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About alternating arm days / leg days...

Susmcm
Susmcm Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,
I follow various YouTube workout videos Monday through Friday. These are each 30 min full-body workouts with dumbbells- I use 12 lbs. I like that I work my whole body, and I like that I've made it a daily routine. I don't necessarily want to change it - aside from gradually increasing the dumbbell weight. I know I'm supposed to do arms one day, and legs another day to allow muscles to recover -or push/pull alternating days. My question is, what is the downside of doing it my way? Will it just take longer to build muscle? I'm in no hurry. I take Saturdays and Sundays off. I'm hoping to continue this way, but if this is a matter of injury, I guess I could change it up.
THANKS!

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,128 Member
    You don't need to do arms and legs on different days, but if you do a serious progressive resistance program, you do need to give your muscles time to recover. If you're doing a full body workout, you need to take a day off between workouts.

    That said, the main thing you're probably doing wrong is using a 12 lb. dumbbell for every exercise. It may be adequate for you right now for tricep exercises, but if that's the case, it's most likely too light for biceps, shoulder presses, squats, and anything else you're doing.

    Injury is definitely a consideration, but more so if you're using a weight that challenges you. I don't understand how a 12 lb weight (or any single weight) can challenge you through a full range of exercises.

    Even if 12 lbs is exactly the right weight for you for all these exercises, you're not giving your muscles time to recovery. You build muscle in recovery, not while you're exercising. Exercising tears your muscles down.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,970 Member
    edited November 2021
    Everything Lynn said.

    You specifically reference just arms and legs. Are you doing exercises for back and chest? What are your goals? If it's to build muscle you'll get more bang for the buck from those short workouts of focusing on compound exercises that hit the large chest and back muscles, than you will doing arms.

    You should consider a split, something like e.g. upper body MWF, legs TT, or vice versa.

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