Thread: Same body part twice a week?

I do an upper lower split usually. I go 2 on 1 off. I am almost very new to lifting, I think it's been 4 months now, so still a newbie. I like to go to failure most of the time, usually only do 1 set of squats and then two other exercises for my first leg day, second one is 1 set of deadlifts 1 other movement and some grip work.

for twice a week if you use an A B A format you get plenty of rest, on the last set of the hypertrophy day exercises i usually do some rest pause reps, strength days have no rest pause

so for me i use A as push and B as pull

day 1
A push hypertrophy day
bench press 3 x 10-12
squats 3 x 10-12
mil press 3 x 10-12
tricep pushdown 3 x 10-12

day 2
rest

day 3
B pull hypertrophy day
seated rows 3 x 10-12
deadlift 3 x 10-12
lat pulldown 3 x 10-12
bicep curl 3 x 10-12

day 4
rest

day 5
A push strength day
bench press 4 x 5-6
squats 4 x 5-6
mil press 4 x 5-6
tricep pushdown 4 x 5-6

day 6
rest

day 7
B pull strength day
seated rows 4 x 5-6
deadlift 4 x 5-6
lat pulldown 4 x 5-6
bicep curl 4 x 5-6

day 8
rest

day 9
start from day 1

sometimes i will take an extra day rest if i think i need it or my schedule wont allow me to go the gym that day but its not that often it normally follows this pattern one on one off rotating the workouts.

hey xfactor, me to mate i can only handle one body part a week. i use push/pull/leg day. any more and im digging a hole thats hard to get out of recovery wise. jay83, genetics plays a hell of a part in the iron game mate, when i was younger i could handle a hammering but as we get on a bit everything tends to catch up with us. hell i nearly f...in died four years ago, the docs said if i hadnt been as robust as i was i wouldnt be hear.

Anyone who says they cant train a body part twice a week due to not recovering, doesn't know how to set the program up correctly.

Wish I could find that graph on TNATION, just looked again, no luck.

Up until 4 weeks ago I'd always trained each body part once per week. Since then Ive been doing a modified version of HST. The results have been unreal. Ive gained 6lbs and Im leaner (photograph comparison). I was also coming off a cut, so there was a bit of rebound, but great results none the less.

Give it a try if you get a chance, dont know if Ill ever go back to once per week.

Originally Posted by Hench

Anyone who says they cant train a body part twice a week due to not recovering, doesn't know how to set the program up correctly.

Wish I could find that graph on TNATION, just looked again, no luck.

Up until 4 weeks ago I'd always trained each body part once per week. Since then Ive been doing a modified version of HST. The results have been unreal. Ive gained 6lbs and Im leaner (photograph comparison). I was also coming off a cut, so there was a bit of rebound, but great results none the less.

Give it a try if you get a chance, dont know if Ill ever go back to once per week.

My program is set up quite well for me. However, regardless of diet, rest, supps, whatever, at 50 years old I can't recover training a bodypart twice a week training like I do. I did train twice a week per bodypart when I was younger, now it just doesn't work so well. I get lethargic about week 4, and if I push through and continue to train anyway, get sick and run down by week 6 or so. Again, some can train each bodypart twice a week, some can't. This isn't an everyone can do this this way sport.

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

My program is set up quite well for me. However, regardless of diet, rest, supps, whatever, at 50 years old I can't recover training a bodypart twice a week training like I do. I did train twice a week per bodypart when I was younger, now it just doesn't work so well. I get lethargic about week 4, and if I push through and continue to train anyway, get sick and run down by week 6 or so. Again, some can train each bodypart twice a week, some can't. This isn't an everyone can do this this way sport.

Do you understand the concept of splitting the volume?

You don't go from working out 1 body part a week, to doing the EXACT SAME routine 2x a week.

You would have to cut the volume in half obviously.

Originally Posted by myCATpowerlifts

Do you understand the concept of splitting the volume?

You don't go from working out 1 body part a week, to doing the EXACT SAME routine 2x a week.

You would have to cut the volume in half obviously.

