Can I train legs twice a week?

[NickC84]

Aright dudes this is kinda embarassing to say but I have been working out since I was 16 ( now almost 22 ) and havent Trained legs Seriously. Its been on and off but I am sick of it and want to just start and not turn back. People say I should compete But I know I cant with these legs. enough of my bitchin My simple question is can I train legs twice a Week I want to gain as much as I can and as quick as possible

[Superman]

You can train legs twice a week, just watch out for the amount of volume that you use.

Sadly enough, you can do pretty well in amateur bodybuilding without having a decent set of legs (Just look at Layne... Just Kidding... Kind of)

[Canadian Iron]

Yes.

I think one thing most people fail to realize about frequency is that it is a separate variable from volume. As an aside the 3 primary variables in program design being frequency, volume, and intensity as measured by % of your 1RM for a given lift (i.e. weight on the bar). Volume and intensity over a period or session combine to equal workload with calculated tonnage in core lifts being helpful to track in many cases. A good piece for some definitions is here: http://www.qwa.org/articles/tmethod.asp

Anyway, frequency serves to distribute volume or workload over a period of time. Take a lifter who handles 10 sets of legs 1x per week. What most people do when they try to increase frequency is come in and do the same thing 2x per week. Now we have 20 sets per week or a 100% immediate increase in workload - likely not going to happen if things were setup even remotely close beforehand. Over time, this lifter might certainly be able to handle the increase but not 100% at once or even close to it. The correct way to use frequency is to distribute the original 10 sets i.e. perform 5 sets 2x per week. This works a lot better and frequency is really important to increasing weight on the bar and getting better at lifts. Actually this lifter will probably find very quickly that he can rachet up the workload much better with this distribution rather than doing it all on 1 day.

You don't get accustomed to a movement very well doing it once ever 7 days. You don't need to do it every day 2x per day (although in a more technique based lift like the snatch or clean higher frequency is very helpful) but 1x ever 7 days or more is pretty bad and the whole overtraining thing has a lot more to do with the CNS that muscular recovery and aggregate workload over a period is a better way to guage CNS impact than frequency in isolation as overtraining is systemic accumulated fatigue on the CNS (i.e. what is stimulative over 4 weeks might drop someone in their tracks if done for 8 weeks without rest).

To illustrate this better a lot of guys who use 5x5 style programs based on Starr's or Pendlay's stuff squat 3x per week. Even raw beginners, even elite lifters. How is this done, most people think the frequency is impossible. Well, you walk everyday many times without problems so frequency alone is not the issue. It's the combination of volume and intensity (or workload) over a period. Frequency merely distributes this workload. For a beginner, workload is low, and they will set new records possibly 2x per week. For an intermediate workload is increased and they might add weight to the bar weekly or thereabouts. For an advanced lifter workload will be higher still and new records set every 4-8 weeks.

Something like this:

Beginner: 3x5 performed 3x per week. 1 day is light. Weights are ramped to a top set i.e. 100, 115, 130. New records 2x per week on top set.

Intermediate: 5x5 performed 3x per week. Heavy/Light/Medium. Weights are ramped to a top set similar to first. New records set weekly on top set of 5.

Advanced: Periodized to allow for higher workload. 5x5 performed 3x per week. 2 Heavy and 1 Medium, Weights are constant set weight i.e. 315x5x5. This might be dropped to 2x per week with 1 heavy day and reps of 3x3 after the initial period (i.e. loading and deloading). New records every 4-8 weeks.

Thinking about tonnage in the core lifts as a proxy for workload. An intermediate and advanced lifter with exactly the same max lifts (rare) might have the intermediate using 30,000 lbs weekly or enough so that fatigue never really overtakes him and he can set new records weekly on a linear basis. The loading period for the advanced lifter might have 50,000 lbs per week - and he will likely fatigue from this in a few weeks and require a period of lower workload (volume lowered, frequency lowered, but intensity or weight on the bar can still be kept high - lots of ways to handle this but workload drops). Maybe workload is 20000lbs at this point. A frequent way people might do this is 3:1 ratio. So 50K loading and 20K deload in this example (which is pretty random by the way, don't go extrapolating all kinds of crap from it). What's the one thing you notice though, over 4 weeks you have 170K in workload (50K x 3 weeks + 20K x 1 week) vs. the linear 120K (30K x 4 weeks). Much higher average workload - how is this possible. Dual factor model or fitness/fatigue. Fitness and fatigue are separate and acrue and disipate at different rates. Fatigue can be disipated in 1/3rd the time of fitness i.e. you can handle a lot more work over a limited period (with a short period of rest) than you can running indefinitely without limit. This is why some people here might have gotten great results doing a ton of work over a few weeks and than as fatigue accrued it burned them out. If you want to better understand the dual factor model and how this is handled a good read is this: http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/...rtraining.html

So anyway, this is probably way beyond what a lot of guys on here are doing. That said, this is pretty much how training is handled around the world in elite strength and athletics. There is more to training that picking some exercises, spreading them out in a 3 day split, training a lift 1x a week, and with no other thought or organization, going in, working hard, and hoping to get bigger or stronger for your efforts. This might work decently enough at the beginner level but optimality and organization plays a far bigger role further out and even for the beginner, getting this right will make a big, very noticable difference.

