Well, right now I'm working out 3 days a week. In the summer, I'm going to do 5, with two of them being leg days. But on monday, wednesday, and friday, will be arms. Basically that's what I'm doing right now, it's all upper body. Biceps, back, triceps, pecs, shoulders, etc. I know some people do things on different days. However, it feels like it would be more effective for me to just work them all. My goal is basically to be able to lift more, maybe improve a bit in size and definition a little bit, but lift more weight is the main goal. The reason that doing different things on different days doesn't make sense to me, is that say I'd do 3 or 4 sets of curls for my biceps on a day that I would work my biceps, and only do that once for the week. As opposed to doing 3 or 4 sets of curls(the exact same thing) 3 times a week. Is that how it's done, or do you do more sets? Also, what are workout schedules people would usually do for 5 days a week? Thanks!
Effectiveness of routines?
- Thread starter Adumb
- Start date
Phew...so you already have a good number of things way of course. First, you should most definitely not be doing "arms" three days a week.
Legs twice a week is fine, and upper three times would be fine, BUT, those uppers should be focused on compound lifts. You can do somewhat of a fullbody upper three times a week, meaning that you would work your entire upper body three times, and legs twice.
Or you can split it up, for example, focus on chest one day, shoulder another, and back another. Put the arm work AFTER you hit the big muscle groups with compound lifts.
I usually workout about five times a week right now, but I'm only going for strength, and I don't mind hitting groups only about once a week. You can give parts more focus, and thus more weight - which you can't with a full body.
If you're gonna wanna do 5 times a week, it would be better to go with a split, either groups, or maybe an upper/lower split (might be better for four days), but you can't be doing full-body 5 times a week (atleast not a genuine "full body")
Legs twice a week is fine, and upper three times would be fine, BUT, those uppers should be focused on compound lifts. You can do somewhat of a fullbody upper three times a week, meaning that you would work your entire upper body three times, and legs twice.
Or you can split it up, for example, focus on chest one day, shoulder another, and back another. Put the arm work AFTER you hit the big muscle groups with compound lifts.
I usually workout about five times a week right now, but I'm only going for strength, and I don't mind hitting groups only about once a week. You can give parts more focus, and thus more weight - which you can't with a full body.
If you're gonna wanna do 5 times a week, it would be better to go with a split, either groups, or maybe an upper/lower split (might be better for four days), but you can't be doing full-body 5 times a week (atleast not a genuine "full body")
Adumb said:
You would be better off doing what AJP says. Focus on COMPOUND lifts. Why ?? Because you are lifting more weight, which equals more strength and added muscle, if your diet is in check. For example, if you do rows or chins/pullups for your back, I assure you, your biceps are being quite stimulated by these exercises. Same for triceps, they get worked when you perform any kind of pressing movement (bench, overhead) or when doing dips. Your main goal is to lift more weight, then do compounds.
Muscles grow when they're resting, not when you're pumping out reps. Do some sort of full body routine (however split) and give your muscles plenty of rest.
Ok. Explain to me why it's dumb, because there's something I'm obviously not getting here. I give my muscles 48 hours to rest, that's enough, isn't it? Also, what do you mean by compound lifts?
For the past several months, I haven't even been doing legs, I usually work them by running or jump roping. But I have been doing upper body 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I do pecs: dumbell flys, machine, (bench). triceps: pushdowns on the machine, (bench). back: lat pulldowns, pullups, bent over rows, seated cable rows. biceps: curls. trapezius: dumbell cleans or whatever it's called. shoulders: lateral raises, reverse flys dumbell and machine, shoulder press, shoulder shrugs(sometimes), bench. I also do wrist curls for my forearms.
I do abs everyday. Also, I know of course that lat pulldowns and pullups work your biceps too, but I still do 3 or 4 sets of each anyway. There's a lot of others like that of course too. So, what is wrong with this schedule?
For the past several months, I haven't even been doing legs, I usually work them by running or jump roping. But I have been doing upper body 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I do pecs: dumbell flys, machine, (bench). triceps: pushdowns on the machine, (bench). back: lat pulldowns, pullups, bent over rows, seated cable rows. biceps: curls. trapezius: dumbell cleans or whatever it's called. shoulders: lateral raises, reverse flys dumbell and machine, shoulder press, shoulder shrugs(sometimes), bench. I also do wrist curls for my forearms.
I do abs everyday. Also, I know of course that lat pulldowns and pullups work your biceps too, but I still do 3 or 4 sets of each anyway. There's a lot of others like that of course too. So, what is wrong with this schedule?
Adumb said:
The first thing that is wrong with that routine you have is that it is way too much for a full body routine.
The "dumb" part someone mentioned was in reference to your original post in which the first thing you mentioned was arms and legs, so it sounded like you only did arms and legs. And on the topic of legs, you NEED to work your legs like the rest of your body, work the whole body. Running and jumping is cardio, not a leg workout. So squats, lunges, etc...deadlifts eventually.
Compound Lifts are exercises that work multiple groups, for example with benching you use your triceps to put the weight up, its working your chest, and also using your shoulders (same with dips). In opposition, an isolation exercise is only working one group, for example, curls. I think you have an idea because you knew that pulldowns hit the biceps a little too.
A full body three times a week is fine, but I would recommend a chad waterbury program or bill starrs 5x5...