Weight Training: All over body days versus targeted muscle d

thepetiterunner

Hey fellow weight lifters!

I've been contemplating this for awhile now... is it better to do weight lifting where you do a circuit or routine that covers all the muscles each time or is it better to have "leg/back" and "abs/arm" days? I hit the weights pretty hard 3 days a week and generally like to do an all-over routine rather than just obliterate one or two muscle groups/regions at a time, but maybe that's not the best way.

What do you think works best for you? An all-over-body routine each time or targeted workout days?

Thanks in advance!

BrandyontheRun

**bump** I'd like to hear others responses as well. I've heard that when you just start, it's good to do full body workouts for the first month, then move on to target training. I myself do a full body workout, but I only do it once a week. Fridays are my only day where I focus completely on strength training (throughout the week I'm doing cardio and a dvd at home such as 30DS)

chiera88

bump

i'm about to start weight training again. the class i took was full body twice a week

Rae6503

I'm been debating this too. This article has some sample schedules depending on what you want to do:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-2.html

Sidesteal

Generally speaking the newer you are to lifting, the more important higher-frequency training is.

Common recommendation that I have read, is for beginners to do full body 3 x week or upper/lower split 4/week.

erickirb

There are a couple issues that could come up, depending on your routine, from full body routines:
1. Not putting enough load on each muscle group (not enough sets or reps for any one muscle group)
2. Not enough recovery time for muscles to rebuild. (a lot of routines have you hit each muscle group 1 to 2 times/week, your routine hits them 3 times/week)
3. The time it takes to do full body workouts is quite long, if you are putting sufficient load on each muscle group, and you may become tired by the end, which could end up making you lose form, or not being able to push as hard on the last muscle group as you did on others.

Depending on the design of your routine some or none of the above may come into play, but they are something to pay attention too.

Goal_Seeker_1988

bump!!!

thepetiterunner

Generally speaking the newer you are to lifting, the more important higher-frequency training is.

Common recommendation that I have read, is for beginners to do full body 3 x week or upper/lower split 4/week.

I've done weights for a couple of years and when I had a personal trainer we definitely had targeted workout days, but I just get bored (and exhausted!) doing just legs one day, etc.

Do you think doing full body 3 x week is a bad choice over the long haul? I'm not really trying to get super buffed out, I'm more interested in shaping and maintaining a very toned/fit look.

Mixmode

Work each muscle group 2x a week but split up like Upper Body on Mon & Thurs & Lower Body on Tues & Fri.

thepetiterunner

There are a couple issues that could come up, depending on your routine, from full body routines:
1. Not putting enough load on each muscle group (not enough sets or reps for any one muscle group)
2. Not enough recovery time for muscles to rebuild. (a lot of routines have you hit each muscle group 1 to 2 times/week, your routine hits them 3 times/week)
3. The time it takes to do full body workouts is quite long, if you are putting sufficient load on each muscle group, and you may become tired by the end, which could end up making you lose form, or not being able to push as hard on the last muscle group as you did on others.

Depending on the design of your routine some or none of the above may come into play, but they are something to pay attention too.

Thanks so much for the above, they are definitely things I have considered. I'm also not currently into getting massive bulk or worrying too much about upping my weights to crazy extremes, but I would like to push myself and I realize doing an all over body workout does sort of put a kink in that plan.

My workouts on weight days (you can see the usual basic moves I do in my diary) usually lasts about 45-50 minutes if I have the time, then I do cardio after. I'm not totally-collapse-ready, but I can tell that I'm definitely petering out a bit.

Mixmode

In the end it all depends on how intense your workout is and your recovery time.

MinnesotaManimal

there are several great programs pre-written for 3 day a week full body work outs that take less than an hour to complete ( until your lifint really heavy and need longer rest time between sets)

google starting strength and Stronglifts 5x5


edit: http://stronglifts.com/secret-5x5-report/

ArroganceInStep

I usually just let my schedule determine which style of lifting I chose. If I have the time to go to the gym to lift 5-7 times a week, I'll lift specific muscle groups. If I only have time to go 2-3 times a week, I'll do a full body workout (it should be noted that a full body routine does take quite a bit longer than chest/tris or whatever). Right now I go MWF and do a full body workout, TTh I do cardio, and SaSu I do martial arts and anything else I'm in the mood for. It works for me.

myak623

My lifting schedule depends on my weekly schedule. During normal weeks, I'm able to target one or two areas a day. My session takes about 35 minutes. For example, on chest day, I may do 5 different exercises with 3 sets each. I only rest 1 minute between sets.

