How often should Lift Wieghts

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goodoboy25
goodoboy25 Posts: 17
in Fitness and Exercise
My current work out schedule is this:

Monday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
Tuesday :Back, Biceps, Abs
Wed: Rest
Thur: Shoulders Legs, Abs
Friday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
Sat: Back, Biceps, Abs
Sun: Rest.

With this plan, I don't have much time for family tasks at night, so I am thinking of reducing to this with more rest days

Sunday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
Monday : rest (mild run)
Wed: Back, Biceps, Abs
Thur: rest
Friday: Shoulders, Legs, Abs, Traps
Sat: rest
Sun: repeat with Chest, Triceps, Abs and continue


Questions:

1. I am not sure which is better. Ideally, I want to be in the gym 3-4 times a day for 1 hour.

My goal is lose about 5 lbs and muscle build to lean

Any help would be great. Thank you.
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Replies

  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Have you looked into an upper/lower split? I am doing one that has a power day and a hypertrophy day. If you want to lose b/f simply add a little cardio and reduce your cals some. Here is the basic template of my routine.
    Mon: bench 4x5, supported rows 4x5, standing overhead press 4x5 rest about 3 min between sets
    Tues: Squat 4x5, deadlift (any variation) 4x5, seated calf raises 4x5 rest about 3 min between sets
    Wes: rest or cardio
    Thurs: back exercises- 2 exercises of your choice 3x8-12, chest exercises- 2 exercises 3x8-12, lateral raises 3x8-12, rear delt flys 2x8-12, trap exercise 3x8-12, bis 3x8-12, tris 3x8-12 rest 1.5 to 2 min for chest, back and shouders and 1 to 1.5 for traps and arms
    Fri: leg press or front squats 3x8-12, lunges 3x8-12, leg curls 3x8-12, standing calf raises 3x8-12 rest 1.5 to 2 min.
    Sat rest or cardio
    Sun rest or cardio.

    You could also do one day on, one day off.
  • goodoboy25
    goodoboy25 Posts: 17
    Options
    Have you looked into an upper/lower split? I am doing one that has a power day and a hypertrophy day. If you want to lose b/f simply add a little cardio and reduce your cals some. Here is the basic template of my routine.
    Mon: bench 4x5, supported rows 4x5, standing overhead press 4x5 rest about 3 min between sets
    Tues: Squat 4x5, deadlift (any variation) 4x5, seated calf raises 4x5 rest about 3 min between sets
    Wes: rest or cardio
    Thurs: back exercises- 2 exercises of your choice 3x8-12, chest exercises- 2 exercises 3x8-12, lateral raises 3x8-12, rear delt flys 2x8-12, trap exercise 3x8-12, bis 3x8-12, tris 3x8-12 rest 1.5 to 2 min for chest, back and shouders and 1 to 1.5 for traps and arms
    Fri: leg press or front squats 3x8-12, lunges 3x8-12, leg curls 3x8-12, standing calf raises 3x8-12 rest 1.5 to 2 min.
    Sat rest or cardio
    Sun rest or cardio.

    You could also do one day on, one day off.

    Thank you for sharing.

    I prefer to do one day on and one day off. But is it good to let the muscles (chest) go 7 days with out work?
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Everyone is different but for most if not all working each muscle group directly or indirectly twice per week or ever 4 days seems to give the best results. I tried training each bodypart once per. week but I felt that was too long to rest the bodypart.
  • eddie152
    eddie152 Posts: 5
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    My current work out schedule is this:

    Monday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
    Tuesday :Back, Biceps, Abs
    Wed: Rest
    Thur: Shoulders Legs, Abs
    Friday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
    Sat: Back, Biceps, Abs
    Sun: Rest.

    With this plan, I don't have much time for family tasks at night, so I am thinking of reducing to this with more rest days

    Sunday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
    Monday : rest (mild run)
    Wed: Back, Biceps, Abs
    Thur: rest
    Friday: Shoulders, Legs, Abs, Traps
    Sat: rest
    Sun: repeat with Chest, Triceps, Abs and continue


    Questions:

    1. I am not sure which is better. Ideally, I want to be in the gym 3-4 times a day for 1 hour.

    My goal is lose about 5 lbs and muscle build to lean

    Any help would be great. Thank you.

    it seems that you really want to develop abs, the workout looks fine just remembering that overtraining can reduce strength/muscle gains, and you shouldn't be doing too much
  • writetomab
    writetomab Posts: 226
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    If you want 3 sessions then a Full Body routine is the way to go. If you want to do 4 sessions then again I would do wither FB or an upper/lower split.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    You should mention how long you've been lifting for and some numbers and bw as that will give people more of an idea on what to recommend.

    Personally, I'd stick to full body compounds 3x a week until you can squat/bench/dead 300/225/400 and then reassess specific targets from there.
  • girishmenezes
    girishmenezes Posts: 11 Member
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    Depends on your goals. If you are looking at general fitness, three days a week should be fine. I often follow the BFL routine alternating upper /lower on Mondays / Wednesday / Saturday. I follow the 45 minutes of weights with 20 minutes of high intensity cardio.
  • goodoboy25
    goodoboy25 Posts: 17
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    If you want 3 sessions then a Full Body routine is the way to go. If you want to do 4 sessions then again I would do wither FB or an upper/lower split.

    Thank you. I will stick to the 4 day upper/body split. This way I don't have to be in the gym longer than 1.5 hour.

    Is this schedule too much overtrain?

