Chest/Back once or twice per week?

[JBBB]

I need advice, I have googled this question and seem to be getting different responses.

Should I train Chest/Back/Shoulders/Legs twice per week or only once? Also for those that say twice please provide a split I could use because i'm struggling to come up with a decent one.

Thanks in advance

[Lloydceps]

the week doesnt matter, the point is heres the split

Day 1: Chest, Triceps, Shoulder, Serratus

Bench (Flat, Incline, DB is even better if you are good at stabilizing)
Flies (I prefer freeweight, not peck deck)
Triceps extension
Tri Pushdowns
Shoulder Presses
Lat Raises
Front Raises
DB Pullovers

Day 2: Back, Biceps, Forearms, Trapezius

Pulldown wide grip
Rows (BB, DB, T bar, as you wish)
Chin ups
Pull ups
EZ Curls
EZ Reverse Curls
Upright Rows
Shrugs

Day 3: Legs

Squat
Deadlift
Leg Press
Leg extension
Leg curls
Calf Raises

Day 4: Rest

Repeat said schedule.

I think this routine is pretty solid for a split, contradict me if im wrong anywhere.

[cameraboirzu]

I do a 3 day split as well:

Monday:
- Back/Biceps
- Moderate Intensity Cardio

Tuesday:
- Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
- Abdominals

Wednesday:
- Legs
- High intensity interval training

Thursday:
- Back/Biceps

Friday:
- Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
-Moderate Moderate Cardio

Saturday:
- Moderate Cardio
- Abs

Sunday:
- Full body workout of some sort (recently been the 300 Workout)
- Sometimes nothing.

Each workout is switched up about every 2-4 weeks. I take protein right after I finish. One of the two days for each muscle group will be a superset day, which minimizes my time working out, but I only do this once a week per muscle group because supersets put a lot of strain on the body.

[NZealander94]

I do a 3 day split as well:

Monday:
- Back/Biceps
- Moderate Intensity Cardio

Tuesday:
- Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
- Abdominals

Wednesday:
- Legs
- High intensity interval training

Thursday:
- Back/Biceps

Friday:
- Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
-Moderate Moderate Cardio

Saturday:
- Moderate Cardio
- Abs

Sunday:
- Full body workout of some sort (recently been the 300 Workout)
- Sometimes nothing.

Each workout is switched up about every 2-4 weeks. I take protein right after I finish. One of the two days for each muscle group will be a superset day, which minimizes my time working out, but I only do this once a week per muscle group because supersets put a lot of strain on the body.

That is brutal. you wont make gains with that, you need rest days to grow.

[cameraboirzu]

That is brutal. you wont make gains with that, you need rest days to grow.

Except I do make gains with that, so I don't see your point.
We aren't all the same person.

Edit:
I take a rest week every 2 months, and often times I will do nothing sunday

[snakeskin69]

That is brutal. you wont make gains with that, you need rest days to grow.

this^^^^^^^^ you are destroying your CNS

[cameraboirzu]

If I was working the same group of muscles every day that would be overtraining. If I was doing high intensity cardio every day that would be overtraining. Giving my muscle groups 72 hours of rest is not overtraining them.

My moderate cardio is walking up hill on the highest incline for 20 minutes.

[NZealander94]

If I was working the same group of muscles every day that would be overtraining. If I was doing high intensity cardio every day that would be overtraining. Giving my muscle groups 72 hours of rest is not overtraining them.

My moderate cardio is walking up hill on the highest incline for 20 minutes.

Show me where your shoulders get to rest?

[cameraboirzu]

Show me where your shoulders get to rest?

Between tuesday and friday. Your shoulders support your chest and triceps. They're all pushing muscles, they all work together; you don't work them on seperate days.

[snakeskin69]

Between tuesday and friday. Your shoulders support your chest and triceps. They're all pushing muscles, they all work together; you don't work them on seperate days.

your muscles are not really resting for 72 hours your CNS doesnt care if it is leg day or back day it will not be able to recover your muscles if you lift every day.

[kyleisraaddd]

I take a rest week every 2 months

[snakeskin69]

this^^^^^^^^^ bump

[nicktheswede]

No matter what we say the kid will still keep doing his routine. He won't listen till he plateaus which he eventually will. He'll stop getting his newbie gains and then come running asking what he's doing wrong.

Don't worry I don't condemn you. We are all cocky as hell when we start lifting and think we have the best routine and all. Just a head of advice you need rest days bro. With as many pro bodybuilders that I've talked to over the years they all can't stress diet and rest days enough. One pro BB I see every now and then at the gym works out one day then rests the next. He will never work out back to back days.

