Thread: Training just 2 days a week

Have you considered doing a full body workout twice a week?

Tues- Upper 100% volume, and Lower 50% volume

Fri- Lower 100% volume, Upper 50% volume

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

Tues- Upper 100% volume, and Lower 50% volume

Fri- Lower 100% volume, Upper 50% volume

Hmm, that's interesting. I have never seen something like that.
That may be just what I was looking for, thanks.

Any other ideas/suggestions?

If you could only do two days per week I would definitely be doing a full-body routine.

FullBody 1- Quad/Push Dominant
Fullbody 2- Ham/Pull Dominant

Sol like this
Fullbody 1- 3x6-12@30-90sec RI
ATG Squats
Lunges
SLDL
Flat Bench
Military
CG Underhand Chins

Fullbody 2- 3x6-12@30-90sec RI
Deadlifts
Glute-Ham Raises
Leg Press/Front Squat
Bent-over Row
Pull-ups
Dips

I would do two full body workouts. Checkout the stickies to help you put together a program. I have one specifically for selecting exercises for a full body program. You should also check out the other stickies to help you decide what paramters to use in terms of other training variables.

I would do full body too. Day 1 Squats, deadlifts, cleans or rows, flat bench press, standing calf raises (with the focus on strength, working with something like 6 reps x 4 sets) and on the second day I would do all unilateral movements: picking from these- Bulgarian squats, step-ups, reverse lunges, pistol, single leg deadlifts, one arm overhead presses, one arm rows or renegade rows, one arm cable chin ups and or one arm reverse flys (with higher reps 10-12 reps x 2-3 sets).

Originally Posted by CowPimp

I would do two full body workouts. Checkout the stickies to help you put together a program. I have one specifically for selecting exercises for a full body program. You should also check out the other stickies to help you decide what paramters to use in terms of other training variables.

I actually tried out a full-body routine this past year...
And I just don't think it's for me.

I just feel like it's kind of redudant to go from full intensity for each bodypart 2x time a week.
Down to half intensity 2x a week.

Which is why foreman's suggestion sounded so appealing.

Originally Posted by FrankT

I actually tried out a full-body routine this past year...
And I just don't think it's for me.

I just feel like it's kind of redudant to go from full intensity for each bodypart 2x time a week.
Down to half intensity 2x a week.

Which is why foreman's suggestion sounded so appealing.

Why do you have to go "half intensity?" I think you really just mean less volume.

I think your two choices are a full body 2x a week or a upper/lower workout. Try both and see what works best for you and your goals.

If your legs are sticks you can train them twice a week but larger muscles need more time for recovery. I think your original plan would work best. Try compound exercises one week focusing on power and isolation/high reps the next week. You might find yourself getting stronger just from changing your old routiene. I tried this back in college with a modified version of HIT training(Mike Mentzer) and was impressed with my progress.
Full body workouts make me sick the next day. It's also hard for me to concentrate on form and contracting the muscle after 45 minutes of training. Better to save it up and hit it hard 3 days later than slack off toward the end of a long workout.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Why do you have to go "half intensity?" I think you really just mean less volume.

Right.

Originally Posted by jasone

If your legs are sticks you can train them twice a week but larger muscles need more time for recovery. I think your original plan would work best. Try compound exercises one week focusing on power and isolation/high reps the next week. You might find yourself getting stronger just from changing your old routiene. I tried this back in college with a modified version of HIT training(Mike Mentzer) and was impressed with my progress.
Full body workouts make me sick the next day. It's also hard for me to concentrate on form and contracting the muscle after 45 minutes of training. Better to save it up and hit it hard 3 days later than slack off toward the end of a long workout.

Yea, I think that's best. I'll try it out at least and see.

Thanks to you, foreman, cowpimp and the others for advice.