I fully understand that, but even cutting the volume does not allow ME, see the word ME, to recover and train that bodypart again inside 7 days.

It doesn't matter how you train, how often you train, I have never said my way is the only way. But for anyone to say that 2 times a week per bodypart is the only way to train is making what I consider to be an incorrect statement. This stuff isn't cookie cutter, there is not just one way.

But you know what, I'll keep doing my thing and let you fellas continue your discussion.

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

I fully understand that, but even cutting the volume does not allow ME, see the word ME, to recover and train that bodypart again inside 7 days.

It doesn't matter how you train, how often you train, I have never said my way is the only way. But for anyone to say that 2 times a week per bodypart is the only way to train is making what I consider to be an incorrect statement. This stuff isn't cookie cutter, there is not just one way.

But you know what, I'll keep doing my thing and let you fellas continue your discussion.

the frequency of training all depends on the intensity as that determines how long it takes the CNS to recover, unless injured or strained skeletal muscle is usually good to go in 48hrs. a person can train the same muscles daily if they never use loads greater than 50% of the 1RM.

Originally Posted by LAM

the frequency of training all depends on the intensity as that determines how long it takes the CNS to recover, unless injured or strained skeletal muscle is usually good to go in 48hrs. a person can train the same muscles daily if they never use loads greater than 50% of the 1RM.

Agreed. I'm doing full body workouts four times a week and my recovery is enough that I'm not overtraining/getting sick. But two of those days are @ 50%, one is ~75% and the power workout is 90-95% 1RM. Power workout obviously kills me but I'm OK by Monday (After working out Saturday)

Originally Posted by LAM

the frequency of training all depends on the intensity as that determines how long it takes the CNS to recover, unless injured or strained skeletal muscle is usually good to go in 48hrs. a person can train the same muscles daily if they never use loads greater than 50% of the 1RM.

I'm 50, train heavy 99% of the time at 80-85% of my 1RM, so training again daily, or even 48 hours later is a no go for me. I'm not saying that there are some who can do it. The point I'm trying to make, rather unsuccessfully it appears, is that there is no one way to do this. If you can train twice weekly per bodypart by dropping the weight/volume, whatever, and grow, please do that. I'm saying for me, I cannot. I train 8 weeks or so and then take a week off to recover, at twice per week even at a lower volume, I get maybe 4-5 weeks in. I can't do it, but apparently many here think I can, or others can.

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

I'm 50, train heavy 99% of the time at 80-85% of my 1RM, so training again daily, or even 48 hours later is a no go for me. I'm not saying that there are some who can do it. The point I'm trying to make, rather unsuccessfully it appears, is that there is no one way to do this. If you can train twice weekly per bodypart by dropping the weight/volume, whatever, and grow, please do that. I'm saying for me, I cannot. I train 8 weeks or so and then take a week off to recover, at twice per week even at a lower volume, I get maybe 4-5 weeks in. I can't do it, but apparently many here think I can, or others can.

I don't think anyone can train with that rep range twice weekly for any extended period at all. When I was doing 5/3/1 I was training four days a week (Deads/Squats/Bench/Mil. Press) and was having trouble recovering. I'm 24.. no way in hell I'll be able to do it @ 50 :P

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

I'm 50, train heavy 99% of the time at 80-85% of my 1RM, so training again daily, or even 48 hours later is a no go for me. I'm not saying that there are some who can do it. The point I'm trying to make, rather unsuccessfully it appears, is that there is no one way to do this. If you can train twice weekly per bodypart by dropping the weight/volume, whatever, and grow, please do that. I'm saying for me, I cannot. I train 8 weeks or so and then take a week off to recover, at twice per week even at a lower volume, I get maybe 4-5 weeks in. I can't do it, but apparently many here think I can, or others can.

this is why you need to vary the intensity of your training, some variation of periodization is needed in your case.

at 50 your natural androgen output is well beyond the peak years (i'm almost 43 and am feeling it myself). in terms of resistance training and fitness the levels of circulating androgen not only effects the BMR but it does CNS output as well. as androgen levels decrease so does maximal voluntary neural drive of agonist muscles. this is why it's near impossible to over-train when on gear, CNS output is enhanced substantially.

you need to add in some days of 50-70% of the 1RM and you'll find you can extend strength training cycles longer.