Just keep doing what your doing if it works for you and then once you plateau change it up and give yourself rest. And if you don't think you'll plateau your very wrong. Just wait. We all do

[JBBB]

the week doesnt matter, the point is heres the split

Day 1: Chest, Triceps, Shoulder, Serratus

Bench (Flat, Incline, DB is even better if you are good at stabilizing)
Flies (I prefer freeweight, not peck deck)
Triceps extension
Tri Pushdowns
Shoulder Presses
Lat Raises
Front Raises
DB Pullovers

Day 2: Back, Biceps, Forearms, Trapezius

Pulldown wide grip
Rows (BB, DB, T bar, as you wish)
Chin ups
Pull ups
EZ Curls
EZ Reverse Curls
Upright Rows
Shrugs

Day 3: Legs

Squat
Deadlift
Leg Press
Leg extension
Leg curls
Calf Raises

Day 4: Rest

Repeat said schedule.

I think this routine is pretty solid for a split, contradict me if im wrong anywhere.

Yeah looks pretty good, I would make some alterations with the exercises for back and legs etc but look pretty solid.
The only thing is Chest, Shoulders + Triceps in one day is kinda a lot, especially considering I just recovered from a shoulder inury.
Hmmm anyway thanks for your input guys.

[Rider91]

I need advice, I have googled this question and seem to be getting different responses.

Should I train Chest/Back/Shoulders/Legs twice per week or only once? Also for those that say twice please provide a split I could use because i'm struggling to come up with a decent one.

Thanks in advance

This is a common question that I also used to wonder about.

If you are training to failure and to maximum muscle fatigue in your workouts you should train chest/back once a week, but if your intensity level isn't high enough you may want to train them twice a week.

Training chest/back twice a week with a high intensity level you are to close to over training, and training them once a week you are far from over training. I read hundreds of time in the internet and the whole books I have, that is way better to undertrain than overtrain.

[xpin2winx]

once if you want to grow

[DDon1996]

Holy broscience batman.

OP, I would highly recommend doing individual research, and not listening to idiots on these forums. Read some articles by Layne Norton, in which he says he made some of his best gains working each muscle 2x a week.

[AlldayKK]

did not read every single persons split but I have tried several differnt types of splits and programs and for me nothing has worked nearly as good as a nice 6 day split

divide all muscle groups between 3 days, so you can get every muscle group twice a week. Rest the 7th day, perfection.

[cameraboirzu]

No matter what we say the kid will still keep doing his routine. He won't listen till he plateaus which he eventually will. He'll stop getting his newbie gains and then come running asking what he's doing wrong.

Don't worry I don't condemn you. We are all cocky as hell when we start lifting and think we have the best routine and all. Just a head of advice you need rest days bro. With as many pro bodybuilders that I've talked to over the years they all can't stress diet and rest days enough. One pro BB I see every now and then at the gym works out one day then rests the next. He will never work out back to back days.

Just keep doing what your doing if it works for you and then once you plateau change it up and give yourself rest. And if you don't think you'll plateau your very wrong. Just wait. We all do

I appreciate your attempt to make me feel alienated, but you're totally correct. I could give two ****s whether you say this works for me or not, but don't be offended by this; this has been working for me. Keep in mind, I change up EVERY routine every 3-4 weeks. My father used this same schedule when he was a PT.

And to the person who "lol'd" at my taking a rest week:I suggest you read up on why you need a rest WEEK. Yes, a whole week. Lifting puts a lot of stress on your body, and you'll eventually need a rest week. It's a plateau buster and removes the stress of lifting.

One last note: Everyone plateaus, but that doesn't mean they can't be broken. This will deffinitely stop working, and when it does I'll go "that dude from the net was right" but until then, I'm doing what I'm doing.

Edit:
I do appreciate the tips though, and I'll use them eventually.

[jack12345]

No matter what we say the kid will still keep doing his routine. He won't listen till he plateaus which he eventually will. He'll stop getting his newbie gains and then come running asking what he's doing wrong.

Don't worry I don't condemn you. We are all cocky as hell when we start lifting and think we have the best routine and all. Just a head of advice you need rest days bro. With as many pro bodybuilders that I've talked to over the years they all can't stress diet and rest days enough. One pro BB I see every now and then at the gym works out one day then rests the next. He will never work out back to back days.

Just keep doing what your doing if it works for you and then once you plateau change it up and give yourself rest. And if you don't think you'll plateau your very wrong. Just wait. We all do

yeah but thats what he feels works for him. that doesnt apply to any of us probably.
also he probably trains long and hard each day he does train and he probably trains various muscle groups rather than the way alot of people like to hit each muscle part in a different workout etc.