How much should I workout to gain muscle?

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Ducks47
Ducks47 Posts: 131 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work out for an hour twice a week strength training. I am a bit tired after this but not drenched or dizzy. Two other days I jog for 20 minutes or bike for 20 minutes. I also walk about 8000 steps a day. I’m wondering if I should be working out more so I don’t lose muscle mass as I lose more weight. How much is ideal to workout a week? I’m a woman in my early 20s. I weigh 175 pounds and am 5’7”. Also, how do you know how heavy to put your weights at (worried I need to lift heavier but unsure). I’m not a gym expert as you can see. Thanks !

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  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    Follow any of the programs listed in the pinned post. :+1:
  • AdrianSee1975
    AdrianSee1975 Posts: 11 Member
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    Strength training 2 x week is enough to gain muscle considering you’re also doing some other activities too.

    Regarding the weight to use, start with a moderate resistance where you can perform the intended exercises with good form so that they are working the correct muscles.
    Then gradually progress the weights up over time as your nervous and muscular systems adapt.
    Don’t rush into increasing the weights too fast, but don’t take it too easy either.
    It’s supposed to be uncomfortable in a good way.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Most current research suggests that for optimum hypertrophy (muscle building) you want to work all body parts 2x per week. How you do that depends on the program and volume in that program. There are some programs like PHUL that are an upper/ lower split that work very well.

    I just don't see how you will make much muscle building progress training only 2x per week. I guess you have to decide what goals are most important to you given limited time. You will maintain with 2x per week total but progress, if any, will be slow.

    As far as how much to lift, work off a % of your max or lift what you are able for 8 to 12 reps before failure. For muscle building, it is generally better to stop with 1 or 2 reps (in the tank). It sound like you have some experience with strength training if you are doing it 2x per week? What program are you currently using.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Strength training 2x is ok, 3x is better. I did 2x most of the time I was in a deficit and still gained strength. Obviously, there is no way to know what would have been different if I'd done 3x. Now I do 3x-4x. If your current weights are easy for you, then go heavier. If your form and safety suffer, stay at the lighter weight. If the weight is on the easy side but the next weight is too heavy (if using dumbbells), then increase your reps at the lighter weight until you can use the higher weight. You also can do a few reps with the heavier weight, then drop back down to the lighter weight and finish the set.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I am a bit tired after this but not drenched or dizzy.
    Neither sweating or making yourself dizzy are training goals or indications of an effective workout.

    Two other days I jog for 20 minutes or bike for 20 minutes. I also walk about 8000 steps a day. I’m wondering if I should be working out more so I don’t lose muscle mass as I lose more weight.
    Your thread title says gain muscle but the text says avoid muscle loss, two different goals which may require different volume of training.
    The volume of exercise needed to avoid muscle loss is far lower than the volume required to build muscle, - sounds fine to avoid loss if you are training effectively in those two hours. What exactly are you doing as "workout" varies enormously?
    (Moderate size of deficit/rate of weight loss and adequate to high protein are other important factors.)

    How much is ideal to workout a week? I’m a woman in my early 20s. I weigh 175 pounds and am 5’7”.
    Depends on your goals, x3 a week full body is a very common pattern for beginners looking to gain strength and muscle.

    Also, how do you know how heavy to put your weights at (worried I need to lift heavier but unsure). I’m not a gym expert as you can see.
    That's why it's better to follow a plan rather than make it up yourself. As the roughest of guides if your last reps are easy then your weight is too light.
  • carole59mfp
    carole59mfp Posts: 1 Member
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    I do one body part a day. 5 exercises w five sets of 8-12ish reps abs everyday and about 15 mins of cardio and a half hour walk. I seem to be making good progress.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    3-4 days a week is ideal dependant on time and your programming.

    2× per week will work initiallly for a very short period until you need more stimulas.

    How heavy will depend on how strong you are now and your programming. Ideally leaving two-three in the tank on any set will be close. Though how many sets of any given lift is very important.

    Untrained novices can progress off just one set, but will need more set(s) amd eventually higher intensity to achieve enough stress.

    Good to hear your training doesn’t exhaust you. Proper training under a program should challenge, but not give you the feeling of "wrecked".
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
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    A lot of good comments here. Two times a week CAN work if the volume is sufficient. Typically in-season team sports athletes (e.g. football players) will train 1 to 2 times a week to help mitigate strength loss during their season. So to build strength with twice a week, the volume really needs to be there. If strength is the goal, I would suggest a 3rd day and there are plenty of good programs available for such a plan.

    Totally agree with Chief, reps to failure are not ideal. Maintaining control and good bar speed are very important to strength development. Once form or speed begins to fail, good time to stop the set and possibly drop the weight a little. Your training shouldn't leave you feeling "wrecked" for sure, one of those old-school ideas that still exists for some reason.

  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
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    I can only tell you what has worked for me

    I lift 5 days a week, one muscle group a day - typical bro split; Chest/arms/shoulders/back/legs. I have seen an increase in strength the whole 4+ months I have been cutting 2lbs a week.

    I started the cut fairly strong, I lifted for 4 months at maintenence before cutting, and that was coming back to it after close to 2 years without lifting - 5+ consecutive years lifting prior to the 2 year break, so my strength was still quite a bit higher than someone who had never lifted.

    Still, 4.5 months into the cut, 55lbs down from starting weight, and still adding either weight or reps to pretty much every single exercise weekly (except deadlift, that has been stuck for a couple months now and has fluctuated up and down between 455 and 475 for a 1 RM)

    One thing that has really helped me retain muscle mass IMO was switching my cardio from bike rides to strongman type conditioning. After the lifts each day, I do 4-8 sets of a strength conditioning workout that compliments the muscle group of the day. For instance:

    Chest day - superset high rep bench (pushups would work too) with sledgehammer tire hits.
    Arms day - Sledgehammer tire hits
    Shoulders day - Farmers walks superset with battle ropes
    Back day - sled rows superset with tire flips
    Leg day - farmers walks superset with sled pushes

    Maybe this helps, maybe it doesn't - it works for me.


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