Originally Posted by jasone

If your legs are sticks you can train them twice a week but larger muscles need more time for recovery. I think your original plan would work best. Try compound exercises one week focusing on power and isolation/high reps the next week. You might find yourself getting stronger just from changing your old routiene. I tried this back in college with a modified version of HIT training(Mike Mentzer) and was impressed with my progress.
Full body workouts make me sick the next day. It's also hard for me to concentrate on form and contracting the muscle after 45 minutes of training. Better to save it up and hit it hard 3 days later than slack off toward the end of a long workout.

There is absolutely no reason you can't train your legs more frequently if you balance volume and intensity properly. That is a ridiculous notion.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

There is absolutely no reason you can't train your legs more frequently if you balance volume and intensity properly. That is a ridiculous notion.

I'm a ridiculous person.

I hit legs only once a week with 8 sets of quads and 4 sets of hamstrings, for the first 5 years of my training and my legs were better than 99.9% of the teens in my city.

The frequency that is advised here is fucked IMO.

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

I hit legs only once a week with 8 sets of quads and 4 sets of hamstrings, for the first 5 years of my training and my legs were better than 99.9% of the teens in my city.

The frequency that is advised here is fucked IMO.

Foreman, you have superior genetics to most people out there. Most people train their legs only once a week and they look like shit. What's your point? My legs are also superior to most people's that I've seen, and they aren't even good.

I train mine every 10 days. My legs are the shit.

Originally Posted by jasone

I train mine every 10 days. My legs are the shit.

You definitely have solid wheels. Mine suck ass, but they were even worse before I started training at a higher frequency again. Note that I don't do 15 sets of leg work 3 days a week or anything. The volume each session is decreased to account for the increased frequency.

Also, a lot of people that have nice legs have nice quads only (I'm not suggesting this is you). I'm all glutes and hammies, at least strength-wise.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

There is absolutely no reason you can't train your legs more frequently if you balance volume and intensity properly. That is a ridiculous notion.

Between sprinting, plyos, and weight training, I hit my legs 3-4 times a week and they are bigger than they have ever been. If you tweak frequency and volume properly, you could easily go 5 times a week.

I have been trainign legs 4 times a week with the olympic lifts also, with no problem.

I involve my legs in lifting at my 15RM or heavier 3 days a week. They are also involved in some plyos and very light intensity lifting another couple days a week. I also go jogging another day each week generally. No problems thus far. My legs are as big and strong as they've ever been.

I lost my legs in a train accident. If someone finds them please send them back to me.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Foreman, you have superior genetics to most people out there. Most people train their legs only once a week and they look like shit. What's your point? My legs are also superior to most people's that I've seen, and they aren't even good.

All the power lifters and body builders I knew hit legs once or twice a week, thats my point. Sure if you train like a pussy you could hit them 5 days a week but I'm not a marathon runner and don't want to be in the gym every day.

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

All the power lifters and body builders I knew hit legs once or twice a week, thats my point.n Sure if you train like a pussy you could hit them 5 days a week but I'm not a marathon runner.

The Westside guys hit legs 2-3x a week, and I imagine they have a guy 100lbs less than you squatting 200lbs more than you.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

The Westside guys hit legs 2-3x a week, and I imagine they have a guy 100lbs less than you squatting 200lbs more than you.

I would hope a powerlifter could squat at least 2x what I do. Like I said 2x a week is fine.

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

I would hope a powerlifter could squat at least 2x what I do. Like I said 2x a week is fine.

I prostrate myself before you, and beg your forgiveness.

I agree you can't go all out more than 2-3 times, but IMO it is fine to go all out 2x and do active recovery 2-3 times a week.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

I prostrate myself before you, and beg your forgiveness.

I agree you can't go all out more than 2-3 times, but IMO it is fine to go all out 2x and do active recovery 2-3 times a week.

also, you could break up the leg work between pushing and pulling and train 4 days a week, like I was doing (with the o-lifts) or somethign liek Boyle does with his athletes..and on top of that they also train sprints, plyos and agility...in season they just pare it down to 2 or 3 days a week of lifting though to allow for recovery between games and practices.