How many sets per bodypart?

[spatts]

New Skin, I am wirting an article on this topic for TotalElite.com. It shoud be done by tonight and I will post the link here. It will answer all your question.

 

[nEwSkIn]

looking forward to it spatts, thanx!

 

[Debaser]

No more than 3 work sets per bodypart, IMO. If you're doing singles, then maybe a few more.

 

[casualbb]

9 sets A WEEK isn't unreasonable, but 9 sets in a day is more than necessary, especially if taken to failure.

 

[nEwSkIn]

casual BB,

I end up working out each bodypart once a week (except legs if you count my HIIT sessions), so despite the fact I work them at 9 sets a body part at once(the bigger ones like chest and back), it should even things out ok because I don´t hit them more than once a week, I guess.

 

[casualbb]

it should even things out ok because I don´t hit them more than once a week, I guess

That's not the way the body works. What I was hinting at is take those sessions and distribute them over the course of the week. 9 sets in a single session won't do much more than 3 sets, and it'll put you out of commission for longer to boot.

 

[nEwSkIn]

hmmm,

what split do you recommend, then? I´ve been doing a 4-day split but inbetween i do HIIT, so in order to hit a muscle group twice every week... I´d probably need a 2-day split? what do you think?

 

[casualbb]

Something DC-ish. Like a 2-way split done 1.5-2 times a week. If it's pure size you're after I recommend HST, but it can be hard for people to swallow.

 

[Debaser]

HST is a very worthwhile program to gain lots of muscle. The only problem with it for me is that I don't enjoy doing it very much. I like low numbers of exercises and sets, with hard to very hard intensity. Right now I'm less focused on size anyway

 

[casualbb]

Yeah it can be less exciting because you're not setting PR's each workout...in fact, you're not setting them for 1-2 months. I'm thinking it has greater appeal to the older age group, to whom training, rather than being their obsession, is just another item on their daily list of activities. Imagine 20 years of uber-intensity lifting. Sounds tiring!

I'd probably personally enjoy performing DC more, I just trust in the growth power of the program.

Here's a results thread: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=14;t=21