Training question - Kinda long

[JOKER47]

Over the last few months I have been experimenting with training each body part 1 time a week vs 2 times a week.
For the last 2 months, I have been training each bodypart once a week. The 2 months before that, I was training each
body part twice a week. The difference I have seen is that I seemed to be able to move up the weight more regularly
when training body parts twice a week, and not as much, if at all, with once a week. I am also sore for a couple days after
each workout when training once a week, and was never sore training twice a week.

My question is this: Does my soreness now mean that I have broken my muscles down and they are rebuilding, and by the time I
workout again, I am building on them again? Or, am I starting all over again each week? I ask this because I feel I got greater
increases in strength training each body part twice a week, and was never sore.

FYI, this was done both on gear and off, with varying routines, and 2-3 excercises per body part.

Any input on this is most appreciated.

Joker

 

[JOKER47]

Selfish bump....

 

[TheProject]

Well, I can tell you what I've been told:

You don't build muscle when you're in the gym, you build it while you're recovering.

I don't work anything more than once a week, and my weight goes up fairly consistently. I've hit a couple of mini-plateaus, but those have been corrected by changing the routine.

I almost never get sore, no matter what. Get a little tight every now and again, but that's it.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be able to give a more detailed response than I.

 

[JOKER47]

Thanks for the input Project.

Anyone else have some experience or input? Any and all is appreciated.

Joker

 

[Beezers]

This is an interesting thought. As we all well know, we are all different in our responses to and needs of training. It might very well be that you're taking one step forward and then by the time your next workout for a particular muscle group comes around you have taken one step back...leaving you in the same place. You may be regressing before you train your muscles again leaving you with nothing to how in the way of progress. If you're strength is no linger increasing with once per week training on each muscle then something is obviously wrong. You may need more frequent stimulation to keep things moving forward. You said you used to train each muscle twice a week and had the poundages moving up during that time. That should tell you something about your body. It's a learning process though and you have to learn to interpret your body's unique signals, so there is certainly no harm in experimentation, but maybe you should go back to twice a week stimulation and see if you begin to progress. You may simply be "starting all over again" each workout. Your soreness indicates the muscles "shock" to the stress. When you were training each muscle twice weekly your muscle likely were less "shocked" by the stress as it was more frequent. Bottom line is if you're not making gains then you are not doing something right acording to your body's needs. Experimentation is education, so perhaps it's time to try something new...or old.

 

[JOKER47]

Beezers

Thanks. I would have stayed with twice a week, but was concerned about over training. I had been thinking the same thing you said, but wanted some other experienced opinions as well.
I think I am gonna go back to twice a week for a couple months and see if my poundages start moving up again.


Thanks for the reply's guys,
Joker

 

[kevin7]

it's sounds like you are on the right track to discover what's best for YOU. Everyone is different and I know you know that.

Here's somthing else to try so that you can get the best of both worlds. This is what I do..

Mon-- back, bis, traps
tue-- chest, delts, tris
wed-- abs, calves, fa's
thur-- legs
fri-- mon wo

mon-- tuesday's wo (from the prev. week)
tue-- thur wo
wed-- same
thur-- lasts week's mon & fri wo
fri-- this week's mon wo

I rotate it like that so you workout everybody part once a week ~ q6days and get every three weeks, you'll workout the same bodypart 2 x's a week.

kevin7

 

[JOKER47]

it's sounds like you are on the right track to discover what's best for YOU. Everyone is different and I know you know that.

Here's somthing else to try so that you can get the best of both worlds. This is what I do..

Mon-- back, bis, traps
tue-- chest, delts, tris
wed-- abs, calves, fa's
thur-- legs
fri-- mon wo

mon-- tuesday's wo (from the prev. week)
tue-- thur wo
wed-- same
thur-- lasts week's mon & fri wo
fri-- this week's mon wo

I rotate it like that so you workout everybody part once a week ~ q6days and get every three weeks, you'll workout the same bodypart 2 x's a week.

kevin7

Good info. If I don't any success from the next 2 months, I will definately look into something along these lines.

Thanks,
Joker