    Monday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
    Tuesday :Back, Biceps, Abs
    Wed: Rest
    Thur: Shoulders Legs, Abs
    Friday: Chest, Triceps, Abs
    Sat: Back, Biceps, Abs
    Sun: Rest.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    Here is my work out, let me know if I am doing something wrong:

    Monday: Squats
    Tuesday: Squats
    Wednesday: Squats
    Thursday: Squats
    Friday: Squats
    Saturday Squats
    Sunday: Rest
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    iAoQJ.png
  • goodoboy25
    goodoboy25 Posts: 17
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    You should mention how long you've been lifting for and some numbers and bw as that will give people more of an idea on what to recommend.

    Personally, I'd stick to full body compounds 3x a week until you can squat/bench/dead 300/225/400 and then reassess specific targets from there.

    I want to reduce my body fat so I can get ripped and more muscles showing. Any help would be good here is me.

    Current Weight: 175
    height 5-10
    body fat now: 16%

    goal weight: 170 to 175 (not sure yet, probably in the high 160s)
    goal body fat: 9-10%
    goal date: sometime in 2013 or early 2014

    ideal look: model muscular

    I been lifting for about 4-5 months.

    I can bench 225 about 3 times. I have not worked on squat and deadlift yet, just all upper body. but i will add in lower body.

    Currently, I am on a calorie decrease diet and lifting 4 days a week. I also run on rest days.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    I can bench 225 about 3 times. I have not worked on squat and deadlift yet, just all upper body. but i will add in lower body.

    Please be joking... do you also only brush the front of your teeth and not the back ones?
  • MensEtSalvere2013
    MensEtSalvere2013 Posts: 230 Member
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    Have you tried circut training before? It's a cardio/weight lifting combo. I do that about 3-4 days a week. Try a Boot Camp Class at your gym too if they have it. I personally prefer full-body workouts. Also to build muscle you need protein. I have a protein shake everday after I workout. I hope this helps, and good luck!
  • chrisb75
    chrisb75 Posts: 395 Member
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    You should mention how long you've been lifting for and some numbers and bw as that will give people more of an idea on what to recommend.

    Personally, I'd stick to full body compounds 3x a week until you can squat/bench/dead 300/225/400 and then reassess specific targets from there.

    I want to reduce my body fat so I can get ripped and more muscles showing. Any help would be good here is me.

    Current Weight: 175
    height 5-10
    body fat now: 16%

    goal weight: 170 to 175 (not sure yet, probably in the high 160s)
    goal body fat: 9-10%
    goal date: sometime in 2013 or early 2014

    ideal look: model muscular

    I been lifting for about 4-5 months.

    I can bench 225 about 3 times. I have not worked on squat and deadlift yet, just all upper body. but i will add in lower body.

    Currently, I am on a calorie decrease diet and lifting 4 days a week. I also run on rest days.

    I will agree with other's here. If you want to look "model" muscular and not like this:

    funny-lifting-weights-pictures-i9.jpg

    Then I would suggest doing full body exercises and quit that isolation split crap. My workout is Stronglifts 5x5 lift 3 times a week, Workout A: Squats 5x5, Bench 5x5, Row 5x5, Workout B: Squat 5x5, Overhead Press 5x5, Deadlift 1x5. Having NEVER lifted weights, in 8 months I am squatting 265lbs, Deadlifting 280, and Rowing 150lbs. Look into it.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    funny-lifting-weights-pictures-i9.jpg

    Dat synthol!
  • goodoboy25
    goodoboy25 Posts: 17
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    I can bench 225 about 3 times. I have not worked on squat and deadlift yet, just all upper body. but i will add in lower body.

    Please be joking... do you also only brush the front of your teeth and not the back ones?

    I am not joking. hahahhaha, yeah i know it sounds weird. But im learning. That's why I am making plan.

    If you have any advice on beginning squat and deadlifts please share.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    Options
    I can bench 225 about 3 times. I have not worked on squat and deadlift yet, just all upper body. but i will add in lower body.

    Please be joking... do you also only brush the front of your teeth and not the back ones?

    I am not joking. hahahhaha, yeah i know it sounds weird. But im learning. That's why I am making plan.

    If you have any advice on beginning squat and deadlifts please share.

    Start by squatting twice a week. Then you don't get to do a single curl or bench till you've at least completed 1 squat day, and 1 deadlift day.

    You are WAY out of proportion. If you are benching 225 you should be squatting over 300 by now, and dead lifting in the high 300's at least.
  • goodoboy25
    goodoboy25 Posts: 17
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    Start by squatting twice a week. Then you don't get to do a single curl or bench till you've at least completed 1 squat day, and 1 deadlift day.

    You are WAY out of proportion. If you are benching 225 you should be squatting over 300 by now, and dead lifting in the high 300's at least.

    Thank you. how can I get calves like yours? I was born with little calves.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    Start by squatting twice a week. Then you don't get to do a single curl or bench till you've at least completed 1 squat day, and 1 deadlift day.

    You are WAY out of proportion. If you are benching 225 you should be squatting over 300 by now, and dead lifting in the high 300's at least.

    Thank you. how can I get calves like yours? I was born with little calves.

    Rock climbing is what I attribute them too, but they will respond to any resistance training.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    The best way to start squatting and deadlifting is to check out a few videos or whatever online about form...and then get under the bar and do it.

    You don't need a perfect program, but if you're going to be doing barbell work you should squat, and you should do some push moves and some pull moves. That's at a minimum.

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