Can you do a 5 day a week workout regime?

[dylant21]

I know it sounds like a stupid question, but what I am really asking is if I can do the workout I do 5 times a week.

I am 22 years old, 200 pounds, and im 5'9. for the past three years i have been doing 2-3 muscle groups a day depending on what muscles i am working that day 4 days a week. I work all my chest and tricep workouts one day, all my back, biceps, an abs another day, an finally my shoulders an legs another day. i say another day because every week its a different rotation, due to having 4 workout days with 3 different workouts. I just keep it in order one after the other.

So my question is can i workout 5 days in a week with a routine like this, preferrably mon-fri. If i step up the amount of nutrients I intake each day, will my joints, ligaments, an bones be able to keep up with the stress. And will my muscles be satisfied with a 2 day off break, by satisfied i mean properly recuperated enough to achieve the muscle gain I believe this workout brings me. Would appreciate any an all input, thank you.

[AusPower]

If you've been training for 2-3 years and can't even put your own routine together then you're doing it wrong.

[corym21]

diet accordingly and youll recover just fine.

if you feel like your joints are stiffening up then back off

i hit everything twice a week sometimes and i recover just fine.

[Orlando1234977]

If you've been training for 2-3 years and can't even put your own routine together then you're doing it wrong.

this

[dylant21]

If you've been training for 2-3 years and can't even put your own routine together then you're doing it wrong.

I guess you have trouble reading. I Have a routine, my routine has worked very well for me for as long as I have done it. I don't follow the typical routine people might follow on a never ending week to week process. I am always changing the workouts up to keep muscle confusion going in my routine. My monday is different than last monday, and that applies to each day in the week, every week.

As far as my diet, I am not trying to be as big as I my body can possibly be, that is an entirely different subject. you have over analyzed the question with your simple and ignorant answer. I dont care if you like it or not, that's why I didnt ask for your opinion or correction on it. It works for me and has done so a long time.

I asked a nutritonal question, I simply wanna know some ratios for the amount of nutrition needed to make up for the type of workout I do, hence the only reason I supplied this forum with my gym routine in the first place. So please keep from posting anything else on this forum. I am positive you have nothing worth saying.

[Farley1324]

I guess you have trouble reading. I Have a routine, my routine has worked very well for me for as long as I have done it. I don't follow the typical routine people might follow on a never ending week to week process. I am always changing the workouts up to keep muscle confusion going in my routine. My monday is different than last monday, and that applies to each day in the week, every week.

As far as my diet, I am not trying to be as big as I my body can possibly be, that is an entirely different subject. you have over analyzed the question with your simple and ignorant answer. I dont care if you like it or not, that's why I didnt ask for your opinion or correction on it. It works for me and has done so a long time.

I asked a nutritonal question, I simply wanna know some ratios for the amount of nutrition needed to make up for the type of workout I do, hence the only reason I supplied this forum with my gym routine in the first place. So please keep from posting anything else on this forum. I am positive you have nothing worth saying.

You are doing it seriously wrong.

[Abaddon1]

I guess you have trouble reading. I Have a routine, my routine has worked very well for me for as long as I have done it. I don't follow the typical routine people might follow on a never ending week to week process. I am always changing the workouts up to keep muscle confusion going in my routine. My monday is different than last monday, and that applies to each day in the week, every week.

As far as my diet, I am not trying to be as big as I my body can possibly be, that is an entirely different subject. you have over analyzed the question with your simple and ignorant answer. I dont care if you like it or not, that's why I didnt ask for your opinion or correction on it. It works for me and has done so a long time.

I asked a nutritonal question, I simply wanna know some ratios for the amount of nutrition needed to make up for the type of workout I do, hence the only reason I supplied this forum with my gym routine in the first place. So please keep from posting anything else on this forum. I am positive you have nothing worth saying.

Muscle confusion is bull**** if you're a natural trainer.
5 days a week is overtraining, if you're a natural trainer.
You stand to slow gains made while at rest AND risk joint injuries etc if you do this.

[dylant21]

Muscle confusion is bull**** if you're a natural trainer.
5 days a week is overtraining, if you're a natural trainer.
You stand to slow gains made while at rest AND risk joint injuries etc if you do this.

