Only Three Training Days?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

i am really keen lifter, and i cant stand only lifting 3 days a week for Waterbury method (WM) and total body training (TBT) by Chad which i will be starting soon, would it be ok to do it every other day rather then having a 2 day gap at 1 point during the week?

that would kill me, having to wait 2 days before getting back into the iron, but i’ll do it for the sake of the gains, how vital is it that i take a 2 day break? i am bulking atm, but let me know if i could get away every other day? i have lots of energy and time!

2

If you have lots of energy and time you could try Stripped Down Hypertrophy (recent article), training 5 days/week.

I don’t know from which you would benefit more, though.

3

[quote]redeyemikey wrote:
i am really keen lifter, and i cant stand only lifting 3 days a week for Waterbury method (WM) and total body training (TBT) by Chad which i will be starting soon, would it be ok to do it every other day rather then having a 2 day gap at 1 point during the week?

that would kill me, having to wait 2 days before getting back into the iron, but i’ll do it for the sake of the gains, how vital is it that i take a 2 day break? i am bulking atm, but let me know if i could get away every other day? i have lots of energy and time!

[/quote]

i used to think the same way but i gave 3x a week training a go and i understand why vets from this site say they have made their best gains ever on 3x a week programs. rest and recovery are underestimated in this game. during those two days off your body is growing and getting ready for the next 3 sessions of squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows. let your shit rest and you will grow.

4

In my opinion, you should alternate between 3x and 4-5x/week programs. Some programs 3x is PLENTY for me and some programs 3x isn’t enough stimulation for my muscles. I’ve been using the programs on this site for less than a year now and I feel that the authors do a great job in prescribing frequency. Plus Waterbury is a genius. I know it sucks but be patient. If the program doesn’t say anything, maybe do cardio in your off-days or something?

5

I had the same type of question, but with a slight variation. It seems that I can put in my best effort on the squats when I start with that, but if I put that on days where I have other “heavy weight” exercises, I can’t do my best on those (like bench press for example).

Should the days off be between target areas, or totally off (I know this depends upon the program, but this is a general question)…?

I was thinking of putting lower-body days in-between upper-body days, with no days off in-between (except perhaps one day a week with nothing).

Comments…?

6

ok ok, i wont go into the gym (grumbles) maybe i might start putting on some muscle by listening and following through a plan for once!

7

[quote]aidensdad wrote:
I had the same type of question, but with a slight variation. It seems that I can put in my best effort on the squats when I start with that, but if I put that on days where I have other “heavy weight” exercises, I can’t do my best on those (like bench press for example).

Should the days off be between target areas, or totally off (I know this depends upon the program, but this is a general question)…?

I was thinking of putting lower-body days in-between upper-body days, with no days off in-between (except perhaps one day a week with nothing).

Comments…?[/quote]

i wouldn’t recommend training that frequently, at the most imo 2 upper sessions a week and 2 lower sessions a week. if you set up your schedule the way you described, you will probably see that your upper body session performance goes down (even though it’s on a separate day) because your cns is still recovering from the previous day’s lower session. again, recovery depends on so many things, your personal abilities, your lifestyle, diet, stress, how intensely you lift.

8

First, you should know that there is no one “program” to use, at least in terms of what it’s being defined as!

Frequency of training depends totally on your ability to recover! Some people recover faster than others!

For most people, who are not using steroids, more than 3 days of training a week is too much, that is if you are traing the way you need to be!

If you do squats on Monday and lift heavy, taking every set to failure, then you probably wont even be able to squat again for at least a week!!!

So the fact that you have so much energy may be suggesting that you are not training properly!! And as stated earlier, REST is very very important! If you dont rest properly, you are really wasting your time on any “program” you are doing!

Jazz

9

I also like to push tin 5 days a week… And wonder if i’d get more back if I took days off?

I train chest & tri’s monday, back & bi’s tues, shoulders & legs wed, chest again thurs & superset bi’s and tri’s friday.

Is this too much? I figure I’m not working the same body parts directly together. And have only got growth on my chest since from working it twice a week!

As far as training properly, I push it hard every day and am always mixing up excerises… I have a lot of rest with having most days free.

I only use creatine & tribulus as supplements as well as a well nutritioned diet…

Ideas please?

10

i train with max intensity and the programs i follow force me to complete the exercises by a certain time. i usually need a spotter for squats and finish my last rep just before failure.
but yeah, rest is important i just have this thing inside me telling me more is better all the time ;[

11

[quote]Jarrod wrote:
I train chest & tri’s monday, back & bi’s tues, shoulders & legs wed, chest again thurs & superset bi’s and tri’s friday.

