Weight Training, Frequency, and Efficiency ?

amonkey794

Okay. It seems every time I post it is about exercise. My question this time is about all the talk of efficiency of a workout with time and frequency.

I am a first semester college student. With an intended science major, so I have 2 science lectures with attached labs, a math class, a composition, and this other seminar crap I had to take. I am constantly suffering from stress and anxiety. (I actually have anxiety issues). All day. The only time I don't stress is during my workout every week day morning. Right now I have been weight training 90 minutes MWF with 30 minutes stairmaster cardio and some from of group fitness class for 60 minutes on T/TH. I want to change that Thursday to another weights day. I like the idea of keeping my cardio for heart benefits, but to be honest I really dread it and it doesn't help me de-stress the way weights do.

That is the main reason for weights. They are what keep me from just falling off the deep end. I am always barked at for having my workouts to long and frequent and that they are actually less efficient because of it. Most of these people I know have no real background on this information.

Is this really true? My goals are at maintaining now. Weight, muscle, and BF composition. I have the body I am happy with and I'd like to keep it. So will keeping this routine disrupt that? Will it somehow cause my BF to increase because I am not changing it up? I would hope not because I would really like to have this as a way to keep my stress level minimal?

I hope this was enough background information to give me any answers or advice. Thank you!

bltrexler

My best advice to you is stay away from beer, late night junk food and you stay at your current weight. As far as efficiency I don't really have an answer for you. Not sure my self.

wfte

Sure someone with more know how will be a long but I would ask if ur working different muscle groups on weight days. Working same muscles too close together doesn't give them enough recovery time and therefore you make no progression.

But you probably know this anyway.

amonkey794

I alternate upper and lower body

Greenrun99

That is the main reason for weights. They are what keep me from just falling off the deep end. I am always barked at for having my workouts to long and frequent and that they are actually less efficient because of it. Most of these people I know have no real background on this information.

Is this really true? My goals are at maintaining now. Weight, muscle, and BF composition. I have the body I am happy with and I'd like to keep it. So will keeping this routine disrupt that? Will it somehow cause my BF to increase because I am not changing it up? I would hope not because I would really like to have this as a way to keep my stress level minimal?

I will jump in why not.. I understand all the college stress but as a freshmen you are really just beginning as you probably know.. but anyways! (I miss college) Workouts.. yes its true you can overwork yourself or even do so much work that your just eliminating the progress your making.. if your looking to add more weight sessions (MWTHF right) you are going to want to look more into a different workout approach, since you are at your current weight I would suggest doing 35-40 minutes (MAX) of weight training and then your stair master.. if your doing 90 minutes either your taking way to long of breaks or your doing way too much stuff and need to increase weight.. Your really looking to do 10-12 exercises, 3 sets, 8-10 reps.. 30-45 second break between sets... if you switch to 4 day weight training you may want to look into workouts that involve muscles and not divide your body by 2 (Push/Pull exercises for instance) working each section intensely 1 day a week.

Only way your going to gain BF is if you gain weight, but you may also gain muscle and reduce BF this of course won't happen overnight.. and if you dread cardio, why don't you do a different machine or routine, use the bike or elliptical or something.. of course your group fitness maybe enough cardio that you could skip it too.

amonkey794

I do free weights 95% of the time? doesnt that involve muscle? you lost me with that?

Greenrun99

ya but I don't mean that way, I mean breaking your workouts into specific muscle groups (bicep,tricep, back, shoulder, legs, chest, abs).. this way you are more focused one day on a specific group instead of doing the same upper body or lower body workout twice in 1 week (if doing it 4 times a week).. Here is a more detailed explanation of the push-pull workout

http://www.weighttrainingadvice.com/pushpull.html

It allows you to take your 2 main weight training days and stretch it into 4 while working the muscles harder and allowing time to recover.