So your saying If im gonna be a natural trainer stick to 4 days, an if I wanna step up to five or more go Unnatural? What is the difference in supplements between a natural and unnatural trainer? All I am using for supplements now is N.O. Shotgun for pre, for post its Pro Complex with added Glutamin, yogurt, milk, peanut butter, fruits, and vege smoothie. As far as food i eat as much protein throughout the day as i can manage, I dont track it though.

[Abaddon1]

So your saying If im gonna be a natural trainer stick to 4 days, an if I wanna step up to five or more go Unnatural? What is the difference in supplements between a natural and unnatural trainer? All I am using for supplements now is N.O. Shotgun for pre, for post its Pro Complex with added Glutamin, yogurt, milk, peanut butter, fruits, and vege smoothie. As far as food i eat as much protein throughout the day as i can manage, I dont track it though.

I am talking about steroids buddy. Those things are all fine.
4 days a week is tops, if you're doing it right. And get a good routine.
Like mine, for example.
http://muscleandbrawn.com/4-day-inte...houlder-focus/

[Orlando1234977]

5 days a week is overtraining, if you're a natural trainer.

I am talking about steroids buddy. Those things are all fine.
4 days a week is tops, if you're doing it right. And get a good routine.
Like mine, for example.
http://muscleandbrawn.com/4-day-inte...houlder-focus/

Granted the op looks to need an overhaul, I have to question your absolute statements above.

Do you also feel Layne Norton who posts here and the MAJORITY of competing naturals are also wrong then?

Is this you in the vids?

http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/101532-post28.html

[Abaddon1]

Granted the op looks to need an overhaul, I have to question your absolute statements above.

Do you also feel Layne Norton who posts here and the MAJORITY of competing naturals are also wrong then?

Is this you in the vids?

http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/101532-post28.html

Correct.
I am not nearly as familiar as you with Layne Norton, but I heartily dispute your claim that the majority of competing naturals train 5 days a week.

Because I am a grownup, I stand to be corrected of course.

If training properly, heavily, with progression, for an hour a day 5 days a week will limit gains made resting. Naturals require rest (and plenty of good food, of course) to grow muscle.

A 4 day routine is preferential, and I know plenty of people who train sometimes only 2-3 days a week and typically their best gains come as a result of all the rest/growth time they've had.

People who have trained for several years do it because they enjoy it. Enjoying training can often result in a person doing more sets/reps/minutes of training that they do not really need for optimal gains.

And let's keep in mind the OP is not about to compete anytime soon, and neither am I. It makes no difference to the facts stated above.

And here's some more vids for ya:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaCgNsmIvtw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdMz9qWY2j4

[Roma315]

you need rest mon-fri is not gonna get u that rest. I do mon/tue thur/friday. If i feel like it i'll do a sat or sunday on a body part i feel is ready but i've seen steady gains over my last wall (kept to my workout and added test booster/daa)

[Orlando1234977]

Correct.
I am not nearly as familiar as you with Layne Norton, but I heartily dispute your claim that the majority of competing naturals train 5 days a week.

Because I am a grownup, I stand to be corrected of course.

If training properly, heavily, with progression, for an hour a day 5 days a week will limit gains

Actually I don't known Layne personally but there's a large following online, he trains 5 days.

Every bodybuilder in my gym, natural or not, trains 5-6 days. How many in your gym? Looks like you might train from home?

Anyways, here's a link with a several real world Naturals along with their workouts. It used to separate by category, now it looks like you'll have to pick out the naturals.. but you'll get the drift soon enough.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/category/interviews/men

I think you're putting too much stock into muscle & brawn or whatever that site is.. what are they sellin noobs anyways? I'll check it out later.

[Abaddon1]

Actually I don't known Layne personally but there's a large following online, he trains 5 days.

Every bodybuilder in my gym, natural or not, trains 5-6 days. How many in your gym? Looks like you might train from home?

Anyways, here's a link with a several real world Naturals along with their workouts. It used to separate by category, now it looks like you'll have to pick out the naturals.. but you'll get the drift soon enough.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/category/interviews/men

I think you're putting too much stock into muscle & brawn or whatever that site is.. what are they sellin noobs anyways? I'll check it out later.

Nothing is being sold. I am advocating MAB because it's a much better and more valuable forum than here.

In my clarification I do state that experienced and/or competitive trainers will do more than is needed for optimal results, because they enjoy what they do and can get away with it.

