Rest Days & Muscle Group Lifting

Jessica_D_Shadow
Jessica_D_Shadow Posts: 138 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello!

Starting a weight lifting regimen. I'm trying to keep the muscle I have while I lose weight, not bulking.

Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Day 2: Back & Biceps
Day 3: Quads & Hamstrings
Day 4: Shoulders & Calves

Now, Rest days...? My untrained mind tells me that I don't want to rest, I wanna keep going. My question is, when I am doing Muscle Group Lifting & not a full body circuit, do I still need Rest Days? Since technically my Chest & Triceps are resting between Days 2-4? Or is my untrained perspective just wrong? LoL Help a lady out. =)

Jessica :heart:

Replies

  • Jessica_D_Shadow
    Jessica_D_Shadow Posts: 138 Member
    Bump.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    Yep, you still need rest days. For one, it's always kidney day. For two, everything's connected - just because you're doing "chest & triceps" doesn't mean that there aren't a bunch of little muscles helping out that you're going to hit again on "back & bicep" day. And the heavier you're lifting, the more time you'll need to recover. When you're doing a 4-day split like that, it's usually because you are hammering those poor single muscle groups within an inch of their lives, they need a break.

    That said, rest doesn't mean "sit on the couch and watch tv" - you just have to do something that's different. My split is pretty similar to that, except I have a "cardio & core" day in between your 2 & 3 where I just do a light workout to get the blood moving around. Then I take the weekend off and just try to be generally active - take the kids to the pool or on a hike or something.
  • Alphastate
    Alphastate Posts: 295 Member
    Yep, you still need rest days. For one, it's always kidney day. For two, everything's connected - just because you're doing "chest & triceps" doesn't mean that there aren't a bunch of little muscles helping out that you're going to hit again on "back & bicep" day. And the heavier you're lifting, the more time you'll need to recover. When you're doing a 4-day split like that, it's usually because you are hammering those poor single muscle groups within an inch of their lives, they need a break.

    That said, rest doesn't mean "sit on the couch and watch tv" - you just have to do something that's different. My split is pretty similar to that, except I have a "cardio & core" day in between your 2 & 3 where I just do a light workout to get the blood moving around. Then I take the weekend off and just try to be generally active - take the kids to the pool or on a hike or something.
    This. I do yoga on my "rest" days. I would also recommend switching the leg and back days to split the routine even further. Leg days can hit some back and calves, so I space those days out.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Also, the Central Nervous System (CNS) takes a severe beating when strength training and it needs time to rest, too. Otherwise it may overproduce cortisol and that will effect weight loss. Just like any other stress. Yoga would be an excellent rest day activity as it soothes the mind and body. I just tried yoga and failed miserably. I will give it another go.

    Tom
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    A 4 day body builder split is probably not ideal for what you are looking for.

    You could do an upper/lower/rest split and hit everything twice a week and get all the muscle retention benefits with less volume per muscle group per workout.

    With the split you have you would be hitting your upper body three days in a row if you didnt take any rest days.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    you're still going to need rest days, but you don't need them in between each workout day. 2-3 workout days in a row and then rest a day in between.

    a bigger issue is your current split. i have no problem with you doing a split routine if you wish. I do, however, have an issue with two tiny muscles getting their own day. in no way, shape or form do shoulders and calves need a separate day. there's just not that much work there. put calves in with the other legs and put shoulders on with chest and triceps. Then you'll have a 3 day split instead of 4.

    a better idea would be to split your body in half and have a 2 day split. but if you like your current setup, i understand. just get rid of that calves day.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    you're still going to need rest days, but you don't need them in between each workout day. 2-3 workout days in a row and then rest a day in between.

    a bigger issue is your current split. i have no problem with you doing a split routine if you wish. I do, however, have an issue with two tiny muscles getting their own day. in no way, shape or form do shoulders and calves need a separate day. there's just not that much work there. put calves in with the other legs and put shoulders on with chest and triceps. Then you'll have a 3 day split instead of 4.

    a better idea would be to split your body in half and have a 2 day split. but if you like your current setup, i understand. just get rid of that calves day.

    Really? Why a two day split? Why not 3? Push, pull, legs? Or a 5 day split? Are you saying a 2 day split is optimal and more beneficial?
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    you're still going to need rest days, but you don't need them in between each workout day. 2-3 workout days in a row and then rest a day in between.

    a bigger issue is your current split. i have no problem with you doing a split routine if you wish. I do, however, have an issue with two tiny muscles getting their own day. in no way, shape or form do shoulders and calves need a separate day. there's just not that much work there. put calves in with the other legs and put shoulders on with chest and triceps. Then you'll have a 3 day split instead of 4.

    a better idea would be to split your body in half and have a 2 day split. but if you like your current setup, i understand. just get rid of that calves day.

    yeah. ^This. I found it really odd when I saw the calves listed like that..lol.

    Have you tried looking into strength programs? Stronglifts is free and simple to follow. Other programs that are also recommended to look into are Starting Strength and Wendler.
  • carrieanthony
    carrieanthony Posts: 70 Member
    A 4 day body builder split is probably not ideal for what you are looking for.

    You could do an upper/lower/rest split and hit everything twice a week and get all the muscle retention benefits with less volume per muscle group per workout.