Originally Posted by LAM

this is why you need to vary the intensity of your training, some variation of periodization is needed in your case.

at 50 your natural androgen output is well beyond the peak years (i'm almost 43 and am feeling it myself). in terms of resistance training and fitness the levels of circulating androgen not only effects the BMR but it does CNS output as well. as androgen levels decrease so does maximal voluntary neural drive of agonist muscles. this is why it's near impossible to over-train when on gear, CNS output is enhanced substantially.

you need to add in some days of 50-70% of the 1RM and you'll find you can extend strength training cycles longer.

Thanks for the input, I do back off as my training blast ends, and do cycle my weights/reps depending how I feel in the gym. I've been training hard for so long, it just fits me. But I do firmly believe that rest periods have to be built in. Sometimes I will even take 2, 3 even 4 weeks off from the gym depending on my CNS.

I'm just starting to cut my carbs a bit, was 315 at about 18% bodyfat, goal is 270 at sub 10% right now. But I can already feel my intensity slipping a bit, probably due to the added cardio. I'm 304 right now, looking for sub 300 by June 11th (getting married that day)

This makes me wonder, can you overtrain a muscle group by working it too hard 1X/week? I workout each muscle group once a week at 8-10 reps x 3 sets x 3 exercises. I use as heavy of weight as I can with near failure occurring on rep 8-10 for each set. I am really sore for 1-2 days and still sore until day 3-4. Then I have 2 days they are not sore (but tight) until I work them out again.

I always figured working out hard, breaking down the muscle as much as possible, then giving it time to fully recover was ok. Yes or no?

Originally Posted by BGOTTIR

This makes me wonder, can you overtrain a muscle group by working it too hard 1X/week? I workout each muscle group once a week at 8-10 reps x 3 sets x 3 exercises. I use as heavy of weight as I can with near failure occurring on rep 8-10 for each set. I am really sore for 1-2 days and still sore until day 3-4. Then I have 2 days they are not sore (but tight) until I work them out again.

I always figured working out hard, breaking down the muscle as much as possible, then giving it time to fully recover was ok. Yes or no?

I say yes, it's enough. Others may disagree. It all comes down to if it works for you.

yea, if you are using loads at or close to 80% of the 1RM and going to eccentric failure the odds are you will require a longer recover period...

you do realize that training to failure isn't necessary don't you?

Originally Posted by LAM

yea, if you are using loads at or close to 80% of the 1RM and going to eccentric failure the odds are you will require a longer recover period...

you do realize that training to failure isn't necessary don't you?

I do, usually only take my last set to complete failure. Read an article years ago by Bill Pearl that said training to failure every set was not needed. Always respected him so I follow his advice. Try to leave one rep in the tank except the last set.

although all out failure isnt necessary you do have to train close to failure, its quite a hard line to get right, you might give up to early, i generally just go to pretty much failure on all sets but then again i dont do that much volume.

"Work In Progress" summed it up well...you werent eating enough...did you get stronger over the last 10 years? If you got stronger I would have expected to see some size gain because your muscles would be bigger...

You need to eat more and lift more as well...maybe try taking longer breaks between workouts...

I know a man his 53 and very gray he workouts 2 times aweek each sesh for nealry 3 hours! He works all his body part and his massive!! Lol im telling ya his chest is huge and arms! Not much bf ... He been working out for 13 years tho but still only 2 times aweek pretty good

No problem with the same body part twice as long is u have 72hrs rest b/w the two exercises

I think the key is variety. When training very heavy with maximum volume as a powerlifter, I only trained hard 3 days a week, with two light days consisting of very brief, low-volume workouts. My days were grouped according to the three lifts, not according to body part. The most I've ever managed for an extended period is 3 on one off, completing the whole body twice in eight days. I wouldn't worry too much about the seven day week when scheduling your workouts. Vary the intensity of your workouts, along with the volume. I think things should be changed up, and multiple training styles need to be implemented in order to progress consistently.