Workout 3 days, 5 days, everyday???

LoLoGB

so I was working out 3 days a week weights and 3 days a week light cardio (bike ride, walk, etc). But since general advice is to do intense compound workouts I wonder if it's best to do compound 3x week and then isolation on all other days?

IE instead of lunges with bicep curl or squat with overhead press...just do lunges and squats and then work my arms and shoulders with ISO another day? (I know that get some work with compound in grip strength alone).

So should I adopt the routine of legs and butt Mon, arms and shoulders Tues, abs and back Wed, chest and arms Thurs...etc etc? Or stick with the Stronglifts 5x5 type workout 3 days a week and add ISO after or not at all?

My ultimate goal is fat loss first (I have 15-20 to lose to show the muscle underneath)...then fitness...then strength.

Suggestions?

Btw I am 5'4.5", 142 lbs, BF 28.5%, and almost 37yrs old.

Thanks!

heybales

Exercise if done right tears the body down.

Rest for repair and recovery is what allows it to build back up, stronger if diet allows.

Repair from good lifting takes 24-36 hrs easy, sometimes longer depending on experience doing it.
So where would the repair be if lifting daily?
Really using totally different muscles?

Suggest don't try to out-think good schedules, which are that way for a very good reason.

You can't do a strong a workout that tears the body down if muscles are tired when you attempt it.
If you can't tear the body down, nothing needs to repair to get stronger.

But if you do a strong workout that tears it down, but don't allow repair, then you didn't get stronger either, and just stress body out.

Either effect leads to mediocre workouts.

Follow the program, SL5x5. Notice NO iso is brought in.

A beginner, under a year of lifting, slows down progress attempting split routines like you mentioned. Body needs volume weekly to make the most changes possible. Now if a 2-day split routine can be done 3x weekly, no problem.
Now, outside the fact splits have become a fad for those that at least want to do lifting, they can be useful if very limited on time, and want lifting something almost daily, but short times.
Then a well laid out split routine can help there.
But if time is available, full body 3 x weekly with weekly volume of 75-110 reps is best.
Or 2-day split 3 x weekly if time daily is short, but 6 days is available.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Instructions.html

You may find some other compound lifts to add after the 5x5 if you have supporting muscles that need help.