36mins x5 weekdays or 60mins x3 days?

[musc1emadness]

Assuming everything is identical except the number of workout days and duration, does it actually matter? Goal is pure hypertrophy.

Have worked out for 2 years consistently until COVID hit, paused for 6 months and just resumed workouts in Dec last year.

[air2fakie]

Why would duration matter in any scenario? And what is pure hypertrophy?

For useful feedback it'd also help if you provide the details of your "identical everything" in both scenarios.

[paulinkansas]

I'd rather do the shorter 5 day workout. I have all sorts of people that call me about their crisis or problems. Plus I run a paper route several times a week. I'm actually waiting for someone to show up with paper while typing this.

[TolerantLactose]

If you're tracking your hypertrophy training by minutes, you're doing it wrong.

[Taatz]

If natty 3x a week.. if on roids wont matter u can swing ur weights everyday if u want and still grow..

[MyEgoProblem]

So long as volume is equated Doesn't matter really... Natty or aasisted.

The only real reason to increase frequency is when your session would be over 8-10 hard sets per session.

For strength goaks, there may be some skill components that would maybe better suited to more frequency.

[coachcalande]

Training 3-4 days a week as a natty is awesome.

1- greater recovery
2- fewer drives to and from gym
3- more time freed up to food prep
4- more time freed up for life outside of the gym
5- more likely to stick to it due to flexible schedule

[Taatz]

So long as volume is equated Doesn't matter really... Natty or aasisted.

The only real reason to increase frequency is when your session would be over 8-10 hard sets per session.

For strength goaks, there may be some skill components that would maybe better suited to more frequency.

Yes it matters.... As a natty u need full rest days to recover..

[MyEgoProblem]

Yes it matters.... As a natty u need full rest days to recover..

Nope..
That really Doesn't matter how you think it does.

Full days off between hitting a body part/movement won't hurt but aren't necessary at all.
But IF it mattered, he has they full weekend off to recover anyway.

[coachcalande]

Interesting debate there…

I think full days off allow something of an adrenaline recovery….if there is such a thing. Do adrenal glands tire out? Certainly the body can’t sustain the fight or flight response at peak levels forever….right?

It just seems like it’s a heckuva lot easier to get up and train hard after a full days rest, and BOTH mentally and physically easier to maintain training intensity, pace, effort knowing you have the following day to recover as well.

As far as the benefits of splitting- shorter, but volume filled, workouts are possible….instead of 90 min hitting three body parts, you have maybe 60 min hitting two, one large, one small? The trade off seems in some ways to be the mental fatigue and lack of scheduling flexibility of six days a week in the gym. (Just some examples)

I’m often tempted to return to the ol 3on, 1 off split I used in the 80s-early 90s…but I’ve seen far too many gains with fewer days in the gym.

[health4life24]

I typically train on a 6 day split with high volume, hitting everything twice per week. One rest day per week. Typically anywhere between 20-40+ sets per individual session. Hard sets, a mix of higher rep hypertrophy sets and also working down into the 1-3 rep max range.

I have on rare occasion gone a few weeks to almost a month without a day off from lifting because I felt motivated to keep training, and during that time nothing really changed.

Still made progress, felt good in the gym, increasing the weights, etc. When I finally did take a day off, I wasn’t burnt out all. I’ve also been training with high volume and intensity for years so have acclimated to it. It probably wouldn’t be beneficial or sustainable for the average lifter most likely.

And let me be clear, I am NOT recommending anyone here train 7 days a week and avoid taking a rest day or assuming that anyone can not take a rest day and still make progress!

And I myself prefer to have at least one day off per week, even though I have done 7 days a week. I like giving my body and mind that one day break from training.

With that being said, the reason I am mentioning this is because I strongly disagree with making generalized terms about recovery and one’s natural training ability. When you do this, it can hinder people’s potential because of a fear of doing too much, thinking that they can’t train harder, etc. when in actuality maybe they should be training harder (this doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone).

Everyone is different. Some people can handle a much more intense and higher workload than others and see better results with higher volume, frequency and intensity. It isn’t one size fits all.

The only real way to figure out what is best for you is through trial and error. Actually trying something out in the gym for a period of time and evaluating your results.

And also listen to your body, evaluate how you feel, your progress, how you are performing in the gym etc.

[coachcalande]

I typically train on a 6 day split with high volume, hitting everything twice per week. One rest day per week. Typically anywhere between 20-40+ sets per individual session. Hard sets, a mix of higher rep hypertrophy sets and also working down into the 1-3 rep max range.

I have on rare occasion gone a few weeks to almost a month without a day off from lifting because I felt motivated to keep training, and during that time nothing really changed.

Still made progress, felt good in the gym, increasing the weights, etc. When I finally did take a day off, I wasn’t burnt out all. I’ve also been training with high volume and intensity for years so have acclimated to it. It probably wouldn’t be beneficial or sustainable for the average lifter most likely.

And let me be clear, I am NOT recommending anyone here train 7 days a week and avoid taking a rest day or assuming that anyone can not take a rest day and still make progress!

And I myself prefer to have at least one day off per week, even though I have done 7 days a week. I like giving my body and mind that one day break from training.

With that being said, the reason I am mentioning this is because I strongly disagree with making generalized terms about recovery and one’s natural training ability. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a much more intense and higher workload than others and see better results with higher volume. It isn’t one size fits all.

The only real way to figure out what is best for you is through trial and error.

Spot on.

Good post.

Repped.

[MyEgoProblem]

I have no problem coaching/programming for people 7days a week training...

So long as you account for and balance the:
*Intensity (%1rm) and relative intensity (@rpe)
*Volume
*Frequently
Equation, its totally fine to do.

If you can't balance the scale that's fine.. its not necessary. But its certainly doable and effective