How often do most people here hit each muscle group?

[J0shy]

I'm a 39 year old former gym rat but had to stop working out for about a year and a half due to a layoff. I am 6 weeks into a full body routine and can tell my muscles aren't properly stimulated anymore doing my full body routine so it's time for a change.

I'm 6'0" and went from 238lbs to 249lbs while losing some fat and seeing great strength progress.
3000 cal diet
Supplements: creatine, and glucosamine

My question is I've always done a "bro split" type workout so I can hit each muscle type as hard as I wanted and it worked well for me. Much of the articles I've been reading seem to push muscle stimulation twice a week so I'm thinking of giving a 4 day upper/lower split a try.

What is working for everyone on here to gain mass? Yes I need to cut at some point but focused on mass/strength for now.

[TAWS6]

Upper/lower > bro splits

[OsPerez1996]

Upper/lower > bro splits

Yup! This.

I generally alternate my schedules between a Push/Pull/Leg & Upper/Lower set up. 2 x a week is the “frequency g-spot™️“ my man!

[EjnarKolinkar]

Most typically the workout logs around here show 2-3x a week frequency.

Much of the articles I've been reading seem to push muscle stimulation twice a week so I'm thinking of giving a 4 day upper/lower split a try.

Sounds very reasonable. The fierce five and 3DMJ U/L splits are both nice templates. Good luck on your progress.

[OldFartTom]

I had best results recently doing big lifts (squat, OHP, bench, row) 3 hard sets of 5 reps + a back-off set of 10 at 20% less. All 3 times a week
Plus 1 hard set 5 rep DL and 3 set 10 pull/chin, again 3 times a week.
Weekly 5 lb increment when possible. Sit ups, hypers, reverse fly, etc to finish.

Took more time than I've available or I'd still be doing it.

I'm an enthusiast for 3 times a week frequency.

[Orlando1234977]

I'm a 39 year old former gym rat but had to stop working out for about a year and a half due to a layoff. I am 6 weeks into a full body routine and can tell my muscles aren't properly stimulated anymore doing my full body routine so it's time for a change.

I'm 6'0" and went from 238lbs to 249lbs while losing some fat and seeing great strength progress.
3000 cal diet
Supplements: creatine, and glucosamine

My question is I've always done a "bro split" type workout so I can hit each muscle type as hard as I wanted and it worked well for me. Much of the articles I've been reading seem to push muscle stimulation twice a week so I'm thinking of giving a 4 day upper/lower split a try.

What is working for everyone on here to gain mass? Yes I need to cut at some point but focused on mass/strength for now.

Don't put too much value in those little studies or articles from someone trying to sell something. Search past threads, they've been thoroughly debunked many times on here throughout the years. But doesn't hurt to try something new.

[health4life24]

I wouldn't start comparing yourself to everyone else. What works for one person might not work that well for someone else. Furthermore, if you say you are a former gym rat I would imagine you should already have figured out from prior training experience what works for you and what doesn't.

[SuffolkPunch]

2-3 x directly. Indirectly, almost every day.

The thing about frequency is that it's just another variable to play with. If you always stick to the same then you are missing a trick. I suggest making small incremental changes - like going from 1 - 1.5 x frequency. If you train 4-5 times a week, try a PPL rotation.

[grubman]

I am 6 weeks into a full body routine and can tell my muscles aren't properly stimulated anymore doing my full body routine so it's time for a change.

It’s not that a full body doesn’t stimulate the muscles enough, it’s that a full body is Extreemly HARD to do, and properly stimulate the muscles, as a lifter advances (and we aren’t talking a pathetic 6 weeks).

Most people claim to switch from a full body to a split so they can hit the muscles harder...but in actuality, it’s because hitting a full body with proper intensity has just become too hard, and they want their workouts to be EASIER. Much easier to do twice as many modest sets as a few super high intensity sets...followed by more for all the other muscle groups. Many people just don’t have the nads to get through a muscle building full body workout when the intensity and/or volume level becomes high...but those who do continue to see great progress.

I know, a bit of a rant...I just hate to hear people make this excuse and actually convince themselves it’s true.

I wouldn't start comparing yourself to everyone else. What works for one person might not work that well for someone else. Furthermore, if you say you are a former gym rat I would imagine you should already have figured out from prior training experience what works for you and what doesn't.

^^this. Bodybuilding is very simple when it comes to the core things that work for everyone for 90% of their gains (consistency, lift, eat, sleep). The last, maybe, 10% is the personal fine tuning that comes with experience and experimentation.

MHO

[WolfRose7]

4x. 3 minimum.

[sooby]

2-3x a week

[maddog352002]

4x. 3 minimum.

So you'd say about 3.50

[cornman99]

So you'd say about 3.50

Ha!

OP 2x frequency is good.

I prefer 3-4x, or about tree fiddy, if your goals are to increase the powerlifts.

[FaIIen]

Anywhere from 2 to 4, depending on what I'm focusing on.

[Orlando1234977]

What splitting accomplishes is it minimizes the CNS fatigue while maximizing muscle fatigue. Unless of course you're a Reg Park clone and can do 60+ sets M, W, and again on F.

Also, if the basic compounds are all used in the body part split, essentially everything is hit multiple times/week anyway, even using a BP split.

