working out 6 days a week?

[krazz]

a lot of people tell me it isn't good to work out more than 5 days a week.. I don't see why the case is. Can someone please tell me whats wrong with that?

[tom10]

a lot of people tell me it isn't good to work out more than 5 days a week.. I don't see why the case is. Can someone please tell me whats wrong with that?

It is not efficient and can lead people to overtraining if they have no idea what they're doing a lot easier than a low volume routine. 3 days a week is all one needs provided they are using the right program. If you're a beginner, use SS. If you've maxed out SS, use the texas method. If that stalls, use Bill Starr 5x5 intermediate. When that stalls, use Starr-Pendlay advanced, etc. All these routines are three days a week and will make you big and strong.

[Joelsopher]

It is not efficient nor effective unless you're trying to detail muscles for a show and stimulate that last bit of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. 3 days a week is all one needs provided they are using the right program. If you're a beginner, use SS. If you've maxed out SS, use the texas method. If that stalls, use Bill Starr 5x5 intermediate. When that stalls, use Starr-Pendlay advanced, etc. All these routines are three days a week and will make you big and strong.

Not true.

Muscle responds when it is stressed so you need to stress your muscles as much as you possibly can.

You can easily split up each muscle group into a split for a 5-6 day split. Working ONE muscle group a day split up equally.

Do not be in the gym for more than 60 minutes each workout or else you will be dead tired.

Monday - CHEST/ABS
Tuesday - BACK
Wednesday - LEGS/ABS
Thursday - SHOULDERS
Friday - ARMS
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - OFF

DO NOT TELL SOMEONE THEY CANT DO SOMETHING WHEN THEY CAN! GET REAL.

[USMARINE8152]

everyone is different. I train 5 to 6 days a week and get great results. I still deadlift and squat. All depends on you and your body. try it if it works for you then congrats.

[tom10]

Not true.

How? I don't see how anything I said is wrong.

Muscle responds when it is stressed so you need to stress your muscles as much as you possibly can.

So with this logic, instead of doing 12 sets for back, I should do 100, or even better, 200.

You can easily split up each muscle group into a split for a 5-6 day split. Working ONE muscle group a day split up equally.

Yes, but this is usually not efficient.

DO NOT TELL SOMEONE THEY CANT DO SOMETHING WHEN THEY CAN! GET REAL.

Where in my post did I say this was impossible? I said all one NEEDS is 3 days a week. Can you do more? Of course. Will it be as efficient? Probably not. There is a reason why the guys producing the biggest and strongest athletes are doing periodized routines rather than body part splits.

[ANadler]

If you do a push/pull split you can go to the gym 5-6 days a week. The only caveat would be not eating or sleeping enough, or too much stress on your joints (since they recover more slowly than muscles).

[ItemN9ne]

Bodybuilding is a science. Like many things in science bodybuilding differs per person. Therefore, a set routine with a set diet does not produce the same results for every person. If it were that easy, then EVERYONE would be giving Arnold a run for his money. I would research a "beginner" routine and experiment from there. Above all listen to your body and eat a proper diet and you're bound to see results. You'll be amazed at how fast your body can recover with a proper diet.

I have always worked out 6 days per week and ran on the 7th. Keep in mind that I do not hit the same muscles before at least a 3 day rest.

[Arkas89]

Arnold's basic mass routine

Monday and Thursday: Chest, Back, Abs
Tuesday and Friday: Schoulders, Arms, Forearms, Abs
Wednesday and Saturday: Thighs, Calves, Lower back, Abs

1 to 4 exercices per group

[tom10]

Arnold's basic mass routine

Monday and Thursday: Chest, Back, Abs
Tuesday and Friday: Schoulders, Arms, Forearms, Abs
Wednesday and Saturday: Thighs, Calves, Lower back, Abs

1 to 4 exercices per group

O no he didn't...

[Orlando1234977]

So with this logic, instead of doing 12 sets for back, I should do 100, or even better, 200.