    With the split you have you would be hitting your upper body three days in a row if you didnt take any rest days.

    THIS. This is what I do.

    M - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    T - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    W - Ab Crunches, Cardio
    Th - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    F - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio

    I only RECENTLY found that this is what works FOR ME! I'll give it a few weeks and if I need to tweak it, I will. And on the weekend, I try to be active with cleaning, walking, etc.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    A 4 day body builder split is probably not ideal for what you are looking for.

    You could do an upper/lower/rest split and hit everything twice a week and get all the muscle retention benefits with less volume per muscle group per workout.

    With the split you have you would be hitting your upper body three days in a row if you didnt take any rest days.

    THIS. This is what I do.

    M - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    T - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    W - Ab Crunches, Cardio
    Th - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    F - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio

    I only RECENTLY found that this is what works FOR ME! I'll give it a few weeks and if I need to tweak it, I will. And on the weekend, I try to be active with cleaning, walking, etc.

    Planks are a more effective core exercise but....why are you only working one area?
  • Jessica_D_Shadow
    Jessica_D_Shadow Posts: 138 Member
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/y3t-neil-hill-9-week-hardcore-video-trainer.html

    That is the workout routine my husband and I are following. They incorporate rest days. It's Day 1, Day 2, Rest, Day 3, Day 4, Rest Rest.

    Okie dokie then. Seems the majority is infact towards rest days. I will try to incorporate Yoga & Core exercises into my rest days. I just feel so lazy not doing something is all. =) Thank you all for your advice.

    As for the 2-3 Day splits instead of 4, I don't have enough time in my day to spend more than the 1hr-1.5hrs I already get in at the gym for each of these days.

    Thanks again MFP Community! Off to the Gym BBL!

    Jessica :heart:
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Really? Why a two day split? Why not 3? Push, pull, legs? Or a 5 day split? Are you saying a 2 day split is optimal and more beneficial?

    Because she's a beginner and a 3x per week, full body routine is probably going to be the most beneficial thing for her. But if she wants to do a split, keeping it to 2 days instead of 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 has a better chance of keeping her from overloading the program with BS exercises.

    How many exercise, sets and reps do you think Shoulder/Calves day currently has? I'm betting it's at least triple the volume that she needs at her current level. Squeeze the days together, and people have a tendency to keep it under control because they don't want to be in the gym for 3 hours. Insert a Biceps Day, and you see them in there doing 5 different types of curls for 4 sets each simply because they have 45 mins to fill.

    OK. Your turn. Tell me why I'm an idiot.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    A 4 day body builder split is probably not ideal for what you are looking for.

    You could do an upper/lower/rest split and hit everything twice a week and get all the muscle retention benefits with less volume per muscle group per workout.

    With the split you have you would be hitting your upper body three days in a row if you didnt take any rest days.

    THIS. This is what I do.

    M - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    T - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    W - Ab Crunches, Cardio
    Th - Lower, Ab Crunches, Cardio
    F - Upper, Ab Crunches, Cardio

    I only RECENTLY found that this is what works FOR ME! I'll give it a few weeks and if I need to tweak it, I will. And on the weekend, I try to be active with cleaning, walking, etc.

    I'm all for doing abs if you want, but since they are a muscle group like any other there's no reason to do them 5x per week. You wouldn't work quads 5x per week so why so much ab work?
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    Really? Why a two day split? Why not 3? Push, pull, legs? Or a 5 day split? Are you saying a 2 day split is optimal and more beneficial?

    Because she's a beginner and a 3x per week, full body routine is probably going to be the most bench cial which thiing for her. But if she wants to do a split, keeping it to 2 days instead of 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 has a better chance of keeping her from overloading the program with BS exercises.

    How many exercise, sets and reps do you think Shoulder/Calves day currently has? I'm betting it's at least triple the volume that she needs at her current level. Squeeze the days together, and people have a tendency to keep it under control because they don't want to be in the gym for 3 hours. Insert a Biceps Day, and you see them in there doing 5 different types of curls for 4 sets each simply because they have 45 mins to fill.

    OK. Your turn. Tell me why I'm an idiot.

    Lol... Relax dude! No one is calling you an idiot. Your post is confusing though, and your matter of fact answers, without knowing much about the OP seems overly confident. For one you say a 3 day split is good, but then you say you'd rather a two day split. Which one is it? You say training Calves and shoulders doesn't have much, but here you say it's triple the volume she needs. Like I said, your post was confusing and I wanted to know more about your thought process. In my opinion, if the OP finds her split routine is working, then she should continue. Everyone responds differently, and everyone has different goals. What you "prefer" her to do may not yield any results.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    A 4 day body builder split is probably not ideal for what you are looking for.

    You could do an upper/lower/rest split and hit everything twice a week and get all the muscle retention benefits with less volume per muscle group per workout.

    With the split you have you would be hitting your upper body three days in a row if you didnt take any rest days.

    ^^^ AGREED

    A new-ish lifter will get WAY better results doing a 3-day full body routine, try New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Fair enough. I do make a lot of assumptions. Usually they are correct, but assumptions nonetheless
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    Fair enough. I do make a lot of assumptions. Usually they are correct, but assumptions nonetheless

    All good bro. There are certainly a lot of people here that troll just to start arguments, but that wasn't nor is never my intent.

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