Ideas please?[/quote]

You have a day dedicated to chest, and then train it 2x a week, as well as training bi’s and tri’s 2x week. Yet, you do not have a full day for legs nor do you do them 2x a week?

12

[quote]gabex wrote:
Jarrod wrote:
I train chest & tri’s monday, back & bi’s tues, shoulders & legs wed, chest again thurs & superset bi’s and tri’s friday.

Ideas please?

You have a day dedicated to chest, and then train it 2x a week, as well as training bi’s and tri’s 2x week. Yet, you do not have a full day for legs nor do you do them 2x a week?[/quote]

You train legs by walking around day to day…everybody knows that.

13

Im the same way, i like to workout more often. For me, i like the “daily routine” and only working out 3 days a week gets me out of this routine.

I have found that shorter routines 5 or 6 days a week work best for me though i have also done longer routines sometimes.

I also agree with gabex; you train bi’s and tri’s twice a week; but then legs only once a week and even that day is not dedicated solely to legs. Also, you are only working out your shoulders once a week.

Your tri’s and bi’s get worked out during chest and back excercises; so you really have a big emphasis on tri’s and bi’s more than any other body parts in your program.

Also, only doing your shoulders once a week when you are doing other major upper body parts such as back and chest twice a week could lead to an imbalance or injury. You might want to consider having a dedicated leg day and maybe set up another leg day that is light.

Your shoulders should be also be brought into balance as far as work as it is a major body part that currently is only recieving half the workload of the rest of your upper body.

14

[quote]Jazz_Man1898 wrote:
First, you should know that there is no one “program” to use, at least in terms of what it’s being defined as!

Frequency of training depends totally on your ability to recover! Some people recover faster than others!

For most people, who are not using steroids, more than 3 days of training a week is too much, that is if you are traing the way you need to be!

If you do squats on Monday and lift heavy, taking every set to failure, then you probably wont even be able to squat again for at least a week!!!

So the fact that you have so much energy may be suggesting that you are not training properly!! And as stated earlier, REST is very very important! If you dont rest properly, you are really wasting your time on any “program” you are doing!

Jazz [/quote]

Jazz is right on in this post.

There are multiple approaches to building muscle, and many of them will work.

One aspect of choosing a program is that you enjoy it. If you hate doing something, or you’d rather be doing a different program, then you’re eventually going to stop doing that program (often times prematurely). What’s really important about a program is that:

  1. You stick with it (consistency is key)

  2. You combine it with an appropriate nutritional plan (whether it be a gaining or “cutting” diet)

  3. You give it everything you’ve got.

Body Part splits work, 2 way splits (push/pull, Upper/Lower, DC, etc…) work, Full body programs work, lots of approaches work. Yes, I’ll agree that certain programs seem to be more appropriate for certain experience levels (i.e. full body programs, like Rippetoe’s, are a great program for beginners), but as long as the above aspects are present the program should give you results.

OP, if you like training 5 days a week and doing a body part split (and it’s working for you), then stick with it. If it’s not, make absolutely certain that you are eating right. If you are and the program still isn’t giving you results, then go ahead and try something new.

15

[quote]Jazz_Man1898 wrote:
First, you should know that there is no one “program” to use, at least in terms of what it’s being defined as!

Frequency of training depends totally on your ability to recover! Some people recover faster than others!

For most people, who are not using steroids, more than 3 days of training a week is too much, that is if you are traing the way you need to be!

If you do squats on Monday and lift heavy, taking every set to failure, then you probably wont even be able to squat again for at least a week!!!

So the fact that you have so much energy may be suggesting that you are not training properly!! And as stated earlier, REST is very very important! If you dont rest properly, you are really wasting your time on any “program” you are doing!

Jazz [/quote]

I agree with everything said in this post.

Also, i’ve realized lately that shoulders get hit in practically everything you do in the gym and recently besides overhead press variations i haven’t done any shoulder work, let alone had a day dedicated to shoulders only. I think that the new hype is training in movement patterns (horizontal/vertical push, hor/vert pull, lower quad dominant, lower hip dominant) and this is rightly so because i think it works.

16

Aha!

Cheers for your knowlege…
Have re evaluated my program now with 2 days on 1 day off (day1 push, day 2 pull, day 3 off and day 4 legs, day 5 push and so on…).

Was chatting to a mate at the gym today, he has been traning this program with only 2 set’s per exercise, and with more exercises, (e.g 2x5 rather than 3x3 set/ exercise). Is this a good thing? I normally do 3-4 sets per exercise…

Thanks