How often to train each muscle group?

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Zarka_91
Zarka_91 Posts: 99 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello All,

So ive decided to incorporate some strength training into my workouts, yesterday i worked out on Abs/ Core for the first time in years and woke up this morning with extremely sore Abs.

My question is how often should i train each muscle group? I’ve seen a lot of people recommend working each body part as often as 3 times per week, 2 times per week, and just once per week. What’s the real answer, and which one will work best?

Should i dedicate a day to each muscle group in the week?

e.g Abs/Core on a monday, Legs/Glutes wednesday etc

or should i just do a full body workout 3 times a week? someone did recommend using compound exercises as there are more effective so i know what im doing just need to work on my workout routine.

i already do running 3-4 times a week

Thanks Guys !

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    If you're brand new to lifting, a full-body program is your best option. You can look through them here and see what could work: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    As a beginner you are better off doing full body 3x week
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    What ever fits your schedule and goals.

    There is no set amount of days that work best for everybody, but beginners usually like the three a week programs.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited November 2016
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    yeah, i like compound lifts myself. the general rule that's been worked into most of the programmes i've done is: for every push exercise, do a pull. for every primary group that you work, do something that works the muscles on the opposite side of your body from whatever you worked.

    stronglifts has a nice distribution that way. squat every time, and then for your other lifts you either do deadlift and overhead press, or you do bench press and pendlay rows. stuff that my trainer has added over time is band pulls and chins/pullup work, and i personally like to add planks and other ab stuff to any day when i'm doing deadlifts.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    Full body 3x works well. Basically, don't work the same muscle group 2 days in a row, give it a day of rest in between. Running is fine in between, but might feel difficult after heavy squats or deadlifts. Your muscles need rest in order to rebuild and grow.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I would follow an established program for sure. Full body is great for starting out (I still do full body even though I'm not exactly a beginner).

    Also, I want to comment on muscle groups and rest.. while that is generally true.. it does depend on your experience level, your programming as well as which muscle group we are talking about. I work the glutes up to 4x per week, sometimes consecutively. They are the kind of muscle that don't need too much rest to grow.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    I would follow an established program for sure. Full body is great for starting out (I still do full body even though I'm not exactly a beginner).

    Also, I want to comment on muscle groups and rest.. while that is generally true.. it does depend on your experience level, your programming as well as which muscle group we are talking about. I work the glutes up to 4x per week, sometimes consecutively. They are the kind of muscle that don't need too much rest to grow.

    Exactly ^^^ There is absolutely nothing wrong with training the same muscle group six days a week if you have it programed correctly in your routine. It depends on how much weight you are using those days along with the goals for doing so.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    zarkaahmed wrote: »
    Hello All,

    So ive decided to incorporate some strength training into my workouts, yesterday i worked out on Abs/ Core for the first time in years and woke up this morning with extremely sore Abs.

    My question is how often should i train each muscle group? I’ve seen a lot of people recommend working each body part as often as 3 times per week, 2 times per week, and just once per week. What’s the real answer, and which one will work best?

    Should i dedicate a day to each muscle group in the week?

    e.g Abs/Core on a monday, Legs/Glutes wednesday etc

    or should i just do a full body workout 3 times a week? someone did recommend using compound exercises as there are more effective so i know what im doing just need to work on my workout routine.

    i already do running 3-4 times a week

    Thanks Guys !

    Different programs work for different people. Personally, I find that training 5-6 x per week works well. Choose a rest day, and designate that one day (or two, or three, whatever you opt for) to recovery. I usually end up resting on Sunday because football takes priority during the Fall and Winter. I do abs and cardio on every upper body day (back or arm focus) and my leg days always alternate between heavy sets (squats and leg press) and "power sets" (accessory work with a moderate weight). For example, this week was as follows:

    Su: rest

    M: heavy legs
    Tu: back, abs and cardio

    W: power legs

    Th: arms, abs and cardio

    F: heavy legs

    Sa: back, abs and cardio

    Which means next week I'll begin with a power legs session. Make sense? And the sessions are typically 40-60 minutes of lifting, 20-minutes of cardio and 15-minutes of stretching/ab work.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    zarkaahmed wrote: »
    someone did recommend using compound exercises as there are more effective so i know what im doing

    There's more to a good program than doing compound exercises on the right days. Self-designed programs usually end up imbalanced somewhere, so it's best to follow a pre-made program designed by a pro. You mentioned before you have NROL4W. Why aren't you following it?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    As a novice, you'd be better served with a full body program...and one that is already established. Programming your own routine takes a lot of knowledge and most people I see do it have crap for programs and don't see the results they're actually looking for and just spin their wheels.

    Personally, I wouldn't ever bother with a bro split unless I was purposely body building and needed that kind of training volume. I've been lifting for quite awhile and off and on most of my life and I still do full body...it's just way more efficient unless your training objectives genuinely call for the kind of volume you'll get in a split.
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    I'd let you body answer your question. I've heard people say you could work abs every day. As I'm sure you've found out, it will take some time to get to that point. I'd like to say the ab roller has been the best ab work-out device I've ever used. And, for legs and glutes, IMO nothing beats lunges. If you don't have weights you can fill a backpack with books and wear it while doing lunges, and holding two milk jugs filled with water. The glute bridge with one leg in the air and weight placed on your stomach is another good one. Doing 4 or 5 sets of anywhere between 5 to 20 reps should produce the desired results. When your soreness subsides it's time to do it again. For me, it takes two day for soreness to kick in. So, I'll work a particular body part for two days in a row sometimes before giving it time to recover. Tear and repair. That's the name of the game.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    I'd let you body answer your question. I've heard people say you could work abs every day. As I'm sure you've found out, it will take some time to get to that point. I'd like to say the ab roller has been the best ab work-out device I've ever used. And, for legs and glutes, IMO nothing beats lunges. If you don't have weights you can fill a backpack with books and wear it while doing lunges, and holding two milk jugs filled with water. The glute bridge with one leg in the air and weight placed on your stomach is another good one. Doing 4 or 5 sets of anywhere between 5 to 20 reps should produce the desired results. When your soreness subsides it's time to do it again. For me, it takes two day for soreness to kick in. So, I'll work a particular body part for two days in a row sometimes before giving it time to recover. Tear and repair. That's the name of the game.

    Doing an actual program is better.
  • Zarka_91
    Zarka_91 Posts: 99 Member
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    Thanks everyone,

    I will stick to three full body workout sessions per week for the time being and then change my routine as i become used to it all.



  • oilphins
    oilphins Posts: 240 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Whatever program you decide on, just remember it takes at least 48 hours for your muscles to grow or repair themselves so it's better to wait at least two days to do them again. If your doing say biceps, triceps and back on a Monday, you shouldn't do them again until Wed. I think if your doing the same body part every day, your just overtraining.

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