You do as much workload as possible to recover and progress. For a beginner, this workload may be very small, hence full body 3 times/week. As you progress you do more workload, hence increased volume corresponding with decreased frequency/BP.

There is a reason why the guys producing the biggest and strongest athletes are doing periodized routines rather than body part splits.

There is a reason why bodybuilding has evolved to body part splits.

[tom10]

You do as much workload as possible to recover and progress. For a beginner, this workload may be very small, hence full body 3 times/week. As you progress you do more workload, hence increased volume corresponding with decreased frequency/BP.

Exactly, but that was not said in his post. We are in agreement here.

There is a reason why advanced bodybuilding has evolved to body part splits.

fixed.

Give this a read: http://www.musclemayhem.com/front/content/view/72/201/

If you can find one professional bodybuilder who benches less than 350, squats less than 450 and deadlifts less than 550 I will retract my argument.

[Orlando1234977]

Give this a read: http://www.musclemayhem.com/front/content/view/72/201/

If you can find one professional bodybuilder who benches less than 350, squats less than 450 and deadlifts less than 550 I will retract my argument.

I have read that as well as did DC a few years ago. Didn't buy their protein though promoted through their program. It's not a bad program but keep in mind majority bodybuilders don't train that way.

Are you somehow saying professional bodybuilders got there strength through use of full body routines? If not, how do those random numbers support your post.

[BombDonald]

If you can recover and still continually add weight to the exercises, by all means. But if you are just working out for the sake of working out it is not the best idea.

Higher frequency is always better if you can recover, but if you can't it is much worse.

[tom10]

I have read that as well as did DC a few years ago. Didn't buy their protein though promoted through their program. It's not a bad program but keep in mind majority bodybuilders don't train that way.

Are you somehow saying professional bodybuilders got there strength through use of full body routines? If not, how do those random numbers support your post.

I was referring to just the article really and not the DC stuff.

I'm saying it would be MUCH more efficient for a person to use a routine that encourages strength gains, which one will definitely get from doing full body routines like SS, Texas Method, intermediate 5x5, etc. and then on to periodization, and get damn strong and then switch over to volume training. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (the kind you get from volume training) accumulates A LOT quicker than myofibrilar hypertrophy (the gains you get from moving more weight over time). For my sake, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy = SH and you can figure out the other one.

The reason for this is that SH is a product of volume per session. You can probably add in 2 sets of bench your next training session, complete it and then progress weight wise on your next bench day. This would increase your volume. Its obvious though that you cannot add in 5 sets of bench, 5 sets of incline press, 5 sets of decline press and 5 sets of flies even at the peak of ones training and expect to recover easily. What I'm getting at is that there is a point in which you cannot add more volume in the form of extra sets to a routine. These extra sets in the 8-whatever range cause SH so you are limited in how much you can add. Seeing that you are only causing minimal MH to be stimulated (since you are working FAR from your max on that lift and only hitting the muscle once a week rather than say 3 for triceps when doing bench and overhead press on a full body routine), your gains will come A LOT slower since you have already reached your maximum amount of volume per session that you can recover from = maximum amount of SH stimulated for that strength level.

However, you can over time add more weight to your lifts and keep getting stronger for quite a long period of time. When you have spent a few years developing this strength base and then you start adding in all of that crapload of volume, one will blow up over a years time in adding all of the SH to their already established MH base.

Dante once said (roughly), "There would be a lot more happy bodybuilders if they first learned to train like powerlifters." I think he would know. He got huge in a hurry.

Sorry for the run on sentences.

[InsanityWolf]

a lot of people tell me it isn't good to work out more than 5 days a week.. I don't see why the case is. Can someone please tell me whats wrong with that?

You can probably accomplish what you're doing in a 3/4 day split much more efficiently.

[Orlando1234977]

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (the kind you get from volume training) accumulates A LOT quicker than myofibrilar hypertrophy (the gains you get from moving more weight over time). For my sake, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy = SH and you can figure out the other one.

There's one of the problems. Volume training does not mean sarcoplasmic hypertrophy only. You can reach your HIGHEST of threshold fibers doing sets of 8-12. Research size principle. Or use a split using low reps works too of course.

