Thread: Time between exercises?

Originally Posted by ac991

Hi, I was wondering what the recommended time between working out a certain muscle group is. I had heard that it is best to let each group rest at least one day between workouts. Is this true or is it ok to work out the same groups daily?

If you are training with any kind of intensity and the goal is to build muscle, train each bodypart no more than twice every 7-8 days.

training with higher frequency is fine. total body workouts are great, especially as a beginner as you will have more time to develop proper exercise technique.

patrick

^absolutely. As a novice, you're lifting "heavy for you", but it won't be heavy enough - at first - to be all that traumatic. Take the opportunity to learn the movement patterns through frequent practice.

I'll add to this that if you're still fairly new to lifting and you don't yet feel certain on your form for the heavy compounds - the multi-joint free-weight movements like squat, deadlift, bench press, chinups and cleans that involve more than one joint and that should form the basis of your training - keep your rep ranges a little on the low side. Think of it this way: it's better to practice 3 reps in good form over and over than it is to do 3 good reps and 7 shitty ones over and over.

Whatever you practice the most is what you'll pattern.

I still train 3-days a week most of the year (total body type programs) and I have been lifting for 17-years!

patrick

I just cannot do full body routines, I get too bored, I still train each body part once per week using a four day split... in my youth I used hit every body part twice per week doing a 6 on 1 off, I look back on that now and have no idea how I did it!

OK, thanks for the reply's. I'm not looking to body build, just get in shape. The exercises are push ups, sit ups, and im using a curling bar and bench press.

Originally Posted by ac991

OK, thanks for the reply's. I'm not looking to body build, just get in shape. The exercises are push ups, sit ups, and im using a curling bar and bench press.

so you are missing the two largest body parts: legs and back.

Originally Posted by gopro

If you are training with any kind of intensity and the goal is to build muscle, train each bodypart no more than twice every 7-8 days.

I would have just repeated the above, but now that you listed what you intend to do and what your goal is, you can easily train 3 days per week. That said, you really should incorporate a few more movements in order to keep your physique and strength balanced.