Routines

StargazerB

I'm getting a bit burnt out on my current workout routine. I've been lifting 4-5 times a week following an upper/lower split for about a year now. I've switched my accessory lifts from time to time. I've done very hit or miss cardio because recomp was my focus and I enjoyed resistance training so much. I considered bulking but have decided that long term recomp is better for me. I'm finding that I want to get back to doing some cardio on a regular basis. Would going from the 4 day upper/lower split to a 3 day full body with two days of cardio be okay to continue recomping? Also, I'm not there yet but when I do finally have the body composition I want how many days a week of resistance training is necessary to maintain but not necessarily recomp? I'm not sure if that even makes sense! Thanks!

sijomial

"Would going from the 4 day upper/lower split to a 3 day full body with two days of cardio be okay to continue recomping?"
More than likely yes - but there's personal variations in what you actually do in your 4 day split or your proposed 3 day full body. It could even be superior as you have 3 cycles of stress and muscle recovery per week as opposed to 2 per muscle group with your split routine. The workout intensity may of course be different.
(The cynical me might observe that many gym goers don't train at the intensity and volume needed to make the most of a 4 day split.)

"Also, I'm not there yet but when I do finally have the body composition I want how many days a week of resistance training is necessary to maintain but not necessarily recomp? I'm not sure if that even makes sense! Thanks!"
Makes perfect sense.
My rule of thumb for most of my training lifetime has been:
Once - slow decline.
Twice - maintenance when highly trained or slow improvement when not, possibly targeted improvements on some lifts rather than overall.
Three times - good rate of progress on all lifts.

Now it's a bit different for me as I'm both an old fart and at (for me) quite high training levels, twice a week isn't enough to maintain my highest numbers, three times is barely enough for glacial progress.

There isn't really one universal rule across people or even for the same person at different stages of their life and lifting. As my main goal is strength it's easy to see progress or decline, with hypertrophy as your main goal it's much harder and timescales are longer.

StargazerB

sijomial wrote: »

"Would going from the 4 day upper/lower split to a 3 day full body with two days of cardio be okay to continue recomping?"
More than likely yes - but there's personal variations in what you actually do in your 4 day split or your proposed 3 day full body. It could even be superior as you have 3 cycles of stress and muscle recovery per week as opposed to 2 per muscle group with your split routine. The workout intensity may of course be different.
(The cynical me might observe that many gym goers don't train at the intensity and volume needed to make the most of a 4 day split.)

"Also, I'm not there yet but when I do finally have the body composition I want how many days a week of resistance training is necessary to maintain but not necessarily recomp? I'm not sure if that even makes sense! Thanks!"
Makes perfect sense.
My rule of thumb for most of my training lifetime has been:
Once - slow decline.
Twice - maintenance when highly trained or slow improvement when not, possibly targeted improvements on some lifts rather than overall.
Three times - good rate of progress on all lifts.

Now it's a bit different for me as I'm both an old fart and at (for me) quite high training levels, twice a week isn't enough to maintain my highest numbers, three times is barely enough for glacial progress.

There isn't really one universal rule across people or even for the same person at different stages of their life and lifting. As my main goal is strength it's easy to see progress or decline, with hypertrophy as your main goal it's much harder and timescales are longer.

Thank you for replying. Honestly my main goal is to be generally healthy and fit. I'm happy with my body the way it is, sure I can make improvements but I'm fine with those being slow over time.

1BlueAurora

I don't think it will hurt to give your new plan a try. See how you feel after a few weeks. Changing up your routine will get rid of boredom.