Why train 3x week? Is there disadvantages to working out more?
Gainer018
Posts: 40 Member
I strength train 3x weekly. Both bodyweight and weighted. As I'm becoming more comfortable with working out I'm not feeling the need for rest days. I only do lower body exercises for approx 30mins or until I cannot physically do any more (less than an hour at a time). I do a minimum 2sets 20reps of exercises (3sets 10reps doesn't work for me, I like to feel the burn from the off or I lose momentum)
I picked up the 3x weekly as it seems to be the "norm". But I'm not getting any soreness the next day which I thought was supposed to happen after a good workout?
How has the 3x training come about? What are the benefits? Can I add more days so I can get that after workout soreness?
I will add that the training is working. I still have to push those last few reps. So I know it's not about adding any more weight. I just want to know I'm pushing myself to my goal as best as I can
I picked up the 3x weekly as it seems to be the "norm". But I'm not getting any soreness the next day which I thought was supposed to happen after a good workout?
How has the 3x training come about? What are the benefits? Can I add more days so I can get that after workout soreness?
I will add that the training is working. I still have to push those last few reps. So I know it's not about adding any more weight. I just want to know I'm pushing myself to my goal as best as I can
2
Replies
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Soreness is just soreness.
You know it's working because the weight on the bar or number of reps is going up. Not because you can't walk tomorrow.
Your body needs 48 hours or about 2 sleep cycles to recover from a quality training session. What program/progression are you using?7 -
This is going to depend on your programming and what you are doing in the gym. Most full body programs are run 3x per week, since you are working the whole body you need rest/recovery in between. However, there are some that differ from that template and may have an extra day (again, depends on what you are doing and the program you are running).
Why are you doing only lower body exercises? Are you following a program or doing random things in the gym? I would highly recommend you follow a program for best results, otherwise you likely won't be doing enough or you could be doing too much in some cases.
Soreness is not an indication of a good workout or muscle building. The key is progression over time.8 -
Recovery.
Now that doesn’t mean you cannot go the the gym more...especially if you plan properly.
I space out my big lift days and full In other days with arms or only doing cardio.
I’d say I average a bit over 4x a week.2 -
^^ correct- if you can't recover adequately- then it's not enough time.
If you can recover- then it's fine.
I personally find 3-4 more than adequate for me. People frequently train 5-6 days a week b/c of the whole body part split- but if you chose to do a more comprehensive approach- then 5-6 days a week isn't necessary.1 -
I strength train 3x weekly. Both bodyweight and weighted. As I'm becoming more comfortable with working out I'm not feeling the need for rest days. I only do lower body exercises for approx 30mins or until I cannot physically do any more (less than an hour at a time). I do a minimum 2sets 20reps of exercises (3sets 10reps doesn't work for me, I like to feel the burn from the off or I lose momentum)
I picked up the 3x weekly as it seems to be the "norm". But I'm not getting any soreness the next day which I thought was supposed to happen after a good workout?
How has the 3x training come about? What are the benefits? Can I add more days so I can get that after workout soreness?
I will add that the training is working. I still have to push those last few reps. So I know it's not about adding any more weight. I just want to know I'm pushing myself to my goal as best as I can
3x per week full body training has been around forever...long before splits ever became popular. Full body programs are typically run 3x per week because you're hitting everything during each session and you need the recovery time...it's not really about feelz, it's about allowing the muscles to recover so you can get stronger and grow muscle...if muscle is always torn down, it's not going to heal and grow efficiently.
Splits are typically run 4-5x per week and this can be done because you are splitting up body parts so not working the same muscles/groups of muscles on consecutive days.
It doesn't sound like you're running an established program, so I would start with that...0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Soreness is just soreness.
You know it's working because the weight on the bar or number of reps is going up. Not because you can't walk tomorrow.
Your body needs 48 hours or about 2 sleep cycles to recover from a quality training session. What program/progression are you using?
Well, recovery actually depends on the training but that's a pretty decent average. If I recall the research correctly: a squat or deadlift workout can take up to 5 days to recover from, while bench about 3 and small muscle exercise 1-2. It all depends on muscle groups, intensity and exercise selection.
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My current split is 4 days a week, 2 upper and 2 lower, but I've done 3 days for full body, and a more bro split style that ran 5 days. It depends on your preferences and time to devote etc. Soreness is not a useful metric for how well you worked the muscles.1
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I always felt best with at least a day's rest for a muscle group.
