volume questions

back in the day i overtrained with the best of them. lately i've been training everything once a week and seeing really good results with that. i like it a lot. made me nervous to only hit everything once a week for awhile but finally tried and am glad.

i'm making gains but i want to make the MOST gains possible. what i'm doing is working but now i'm wondering if it could work better.

i'm in and out of the gym much faster then everyone else at my gym. i know pounding weights for 2 hours every time is not the way to go but i'm wondering if i've gone too far the other way.

i'm totally happy with my leg training plan (THANKS GOPRO!)

i'm wondering about volume in upper body though.

shoulders - here i start with either db presses or military presses on the smith machine. i do four sets and frequently will do 1 or 2 of the sets as a drop set. every set is intense and i'm feeling it HARD after 4 sets.

next i do db side lateral raises. 3 or 4 sets. almost always do 1 or 2 drop sets here too.

(i like dropsets with shoulders!)

then i do the reverse peck deck for rear delts or sometimes cables for 3 sets.

that's is. about 10 sets total - all hard. some drop sets. but i'm done in about 25 minutes. my shoulders feel fried. but lately i'm wondering - should i take more time and add sets or add another exercise (upright rows? a 2nd pressing move?). would i see more growth? or am i fine doing what i'm doing.

i THOUGHT all was well going on how they feel after that work and that i'm seeing progress in strength and appearence. but to be honest, i'm questioning myself now after the 20th person comment on how i'm in and out faster then anyone they've seen at the gym.

shorter workout

I weight more than 255 lbs, and have been competing for 13 years. Here is the total amount of sets I do for each bodypart...

-chest...6-8
-back...8-10
-delts...5-7
-triceps...5-7
-biceps...4-5
-quads...6-8
-hams...5-7

I train my bodyparts once per week on the following split...

mon...chest/delts
tues...back/low back/rear delt
wed...off
thurs...quads/hams/add and abductors
fri...bis/tris/forearms
sat...15 minute calf and ab workout
sun...off

Each workout takes me 45 minutes to 1 hour. On rare occasions I will pick up the volume slightly, but the following period will be with REDUCED volume. Sometimes the body needs a SHOCK, but for 90% of my training year, the above totals hold using my power, rep range, shock 3 week approach.

The take home message...train HARD for short periods and recover...this will equal growth!

If you're feeling it like you said you are then what's the problem? It sounds to me like you are so focused that you get things done and taken care of quickly. Don't bother listening to those people who waste their time in the gym...you can get a quality workout in not a lot of time. Most of us would probably agree you don't need to spend any more than 45 minutes lifting weights, anything more than that is counter-productive anyway.

gopro!!! I like your style. The sets you listed is all you need to pack on mass and strength. I'm assuming that those sets listed are your working sets. I often go as low as 4working sets for my chest workouts on extremely hardcore intense days as I can't do anything after this much anyways, so I just head home and have my post-workout shake!

A little different perspective:

I to was once a volume trainer. I once did 16-20 sets for legs once a week! Chest? Maybe 12 sets.

Over the years as my training volume decreased I got bigger and stronger.

Now I am a Hitter through and through.

Workout 1
Chest: 1 super set / Pec Deck and Incline press
Back: 1 super set / Pull-overs and reverse grip chins and 1 set Deadlifts

Workout 2
Quads: 1 super set / Leg extensions and Leg Press
Hams: 1 set curls
Calves: 1 set standing / 1 set seated

Workout 3
Shoulders: 1 set shrugs / 1 set side laterals / 1 set rear delt machine
Bi's: 1 set curls
Tri's: 1 super set / Push downs and weighted dips

Workout 4
Quads: 1 super set / Leg extensions and squats
Calves: same as before.

No abs or cardio.

I follow the above schedule and train once every 4 days. That???s 8 days between legs and 16 between Chest/back and 16 between shoulder/arm workouts. My whole workout takes between 15-20 minutes. Most people spend more time in the gym in one day than I do all week.

I???m in better shape than ever! Bigger and leaner than ever! People think I???m crazy when they realize how little I train. But then they always say ???I???m going to have to train with you some time.??? Don???t worry what everyone else thinks do what is right for you.

You can train hard or you can train long. You cant do both?

DOING EVEN ONE MORE REP THAN IS NESSARY TO SPARK THE BODIES GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME IS OVER TRAINING.

Good Luck, Train Hard
Mick

When the volume gets too high on the radio, it hurts your ears...when the volume gets too high during a workout, it hurts your muscles!

Train Hard and Get the F*ck Out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The description of this forum is :

Learn proper form, techniques, & routines. Post questions about weight training as it relates to muscle building.

Click to expand...

So I. going to address the question!

Variation and consistancy are the keys, there is a place for all training methods, it usually takes and individual years just to figure out what works for THEM and what doesn't....how to contract properly, and the mind/muscle connection!


Even through this trial and error period, and beyond, there is constant learning, what didn't work before, may work again later with a slight change, grip, form, contraction, anything!


