how many days to lift weights a week? PLEASE HELP experts!

Hi! Newbie here, been lifting for about 1 month now....and quite frankly, I'm obsessed! However I'm very confused on how many days a week to lift weights. I seem to read a different answer on each forum online (as far as how many days rest the body needs and which days you should focus on certain muscles groups) Does someone know the definite answer?

A little about me...

I'm 23 years old, Male, 185 lbs, 5'11.

I'm interested in losing fat and gaining lot's of muscle.

I have been doing many dumbbell exercises for the whole body. My routine:

Day 1 - Chest & Triceps
Day 2 - Legs & Abs
Day 3 - Biceps, Shoulders, and Back
Day 4 - Chest & Triceps
Day 5 - Biceps, Shoulders, and Back
Day 6 - Rest Day
Day 7 - Legs & Abs

...is this an efficient routine? I'm worried that I might not be resting enough for recovery. I just hate taking rest days. Are rest days really neccessary?


Can I do Shoulders and Back on seperate days? (Shoulders seem to take the longest time and the most effort for me)

or Can I do Shoulders in the morning and then Back in the evening? Could I do biceps on a different day, by themselves?

What is the ideal amount of days a week to lift and which muscles MUST have to be done on the same day?

Thank you sooooo much! I really appreciate the help guys!

As you're just starting out I strongly recommend not making up your own routine and getting on a proven beginner program like starting strength or All Pro's simple beginner routine.

What you've posted is what I'd classify as at least an intermediate split. As a beginner it is too complicated with too much isolation work and too little rest. You can benefit from a simple full body routine done 3x a week and make maximum progress as a beginner.

^yes; typically for a beginner, [b]less[/b] volume [b]is more[/b] progression. This can be frustrating, cos when we find something we enjoy doing we want to do it more, but unfortunately weight training dosnt work like this. Consistency, with training/diet/rest, [i]does[/i] work, or at least puts us in the most favourable position possible.

Further to geoff's recommendations, Id advise visiting the nutrition section and reading the stickies regarding calorie/macro intake. Working out your target intake numbers will require a bit of time and work from you, but it is definitely worth the investment.

I found that it depends on the volume of the work. Say if you do 12 sets for chest on monday and 12 sets of chest on thursday, i would say that is borderline overtraining especially if you are following the 10-12 rep range. What I usually do is take a chest workout that incorporates 18 total sets. I stay heavy in the 6-8 rep range. I divide those 18 sets over two days for a couple reasons. 1. I will be fresh and strong on each day if I am only doing 9 sets a day. 2. I will engage a pump 2 days a week which promote both growth annd recovery. example - monday upper chest focus - incline bench press - incline db press - incline flys thursday middle chest preexhaust - low incline flys - flat db flys - flat db press, just a thought

With only a month of training under your belt, I would strongly recommend not continuing your current split, and starting a good beginners routine, as others have stated.
Please, for your own sake, keep in mind that when referring to routines as "beginner/intermediate/advanced", we are referring to what your body is ready for, and what it can handle at this time. Those labels DO NOT imply the results they give. Too often guys that are new to weight training don't want to use a beginners routine. They let their ego's go wild, and convince themselves they require something more advanced. They hear of an "advanced" routine, and decide that is what they will do, because it will offer better results than a beginners routine.
It's not true.
As a beginner, the best results will come with a beginners routine.
As a beginner, taking on an advanced routine will lead to less results than a beginners routine. Most refuse to accept this fact, but you will be doing yourself a favor to realise it.

Hope this helps, and good luck in your training. Hope you get the results you seek.

[QUOTE=geoffstgermaine;834815361]As you're just starting out I strongly recommend not making up your own routine and getting on a proven beginner program like starting strength or All Pro's simple beginner routine.

What you've posted is what I'd classify as at least an intermediate split. As a beginner it is too complicated with too much isolation work and too little rest. You can benefit from a simple full body routine done 3x a week and make maximum progress as a beginner.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=CDT4;835125401]With only a month of training under your belt, I would strongly recommend not continuing your current split, and starting a good beginners routine, as others have stated.
Please, for your own sake, keep in mind that when referring to routines as "beginner/intermediate/advanced", we are referring to what your body is ready for, and what it can handle at this time. Those labels DO NOT imply the results they give. Too often guys that are new to weight training don't want to use a beginners routine. They let their ego's go wild, and convince themselves they require something more advanced. They hear of an "advanced" routine, and decide that is what they will do, because it will offer better results than a beginners routine.
It's not true.
As a beginner, the best results will come with a beginners routine.
As a beginner, taking on an advanced routine will lead to less results than a beginners routine. Most refuse to accept this fact, but you will be doing yourself a favor to realise it.