Training 5+ days a week is typically not needed.
Training 5+ days a week is typically not advisable.

[espm1000]

Nothing is being sold. I am advocating MAB because it's a much better and more valuable forum than here.

In my clarification I do state that experienced and/or competitive trainers will do more than is needed for optimal results, because they enjoy what they do and can get away with it.

Training 5+ days a week is typically not needed.
Training 5+ days a week is typically not advisable.

Listen to Dave man. I've been experimenting with 5-6 days a week and it's just not happening for someone who is purely natural. Our bodies grow while we're resting. I'm stacking Aminos, eating 300g of carbs and 300g of protein a day, as well as about 100g fats for an avg of 3500-4000 calories at a bodyweight of 180 and I am not gaining an ounce. However, when I cut my workouts back a couple of weeks and keep it to 3-4 days I see growth on the same diet.

The problem for MOST people --not all-- is that most people can not recover quickly enough to keep the intensity up to build muscle.

As far as muscle confusion goes I don't know too much about it, but I don't think it hurts to change the layout of your program every month or so to work on accessory exercises that would help you with the big compound exercises. For instance, look at Scivation's tri-phase training: one month you may do a 3 day split, then the next month an upper/lower, and for the final month a full-body workout; however, it's focusing on progression on the compound lifts from month to month by altering set and rep schemes, intensity, and training density.

[dylant21]

I highly appreciate all the input on my question. I'll look into all information that has been provided here. Thanks again.

[Abaddon1]

Listen to Dave man. I've been experimenting with 5-6 days a week and it's just not happening for someone who is purely natural. Our bodies grow while we're resting. I'm stacking Aminos, eating 300g of carbs and 300g of protein a day, as well as about 100g fats for an avg of 3500-4000 calories at a bodyweight of 180 and I am not gaining an ounce. However, when I cut my workouts back a couple of weeks and keep it to 3-4 days I see growth on the same diet.

The problem for MOST people --not all-- is that most people can not recover quickly enough to keep the intensity up to build muscle.

As far as muscle confusion goes I don't know too much about it, but I don't think it hurts to change the layout of your program every month or so to work on accessory exercises that would help you with the big compound exercises. For instance, look at Scivation's tri-phase training: one month you may do a 3 day split, then the next month an upper/lower, and for the final month a full-body workout; however, it's focusing on progression on the compound lifts from month to month by altering set and rep schemes, intensity, and training density.

LOL Listen to Dave?

Repped for recognising the folly of 5-6 day a week training.

However Lobliner's Scivation training template is NOT recommended for natural trainers. Lobliner himself uses juice, but won't admit to it. His muscle mass is unattainable naturally. Srs.

And again, a natural trainer needs only to worry about PROGRESSION to make gains; switching up exercises every month will confuse your brain, not your muscles. You need to see, from one week/month to the next, progress on loading and/or reps for the same exercises.

I know some natural trainers who have been using more or less the same routine for YEARS, and still make gains with it.

I highly appreciate all the input on my question. I'll look into all information that has been provided here. Thanks again.

I'm glad you appreciate a serious answer to a serious question. It doesn't happen here much.
Join Muscle and Brawn for more of this.

[jacobo1156]

everyone is correct, you need rest and you need to be eating the right stuff as well, I actually was making that mistake for a long time till my friend who is studying this stuff and man did it help

[espm1000]

LOL Listen to Dave?

Repped for recognising the folly of 5-6 day a week training.

However Lobliner's Scivation training template is NOT recommended for natural trainers. Lobliner himself uses juice, but won't admit to it. His muscle mass is unattainable naturally. Srs.

And again, a natural trainer needs only to worry about PROGRESSION to make gains; switching up exercises every month will confuse your brain, not your muscles. You need to see, from one week/month to the next, progress on loading and/or reps for the same exercises.

I know some natural trainers who have been using more or less the same routine for YEARS, and still make gains with it.



I'm glad you appreciate a serious answer to a serious question. It doesn't happen here much.
Join Muscle and Brawn for more of this.

I'm not talking about Lobliner's personal workout, but what he and Derek Charlebois' call tri-phase training. It breaks the training up into what would resemble a 3 day a week push/pull/legs, followed by an upper/lower, and finally a full-body workout. Isolation exercises are kept minimal and it focuses on intensity and weight progression.

