i need some advice on training. everyone i talk to and everything i read says i should only work each muscle group heavy once a week. however i have found i really dont get stronger doing that, and instead working each group 2-3 times a week on 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each muscle has been producing noticable improvements, and my muscles seem to be recovering just fine. But this goes against everything i know, should i conitinue this? are there any adverse affects of training this much?
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- Thread starter wanttogetbig
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If you're a natural lifter working each muscle group more than once every 5-6 days will ultimately lead to overtraining. It's okay to do it for a few weeks, but you should "cycle off" and reduce your work-outs.
You should also cycle your heavy lifting. I ony work each muscle "heavy" once every other work-out, not because of overtraining though, to reduce the chance of injury and to keep my body off balance.
You should also cycle your heavy lifting. I ony work each muscle "heavy" once every other work-out, not because of overtraining though, to reduce the chance of injury and to keep my body off balance.
Definately something not everyone agrees on, if your doing 20 sets for a bodypart then your probably going to be sore for awhile (until you get used to that workload), but I also have found that my BEST gains come from more frequent shorter workouts, which is why I got into HST.
I am currently doing HST for 3 weeks then a 4 on 1 off for 3 weeks. I first tried a program similar to HST almost 10 years ago and I made the best gains in my life at that time, working the body 3x a week.
In some regards I found out that HIT is similar, in that they believe that you do NOT need massive amounts of sets to force the body into growing, and I know that for myself that seems to be the truth, I respond better to more frequent workouts.
I am currently doing HST for 3 weeks then a 4 on 1 off for 3 weeks. I first tried a program similar to HST almost 10 years ago and I made the best gains in my life at that time, working the body 3x a week.
In some regards I found out that HIT is similar, in that they believe that you do NOT need massive amounts of sets to force the body into growing, and I know that for myself that seems to be the truth, I respond better to more frequent workouts.
Bah, I think most of the overtraining fear is a bunch of hooey. I do feel like variety is good, but I don't believe that people stagnate over overtraining, although I do believe that most people do to much work during thier sets in general.
I think looking at slavery over the years is proof of this, hebrew and otherwise, as well as those that worked on the pyramids - although they did have interesting bone trauma.
I think looking at slavery over the years is proof of this, hebrew and otherwise, as well as those that worked on the pyramids - although they did have interesting bone trauma.
You definitley have some interesting perspectives and analogies Mudge! 
Actually, I think that overtraining is ignored or undetected by most natural lifters because they read these magazines and try and follow the routines of drugged up IFBB pros. Not to mention the general American philosophy that "more is better"!
I would rather undertrain than overtrain.
Actually, I think that overtraining is ignored or undetected by most natural lifters because they read these magazines and try and follow the routines of drugged up IFBB pros. Not to mention the general American philosophy that "more is better"!
I would rather undertrain than overtrain.
Oh well, I'm not Mr Huge like some of you guys so who knows what my thoughts are worth.
I don't know whats up with the routines those guys post, I see alot of them working out sloppily anyway, so some of them probably need those massive amounts of sets, and yes of course there are the drugs...
My growth is generally pretty darn slow (kind of like, non-existent!) on longer 6 on 1 off type routines, so I never fell into that sort of routine for very long.
I don't know whats up with the routines those guys post, I see alot of them working out sloppily anyway, so some of them probably need those massive amounts of sets, and yes of course there are the drugs...
My growth is generally pretty darn slow (kind of like, non-existent!) on longer 6 on 1 off type routines, so I never fell into that sort of routine for very long.
I think you're fine as long as you get around 5 days of recuperation, obviously as TCD mentioned, this depends based on the type of training you're doing, your goals, genetics, and if you're natural or not....and other outside factors.
Whatever makes ya grow man, stick with it.
It sure works for me progressively! Strength and size are much improved over just months ago, since I've started. I've broken the 18" arm size barrier for the first time in my life (big whuppee).
Golds_Soldier
Banned Member
Thats the best advice on this post so far. For some people doing each bodypart 3 times a week can be equal to suicide, but to others it can lead to great gains. I do each body part 2 times a week once heavy and once light.
If that's what is working for you then keep doing it, for most I would say it probably wouldn't but if you've tried the other and it doesn't work as well then why would you do it.
Progress, thats all that matters.
I agree, if it's working keep doing it, BUT his last question was this:
and that is what I was responding to. I do not think anyone (that is training without drugs) can train a muscle hard and heavy 2-3 times per week for very long, ultimately it will lead to overtraining. I recommend cycling it, 3 weeks on 3 weeks off, or something like that.
and that is what I was responding to. I do not think anyone (that is training without drugs) can train a muscle hard and heavy 2-3 times per week for very long, ultimately it will lead to overtraining. I recommend cycling it, 3 weeks on 3 weeks off, or something like that.
I also agree with Prince, don't forget that you use muscles like arms and shoulders while working back and chest so in fact your already working them more than once a week already.
I would only work ABS and Calves more than once a week.
I would only work ABS and Calves more than once a week.
thanks for the help. i think i'll work twice a week but i wont go heavy when i do, also ill try cycling on and off of that workout. One last question what is this hst program some of you guys were talking about, it sounds like it might work well for me.
Worked for me, my current workout is 3 weeks HST and 3 weeks 4 on 1 off. I don't grow like I did years ago when I first tried a similar program, at my best though in July across 11 days I put on 1/2" on my arms.
Alot of people don't believe in this type of program, but HIT is becoming pretty popular (which seem to share some principles), and I know trying it for the first time almost 10 years ago I never grew on any other programs like I have these, and I have always felt when I try workouts where you train 1 bodypart a week, that not only are the gains slow, but I just about swear I lose half of what I work out on by the next workout. From what I've seen claimed is that the body starts to get atrophy after 3 days time from the last workout, I've seen it claimed in the first program I used and in HST.
Alot of people don't believe in this type of program, but HIT is becoming pretty popular (which seem to share some principles), and I know trying it for the first time almost 10 years ago I never grew on any other programs like I have these, and I have always felt when I try workouts where you train 1 bodypart a week, that not only are the gains slow, but I just about swear I lose half of what I work out on by the next workout. From what I've seen claimed is that the body starts to get atrophy after 3 days time from the last workout, I've seen it claimed in the first program I used and in HST.