My favorite workout routine and best muscle gains happened doing full-body 2-3 times per week.
Currently I am training 4-days per week: 2 days lower body and 2 days upper body. M,T, rest, TR,F, rest, rest. Repeat.
This being done to reduce time spent in gym each workout to around an hour.
Naturals should avoid Muscle Magazine type 5 and 6 day split routines in my opinion.
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I always felt best with at least a day's rest for a muscle group.
My favorite workout routine and best muscle gains happened doing full-body 2-3 times per week.
Currently I am training 4-days per week: 2 days lower body and 2 days upper body. M,T, rest, TR,F, rest, rest. Repeat.
This being done to reduce time spent in gym each workout to around an hour.
Naturals should avoid Muscle Magazine type 5 and 6 day split routines in my opinion.
I was doing a PPL split where I would hit everything once a week. Started doubling the split and hit everything twice a week (PPL-R-PPL) and ended up hurting my lower back and blowing out a knee (partially related to my lifting and mostly just stupid luck and age, lol). I've been doing a 3 day full body routine (A+B rotations) that is mostly upper body centric with a little lower body - mostly rehab type stuff for legs.
What surprised me was that the 3 day frequency actually busted me through a couple of sticking points (Bench). I did have to adjust volume on some days but I was surprised by how effective a 3 day full body can be. The only issue I see with it is that once you start hitting lifts heavy enough to stress your joints/tendons that one day rest sometimes doesn't feel like enough. I've had to really pay attention to some tendinitis that keeps threatening to pop up.
edit: misquote
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I do a full body workout almost everyday but it is not extremely long or heavy and is broken up into short segments w/a lot of breaks in between.
Do a different lift combo for 1 hr 4-5 days a week. The only lifts/exercises I do are: DL, SQT, BP, OHP, Rows, Pullups, Pushups and Dips. Try to do a push/pull upper body combo vs a DL or SQT each day.
Also rowing 10k meters a day, which hits the entire body below the neck, in various splits which all add up to about 1hr w/rest.
Usually do the lifts in the AM and rowing in the PM. I do everything at home, so the schedule can vary depending on my mood and things I need to do.
No fatigue or soreness doing this 6-7 days a week. Works for me but I wouldn't automatically recommend it for others. It's just what I do.0 -
jseams1234 wrote: »I always felt best with at least a day's rest for a muscle group.
My favorite workout routine and best muscle gains happened doing full-body 2-3 times per week.
Currently I am training 4-days per week: 2 days lower body and 2 days upper body. M,T, rest, TR,F, rest, rest. Repeat.
This being done to reduce time spent in gym each workout to around an hour.
Naturals should avoid Muscle Magazine type 5 and 6 day split routines in my opinion.
I was doing a PPL split where I would hit everything once a week. Started doubling the split and hit everything twice a week (PPL-R-PPL) and ended up hurting my lower back and blowing out a knee (partially related to my lifting and mostly just stupid luck and age, lol). I've been doing a 3 day full body routine (A+B rotations) that is mostly upper body centric with a little lower body - mostly rehab type stuff for legs.
What surprised me was that the 3 day frequency actually busted me through a couple of sticking points (Bench). I did have to adjust volume on some days but I was surprised by how effective a 3 day full body can be. The only issue I see with it is that once you start hitting lifts heavy enough to stress your joints/tendons that one day rest sometimes doesn't feel like enough. I've had to really pay attention to some tendinitis that keeps threatening to pop up.
edit: misquote
Getting older was the worst decision I've ever made, I can see you probably regret that decision too.
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »I always felt best with at least a day's rest for a muscle group.
My favorite workout routine and best muscle gains happened doing full-body 2-3 times per week.
Currently I am training 4-days per week: 2 days lower body and 2 days upper body. M,T, rest, TR,F, rest, rest. Repeat.
This being done to reduce time spent in gym each workout to around an hour.
Naturals should avoid Muscle Magazine type 5 and 6 day split routines in my opinion.
I was doing a PPL split where I would hit everything once a week. Started doubling the split and hit everything twice a week (PPL-R-PPL) and ended up hurting my lower back and blowing out a knee (partially related to my lifting and mostly just stupid luck and age, lol). I've been doing a 3 day full body routine (A+B rotations) that is mostly upper body centric with a little lower body - mostly rehab type stuff for legs.
