Changing From Once To Twice Per Week Per Bodypart - Some Questions

[Vanchatron]

OK after reading up on some articles/threads etc & reading advice from knowledgeable people on the forum, they all suggest that training a bodypart once per week is not as good as twice per week. The reason for this being that if your diet is good then a muscle "should" recover within 2-3 days. If you only train a bodypart once per week then it recovers within a few days & it's just sitting there doing nothing for the next 4 days or so, until you train it again.

Therefore, if you're not on steroids you lose the anabolic response in that muscle & like I said above, it's just doing nothing for days (whereas if you are on AAS, the steroids keep the anabolic response going whether or not you are training the muscle so twice per week isn't necessary). Obviously not the best way to grow.

If you train twice per week, then the muscle recovers within 2-3 days and by the time it's recovered you are training it again, so that you keep the muscle working & the anabolic response present. I'm not sure if training a major bodypart such as Chest/Back/Legs requires twice per week training but smaller bodyparts such as Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders etc may do.

Because of this, I was wondering whether you guys think changing from this routine:

- Chest/Triceps
- Off
- Back/Biceps
- Off
- Legs/Shoulders

To this one, will yield better results:

- Chest/Biceps
- Off
- Back/Triceps
- Off
- Legs/Shoulders

This way, Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders get hit more than once per week, therefore keeping them active & the anabolism present. Chest/Back/Legs still only get hit once per week, but I feel seeing as they're big muscles, they need more time to recover than the smaller ones, therefore once per week should be sufficient.


I also have another question. As I strictly train 3x a week to allow for recovery etc, I'm a little concerned that IF I was to train like this, my triceps would effectively be getting hit 3x a week as opposed to twice like in the first routine. The reason for this being that they get hit indirectly on monday with Chest, directly on Wednesday & indirectly again on Friday with shoulders (military press). This would mean that my shoulders are also getting hit 3x a week. Do you think I have any reason for concern or should I be fine providing my diet/sleep etc is intact?

Thanks guys, and I'll await your responses.

 

[captainahole]

Personally I like your first routine if your not on aas. If you train to failure it and have a high protein diet you will get great gains.

If you are using aas your second would be more benefical.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

I can only hit the gym 3 times a week.

My workouts though are pretty extensive.

I do an ABA schedule

A Upper Body

B Lower body

Every other week either my upper or lower body gets worked twice in the week. Week 1 ABA...Week 2 BAB.....Week 3 ABA....Week 4 BAB.

I had thought maybe for me a good idea for whatever group was off was to do a light additional workout at home to bridge the gap.

I am still making gains in the gym, so I don't think the ABA schedule is hurting me.

Thoughts?

 

[highlander555]

I think either one would be good, and while your concern about your tricepts getting overworked is a valid one, I wouldn't worry about it. If you're feeling like they may be getting worked too hard, just cut back the tricept isolation stuff to maybe only one excersize.
I've done both of those routines and now actually prefer to do bi's on chest day. They feel much more fresh and rested than when I try to train them after back.

 

[deathdroprob]

OK after reading up on some articles/threads etc & reading advice from knowledgeable people on the forum, they all suggest that training a bodypart once per week is not as good as twice per week. The reason for this being that if your diet is good then a muscle "should" recover within 2-3 days. If you only train a bodypart once per week then it recovers within a few days & it's just sitting there doing nothing for the next 4 days or so, until you train it again.

Therefore, if you're not on steroids you lose the anabolic response in that muscle & like I said above, it's just doing nothing for days (whereas if you are on AAS, the steroids keep the anabolic response going whether or not you are training the muscle so twice per week isn't necessary). Obviously not the best way to grow.

If you train twice per week, then the muscle recovers within 2-3 days and by the time it's recovered you are training it again, so that you keep the muscle working & the anabolic response present. I'm not sure if training a major bodypart such as Chest/Back/Legs requires twice per week training but smaller bodyparts such as Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders etc may do.

Because of this, I was wondering whether you guys think changing from this routine:



To this one, will yield better results:



This way, Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders get hit more than once per week, therefore keeping them active & the anabolism present. Chest/Back/Legs still only get hit once per week, but I feel seeing as they're big muscles, they need more time to recover than the smaller ones, therefore once per week should be sufficient.


I also have another question. As I strictly train 3x a week to allow for recovery etc, I'm a little concerned that IF I was to train like this, my triceps would effectively be getting hit 3x a week as opposed to twice like in the first routine. The reason for this being that they get hit indirectly on monday with Chest, directly on Wednesday & indirectly again on Friday with shoulders (military press). This would mean that my shoulders are also getting hit 3x a week. Do you think I have any reason for concern or should I be fine providing my diet/sleep etc is intact?

Thanks guys, and I'll await your responses.

I done the excact same thing your doing, and yes it turned out better.
But now Im n a strenght rogram and its even better.