[Orlando1234977]

LOL Listen to Dave?

Repped for recognising the folly of 5-6 day a week training.

However Lobliner's Scivation training template is NOT recommended for natural trainers. Lobliner himself uses juice, but won't admit to it. His muscle mass is unattainable naturally. Srs.

And again, a natural trainer needs only to worry about PROGRESSION to make gains; switching up exercises every month will confuse your brain, not your muscles. You need to see, from one week/month to the next, progress on loading and/or reps for the same exercises.

I know some natural trainers who have been using more or less the same routine for YEARS, and still make gains with it.



I'm glad you appreciate a serious answer to a serious question. It doesn't happen here much.
Join Muscle and Brawn for more of this.

There are plenty of naturals that do worry about progression, and do not switch up exercises every month, and they do so all within the context of training over 4 days per week.

Do all? no. But if you can't recognize that some, (actually most) do beyond beginner stage, than you're simply being blind and dogmatic in your viewpoints. As somebody gains experience in their training, you develop a greater work capacity, allowing you to do more work per bodypart while still progressing. With more work per BP often leads more overall days in the gym. Work capacity is developed over time.

[Abaddon1]

There are plenty of naturals that do worry about progression, and do not switch up exercises every month, and they do so all within the context of training over 4 days per week.

Do all? no. But if you can't recognize that some, (actually most) do beyond beginner stage, than you're simply being blind and dogmatic in your viewpoints. As somebody gains experience in their training, you develop a greater work capacity, allowing you to do more work per bodypart while still progressing. With more work per BP often leads more overall days in the gym. Work capacity is developed over time.

...

[Abaddon1]

Actually I don't known Layne personally but there's a large following online, he trains 5 days.

Every bodybuilder in my gym, natural or not, trains 5-6 days. How many in your gym? Looks like you might train from home?

Anyways, here's a link with a several real world Naturals along with their workouts. It used to separate by category, now it looks like you'll have to pick out the naturals.. but you'll get the drift soon enough.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/category/interviews/men

I think you're putting too much stock into muscle & brawn or whatever that site is.. what are they sellin noobs anyways? I'll check it out later.

Simply Shredded presents unnatural physiques as natural, and steals articles and studies from legitimate sources.

Sorry, but you don't know ****.

[Orlando1234977]

Simply Shredded presents unnatural physiques as natural, and steals articles and studies from legitimate sources.

Sorry, but you don't know ****.

Simply Shredded is just one source. I'm really never at the site, but will use it from time to time to show people (that don't actually work out at a gym, or a gym where bodybuilders are present) what some people are doing with success.

Layne Norton is a legitimate source that's nice enough to post here, and does in fact train more than 4 days per week. I'm sorry if this fact offends you for whatever reason.
His journal can be found here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=124195121

And what's the deal with your fake avatar promoting that site?

[Abaddon1]

Simply Shredded is just one source. I'm really never at the site, but will use it from time to time to show people (that don't actually work out at a gym, or a gym where bodybuilders are present) what some people are doing with success.

Layne Norton is a legitimate source that's nice enough to post here, and does in fact train more than 4 days per week. I'm sorry if this fact offends you for whatever reason.
His journal can be found here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=124195121

And what's the deal with your fake avatar promoting that site?

I'm not offended. Please read my previous posts to see why the argument RE 5 day p/week training for professional/experienced trainers is moot.

RE: my avi, check here for more info:
http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/gen...romotions.html

[arniesays1]

I guess you have trouble reading. I Have a routine, my routine has worked very well for me for as long as I have done it. I don't follow the typical routine people might follow on a never ending week to week process. I am always changing the workouts up to keep muscle confusion going in my routine. My monday is different than last monday, and that applies to each day in the week, every week.

As far as my diet, I am not trying to be as big as I my body can possibly be, that is an entirely different subject. you have over analyzed the question with your simple and ignorant answer. I dont care if you like it or not, that's why I didnt ask for your opinion or correction on it. It works for me and has done so a long time.

I asked a nutritonal question, I simply wanna know some ratios for the amount of nutrition needed to make up for the type of workout I do, hence the only reason I supplied this forum with my gym routine in the first place. So please keep from posting anything else on this forum. I am positive you have nothing worth saying.

