How often to workout??

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!

DawnEmbers

Depends on preference and such. The newer lifter (I'm still one of them) takes a while to move on past the beginner stage where compound focus is usually the recommendation. Stronglifts is great but definitely has a focus on strength gains as that was the intention behind the program. If you like the format but want a little extra, there are other beginner programs that have similar setups. Ice Cream Fitness and Starting Strength are both often recommended. People often seem to move later (months/years later) into ones like 5/3/1 or 4 day splits and those are viewed as more intermediate, which is also when isolation focus seems to be increased more.

There are also some non-5x5 beginner programs if you're wanting different. New Rules of Lifting for Women (and I am guessing the other New Rules of Lifting too) has a lot of variety and changes in different stages. It's also a beginner focused program but can be done at any point.

Fat loss will depend more on the diet than anything else.

Now that I've rambled, cardio... If you like it, have fitness goals that they reach and it helps your calorie balance, then go for it. I lift 3 days a week (NROLFW though started with Stronglifts) and I'm doing Couch to 5k training 3 days a week because I have a 5k I'm signed up for in June. I also do a little bit of accessory work that I want to do on top of the lifting program, I just do them after the required lifts in the program. They are focused on some of my weaker areas that affect the main lifts and a couple are ones I miss from SL as my current one doesn't have me doing bench press so I do it once a week anyways.


Overall suggestion, follow a program that you like, do cardio if you want and keep working the calories and you should do fine.