So - back to the original point. Anyone can handle whatever frequency they choose. It's a matter of workload over a period and the conditioning of the athelete. Anyone can squat 3x per week just as anyone can walk every day, you just can't do 10 sets of 10 to failure or some garbage like that or increase workload 300% instantly to try it. Same with walking every day, you can't do maximum sprints for hours every day and you can't take a couch potatoe and expect him to walk 15 miles without some issues.

I hope that helps illustrate some things as this is a pretty good thread and I imagine we are touching on stuff that most people on this board either never considered or never realized were part of training. Keep in mind, the most important thing is adding weight to the bar and getting your lifts up. Now, how to best go about that for a given lifter at a given point in time - now that's programing and training, suffice to say you want to make the fastest progression possible and workload is a factor in this process.

[nitrored]

If you check out the 5x5 programs are that always being discussed around here, you'll see that these programs have you squatting 3x a week.
Being careful w/ volume is going to break or make you if your making your own custom workout plan.

[NickC84]

Thanks guys ....the 5x5 program looks good

[RippedGuitarist]

I feel like puking right now, so I say no! haha.

J/K of course, like the above post it depends on the volume of your workouts. As well as what your body can handle, some can handle higher volume than others. As for me, legs wear me the hell out, I couldn't do two full leg workouts a week, I would have to do what is suggest above and lower the volume per workout.

[Wayneizgod]

Yeah go for it..I Train Legs twice a week and it works just fine for me.When i started i didn't train legs ether,now it's one of my favorite parts to train.I dont think you can overtrain with legs compared to everything else anyways.

[T82]

But will you make more progress by training legs twice a week with lower intensity than training them once and giving everything you've got?

Sometimes people seem to say that you have to push your limits because only then will your body properly adapt and grow. But is it the case that any amount of microtrauma will lead to growth as the body has to repair it?

What if one did one or two sets of chest every day? Would that lead to growth?

[str8flexed]

You can train legs twice a week, just watch out for the amount of volume that you use.

Sadly enough, you can do pretty well in amateur bodybuilding without having a decent set of legs (Just look at Layne... Just Kidding... Kind of)

go ahead & take your shot. but twice a week training is what helped bring my legs up.

you can knock on me all you want but i've met every goal i've ever set for myself so I like it when people do this, just motivates me to prove them wrong.

here are some pictures of my 'crappy' legs

[BigMace255]

You can train legs twice a week, just watch out for the amount of volume that you use.

Sadly enough, you can do pretty well in amateur bodybuilding without having a decent set of legs (Just look at Layne... Just Kidding... Kind of)

Let's see some pictures of your legs up against Layne's.

[Canadian Iron]

But will you make more progress by training legs twice a week with lower intensity than training them once and giving everything you've got?

Read the quote I posted it answers your questions.

[semper27]

Not trying to compare to Layne by any means. I have total respect for him.

I've see great gains hitting legs twice per week.

[best regards]

I'm voting for layne.

[best regards]

oh, and to the thread started. I do deads monday and squats friday and I'm fine.

[str8flexed]

semper has better legs than me, that cannot be denyed but i have made vast improvements in mine

[semper27]

Layne your legs are great... Your legs have come a very long way. I just need to bring up the upper body more. Can't wait to do a bulk with you. I train legs on Tues and Sat. Ample amount of rest in between workouts is key as everyone should know. I'm just starting glute ham raises with bodyweight and as you have said before they are no joke.

[Hola Bola]

Picture time?

I train my legs almost 2x a week... every 4 days usually.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...7&d=1149987010

[W8isGR8]

semper has better legs than me, that cannot be denyed but i have made vast improvements in mine

I think they're both awesome

[W8isGR8]

Picture time?

I train my legs almost 2x a week... every 4 days usually.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...7&d=1149987010

Sorry buddy, this thread is for "naturals" only

[Hola Bola]

Sorry buddy, this thread is for "naturals" only

I know... I should've posted a Cell-Tech disclaimer with the pic.

[str8flexed]

Picture time?

I train my legs almost 2x a week... every 4 days usually.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...7&d=1149987010

yeesh!

[W8isGR8]

I know... I should've posted a Cell-Tech disclaimer with the pic.

I'd post my pics but I'm.......at work....yeah, that's it.

[W8isGR8]

yeesh!

It looks impressive until you realize he's only 4' 10"

[Morbid_Mind]

It looks impressive until you realize he's only 4' 10"

With shoes.............and lifts.....

[W8isGR8]

With shoes.............and lifts.....

Standing on a tub of cell-tech

[Hola Bola]

It looks impressive until you realize he's only 4' 10"

[W8isGR8]

BWAHAHAHAHHAAHA!!!!!111!!1

[Superman]

Let's see some pictures of your legs up against Layne's.

I fail to see how this solves anything. Does it really matter what my legs look like? Anyway, you guys need to lighten up around here and get a sense of humor.

Pic - 2004 Missouri State Championships, July '04 weight 190, current weight 240.

Satisfied?

[Oz Enhanced]

Hell yeh.. train them twice a week

this is what i do 2x a week


Thighs
Horizontal Laying Leg Press - 5 x 20,10,8,6,4
Leg Press - 4 x 10,8,8,6
Leg extensions - 3x10
Leg Curls - 4 x 20,10,8,6

Calves
Seated Calf Raises - 4x10
Standing Calf Raises - 4x15,10,8,8

[Oz Enhanced]

5000 posts
2000 rep points
0 squats

You must be from Misc.

or theres a ****en reason why i dont do squats