Splitting Workouts

i have heard that working out twice a day yields a better GH response than once a day, and keeps the metabolism higher.

is there really any measureable benefit to working out twice a day rather than once a day, all other parameters held constant?

for example, if i am following a program that would have me in the gym an hour a day, 5 days a week, would it be more beneficial to split the hour session into 2 half hour sessions?

Today I did 1-leg squats and bench in the morning. This evening I did a sprint workout. A few hours later (now), I did stiff leg deadlifts. I couldn’t do the SLDL after the 1-leg squats, my lower back was beat. But I was recovered enough tonight, so I was able to do the SLDL. So I did 3 workouts today, but there would have been no way I could have combined them all into one.

If you think about it, it’s makes sense to space out your training, in most cases.

[quote]
If you think about it, it’s makes sense to space out your training, in most cases. [/quote]

yeah, i think so too…i just wonder why its not very common.

Yes it can be of benefit getting two anabolic windows, metabolism boost, etc… As well as being fresh for all of the different movements.

Why is it not more common? Time. Not everyone can make several seperate times, or dont want to.

Two a days can be a nice change of pace.

Give em a go.

Its not very common because of the time it takes. Not all of us get paid like Arnold did with contest cash and movie deals to train at the gym 2x a day.

Burnout is another issue. imagine going 10 - 12 times a week and not getting tired out. Eventually it would just be easy to shrug off going at all.

I train like that most of the time.

Since I train at home, getting to and back from the gym consists in going downstairs and coming back up.

I generally train twice a day (morning and evenings); but sometimes also in the afternoon. On the weekends, I’ve done a few 4-sessions days.

I used to do “bodypart” sessions. Pecs in the morning, back in the afternoon and arms in the evening (as an example). It worked pretty well.

Lately, I’ve been doing “exercise” sessions. I’ll do 1 exercises for the pecs, then 1 for the back (often in antagonist supersets) and then 1 or 2 other exercises for smaller body parts. I’ll repeat the whole thing in the evening. I get better numbers that way, and more work done = better muscles, right?

I do that 5-6 days a week. It took a few weeks getting used to (the third week in a row was the hardest, I felt “empty” and had so-so workouts) but by the 4th week I rebounded and the numbers and reps starting climbing again. I took 4 days off after 4 weeks and started a new 4-week cycle. I’m trying a slight variation in that I’ll have high-rep days and low and medium rep days, inspired by some of Waterbury’s articles on frequency and intensity cycling.

One advantage I’ve found is that I almost never miss a workout. When you’re dog tired and contemplating a 1-hour workout, it’s easy to bail out. When it’s just 2 or 3 exercises and maybe 6-12 sets total, it a lot easier to motivate yourself.

I train twice a day three times a week (and I don’t get paid like Arnold - I work for the government, LOL). I get up at 4am and get to the gym by 5:30 and train for an hour. Usually one heavy movement (squats,DL’s, presses or rows) and one accessory movement. I then go to work for eight hours and meet my husband at the gym after work. I also speed bench on Sunday and drag my sled about four or five times a week.
So I get seven workouts in a week and then the additional GPP work.