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    Ok to work same muscle groups consecutively

    Posts: 160 Member
    edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
    It works out that the classes I am able to do sometimes mean that I am working the same muscles on consecutive days. I've read articles saying it's fine (even good) and articles saying you should not do that. What are your experiences? Nothing crazy heavy, just 12-15lb dumbbells.

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    Replies

    • Posts: 1,572 Member
      It's fine.
    • Posts: 1,207 Member
      The unreleased Norwegian powerlifters study showed that it is perfectly possible to train the same muscle every day and have it make progress.

      From listening to Menno, it seems though that if you want to do so optimally, you probably want to have different training modalities. His example included a strength style heavy range one day, and something like high rep occlusion training on the next day.

      The older, more bro science would say this tends to be more applicable to smaller, more focused muscles - calves and forearms can be repeatedly trained, biceps and triceps more so than pecs, upper back, or quads, with the old wisdom being the lower back has the longest recovery. I'm not so sure about that "wisdom."

      This of course is more true to someone adapted to a higher volume and higher training frequency.

      It would also be much more important to avoid ever training to failure on a set.
    • Posts: 160 Member
      edited February 2020
      Why should I avoid training to failure? So I'm able to train again the next day?
    • Posts: 1,561 Member
      People who do physical jobs are working out the same muscles every day. It's fine.
    • Posts: 160 Member
      Danp wrote: »
      People who do physical jobs are working out the same muscles every day. It's fine.

      I'm trying to build a nice physique here not just have the ability to do manual labor! :) My body CAN and has been working out like this for a little while, I just wondered if I was sacrificing strength/definition/etc by doing it this way. Everyone has heard bro science for years that it's terrible to work a muscle 2 days in a row. Thanks for your replies! Esp Magnus - very helpful
    • Posts: 37 Member
      magnusthenerd wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Yes. Sets done to failure have a much higher recovery cost than sets done with a lower rate of perceived exertion (RPE). They also produce no greater hypertrophy, and may in fact give worse hypertrophy.

      Training to failure at a beginner level is unlikely to result in significant cost after a day. Also, it's not a settled fact that training to failure produces no greater hypertrophy.
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