How often should I switch workouts?

jaciejaciexoxo

When I first started lifting I was comfortable enough to just decide same day in the gym but since it’s been several months since I’ve gone I’d figured I would follow a program.

I invested in a bodybuilding program (glute based) but it’s not specific on if I should do a different one everyday. Or stick to one for a couple days before changing.

The program is based on 8 weeks & has 4 lower body workouts(1-8) the other 4 are upper body that I won’t be doing many of.

AllanMisner

You won't be getting very good results working the same muscles every day. Muscles need time to recover and if you can do the work every day, you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. It sounds like this program is set up to have you alternate lower body and upper body and cycle through the workouts. So, Monday - lower body #1, Tuesday upper body #1, Wednesday lower body #2, Thursday, upper body #2, etc.

Why would you not do the upper body?

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

jaciejaciexoxo

AllanMisner wrote: »

You won't be getting very good results working the same muscles every day. Muscles need time to recover and if you can do the work every day, you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. It sounds like this program is set up to have you alternate lower body and upper body and cycle through the workouts. So, Monday - lower body #1, Tuesday upper body #1, Wednesday lower body #2, Thursday, upper body #2, etc.

Why would you not do the upper body?

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

Thanks,
I will be doing upper body + core in form of calisthenics training, but only 1-2x per week. I’ve noticed that even without directly targeting my arms that they get pretty strong/big really fast...I’ll have 2 rest days.

I’ll be lifting heavy but I also have anemia so I won’t be going complete beast mode until my levels change.

Davidsdottir

jaciejaciexoxo wrote: »

AllanMisner wrote: »

You won't be getting very good results working the same muscles every day. Muscles need time to recover and if you can do the work every day, you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. It sounds like this program is set up to have you alternate lower body and upper body and cycle through the workouts. So, Monday - lower body #1, Tuesday upper body #1, Wednesday lower body #2, Thursday, upper body #2, etc.

Why would you not do the upper body?

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

Thanks,
I will be doing upper body + core in form of calisthenics training, but only 1-2x per week. I’ve noticed that even without directly targeting my arms that they get pretty strong/big really fast...I’ll have 2 rest days.

I’ll be lifting heavy but I also have anemia so I won’t be going complete beast mode until my levels change.

I'm jealous! It's taken me three solid months to grow half an inch on my biceps with a pretty serious upper/lower heavy split.

DancingMoosie

I do full-body twice per week (similar to Stronglifts with added glutes), and then a workout video with cardio and dumbbells to hit pretty much everything else once or twice per week. My full-body heavy days are usually M/TH evenings, and then the dumbbells/circuit training T or W morning and Sat.

sardelsa

What program are you doing? It should give you instructions on how to do the program and when to switch. For example Strong Curves has you doing 3-4 workouts per week then moving on to the next cycle after 4 weeks. But what you are describing obviously sounds a bit different because of the upper lower split.

Also you can work the same muscle back to back, especially the glutes since they can handle it and have fairly quick recovery especially in women, but it depends on your programming obviously. I have worked them up to 6x per week at one point (with fantastic results) following a specific well designed program.