If I'm going to have a busy week, I may have to super set two different areas in the same day.

Overall, I only work each body part once a week and do 3 cardio sessions per week, as well. So far it has worked well. If things stall, then I would have to change that up.

MaximalLife

I do both, cycling my whole workout every 2 weeks from one thing to another to keep my body guessing.
Here are some great resources for ladies doing resistance.
Good Luck!

http://www.weightliftingforwomen.net/
http://www.stumptuous.com/

kcgslp

Right now I am focusing on training for a 1/2 marathon so I weight train less than in the past but
When I did more weight training I worked with a trainer and she always had me do back/biceps one day Chest/triceps and lower body on day three. ABS EVERYDAY. Abs don't need the same kind of recovery as the rest of the muscles.

Puffins1958

Work each muscle group 2x a week but split up like Upper Body on Mon & Thurs & Lower Body on Tues & Fri.

I agree....according to my PT, I'm supposed to alternate muscle groups, one day...legs, one day abs, etc.

sharonfincher1

All the years that I have weight trained the rule of thumb is not to lift the same body part back to back days, give it a day rest... so full body or split body.... as long as u don't lift the same body group two days in a row. lift mon, wed and fri.. full body circuit

thepetiterunner

Right now I am focusing on training for a 1/2 marathon so I weight train less than in the past but
When I did more weight training I worked with a trainer and she always had me do back/biceps one day Chest/triceps and lower body on day three. ABS EVERYDAY. Abs don't need the same kind of recovery as the rest of the muscles.

Congrats on the training for the Half!

When I'm training for a race I usually scale back on weights but still do it 1-2 times a week. I felt it helped my running a LOT more than just doing some of my little runs during the week.

ruststar

there are several great programs pre-written for 3 day a week full body work outs that take less than an hour to complete ( until your lifint really heavy and need longer rest time between sets)

google starting strength and Stronglifts 5x5


edit: http://stronglifts.com/secret-5x5-report/

I've done the New Rules of lifiting for Women, just started Strong Lifts 5x5, and both programs offer a 3x/wk full body workout. Both incorporate compound movements, but I'm really liking Stronglifts right now because it's so simple - 3 compound moves per workout, 5 sets of 5 each. You start light and add 5 pounds every workout. Right now the workouts are only taking me half and hour. I'd rather be in and out and feel like I hit my whole body than spend hours a week trying to isolate every muscle. They work in concert, not independently, and the arguments for focusing on compound movements really resonates with me.

scott091501

there are several great programs pre-written for 3 day a week full body work outs that take less than an hour to complete ( until your lifint really heavy and need longer rest time between sets)

google starting strength and Stronglifts 5x5


edit: http://stronglifts.com/secret-5x5-report/

I respond very well to a 5x5 set up, but everyone is different and honestly everyone has different goals. If you're only lifting 3 times a week I'd say focus on compound lifts and lift heavy.

bstoetzer

I recently started working with a trainer 2 days/week and we usually do full body. I'm doing 3 sets of 12-15 reps. He changes it up everyday. Here's an example of one of my workouts:

Each group is 3 sets 15 reps without resting

Dumbell Bicep curls - 10 lbs
Dumbell Step up/shoulder press - 10 lbs

Barbell deadlift - 40 lbs
Barbell alternating lunge - 18 lbs

Dumbell squats - 10 lbs
Dumbell step up/bicep curl - 10 lbs

Barbell squat/overhead press - 18 lbs
Jumping jacks
Mountain climber

Freemotion Machine squats - 80 lbs
Pushups (on smith machine bar about mid-thigh height)

I'll usually do another day of leg extensions/presses, chest/back and bicep/tricep exercises.

shockedsoshocked

I'm a big proponent of functional strength. Nothing occurs in isolation, and you can still build considerable muscle without isolating anything. Bench and dips can build good triceps, deadlifts, rows and pull ups can build good biceps. Your physique tends to become more natural and balanced as well.

NiciS72

Bump