Thread: Do you train one day harder than the other?????

I was like that when i first started out, just keep trying hard and eventually you wont even have to think about it

The larger the muscle group the harder the workout will seem, also manipulating different training variables will make the workout seem harder or easier but that doesn't necessarily mean that the workout was good or bad.

For example, my strength work will consist of 4-5 sets of 3 reps with 2-3 min rest. Perceived exertion is low but i'm accomplishing my task. On my conditioning days i will do circuits with 135 on the bar of about 6 compound exercises and by the end i'm huffing and puffing and ready to die, although it may seem hard i'm not really getting any stronger doing that just increasing my conditioning.

Also, regarding muscle groups my lower body days are really tough because of the squats, deads etc etc, where as my upper body days don't seem as hard because presses and pulls don't involve so much musculature in general. Full body workouts make me want to vomit every time due to the fact that you are doing lots of compound exercises and forcing everything in your body to work. Your blood has to be pumped everywhere and all the musculature in your body is getting ripped on.

I hear ya I do squats, leg press, then hack squats for my heavy work on leg days and it takes everything I have to stay on my feet and make it out to the car.

This is the first time I have heard of strength improving versus conditioning. Right now I am trying to lose weight so I should stick to the 4 sets of 10 reps I've been doing.

Originally Posted by Uthinkso

This is the first time I have heard of strength improving versus conditioning. Right now I am trying to lose weight so I should stick to the 4 sets of 10 reps I've been doing.

If weight loss is your only goal then by all means keep on working like that but give the stickies a read through. There is stuff up there about periodizing one's training to avoid plateauing. It can be as simple as cycling reps every couple of weeks, or as complicated as undulating and concurrent periodization (i believe those are the correct terms).

Also remember the SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). Your body will adapt very specifically to whatever you ask it to do. So if you ask your body to work in the 10 rep range, sure your max will improve, due to a certain amount of carryover, but it will not be as high as if you were training for max attempts. If a powerlifter works with 1-3 reps all the time, he/she will not be very capable of banging out 10-20 rep sets with a good amount of weight.

It comes and goes, just depends on the day I guess. Many factors play into training intensity.

Originally Posted by Yanick

If weight loss is your only goal then by all means keep on working like that but give the stickies a read through. There is stuff up there about periodizing one's training to avoid plateauing. It can be as simple as cycling reps every couple of weeks, or as complicated as undulating and concurrent periodization (i believe those are the correct terms).

Also remember the SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). Your body will adapt very specifically to whatever you ask it to do. So if you ask your body to work in the 10 rep range, sure your max will improve, due to a certain amount of carryover, but it will not be as high as if you were training for max attempts. If a powerlifter works with 1-3 reps all the time, he/she will not be very capable of banging out 10-20 rep sets with a good amount of weight.

Yes your like the 10th person that has advised me to read the stickies. I guess I have avoided them in an effort not to over complicate my routine.

I go hardest on leg day, but only because I love working my legs. I use to work hardest on chest/tris, then back/bis. I got away from bodypart training, and now I just give my lowerbody hell. Squats are #1 BABY!

why waste a day in the gym? Everyday should be hard. If you go in and you feel that you are to sapped from the previous workout then I think you need to re-think your routine.

Train hard, recover, train hard again.

Everything is trained very hard for me. Sometimes I may not want to do it, however it doesnt mean I dont give it 110%.

BTW-I dont have a bicep day.

Train hard, recover, train hard again.

Sounds like a good mantra! I feel the same way, why waste time- 100% dedication to everything including rest, relaxation and nutrition- I try to give it all equal importance.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

Train hard, recover, train hard again.

Sounds like a good mantra! I feel the same way, why waste time- 100% dedication to everything including rest, relaxation and nutrition- I try to give it all equal importance.

you have to! You have to give them equal importance. We have so many other stressors in our lives, the gym just feeds the fire. You need to learn to know when to walk into the gym and lift and when to say "ya know what? Today I need to rest. I am going home."

This saturday I was supposed to go out and do 8x100m sprints. I woke up, I ate and then I sat down on the couch and said "no way. it just isn't happening today. I am taking the weekend off". Went to the gym on monday and felt like a million bucks.