If its working, then why change it? I have never understood why people feel the need to change up to something flashy and fancy if what they are doing is working.

The other statement i bolded is becuase you are over analysing the simple sport of weight lifting. It does not need to be complicated. Got something thats working? Then stick with it. Change things up slightly, sure, but adding in an extra day is utterly pointless and the only reason people do it is becuase they think MORE = better results. It may well do in some cases (such as pros with great genetics/ roids) but for the average trainer - keep it simple.

[CookAndrewB]

I Have a routine, my routine has worked very well for me for as long as I have done it.

This never fails to confuse me. If what you are doing WORKS, then what are you asking about? If you are reaching your goals, then what input do you need? I only ask for help when I'm not getting what I want out of life. If I'm happy with my income, I don't go and ask how I can make more money.

Muscle confusion is bull**** if you're a natural trainer.
5 days a week is overtraining, if you're a natural trainer. You stand to slow gains made while at rest AND risk joint injuries etc if you do this.

I'm a natural competitor. I train 6 days a week, and have made very steady progress.

Now, where people fail is that they think they can take a 3 day program and simply do it twice as often. That doesn't work. As frequency goes up, you have to manage volume/intensity (%1RM), and recovery. For most people, this means (initially) reducing the amount of work that you do, per day. So taking what you would do over three days and do it over 6 days. No additions, just spreading it out more.

Over time, work capacity is a characteristic that you can develop, just like strength, endurance, etc. So, after 20 years my intensity, volume have come up as I've developed my recovery to handle the way I train. To further confound your point, I train full body every day. Not every day is a max effort, not every day is a volume day, you have to manage those things.

The reason most people fail is because they don't understand any of these concepts, not because there is some kind of biological impossibility involved.

Training 5+ days a week is typically not needed.
Training 5+ days a week is typically not advisable.

What is needed, or advised, is an individual issue. Training should always support the goal. Trying to tell me what is needed for my goal, based on your goal and your experience (which looks to be minimal) is just plain ignorant.

[TheInsan1ty]

Weird you never hit a plateau... I would have changed my routine ages ago and probaly 7 times during all that time, I change my routine every 4-6 or 6-8 week, I don't wan't to hit a Plateau where I will be stagnating and going nowhere at all, so I keep my muscles guessing, but sure, you can do a 5 day workout, but I suggest you to change your routine.

[CookAndrewB]

Weird you never hit a plateau... I would have changed my routine ages ago and probaly 7 times during all that time, I change my routine every 4-6 or 6-8 week, I don't wan't to hit a Plateau where I will be stagnating and going nowhere at all, so I keep my muscles guessing, but sure, you can do a 5 day workout, but I suggest you to change your routine.

You really shouldn't have to do this. Small changes make sense, but you don't want to get rid of the framework of your training that really works. A person squatting today should still be squatting in a 10 years, and they should have squatted every week between the two. This exercise should be a staple of their training and it shouldn't be removed as this is an exercise that you will measure progress through. Squatting is an example, I don't care if you measure progress through leg press, but there should be a number of lifts that you always do, and that you can measure strength gains on (whether that is 10RM or 1RM). The supporting cast of lifts isn't as important, and they should come and go to either A) improve your measuring stick lift (as in supporting lifts for powerlifters), or B) to provide an aesthetic improvement (so a bodybuilder needing to balance his calves with his thighs may focus, for a time, on more calf work).

It is my own personal belief that 80% of your time and energy should be spent on those measuring stick lifts, whatever they may be. 20% of your time and energy can be spent on the support lifts, whatever supporting lifts will benefit you the most. In this way, only 20% of your workout should really ever change. This has served me VERY well over the years.

Training should support your goals, and I don't know any goal that is benefitted by reinventing the wheel every month or two.

[TheInsan1ty]

I'm not changing my whole routine with new exercises, I have done that a few times, but normally I mix the order and change rep and sets, don't get me wrong pal ;D

[CookAndrewB]

I'm not changing my whole routine with new exercises, I have done that a few times, but normally I mix the order and change rep and sets, don't get me wrong pal ;D

Many people labor under the idea that they have to change everything or somehow their muscles will stop growing.

I think there is a distinct difference between the types of changes I outlined and the common practice of "muscle confusion" crap.