strength training muscle groups

missikay1970
missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
currently i am one-month into working-out for the first time in my life. (joined a gym, go 5x/week)

2 days per week i do arms/chest/back - another 2 days per week i do legs/abs - all 5 days i do cardio.

my question is: i feel that my routine needs a shake-up. would it be ok to do arms/chest/back every other day for a week, skipping legs & abs altogether? then the following week, concentrate only on legs & abs, leaving my arms alone? (cardio will remain a constant)

any info you have would be appreciated. i guess my main goal is to do something different for the next 3-4 weeks, but not sure if concentrating on one area for a week is a good idea. thanks!

Replies

  • laurenlei
    laurenlei Posts: 96
    I dont see why not! Just be careful not to over work the groups - if you do upper body all week, cut the actual workout shorter, and obviously never work them on consecutive days, make sure you get a days break inbetween. I set mine into back/bi's - chest/tri's - legs - shoulders/abs. Give it a go and see how you get on!
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
    Just my opinion, but

    İf you're working the muscles properly, you shouldn't really need to/ want to work them again for at least 48 hours- you break the muscle down during the weight lifting, and they repair/ build while you are resting.
    You really want to be lifting challenging weights- maybe max 12 reps per set and the last couple of reps should be difficult. How many sets/ reps are you doing? Even 8 reps is really enough...
    I personally work my biceps, triceps and calves twice a week, then I split my legs into 2 days, and do shoulders and back once a week. I really only do abs 2-3 times per week... abs are more about being at a low enough bodyfat% for them to show, so eating a clean diet really helps. Legs are a big muscle group, I'd try to work them once a week. Maybe you could also try more bodyweight exercises?

    Not sure if that helps, hopefully someone can give you better advice
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    Yeah do what works for you!

    I personally do cardio 2 - 3 days a week and strength train 2 - 3 days a week. It helps me stick with it if its not the same routine every day. I do

    yoga Mondays (cardio),
    upper body Tuesday (strength),
    HIIT -running Wednesdays (cardio),
    lower body Thursdays (strength),
    free day Fridays (cardio or strength) - yoga/run/swim/take a class/spin/elliptical/etc or i'll do an extra strength training session if I really don't feel like I did enough that week.
  • jonniemarie1
    jonniemarie1 Posts: 77 Member
    if you are working the muscle well, you should be sore for about 2 or more days! If you're not... add more weight or make sure your form is proper and you are doing the exercise correctly
    Personally, I use 12 as a guide... if i can do 12 reps, easily, of whatever exercise i'm doing, I increase the weight... if you have to work hard to finish the 12 reps, then that is good... If you cannot finish the set, lower the weight
    Also, always change up the workout for a specific muscle group... for example, my leg workout one day usually consists of doing weighted squats, weighted calve raises, and machiens working the inner and outer legs, and my glutes and quads... and then the next time I do legs, I focus on toning AKA lunges, unweighted squats, leg lifts for the inner thigh and glutes, jump squats.... and stuff like that
    When I don't get sore and get bored, I automatically need to change something... so i wouldn't recommend only working on one part of the body for a week, because then you aren't working hard enough each time you work out
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    i do 3 sets of either 10 or 12 reps, depending on the group. my arms are very weak, so i can't do nearly as many reps as with my legs. i am working on increasing the weight on my arms slowly, but thought it might be more important to get more reps in before i increase weight.

    overall, it sounds like it might be something to try, but not something to stick-with. thanks for the input.
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