part only once a week...

<snip>

Damn im confused..how would you hit a body part twice but if you only took one day off??

Mon: Chest/back
Tues: Legs/shoulders
Wed: arms
Thurs: chest/back
FRi: Legs/shoulders
Sat: arms
Sun: rest??

do you believe if a body part is lagging you should hit it twice a week?

There's just so much more to it than organizing a split that determines which muscles on which days. Consider squatting 2 sets of 5 reps at 30% of your 1RM (so a 300lbs squatter doing roughly 100lbs). You could do this 5x per week indefinitely. Consider squatting 12 sets of 5 reps at 90% of your 1RM (so a 300max doing 270 now). Most people probably can't handle that more than once per week and even then will likely overtrain in a matter of a few weeks assuming a reasonable amount of other volume on other lifts being trained at reasonable intensity (overtraining has a lot more to do with the CNS and systemic recovery than it does with an individual muscle group).

Granted these are extremes but extreme scenarios serve to illustrate the point that frequency alone doesn't determine anything. When most people think about hitting a bodypart 2x per week what they basically end up doing is taking their existing workout and doing it twice in the same amount of time. So let's just say that they handle their existing workout okay - can they handle double the volume okay? I don't know, that's a damn big increase to pull on someone suddenly. A better way is to split your volume and distribute it using the frequency (so 6 sets of squats with working set weight becomes 3 sets 2x per week). Now a lot of people might find they can increase volume a bit because they become better conditioned with increased frequency and can tolerate more but it would be pretty dumb to start doing 6 sets 2x per week rather than 3 and double it up. Maybe increase by 1 set in each of the 2 workouts or some such other alteration, anything that's less severe than a 100% increase.

So the primary factors at play are volume (the total workload over a period), intensity (a given weight's % of your 1 rep max), and frequency (the allocation of volume). It's also important to realize that the idea that a muscle is trained, recovers fully and is enhanced, and then gets trained again in a similar process workout to workout is a really nice logical way of looking at things but not really how this stuff works. For a novice, it won't make any difference but as one progresses what were once nuances in training theory and not really important can really hurt or stop gains completely (plateau). This is actually the whole reason for periodization in training. You might check out the links under 'Dual Factor Theory - Why This Works' on this page: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375215

 

[JKurz1]

Every 5 days works for me.....chest is lagging, only bp I hit 2x week

 

[view]

something like:

chest 2 x week
back 3 x week
legs 2 x week
delts 1 x week
arms 2-3 x week

low volume, high frequency, and high intensity for me.

 

[ruggermu]

I like every 5 days, I've tried twice a week as well as once a week but every 5 days seems to be the best fit for me.

 

[ScottK345]

I lift each muscle twice a week, but i have not been making any gains, so i have been talking to people in the weight room and they have been saying to lift each muscle only once a week to get the best gains in size and strength. Should I switch to lifting each muscle once a week?

 

[Madcow2]

I lift each muscle twice a week, but i have been making any gains, so i have been talking to people in the weight room and they have been saying to lift each muscle only once a week to get the best gains in size and strength. Should I switch to lifting each muscle once a week?

First, 99% of the people in gyms don't have a clue what they are doing (and don't even think someone knows anything just because they are big and muscular - I have yet to meet a ProBBer who is fit to coach a high school team, their gains are from a ton of drugs magifying a poor training stimulus, really good diet, genetics, and discipline). There is no blanket correct answer because there are far more variables at play than just frequency. If someone tells you to lift X times a week or hit a muscle X times a week without any other criteria they don't have a clue what they are talking about. Read my post further up.

 

[musketeer]

I'm used to do HIT, now my new routine allows me to hit each bodybart twice a week (or maybe just every 4 days) from a different angle.

 

[view]

I'm used to do HIT, now my new routine allows me to hit each bodybart twice a week (or maybe just every 4 days) from a different angle.

Doggcrapp?

 

[horse52]

Twice a week since I've been following DFHT progam.

 

[JKurz1]

Twice a week since I've been following DFHT progam.

dfht? explain.

 

[horse52]

DFHT = Dual Factory Hypertrophy Training.

For more info, check out: http://www.readthecore.com/200501/reynolds-dual-factor-training-02.htm

 

[musketeer]

Doggcrapp?

Um, no thanks I've just eaten.

???

 

[view]

Um, no thanks I've just eaten.

???

hahah I see. I am just wondering cause doggcrap = DC which is a popular training program, and you've described sorta how it is.

 

[musketeer]

No it's a concoction of my own.