Also, who says you need to do a full body routine to use periodization?

And yes, Dante would know, but so would millions of other advanced lifters that may have other ways of getting there. Keep in mind Dante did huge amounts of Test, I used to have his original posts saves from way way back 2000-2001, but can't find them now.

[DOC_M]

everyone is an expert when it comes to this lol.

look man, like it was said before its different for everyone.

i used to lift 6 days a week and had good result but about 3 months ago i changed to 2 on 1 off and OMG!!! my result have nearly doubled, my strengh, my growth and even my desire to go to the gym has increased.

if you are getting result with what you are doing then keep doing it. if not then change it.

[krazz]

If you can recover and still continually add weight to the exercises, by all means. But if you are just working out for the sake of working out it is not the best idea.

Higher frequency is always better if you can recover, but if you can't it is much worse.

yeah, I workout 7 days a week and my gains have been excellent. I'm just going to stick with it for now until I find a true reason not to.

[tom10]

There's one of the problems. Volume training does not mean sarcoplasmic hypertrophy only.

These extra sets in the 8-whatever range cause SH so you are limited in how much you can add. Seeing that you are only causing minimal MH to be stimulated (since you are working FAR from your max on that lift and only hitting the muscle once a week rather than say 3 for triceps when doing bench and overhead press on a full body routine), your gains will come A LOT slower since you have already reached your maximum amount of volume per session that you can recover from = maximum amount of SH stimulated for that strength level.

Also, who says you need to do a full body routine to use periodization?

You don't and sorry for implying you do, but honestly I think it works much better for lower volume training.

And yes, Dante would know, but so would millions of other advanced lifters that may have other ways of getting there. Keep in mind Dante did huge amounts of Test, I used to have his original posts saves from way way back 2000-2001, but can't find them now.

I'm well aware there are plenty of ways to get there, but my argument is for the most efficient way to get there. Dante was also already of respectable size before using test.

look man, like it was said before its different for everyone.

The problem with this statement is that this implies that one has tried to fully maximize gains on both types of training, which is usually not true.

Bottom line: Yes volume training will get you results. Do I think it is best for novices or intermediates? No way. I need to go back to the powerlifting forum lol. I'm sorry if this is coming off as an argument as that is not my purpose.

[jamie93]

Not many people can work 6 days a week and still recover. ESPECIALLY NOT A BEGINNER SUCH AS YOURSELF (most likely). For you, such a routine will neither be practical nor efficient as you can recover much faster than more experienced people./

You best bet would be to go with a sticked 3 or 4 day routine such as starting strength. Splitting routines into a 5 day split like the one posted earlier in the thread is fine for an experienced trainee, WHICH THE POSTER WAS. *

*(To the poster of that routine, you should know that a novice probably would be better off with a more frequent less intense routine? Unless recovery was an issue that is) such as hitting each muscle 2x a week, or starting strength which has you squatting 3x a week.

[916stang]

everyone is different. I train 5 to 6 days a week and get great results. I still deadlift and squat. All depends on you and your body. try it if it works for you then congrats.

this. same here


also dont forget to eat and sleep

[NickD25]

I go 6 days a week. looks like this....

day 1 core
day2 chest/bicep
day3 shoulder/tri
day 4 back
day 5 legs
day 6 core

sundays off

[ptwa9]

If you can find one professional bodybuilder who benches less than 350, squats less than 450 and deadlifts less than 550 I will retract my argument.

You know linebackers all got big by playing football?

(Hint: the bodybuilders that are on stage are on stage because they are select genetically gifted individuals. the guys with the most genetic potential can easily get to those stats regardless of routine. there is progression in all sound routines. splits don't mean omitting squats, deads, and other compounds. more efficient is conjecture - show me a valid long-running scientific experiment involving top-level bodybuilders and comparing these two types of routines even if we could agree on what a split meant vs a full-body routine)

[ACMoore84]

If you're already using a 6 day routine and you're still seeing results, then keep it up. If it aint broke, don't fix it. Just keep eating right and getting plenty of sleep. When you stop getting results or you're not recovering (feeling fatigued) then your body's telling you to change the process.