Hope this helps, and good luck in your training. Hope you get the results you seek.[/QUOTE]
Thanks guys! I appreciate the advice! I've come to the conclusion that I need to work out less (unfortunately, because I'd love to do it twice a day even!). I'm starting a new routine this week and this is how it goes! :

Monday - Legs & Abs
Tuesday - Off
Wednesday - Chest & Triceps
Thursday - Off
Friday - Biceps, Shoulders, & Back
Saturday - Off
Sunday - Off

Let me know what you guys think! And thanks again.

thats better^^^^ if u really love working out u could do 4 days a week of different bodyparts.....everyones different ...make sure ur getting good clean protein in you at least 1g per lb of lean body mass....

[QUOTE=braskibra;835197821]thats better^^^^ if u really love working out u could do 4 days a week of different bodyparts.....everyones different ...make sure ur getting good clean protein in you at least 1g per lb of lean body mass....[/QUOTE]
I would love to do 4 days! But which body parts on which days would you recommend?

Right now I'm doing 20 grams after working out and trying to consume 185 grams of protein a day.

[QUOTE=leociccone;835185711]Thanks guys! I appreciate the advice! I've come to the conclusion that I need to work out less (unfortunately, because I'd love to do it twice a day even!). I'm starting a new routine this week and this is how it goes! :

Monday - Legs & Abs
Tuesday - Off
Wednesday - Chest & Triceps
Thursday - Off
Friday - Biceps, Shoulders, & Back
Saturday - Off
Sunday - Off

Let me know what you guys think! And thanks again.[/QUOTE]

No no no. Get on one of the proven programs. That still isn't optimal and I don't even need to see your movements or reps x sets.

[QUOTE=leociccone;835200211]I would love to do 4 days! But which body parts on which days would you recommend?

Right now I'm doing 20 grams after working out and trying to consume 185 grams of protein a day.[/QUOTE]

A 4 day split you could consider is

M chest/bi
T Back/tri
W rest
T shoulders/traps
F legs/abs?
S rest
S rest

So its 2 on/1 off/2 on then 2 whole days to recover for next week. This is if you were set on a 4 day split and not going with starting strength.

[QUOTE=maori-rap;835205521]A 4 day split you could consider is

M chest/bi
T Back/tri
W rest
T shoulders/traps
F legs/abs?
S rest
S rest

So its 2 on/1 off/2 on then 2 whole days to recover for next week. This is if you were set on a 4 day split and not going with starting strength.[/QUOTE]

Worked for Dorian :)

i like that split but would switch tris and bi's but hey to each his own.......
if i was starting all over again id use this split its very similar to the one just posted: chest/tris, off, back/bi's, shoulders traps, off, legs, off
I like to take a day off after chest to recover because hitting chest can be hard on your bicep tendon and shoulders but everyones different so see what works for you,
20 g after you workout is ok> id prolly bump it up to 30 g
what are your goals? gain weight or cut bf???
if you wanna gain mass u might want to consider adding a fast digesting carb + 5 g of creatine postworkout
carbs you could consider: honey( half fructose, half dextrose), dextrose, pixie sticks (dextrose), waxy maize
aim for anywhere between 10-50 g depending on your goals

in for some answers from the pros

[QUOTE=CoreyLove5;835114851]I found that it depends on the volume of the work. [b]Say if you do 12 sets for chest on monday and 12 sets of chest on thursday, i would say that is borderline overtraining especially if you are following the 10-12 rep range.[/b] What I usually do is take a chest workout that incorporates 18 total sets. I stay heavy in the 6-8 rep range. I divide those 18 sets over two days for a couple reasons. 1. I will be fresh and strong on each day if I am only doing 9 sets a day. 2. I will engage a pump 2 days a week which promote both growth annd recovery. example - monday upper chest focus - incline bench press - incline db press - incline flys thursday middle chest preexhaust - low incline flys - flat db flys - flat db press, just a thought[/QUOTE]



A certain number of sets or reps does not determine whether someone is overtraining or not. It depends on the individual. For some people like myself included, high volume and frequency is better. But for others, less volume = more. THERE IS NO golden rule for what constitutes "too much." What may be considered too much for one person is simply another person's warm up.

[QUOTE=OffwhiteBrah;1440631071]in for some answers from the pros[/QUOTE]
What's particularly special about this 2012 thread?

[QUOTE=SuffolkPunch;1440731171]What's particularly special about this 2012 thread?[/QUOTE]

Just realized this thread was from 2012. Lol.