Lifterforlife said:
Don't be afraid to work it! 3 times per week if needed. I used to do it on Monday, Thursday, and then go in on Saturday and do something completely different for chest. (cut down on sets, adding frequency...frequency for volume).
In other words, instead of pounding the chest into submission with 6 sets of everything for instance(flat bench, incline, decline, flies, machines, etc.), lower the workload to 3 qualty sets of heavy weight of the major movements.
This is plenty enough to stimulate the muscle. The idea is stimulation, not annihlation, then repeat on Thursday. On Saturday, do something different, like dumbbell benches, again only 3 quality sets.
You are me.
The recipe rounds out with the lovely phrase: 'Progressive Effort, SUBMAXIMAL Resistance"
There is a pound of paper that suggests that training styles like yours, and mine, that permit MORE FREQUENT training of progressive increases of reps/weight that DO NOT mimic the horsehocky that is UberDeathTear drop set forced rep nonsence, are equally as effective as that silly way to train: heaviest possible/by any and all means.
The whole submaximal effort plan lessens or near does-away-with the notion that nasty ass DOMS are somehow required for progress: bullshit, frankly. The whole HIT methodology works, fine, but does so at the expense of both any notion of frequency and brings far closer to the realm of ligature and muscle injury than should ever be acceptable.
Train to pain once a week or longer? Risk injury? Do the Frankenstein wobble due to DOMS that make yer eyes cross?
WHY!??!? If more frequent and progressive training will get you to the same result (+-2%) in a 16 week period as defined at Duke and elsewhere... why would you do it the other way?
If anyone says, 'Just to mix it up, keep it fresh, blahdy blahdy blah....' then you have never had a pec tear or rotator cuff twang across the room like a hair scrunchy because some assnozzle coach/trainer made you do your umpteenth USELESS forced rep.
In conlusion: Lifter, i dig ya, i dig your input and dig ya even more cause i agree with you.
Three exercises per major muscle group. MAYBE four on the very odd day. Three progessive sets. One at 40-45% of ORM to stim. the neuromusc. connection (muscle memory), second set 'workin for a livin' at a heavy enough % of your ORM to make the last rep doable but difficult: to access maximal blood volumization, solidify form and format, get the muscle truely preped for.... the third set where in the strictest of form you attempt 8 reps, you dont want them, you want to fail at 6-8. If you get 8, next week a % point in weight or so. If your form falters AT ALL< EVEN ONE TINY BIT, set over. Lat pulls? if you start to bend your wrist using your forearm to get the weight down, DONE! Bench? if you alter the angle of attach by changing the relationship of your spine to the bench, DONE! Straight arm pull-down? if you start to rotate your shoulders forward and use your abs to get the weight down to your quads, DONE! its NOT about just getting that last rep out by any means at your disposal. never EVA. 'But i could have done more' ummm... no... if you couldnt hold PERFECT form, you COULDNT. next time. Out and off of the gym floor on leg day in under 35-40 minutes with talk time. If it is taking you an hour and a half to do legs, then you either love to hang at the gym or might benefit from taking a long and open minded look at what it REALLY takes to stimulate muscle growth.
lather. rinse. repeat.