Strength training frequency?

CLKgramma

I am a 65-year-old woman, 20 pounds overweight, just beginning strength training. Currently my weights are in the 10-40 pound range. My husband and I go to the gym on Monday and Friday. I try to do cardio on the off days about three times a week. I would like to add another strength day (avoiding weekends), but the only other day I have available is Thursday. That would mean two days in a row. Is that OK?

jemhh

The answer really depends on what you are doing. Could you provide some detail on what exercises you are doing?

I follow Bret Contreras, a trainer who often has people do full body programs 4 (sometimes more) days per week. While the general key is that your muscles need a day of rest between being worked, intensity makes a big difference so programming back to back days where one is heavier and more intense and one is less intense, can be fine.

And if you don't want to do back to back full body days, you could do a full body program on Monday, and lower body on Thursday and upper body on Friday (or switch those two.)

DancingMoosie

You could do full body 2 days and accessories the 3rd...

CLKgramma

DancingMoose, not sure I know what you mean by accessories.

Jemhh, this is my routine. Everything is 15 reps and 2 sets.

Chest press 10 lb
Pull down 30 lb
Shoulder press 10 lb
Bicep Curl 25 lb
Tricep ext 35 lb
Low row 30 lb
Abdominals 35 lb
Seated drip 40 lb
Leg press 35 lb
Leg ext 25 lb
Leg Curl 30 lb
Inner thigh 35 lb
Outer thigh 35 lb
Glutes 30 lb

I thought about whole body Mon, legs Thurs and arms Fri, but wouldn't it be the same to just do whole body Mon and Fri? I appreciate your input.

Cherimoose

CLKgramma wrote: »

I thought about whole body Mon, legs Thurs and arms Fri, but wouldn't it be the same to just do whole body Mon and Fri?

Basically.. unless you did more sets on your split days.

Another option.. which is probably what i would do.. is to do a full-body workout at home on Wednesday. A simple bodyweight routine can be done with minimal equipment, like Nerd Fitness' program:
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

That would balance out your machine workout, which is poor at developing functional strength, since the machines support your body (unnatural). At some point, consider incorporating more freeweights. A good strength program for your age group is New Rules of Lifting for Life.

jemhh

Cherimoose wrote: »

CLKgramma wrote: »

I thought about whole body Mon, legs Thurs and arms Fri, but wouldn't it be the same to just do whole body Mon and Fri?

Basically.. unless you did more sets on your split days.

Another option.. which is probably what i would do.. is to do a full-body workout at home on Wednesday. A simple bodyweight routine can be done with minimal equipment, like Nerd Fitness' program:
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

That would balance out your machine workout, which is poor at developing functional strength, since the machines support your body (unnatural). At some point, consider incorporating more freeweights. A good strength program for your age group is New Rules of Lifting for Life.

I was thinking that if she split up her FB routine on Thurs/Fri, she could use higher weights. I've never looked at NROL for Life. Is it FB or a split (or a template for either?)

CLKgramma

Thanks I really like that nerd bodyweight circuit!

rybo

You could easily split the 2 back to back days an have no problems.
Day 1 vertical push/vertical pull/squat/hinge
Day 2 horizontal push/horizontal pull/lunge/different squat variation