I read in Tom Platz' Prostyle Bodybuilding that Bent Rows, Dips, Chins and bench presses were the best all round upper body movements. I deducted what would be best for lower body and filled in the gaps. Now I have just 8 key movements:

Low incline bench
Dips
Push presses
Bent Rows
Chins
deads
Squats
Cross bench pullovers

If I can do all of these in a week then I've hit the entire body from a couple of different angles.

As an example,

Front delts dont need upright rows or front raises because they are hit by benchs, dips, and of course push presses (- same for triceps)

Lower back is canned by: squats, rows, deads, push presses

The only sinlge joint exercises I do are bodybuilding moves occasionally for muscles that are sometimes not hit with the 8:

Barbel curls (or incline dumbell curls) - maybe once every other week

Seated cheat dumbel laterals - maybe once every other week

Flyes (On a chest day if delts/ tris too blasted)

(& pleanty of calf work!)

 

[coryriffel011]

Mon/ Morning cardio/upper body
Tues/ Morning cardio/ lower body
Wed/ Morning cardio/ cardio at night
Thurs/ Morning cardio/ upper body
Frid/ Morning cardio/ lower body
Sat/ Morning cardio
Sun- off

 

[theoak01]

Im trying a weird routine where in a week Ill work one muscle group twice but the rest just once then it switches the next week

for example Ill do

mon-chest/bi's
tue back/abs
wed shoulder/tri's
thur legs
fri chest/bi's

if I feel good I may keep going and on sat do back/ abs again if not my next week looks like this

mon-back/abs
tue- shoulders/tri's
wed -legs
thur chest/bi's
fri-back/abs

and it keeps rotating like that

 

[JKurz1]

Chest/calves
Back
Delts Trps
Arms
Legs
Repeat

 

[dutchman063]

once a week.... primary..

alot of muscles get trained indirectly so they get some work more than once a week.... triceps when you work chest, biceps when you hit back...shoulders get plenty of work with chest and back...

 

[cobracock1979]

twice every 8 days

 

[Chrisco915]

So the next week would be Shoulders and Tris Monday and Friday.....etc.........legs.....etc?

 

[solrosenberg]

Each body part get hits once 6 days.

Chest / tri
back / bi
shoulders
legs
off

 

[FunFun]

Each body part get hits once 6 days.

Chest / tri
back / bi
shoulders
legs
off

In reality, although you're targeting muscles directly once every 6 days, the shoulder girdle and shoulder joint as well as the elbows and wrists are being targeted 3 times every 6 days plus during squats and deadlifts on other days. These skeletal structures take a pounding everytime you pick up a weight in your hands.

Most debilitating injuries are joint related as these type of injuries take a long time to heal. I find it incredible that in almost every thread about training frequency there's hardly a mention about joint recovery.

Perhaps it's my age, but I structure my weekly training around joint recovery, not muscle recovery. I never do upper body workouts on consecutive days.

 

[bran88]

Every 5-6 days here. If you're hitting them correctly, it can take up to 6-7 days for the muscle group to fully recover.

 

[bruce9241]

Bench/Overhead press/dips is twice a week.

Squats is 2-3 times a week.

Deadlift once a week.

During other days when I'm resting I do stuff like arms shoulders and cardio.

 

[kyle000]

once a week for me

 

[guerbear]

I use to train a muscle group 2+ times a week and one day I decided to try once a week. And my gains were larger because I was going so much harder on the weights for that muscle group one day a week

 

[musketeer]

Where's the option for every muscle every day (or at least every time you train) ??

I do a full body workout every session and I train 5-6 times a week!

EG:

Snatch
Bench
Dead

OR

Clean
Overhead squat
Push Press
Row

 

[ExtraMile]

same for me, fullbody workouts are sick. I HATE TRAINING SPLITS

 

[desmond]

I'd like to hit bodyparts twice per week.

My recovery is still a bit shithouse ATM but hopefully when my TRT issues are properly rectified this will no longer be the case

 

[musketeer]

I just realised: I posted on this thread OVER 4 YEARS AGO!

Seems that in the 7 years I've been a member I've gone from once a week to every workout kinda guy.

 

[BKDFKUP]

Recovery and diet are EVERYTHING!
TRAIN HARD - by train hard i mean lift more weight each weak NO MATTER WHAT. Get yourself in the zone so that you can block out everything in your life and just focus on lifting that weight. You CAN do this and you WILL grow. By training at this level of intensity though, its advisasable to train each body party once a week (assuming your natural) as natural bodybuilders have nowhere near the recovery ability as those on performance enhancing drugs. LESS IS MORE. A phrase most bodybuilders have heard constantly yet have trouble implementing.

