Thread: Frequency of training body parts

Everybody is different. You need to experiment a little to see what works best for you. Then you'll need to change it up once in a while to keep the workouts from stagnating.

Wayyyyy too much volume, IMO.

I use one exercise per bodypart, two at the most. One set.. using rest pause techniques.

I am advanced (been near 290lbs at 12 percent bf)...

Try cutting your volume in half and watch you put on 5lbs from that alone...

I do one bodypart weekly.. typically... occasionally twice... OCCASIONALLY.

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

Wayyyyy too much volume, IMO.

I use one exercise per bodypart, two at the most. One set.. using rest pause techniques.

I am advanced (been near 290lbs at 12 percent bf)...

Try cutting your volume in half and watch you put on 5lbs from that alone...

I do one bodypart weekly.. typically... occasionally twice... OCCASIONALLY.

Yup

A lot of people think that more lifting leads to more gains. They don't realize that gains are made in the kitchen and not in the gym.

Originally Posted by pwloiacano

I have read and heard by word of mouth so many different versions of training programs.

My question is how often should I be hitting a body part??

I am 6'1" and weigh 275 lbs. (only a very slight gut)

I take 1-AD 6 tabs per day (IronMag Labs)

Have been lifting on and off for years, but only about the last six months consistently and with great intensity.

Currently I train as follows:

Day 1: Chest (approx 16 sets)
Day 2: OFF (maybe 20 min of cadio)
Day 3: Shoulders (approx 15 sets) ; Traps (approx 10 sets) ; Tri's (approx 10-12 sets)
Day 4: Back (Approx 20-22 sets) ; Bi's (approx 12-14 sets)
Day 5: Quads (Approx 10-12 sets) ; Hams (Approx 5-7 sets) ; Calves (approx 8 sets) ; ABS (approx 8-10 sets)
Day 6: OFF (maybe 20 min of cardio)
REPEAT...

Does this sound like a good routine?

Should I cut back on the sets and hit each bodypart twice per week?

Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks...

Total weekly sets:

Upper body (including abs): 91-98
Lower body: 23-29

Very imbalanced. For instance, you're doing as many sets for traps as you are for quads. 4/5 of your weekly training is upper body.

What are your exercises? What's your diet like?

Whats your goal? Just muscle growth or is fat loss the motivating factor? I'd suggest a 2ON/OFF/2ON/2OFF routine but thats just me. 5x5 would be a good routine to look at but I'm not sure how 1-AD reacts to volume vs. heavy sets.

Thanks to all for your replies. What I am seeing is that I am doing too many sets and possibly overtraining. I will say that I do get sore from time to time, but not as frequently as I would expect.

My goal is size and strength. I have made some pretty good gains. I have gained about 10 lbs and it especially shows in my upper body.

How many sets would be recommended per body part?

Example of my chest routine to start:

1) Flat Bench-5-6 sets (rep range 4-12)
2) Incline Bench-3-4 sets (rep range 8-12)
3) Flat Flyes-2 sets (12 reps ea)
4) Incline Flyes-2 sets (12 reps ea)
5) Cable Crossovers-2 sets (12 - 15 reps ea)
6) Dips-2 sets till failure

I have heard cutting my sets in half, but it seems to me that would not be enough. Maybe I am just not used to the fact of less could be better.

Looking forward to more feedback!

Thanks again for all input. This site is great as I get some really good feedback.

if you are doing that many sets are you really hitting each exercise with the right intensity? you sure the weights aren't too light?

How long have you been working out with that protocol? Maybe you'd be better served to increase the weight, remove some exercises, and hit fewer sets.

ur a big guy so 16 sets for chest, at 4 exercises like flatbp, incline bp, decline bp, machine flys or db flys, then abs ur next exercise. but u should start off the wo week with biggest muscle group first. i train only one bp 1 x wk except calfs and abs those everyday. because u use your calves and abs alkot everyday they need to be worked harder. but this is only how i train. smaller muscles need less exercises and sets. if u train them 2 times a week cut way back on sets. i do 4 on 1 off 3 on 2 off schedule. never miss your planned wo, even if it kills ya. day lost is a wk behind. if your sick, throw up then go to gym.

Thanks to all for replies. Today I tried something different. I did back and biceps. Laid way off on the sets. I did 12 sets for back and 9 for biceps. I still got a decent pump, but it did not last as long as when I do more sets.
I have made some gains using the intial workout that I illustrated. I am wondering if everyone here is right that using less sets and higher intensity may be the answer. I would think that a 4 days on ; one day off would work good with this.
Let me know your feedback. Thanks.

Judging how good your workout is by the pump is not the best method. I think less volume with heavier weights may be a good way for you to change things up, especially if you've been doing your program for a few months.

You're doing 4 on and 1 off? Are you on gear? (Sorry but I'm not familiar with 1-AD.)

To answer your question. I am taking the 1-andro rx by iron mag labs. 600 mg/day. 300 in the am ; 300 in the pm. been on it for about 10 days now.

Try reducing your volume to two exercises per bodypart, and using two sets per exercise.

Push yourself to failure (or close to it). If you are really pushing close to failure you will not be able to complete all the volume you are currently doing. Remember that higher volume routines used by professionals are after they have built a solid foundation and spent years in the gym growing.

Think of it like driving a car on the freeway. You have to slowly accelerate to 80mph before you can cruise.

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Yup

A lot of people think that more lifting leads to more gains. They don't realize that gains are made in the kitchen and not in the gym.