Weightlifting

Is it true that I can only weight lift every other day? I want to lift more and get big muscles.
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Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    edited September 2017
    Depends on the program. A split you can do every day. A full body program, you need recovery days.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    This is a little like asking if you can stir your cake mix more, instead of putting it in the oven. Recovery is when your muscles are growing. You can lift more often than every other day if you are working different muscles, but you can't work the same muscles more often.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    As mentioned, it will depend on your programming. But more doesn't equal better (or bigger muscles)
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited September 2017
    Recovery and adaptation rates and how intense the session was, determine how frequent a person can train. These rates are different for how advanced the trainee is.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    There are definitely programs out there that would have you lift every day. In fact, there are programs where you can squat/etc.. every day. But you certainly do not start with those programs, and it takes a lot of time to build up to that level of volume.

    You want to get big muscles, it's going to depend on what your current base is and time. No one gets big over night, regardless of their work.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited September 2017
    No, there are many ways to lift that will give you results. Some optimal, others suboptimal.

    Where are you getting this info there is only one way to lift?
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    In order to get big muscles, one must 1st have the commitment to train right, eat right, and sleep right. And then ALWAYS lift the heaviest compound movements (squat, deadlift, bench, dips, and front squats) you can for ONLY 3 day per week for 12 weeks. Sure, towards the middle it will probably get boring, but if you stay committed you will not be disappointed with the results. Note: If you are on a caloric deficit then it helps to incorporate a little HITT cardio at the end of each workout. If you are on a surplus... Then continue to do the same but add lots more protein to your diet. Good luck!

    Huh???
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Why in a deficit with lifting focus would HIIT be beneficial?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Why in a deficit with lifting focus would HIIT be beneficial?

    Great question. Not only does it not seem like it would be helpful but seems like it would be counter productive.
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    heybales wrote: »
    Why in a deficit with lifting focus would HIIT be beneficial?

    In a caloric deficit, your metabolism may slow down. Doesn't HIIT counteract this and stoke the metabolism?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    Why in a deficit with lifting focus would HIIT be beneficial?

    In a caloric deficit, your metabolism may slow down. Doesn't HIIT counteract this and stoke the metabolism?

    No.

    True HIIT is as close to lifting as you'll get when you only want to do cardio.
    And some of it's beneficial effects is because it is close to lifting - potential for EPOC (which isn't that great an increase in calorie burn) and increased repair metabolism (that could be but HIIT isn't as great an impact).
    And because of that it really needs the same kind of recovery time (though not as bad since not as damaging).

    But if doing the lifting already - skip the HIIT.

    You could arrange your week that you do HIIT with legs, no where near a leg workout to impact either getting a good workout or recovery from a good workout.

    But most I've seen give no such consideration.

    If you want to do HIIT after your lifting because you just love the feeling (and considering you may have just used the same muscles and therefore can't really do true HIIT but intervals of some sort) then knock yourself out.

    At least that would be the best time for it - recover the next day from both activities. I used to do hill sprints after lower body workout. Well, the sprinting was a tad pitiful as you can imagine at that point.

    But I had no misunderstanding that this was helping either the lifting or the weight loss in anyway.

    Shoot - if I wanted to increase daily calories to eat more - just 20 min of intense as I could cardio would have burned more than intervals.
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 694 Member
    In order to get big muscles, one must 1st have the commitment to train right, eat right, and sleep right. And then ALWAYS lift the heaviest compound movements (squat, deadlift, bench, dips, and front squats) you can for ONLY 3 day per week for 12 weeks. Sure, towards the middle it will probably get boring, but if you stay committed you will not be disappointed with the results. Note: If you are on a caloric deficit then it helps to incorporate a little HITT cardio at the end of each workout. If you are on a surplus... Then continue to do the same but add lots more protein to your diet. Good luck!

    So 6 day PPL, 5 day PHAT, 4 day PHUL, 5/3/1 are programs that wouldnt work? Mixing both primary compound Lifts, isolation and hypertrophy training. Don't do that. k. Got it.

    Oh and be in a deficit and increase that deficit with HIIT..

    Hope OP has some solid newb gains to tap Into
  • jlhflex
    jlhflex Posts: 107 Member
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    In order to get big muscles, one must 1st have the commitment to train right, eat right, and sleep right. And then ALWAYS lift the heaviest compound movements (squat, deadlift, bench, dips, and front squats) you can for ONLY 3 day per week for 12 weeks. Sure, towards the middle it will probably get boring, but if you stay committed you will not be disappointed with the results. Note: If you are on a caloric deficit then it helps to incorporate a little HITT cardio at the end of each workout. If you are on a surplus... Then continue to do the same but add lots more protein to your diet. Good luck!

    Huh???

    Mine thought was
    "wtf"
  • jlhflex
    jlhflex Posts: 107 Member
    It depends. Recovery is key but you can speed recovery in order to increase training. I am assuming you are just starting out? If so, I wouldnt focus on training to often. Work up to it. True muscle mass takes time. Good Luck!
  • SammysMommy3
    SammysMommy3 Posts: 10 Member
    I lift every 5 days get two recovery days im on sum great suplements though. Message me ill let you know
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
    There are many programs that allow you to work out more often that 3 times a week. They all involve rotating muscle groups to allow recovery and growth. It is not uncommon to see some people weight train virtually everyday. I am fine with 3 days a week...it just fits my life better.
  • GerlaineGerry
    GerlaineGerry Posts: 14 Member
    You can do weightlifting every day. Train different body parts each day to let the body part you worked out yesterday recover
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    gportman08 wrote: »
    You can do weightlifting every day. Train different body parts each day to let the body part you worked out yesterday recover

    Or, you can do a full body, compound routine 3 days a week. All depends on how much time you have to spend in the gym and what your goals are.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    gportman08 wrote: »
    You can do weightlifting every day. Train different body parts each day to let the body part you worked out yesterday recover

    And an experienced multi-year body builder could benefit from that type of workout.

    Several responses in this topic shared that this is not the case here.