 

[C.K.]

Once every 4 days...

Day 1: Chest Back Abs
Day 2: Bis Tris And Shoulders
Day 3: Legs
Day 4: Cardio

Repeat

Stretch everyday and eat and sleep and you will recover fine anything more is over training and anything under is well under...

 

[ExtraMile]

currently i do a bench day, squat day, deadlift day and OHP day. 4 workouts but done on a mon/wed/fri split fo it overlaps into the next week. Im loving it and best strength gains of my life. I routinely set 6-9 PR's every workout. Looks like this

Dead
Leg Press
BB Curl
Seated Calf Machine
Reverse EZ

Flat BB
Incline DB
One Arm Row
Facepull
Rolling DB Extension

ATG Squat
Walking DB Lunges
Standing Calves
Leg Curl
NeedSize Abs

OHP
Wide Chins
Deep Weighted Dips
Laterals
EZ Preacher

 

[Dial_tone]

I am emphasizing leg power over size, specifically the squat (athough this will end soon). I also do a lot of road cycling so I train for that as well. Currently my routine is:

Day 1 – Legs, abs/core
Day 2 – Bike, stretching
Day 3 – Chest, shoulders, triceps
Day 4 – Bike, stretching
Day 5 – Rest
Day 6 – Legs, abs/core
Day 7 – Bike, stretching
Day 8 – Back, biceps/grip strength
Day 9 – Bike
Day 10 – Rest
start over

The bike days are usually 80 min long with two 20-min intervals just below anaerobic threshold. After the holidays I will switch focus to deadlifts then Oly lifting. After that I'll be doing 3-4 hour bike rides on weekends.

 

[RottenWillow]

Natty, once every 7 days. Juiced, I work an easy/hard rotation: hard, 4 days rest, easy, 3 days rest, repeat.

 

[spk55]

dialtone
what state you live and race in?

 

[NewestNoobie]

Once every 4 days.

 

[Chezdon]

Twice a week. Two Upper/Lower body sessions, so every three to four days. I couldn't imagine only hitting them once, and doing them three times on a FB was too much. I'm liking it the way it is.

 

[sharkmaster]

i hit each group once every four. i do a push pull routine with legs on the pull day with a days rest between each workout. I feel this works better for athletics for me but would think once a week would be the way to go for mass. I just cant do any sports at a high level let alone work hard physicaly after trashing a bodypart... especially legs! although i have friends that it doesnt seem to bother. i want to gain strength but also want to be ready for physical challenges without being totally torn down!

 

[Mad_Max21]

I like every muscle twice a week. Heavy day light day split each week changing reps and lifts. Keep the body guessing is my moto!

 

[andrecarrara]

Just started HST so 3 times/week

 

[1longdong]

A 14 year old boy went out to his dad's barn and lifted a 100 lbs calf. That same boy lifted that same calf every day of his life for 10 straight years. Never ate anything other than what his mother cooked in the kitchen. Never took juice, never took creatine, never shot a load onto a mirror or anything like that. The calf ended up weighing almost 800 lbs. before he died, and that boy was one big nasty bastard. His shoulders were so wide they made him put a sign on the front of his vehicle "Wide Load". Doesn't matter how often you lift, as long as you lift more today than you did yesterday. Period.

 

[burnthiscorpse]

Just started HST so 3 times/week

2 weeks into my first HST try myself. I am pretty impressed so far.

Last year was once a week. M/w/f, But the philosophy was to keep the intensity up high enough that I wanted to puke by the end of each w/o.

 

[Mr.Mars]

Starting my routine tomorrow. Going fullbody every time at the gym, going to go hard 1 day, rest 1 day, rinse and repeat. Mostly compound exercizes and a few isolations. Let's see how it goes.

 

[dvoted]

Everything except shoulders once. I do shoulders twice.

 

[jelet]

2x a week

Ur muscles only need 48-72 hrs to repair enough to workout.. Therefore 1x a week is to long.

Im a 2x week type of guy!

For traps i do 3x a week though and abs to!

 

[mgsarms]

Mon - Chest / tri
Tue - back / bi - evening kick boxing
Wed - rest
Thu - legs - evening kick boxing
Fri - shoulders

Calves get done randomly during the week.

Some people say it isn't enough frequency done like this but sometimes a DOMS might last 6 days.

 

[Svenman19]

I just started chest shoulders, back hams, arms, quads calves so legs twice a week and im loving it only downside is being sore as fack all week lol

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