I’m 32 and just restarting my training. To get back quickly I’m considering training 6 times per week. I just bought vShred programs which says that I should exercise each muscle 1 time per week. But according to my personal trainer I used before, I should exercise each muscle two times per week to gain muscle fast. Thus, I put up the following program which exercise each muscle two times per week which I appreciate feedback on:
Day 1: Back+biceps
Pulldown 8x4
Dumbbell row 8x4
Cable biceps curl 12x3
Cable face pull 12x3
Straight arm push down 12x3
Plank
Day 2 Chest+triceps
Dumbbell bench press. 8x4
Dumbbbell incline bench 8x3
Cable triceps pushdown 12x3
Cable chest press 12x3
Heel touchers 20x3
Day 3 Legs+shoulders
Squats 8x4
Deadlift 5x5
Dumbbell shoulder press 12x4
Dumbbell deltoid raise 12x3
Day 4: rest+cardio
Start over on day 1.
For a reintroduction program, I think it mostly looks decent, since you’re looking to work muscles twice a week. The couple changes I suggest are to loading / reps. For one compound back movement, probably rows, do higher weight and lower reps, perhaps 4 sets of 6 reps or 5 x 5, and do around 10 reps in the pulldowns. For the chest, I’d do either the incline dumbbell press or the cable press, but not both. On either of those, I’d increase the report range to 10-12. Finally, 5x5 deadlifts everyday 4 days after squatting will probably burn you out in a couple weeks. I’d alternate the squats as main lift one leg day, following them up with Romanian deadlifts or back raises, and make deadlifts the next main lift and do lunges, front squats, or light, high reps squats as the secondary lift.
Two other options would be an upper body, lower body split or a push/pull split. The workout split that you’re able to stick with is the one you should do.
I agree with your former trainer, especially at the beginning stage, about working each muscle twice a week. With the exception of deadlifts, which are best for me at once a week, I can’t really improve most muscle groups or lifts unless I work them twice a week or every 4 to 5 days.
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Thanks for the feedback. I’ll amend the reps and separate deadlift and squats with one of them each day. Could it be sufficient with only squats, lunges and leg curls one day and deadlifts, leg curls and lunges the other leg day? I haven’t done the Romainian and back raises before:/
You’re welcome for the advice.
In my opinion, squats or deadlifts, lunges, and leg curls (and perhaps some calf raises) are plenty exercise for the legs. When I squat or deadlift, I usually do around 8 sets after tamping up to my working sets, then possibly doing a light burnout. If you’re still energized at the end of the workout, do a few sets of farmer walks. Those bad boys are fantastic for conditioning, overall strength, and real-world functionality.
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