[MatthewRoederer]

At the end of the day bro your body is different than any of the guys giving you advice. You gotta gat to the gym and get your sore on to see what works.

I just watched a documentary the other day with Kai Greene and Phil Heath and those dudes are eating 6000 calories a day working six days a week 2 to three times a day. But that's there job.

Like the guy above said muscle growth is all about time under tension and the amount of stress you put them through. Overtraining is a bs myth don't listen to the crap.

If you want you can try my routine:
Mon chest/tri
Tues back/bi
Wed shoulders/traps
Thurs chest/tri
Fri back/bi
Sat legs/calves

Hope that all helped brother, good luck.

[peniel01]

It is very possible our body respond in different ways what might be my case might not be yours. I hit my muscles 6 times a week depending on how i feel might make it 5. If you workout 6 times a week make sure your workout is short and heavy and most importantly listen to your body.

[TAWS6]

It is very possible our body respond in different ways what might be my case might not be yours. I hit my muscles 6 times a week depending on how i feel might make it 5. If you workout 6 times a week make sure your workout is short and heavy and most importantly listen to your body.

Hopefully it didn't take OP 7 years to figure it out.

[broderwd]

I didn't read all responses, so sorry if this is already said.

You don't have to think of everything only being a week, as in 7 days. My routine now has me going 6 out of 8 days. Don't force yourself to complete a longer, say 5 or 6 day split, in 7 days if the ability to recover is not there.

BTW, i am doing a PPL routine.

*** should of read the replies to realize how old this was... lol

[Zocas]

Wow it amazes me that so many people on here still attack others with no merit. Everyone is a master in their own world I guess. You can workout 7 days a week. I am on squats every day routine right now. Watch your volume and listen to your body. I ran it 2 weeks then got interrupted by work and I am finishing the last 2 weeks now. My BF is going down weight is dropping very very slowly and I am gaining strength. That tells me I am losing fat and gaining muscle. WTF people.... different things for different people. My squats gone up probably 30lbs, I hit a record 85s on DB Press (good for me sad for most I know), I just did pull ups with 50lbs which is new for me. All the time my diet is at maintenance basically with a tad bit more. Almost everyone said it wouldn't work.... well, it is working. I got 9 days left so we will see end results soon. I am not doing front squats, I am only alternating stance, depth, intensity.
I actually think it does pretty good. Good enough that after this goofy routine is over I will go back to my old modified F5, with probably one muscle group I will focus on every off day. (Pull ups for example) wow I may even go so off the wall to do isolation on arms!!! Wwwwwooooooo.
Listen to your body bro. Experiment. Listen to what people say, but in the end you need to see what's right for your body.

[Farley1324]

Wow it amazes me that so many people on here still attack others with no merit. Everyone is a master in their own world I guess. You can workout 7 days a week. I am on squats every day routine right now. Watch your volume and listen to your body. I ran it 2 weeks then got interrupted by work and I am finishing the last 2 weeks now. My BF is going down weight is dropping very very slowly and I am gaining strength. That tells me I am losing fat and gaining muscle. WTF people.... different things for different people. My squats gone up probably 30lbs, I hit a record 85s on DB Press (good for me sad for most I know), I just did pull ups with 50lbs which is new for me. All the time my diet is at maintenance basically with a tad bit more. Almost everyone said it wouldn't work.... well, it is working. I got 9 days left so we will see end results soon. I am not doing front squats, I am only alternating stance, depth, intensity.
I actually think it does pretty good. Good enough that after this goofy routine is over I will go back to my old modified F5, with probably one muscle group I will focus on every off day. (Pull ups for example) wow I may even go so off the wall to do isolation on arms!!! Wwwwwooooooo.
Listen to your body bro. Experiment. Listen to what people say, but in the end you need to see what's right for your body.

2 weeks at a go is hardly enough time to make any judgments.

What are you squatting and deadlifting?