What surprised me was that the 3 day frequency actually busted me through a couple of sticking points (Bench). I did have to adjust volume on some days but I was surprised by how effective a 3 day full body can be. The only issue I see with it is that once you start hitting lifts heavy enough to stress your joints/tendons that one day rest sometimes doesn't feel like enough. I've had to really pay attention to some tendinitis that keeps threatening to pop up.
edit: misquote
Getting older was the worst decision I've ever made, I can see you probably regret that decision too.
Yeah, tell me about it. lol0 -
Hey, you kids, stop the whining! (says the 66 year old)4
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On a more serious note, I have had the good fortune to not be hit with the injury bug. I did 3 day full body for a long time but plateaued. About 3 months ago I transitioned to a 4 day split. It is a lot more volume but more recovery time per muscle group. It has gone really well and some of the CNS fatigue I would get with the full body routines is reduced. I've also changed the rep range I work in to 10 to 15 and that probs helps with the injury factor. When you a pulling heavy, things can happen.2
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There's also the fact that if you start with 6 days...where you gonna go from there? 3 is sufficient, especially when you begin. But then there's someplace to go from there. Maybe instead of 3x full body, you want to break it up into an upper and lower and train 4x per week, increase volume a bit. But if you start with 5, you can burn out, therefore not getting optimal recovery for muscle growth, and additionally not being recovered well enough to even train optimally...which can result in just wasted time when you could have done more quality work and volume in 3 days.3
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@mmapags, it must be a mid 60's thing.
I've just switched to a 4 day split too. (And thrown in creatine)
I am hoping doing fewer moves per day, though lifting an extra day, will help with the constant beat-up feel. No injuries so far in my lifting life, but I tend to go for rep over weight increase.
I was happy with AllPro, will probably go back to it, just needed a change.
My social life has been suffering
Cheers, h.4 -
middlehaitch wrote: »@mmapags, it must be a mid 60's thing.
I've just switched to a 4 day split too. (And thrown in creatine)
I am hoping doing fewer moves per day, though lifting an extra day, will help with the constant beat-up feel. No injuries so far in my lifting life, but I tend to go for rep over weight increase.
I was happy with AllPro, will probably go back to it, just needed a change.
My social life has been suffering
Cheers, h.
Me too on the creatine. I've used it before though. I never noticed any water weight gain until this time. A little over 2 lbs. It is helping with intraset recovery and getting out a few more reps.2 -
Out of curiosity, is the recovery time the same if you aren't lifting heavy? I'm currently strength training 3x/week with dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 17.5lbs. The book I'm using also includes some weights-and-cardio interval workouts and I'm wondering whether doing them on the off days is safe or whether it might hurt my progress.0
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estherdragonbat wrote: »Out of curiosity, is the recovery time the same if you aren't lifting heavy? I'm currently strength training 3x/week with dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 17.5lbs. The book I'm using also includes some weights-and-cardio interval workouts and I'm wondering whether doing them on the off days is safe or whether it might hurt my progress.
Seems fine. How do you feel?0 -
Usually pretty good. I haven't tried the interval workouts in a while. Thanks!0
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@estherdragonbat, from the sound of the posts you have done about your routine you seem to be doing well in it.
Maybe give the (light) weight/cardio sessions a try one day a week, if it works up it to the 2 days, if you find your recovery is discouraging, drop it and continue with what you are doing.
If I remember rightly you are getting a lot of walking in as well so you are getting a good mix of cardio and resistance work in.
Cheers, h.1 -
Thanks! Yeah, it's harder to get the walking in with shorter days (and sidewalks that aren't always clear of ice and snow). I've been thinking about changing things up a bit, just for a little variety.1
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estherdragonbat wrote: »Out of curiosity, is the recovery time the same if you aren't lifting heavy? I'm currently strength training 3x/week with dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 17.5lbs. The book I'm using also includes some weights-and-cardio interval workouts and I'm wondering whether doing them on the off days is safe or whether it might hurt my progress.
There is an element of Central Nervous System fatigue with heavy lifting that is not the same with lighter weight/ higher rep. The volume with the body part split is much higher in terms of total weight moved. The muscle recovery part is about the same. About 48 hours.