So methods like, high/low volume, shocking, drops, negtives, super/tri/giant sets....the list goes on forever...ALL have their place and time....it's up to the individual and or their trainer to figure how they best respond in the shortest period of time (I'm talking chronologically, not time in the gym, but that applies too).

The most knowledgeble trainer in one of the gyms I belong to came to me recently, he said, "It would be nice if we could add in a "Muscle Biopsy" for each client with their assessment, the amount of time we could save figuring out what training method would work best would be enormous!"

Originally posted by gopro
when the volume gets too high during a workout, it hurts your muscles!

Click to expand...

Now, not to just take opposition to GP, but IMO, and in the context of what I said above (I am extremely slow twitch)...... Volume and even high weight/high volume works very well for me! When my "muscles hurt", my body responds and grows stronger! I have never truely hit a plateau, I am still getting stronger, and even more important to me, more density, thickneess and vasculariy, even after 15 years of training!
(I look bigger than many 20-30 pound heavier)


DP

The amount of sets one would do is inversely proportional to the intensity and directly proportional to the number of repetitions per set.

So if your are using high intensity, you would do less sets and if you are doing low reps, you would also do a low number of sets. This of course does not hold true if you are using chemical assistance.

Originally posted by gopro
Train Hard and Get the F*ck Out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Great advice and well put

that's what i do. i think i wanted to be sure i wasn't taking that theory too far. seems to be working though.

for shoulders i'm doing about 10 sets and leaving fried - but it's only taking about 25 minutes for that to happen. i don't rest long between sets and do at least 2-3 drop sets in my 10. i think i'm ok but was starting to question if being done with a bodypart in 25 minutes was taking the concept too far (train hard and get the fuq out)

You can always pair some parts up, I try to be in the gym for no more than an hour.

HEY HONEY I am in and outta that place fast too! Never there over an hour! Unless I have no life that day..may stay a little longer..don't worry about all the comments!!

you're right. i was second guessing stuff that i know is working for me. i have days and moments where i will totally stray from my plan. like maybe smith presses are feeling great so i do twice the sets i planned or something like that. but mostly - it's working so i'll just chill and keep mixing it up as i need to.

i'm laughing now b/c back in college i worked at a gym. on sunday mornings 1 guy would come in with the newspaper. sunday was chest day for him. he'd read the paper between sets. i think it took him 3 hours to train chest. in 4 years time i never saw his size or strength change. but he'd tell people "i worked out for 3 hours"

thanks everyone.

Originally posted by Dr. Pain
The description of this forum is :






Now, not to just take opposition to GP, but IMO, and in the context of what I said above (I am extremely slow twitch)...... Volume and even high weight/high volume works very well for me! When my "muscles hurt", my body responds and grows stronger! I have never truely hit a plateau, I am still getting stronger, and even more important to me, more density, thickneess and vasculariy, even after 15 years of training!
(I look bigger than many 20-30 pound heavier)


DP

Click to expand...

I agree that all people must find what works for them. There are SOME differences from individual to individual, but in my experience, there are some "universal truths" that apply to most, not ALL, but most people, when it comes to resistance training.

When I mention "hurting" your muscles, I am not speaking of the awesome pain of a psyco set, but of "overdoing it" to the point of the inability to recover or worse, injury.

I understand that you believe you are more "slow twitch," so that higher volume works for you...and it probably does, but you are in the minority for sure. I think it is awesome that you have not hit a plateau and continue to improve. If you have read some of my posts you will know that I have gained 125 lbs of muscle in my 16 years of lifting...drug free. I gained 17 lbs over this winter!

Anyway, I hope you continue to improve with your methods, but I still feel that what works for you will only work for the minority.

peace...

"pyscho"

quote:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn proper form, techniques, & routines. Post questions about weight training as it relates to muscle building.
------------------------------------------------------------------------





So I'm going to address the question!

Variation and consistancy are the keys, there is a place for all training methods, it usually takes and individual years just to figure out what works for THEM and what doesn't....how to contract properly, and the mind/muscle connection!


Even through this trial and error period, and beyond, there is constant learning, what didn't work before, may work again later with a slight change, grip, form, contraction, anything!


So methods like, high/low volume, shocking, drops, negtives, super/tri/giant sets....the list goes on forever...ALL have their place and time....it's up to the individual and or their trainer to figure how they best respond in the shortest period of time (I'm talking chronologically, not time in the gym, but that applies too).

The most knowledgeble trainer in one of the gyms I belong to came to me recently, he said, "It would be nice if we could add in a "Muscle Biopsy" for each client with their assessment, the amount of time we could save figuring out what training method would work best would be enormous!"

Just felt the need to reiterate so the MAIN POINTS don't get lost in the interpretations!


DP

Don't worry my friend...I got all your points.

Originally posted by gopro


..... If you have read some of my posts you will know that I have gained 125 lbs of muscle in my 16 years of lifting...drug free. I gained 17 lbs over this winter!

...

Click to expand...

Awesome! 17 lbs this winter!

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
"pyscho"

Click to expand...

Who...me?