How many exercises for one muscle group?

[firstecto]

1) I was just wondering during 1 work out session how many times should you hit a specific muscle group?

For example if I was doing back day how many times should I hit lats?

My back routine would consist of:

1) Wide grip pull ups
2) Lateral pull downs
3) Lateral Rows (a machine in my gym)
4) Bent over rows
5) Cable rows

I feel as I'm not investing enough exercises to the majority of my back except for the lats haha (and yet I still dont have that great lats haha)

2) Would it be more better to take one lateral exercise out and replace it with another exercise? I'm also planning to put deadlifts in the picture

So yeah.. those are my 2 questions!

Thanks

[SuicideGripMe]

Depends on your personal training preference and what you respond to. It can be one pull or ten pulls. For those that respond well to volume and have weak lats, I think this routine worked well for me.

Pullovers
BB or Pendlay Rows
V-Bar Pulldowns
Rack Pulls
*Optional* Cable or Machine Rows

[samcorin]

It is different for everyone. It also depends on how many sets/reps/weight you use/do. My back routine which I find effective is this:

T-Bar rows 4 x 5-8
Weighted Chin ups 4 x 5-8
CG lat pull downs 3 x 8-10
Seated cable rows 3 x failure

I don't do dead lifts as I don't like the feel I get in my back, but dead lifts are a very good exercise so if you are comfortable doing them, great.

[kanis999]

Depends on your personal training preference and what you respond to.

It is different for everyone.

This entirely. There's a reason why everyone has radically different ideas over what they think is the perfect volume. Some people need to do 5 exercises to see their lats grow, but some people will have their growth hindered by doing more than 2. Learning to master your own body's needs is the name of the game, and also part of why it takes so damn long to get from the beginner/intermediate stages of bodybuilding to advanced.

You have to experiment. Give several training philosophies months of your time each. Try the workout program you listed in the OP for a few months. Then try a 'less is more' approach and heavily emphasize rest and recovery. See which philosophy gives you the best results.

[samcorin]

This entirely. There's a reason why everyone has radically different ideas over what they think is the perfect volume. Some people need to do 5 exercises to see their lats grow, but some people will have their growth hindered by doing more than 2. Learning to master your own body's needs is the name of the game, and also part of why it takes so damn long to get from the beginner/intermediate stages of bodybuilding to advanced.

You have to experiment. Give several training philosophies months of your time each. Try the workout program you listed in the OP for a few months. Then try a 'less is more' approach and heavily emphasize rest and recovery. See which philosophy gives you the best results.

This. Try different exercises/workouts and see which one YOU believe gives you the best results. There is lots of different stuff to try, even changing grip width gave me better workouts for my lats.

[XxmetallicaxX]

Obviously like everyone is saying its different for each individual, everybody is a machine but unique in their own way, my back workout always starts off with barbell dead lifts, twisting barbell lifts, upright rows with barbell and then i usually do alot of reps on the lat pull down machine, but i have recently changed my workout in the last couple of weeks in light of my workout buddy, he is a pull up freak and i have taken lat pull down out of my workout and been doing a ton pullup and chinup, i found these were the best workout for lats, i was sore the next day, and if you arent sore youre not working the muscle group hard enough!

[Concat]

FYI, "lat" is short for "latissimus dorsi", not "lateral"

Deadlifts are a great idea, and reverse butterflys

Edit: I probably misunderstood you when you said "take one lateral exercise out"

[lee__d]

one

[29a]

Try 150 exercise 3 sets each

[DJAuto]

I prefer 4-6 for major muscle groups, and 2-3 for smaller ones like arms.

[blur2890]

i do 10 sets or more and for you back do pull ups

[Arm_Wrestler]

There is a lot more you have to consider than just the number of excercises you are doing. You should focus more on your intensity, how close to failure you go, weight selection (high low), sets and reps per set (reps are a consequence of weight selection when training to faliure), and finally rest periods. You also should compare the work (as in how much weight you are moving for how many reps as a direct comparison to a 100% fresh set - this will help you determine how much you are actually still able to "give" your workout) you are doing in your workout as you progress. There is a point where you may be doing excercises that are no longer creating enough of a stimulus to trigger growth. I am not referring to burnouts, I am talking about 'work sets.' Plan it so that you are able to "give" a good bit to each movement/excercise. When I am working out, if I am below 50% of a 'fresh' set (with more significance being place upon weight than reps, then I don't do work sets anymore. By the way, this is not a suggestion with weightloss in mind.

[ntroupe]

I like to change it up constantly. If I don't I get board with my workouts. Plus variety keeps the muscles guessing what coming at them next.