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!
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02-19-2012, 06:29 PM #1
how many days to lift weights a week? PLEASE HELP experts!
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02-19-2012, 06:46 PM #2
- Join Date: Aug 2010
- Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Age: 42
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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.Meet Best: 220/125/260 kg for a 384 Wilks IPF Nov 2018.
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02-20-2012, 12:22 AM #3
- Join Date: Jan 2011
- Location: State / Province, New Zealand
- Posts: 1,435
- Rep Power: 2672
^yes; typically for a beginner, less volume is more 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, does 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.Feed me here
Fill me up again
Temporarily pacify this hunger thats so cruel
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02-20-2012, 09:37 AM #4
- Join Date: Nov 2011
- Location: Cable, Ohio, United States
- Age: 44
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Volume
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
The toughest competition you will ever face is yourself.
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02-20-2012, 10:01 AM #5
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.Best lifts at the end of 2011
Squat: 585x2
Bench: 451
Deadlift: 610
Bodyweight: 202
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02-20-2012, 12:04 PM #6
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.
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02-20-2012, 12:27 PM #7
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02-20-2012, 12:32 PM #8
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02-20-2012, 12:33 PM #9
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 35
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Fierce 5 novice routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=159678631
All Pros beginner routine: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=169172473
Calculating calories and macros: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=173439001
Multivitamin Creatine Monohydrate
Fish Oil Whey
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02-20-2012, 12:42 PM #10
- Join Date: Sep 2004
- Location: United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Posts: 20,321
- Rep Power: 122099
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02-20-2012, 01:47 PM #11
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02-20-2012, 04:57 PM #12
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 goalsLast edited by braskibra; 02-20-2012 at 05:07 PM.
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05-06-2016, 04:25 PM #13
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05-07-2016, 08:08 AM #14
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.- Your mindset influences your outcome. It's time to take out phrases like "I can't" or "I don't have time" and replace them with phrases like "I will make the time" and "I will keep working at it until I find a way that works." Success starts with the right mindset and believing in yourself and your dreams.
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05-07-2016, 08:35 AM #15
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05-07-2016, 09:43 AM #16- Your mindset influences your outcome. It's time to take out phrases like "I can't" or "I don't have time" and replace them with phrases like "I will make the time" and "I will keep working at it until I find a way that works." Success starts with the right mindset and believing in yourself and your dreams.
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