[TAWS6]

I like full body 3 times a week until quality starts to suffer. I think for me it began at around a 300 squat and 300 something dead lift. I’ll do a reset at some point and give full body another run. On year 3 of upper lower lol

[J0shy]

It’s not that a full body doesn’t stimulate the muscles enough, it’s that a full body is Extreemly HARD to do, and properly stimulate the muscles, as a lifter advances (and we aren’t talking a pathetic 6 weeks).

Most people claim to switch from a full body to a split so they can hit the muscles harder...but in actuality, it’s because hitting a full body with proper intensity has just become too hard, and they want their workouts to be EASIER. Much easier to do twice as many modest sets as a few super high intensity sets...followed by more for all the other muscle groups. Many people just don’t have the nads to get through a muscle building full body workout when the intensity and/or volume level becomes high...but those who do continue to see great progress.

I know, a bit of a rant...I just hate to hear people make this excuse and actually convince themselves it’s true.



^^this. Bodybuilding is very simple when it comes to the core things that work for everyone for 90% of their gains (consistency, lift, eat, sleep). The last, maybe, 10% is the personal fine tuning that comes with experience and experimentation.

MHO

Grubman that's some great feed back. I've been hitting the fullbody workout hard and part of the issue could be more time restraint then anything. Every set is to failure and rest time it's kept short but still just felt like I wasn't getting what I wanted out of the program

I started the intermediate Furious 5 upper/lower split today (with an added superset) and feel like I finally got the muscles hard enough. Let's see what happens over the next 8 weeks and I'll see if I'm getting the progress that I saw on the full body program.

[Paulie_G]

After 20+ years of training, and needing a bit more recovery time, I see the best results from a push/pull/legs/day off program. So, basically each muscle group every 4-5 days.

[WolfRose7]

What splitting accomplishes is it minimizes the CNS fatigue while maximizing muscle fatigue. Unless of course you're a Reg Park clone and can do 60+ sets M, W, and again on F.

Also, if the basic compounds are all used in the body part split, essentially everything is hit multiple times/week anyway, even using a BP split.

How? since intensity and frequency have little to do with CNS fatigue

[Orlando1234977]

How? since intensity and frequency have little to do with CNS fatigue

So squatting 500 pounds 4 times a week will have the same cumulative CNS fatigue as once a week? What does cause CNS fatigue?

[Jasonk282]

Full body, everyday 6 or 7 times a week.

[Burgerbuger]

Upper body 3 times per week. Lower body once per week.

I tried doing 3 upper body , 3 lower body but it's too taxing on me. My recovery is real slow. I am happy with my lower lifts and feel like my upper is lagging anyway.

[Farley1324]

So squatting 500 pounds 4 times a week will have the same cumulative CNS fatigue as once a week? What does cause CNS fatigue?

Also interested in this discussion

[Animal2692]

2x a week full body twice a week routine. Full body all the way

[FallingBridge]

Full body, everyday 6 or 7 times a week.

Which routine are you on?

[WolfRose7]

So squatting 500 pounds 4 times a week will have the same cumulative CNS fatigue as once a week? What does cause CNS fatigue?

Time mostly. Endurance exercises are the biggest cause of Cns fatigue. Marathons being right up there, iron man style comps probably even more so.

Most if not all exercises shown to cause it have been insane protocols (7m constant bicep activation for example)
With intensity having little effect

Squatting relatively heavy 4 times a week would induce a high amount of peripheral fatigue, which is generally what people mix up with central fatigue.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4595208/

While I generally prefer quoting studies than articles this one if well written and referenced and easier to link too on phone than 20 studies :P
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/bayes...s-fatigue/amp/

[Farley1324]

Time mostly. Endurance exercises are the biggest cause of Cns fatigue. Marathons being right up there, iron man style comps probably even more so.

Most if not all exercises shown to cause it have been insane protocols (7m constant bicep activation for example)
With intensity having little effect

Squatting relatively heavy 4 times a week would induce a high amount of peripheral fatigue, which is generally what people mix up with central fatigue.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4595208/

While I generally prefer quoting studies than articles this one if well written and referenced and easier to link too on phone than 20 studies :P
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/bayes...s-fatigue/amp/

Big experience guys such as Louise Simmons say otherwise.

But then I suppose it might be a matter of semantics at this point.

[sooby]

Big experience guys such as Louise Simmons say otherwise.

But then I suppose it might be a matter of semantics at this point.

it doesn't really matter who you quote when the facts/studies are out there wide in the open for your viewing. CNS fatigue is something that is not generally induced for any extended period of time because of 1 or two sessions. Muscular or peripheral fatigue however is a different issue.

[Farley1324]

it doesn't really matter who you quote when the facts/studies are out there wide in the open for your viewing. CNS fatigue is something that is not generally induced for any extended period of time because of 1 or two sessions. Muscular or peripheral fatigue however is a different issue.

"Because of 1 or two sessions"? I didn't realize we were claiming CNS fatigue from one or two training sessions alone. I don't think anybody has said that.

[sooby]

"Because of 1 or two sessions"? I didn't realize we were claiming CNS fatigue from one or two training sessions alone. I don't think anybody has said that.

I didn't say that anybody said that in the thread, i'm just pointing out the pervasive myths that are out there when it comes to CNS fatigue. Not to mention somebody mentioned something about squatting 500 lbs 4 times a week as opposed to 1 week so close enough, short-term was the point there. CNS recovers really quickly often within the the workout itself.