Re-reading your question, I'm unclear what exactly you're asking. Whether the interval sessions would hurt recovery? If so, it would all depend on how intense they are. I do cardio on off days (pretty much do something 7 days per week). It is usually walking but at a brisk, 4.2 MPH avg, pace and up and down hills. I've done some interval work. But, never at too high an intensity as it would affect recovery for my weight training sessions and those are my priority.1 -
On a more serious note, I have had the good fortune to not be hit with the injury bug. I did 3 day full body for a long time but plateaued. About 3 months ago I transitioned to a 4 day split. It is a lot more volume but more recovery time per muscle group. It has gone really well and some of the CNS fatigue I would get with the full body routines is reduced. I've also changed the rep range I work in to 10 to 15 and that probs helps with the injury factor. When you a pulling heavy, things can happen.
I did the 3-day full body routine for about the first year of getting back to lifting. Then switched to an upper/lower split (Lyle's GBR) and I run it three times a week as ABA/BAB on alternating weeks. Every muscle group gets worked twice every five days (more or less, depending on whether I slide a day forward or back here or there). I like the extra recovery allowed as opposed to working the same muscle group every second or third day (I'm 55, the recovery ain't what it used to be!).2 -
I started lifting back in the day with StrongLifts 5x5. I'm currently doing a 5x/week upper/lower split: lower, upper, glutes, upper, lower. Essentially it's from Steve Shaw's Massive Iron with an additional Bret Contrares glute day.1
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On a more serious note, I have had the good fortune to not be hit with the injury bug. I did 3 day full body for a long time but plateaued. About 3 months ago I transitioned to a 4 day split. It is a lot more volume but more recovery time per muscle group. It has gone really well and some of the CNS fatigue I would get with the full body routines is reduced. I've also changed the rep range I work in to 10 to 15 and that probs helps with the injury factor. When you a pulling heavy, things can happen.
I did the 3-day full body routine for about the first year of getting back to lifting. Then switched to an upper/lower split (Lyle's GBR) and I run it three times a week as ABA/BAB on alternating weeks. Every muscle group gets worked twice every five days (more or less, depending on whether I slide a day forward or back here or there). I like the extra recovery allowed as opposed to working the same muscle group every second or third day (I'm 55, the recovery ain't what it used to be!).
I feel ya brother!1 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »Out of curiosity, is the recovery time the same if you aren't lifting heavy? I'm currently strength training 3x/week with dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 17.5lbs. The book I'm using also includes some weights-and-cardio interval workouts and I'm wondering whether doing them on the off days is safe or whether it might hurt my progress.
There is an element of Central Nervous System fatigue with heavy lifting that is not the same with lighter weight/ higher rep. The volume with the body part split is much higher in terms of total weight moved. The muscle recovery part is about the same. About 48 hours.
Re-reading your question, I'm unclear what exactly you're asking. Whether the interval sessions would hurt recovery? If so, it would all depend on how intense they are. I do cardio on off days (pretty much do something 7 days per week). It is usually walking but at a brisk, 4.2 MPH avg, pace and up and down hills. I've done some interval work. But, never at too high an intensity as it would affect recovery for my weight training sessions and those are my priority.
Yes to the bolded.
Most of the dumbbell exercises I do on strength days are 3 sets of 8-12 reps. The interval workouts:- Are geared toward using two pairs of dumbbells, one lighter, one heavier. So the instructions might be to do squats with the 'heavier' weight, biceps curls with the 'lighter'.
- Are typically one set of 12 reps, followed by a cardio sequence, followed by a dumbbell set for a different muscle
So, fewer sets. And the interval workouts are supposed to take 15 minutes. They usually take me 25, due to some coordination issues that tend to crop up just when I think I know what I'm doing, especially on the cardio intervals. A full-body strength workout usually takes me an hour and fifteen including rests between sets.0 -
I do a 3 day / week full body @ 67 years old - but the weights are lighter & I do higher reps. If I go hard on upper body I do a lighter squat routine that day. also If I go bigger on the squat I'm lighter on the upper body. I think I might be evolving into a upper / lower split, but I really like full body training - been doing it it for years. Eastcoast Jim1
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estherdragonbat wrote: »Out of curiosity, is the recovery time the same if you aren't lifting heavy? I'm currently strength training 3x/week with dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 17.5lbs. The book I'm using also includes some weights-and-cardio interval workouts and I'm wondering whether doing them on the off days is safe or whether it might hurt my progress.
Heavier lifting does require longer recovery time for larger muscle groups but I lift heavy and have often run up to half marathon distances on my non-lifting days while training for Spartan races. There is an interference between training like that to be sure but it's not a huge issue since I'm not competing in powerlifting right now. Some lifters prefer to do HIIT rather than steady state cardio since they feel HIIT complements rather than interferes with lifting gains.0
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