I’m planning on starting MAG-10 next week and am seriously contemplating the 2x/day training. My main goal is mixed hypertrophy/neural. I plan on lifting 3-4x per week utilizing a program similar to ‘maximal weights’ in the AM and performing hypertrophy work in the PM. I would obviously only do this for 2 weeks while ‘on’ and then back off to a more normal frequency. Has anybody tried this? Anybody have any comments as to whether or not this would work? Thanks!
sounds like a good way to go to me…this is the approach I would use if I had the time for 2 a days
Joel what kind of a split would you use doing twice a days on Mag10?
Anybody out there have any tips on 2x/day training? Frequency, training splits, heavy weight in morning/light in evening, etc.?
I did two a day training a while back, and did something similar to what you are doing…AM I did a 1-6 program (mixed hypertrophy/strength) and PM I did some more hypertrophy work. I made some great gains while doing this. I actually wrote to Poliquin on his website about his suggestions regarding two a day training, and here is what he said:
I am convinced that one can grow more if they can afford the luxury of training twice a day. However most of us have career and family committments that prevent us to have such an extensive training schedule.
Working out twice a day can be very effective providing that you pay respect the five following principles:
a. You keep the workouts short. Excluding warm-up time, your workouts should be no more than 40 minutes in length. Training longer than that would be counter-productive.
b. Sequence the training properly. In my opinion, the same bodypart should be trained twice the same day. There is a variety of options at that.
Option A Morning-Heavy Evening-Light
From experience I have found that working heavy in the morning and higher reps at night works quite well. For example doing sets of 4-6 reps in the morning, and sets of 12-15 at night.
Option B Morning Low Reps-Fast Tempo; Evening Low Reps-Slow Tempo
You could do also the same reps bracket during both workouts but use a different tempo. For example doing 4-6 reps on 30X tempo in the morning, and 5-7 reps on 505 tempo at night.
Option C Morning Heavy; Evening Eccentric Only Training
Another one I like is training heavy in the morning and doing eccentric only training at night. For example, heavy front squats 6 x 2-3 on a 501 tempo in the morning; eccentric back squats of 7 x 1 on a 10:0:1 tempo at night. I use the eccentric hooks known as Power Recruits in that case. Contact Bob Kowalski at (814) 378-7108.
Regarding exercise selection for both workout, you may want to do the same ones if strength is your main concern, or change them if hypertrophy is your main concern. For example, weightlifters will do back squats twice a day, while a bodybuilder may do bench presses in the morning and incline dumbbell presses in the afternoon.
c. You pay attention to post-workout nutrition: In that case, liquid nutrition is best. For a 200 lbs bodybuilders that would be a shake containing 60 grams of protein and up to 200 grams of carbs after every workout. When training twice a day, I suggest you take a very broad based anti-oxydant formula. If you can afford it, taking a phosphatidyl serine supplement (800mg) after the second workout of the day is also a good idea to help you have a greater testosterone/cortisol ratio.
d. You must leave 4-6 hours between workouts. This time spread is critical. If you use a shorter one, you will be too fatigued, and a longer one you will use the nervous system activation effect of the morning workout.
e. For every two weeks of twice a day, take a week of once a day. this will insure that you will not overtrain. It has been shown that training twice a day for short periods may depress temporarily testosterone. However, the testosterone will shoot right back up if you cut back to once a day training for a week.
– Charles Poliquin
The split I would use is as follows:
M- Chest, Traps, and Back
T- Legs and Low Back
R- Triceps and Shoulders
F- Biceps and Calves
One more question Joel: would you train those bodyparts twice a day (say mixed neural/hypertrophy) in the AM and straight up hypertrophy in the PM?? If so, what rep/set scheme would you use?? Thanks bro
– Ray Quick
Actually I think Poliquin is cutting and pasting a “question of strength” article that he wrote for MM2K back in 1997. I used his training suggestions in the Summer of 1998 for 2-a-days (while I had plenty of money and no need to work since my only responsibility was studying for the California Bar) and made massive gains – more than I thought were possible. I would tell you, but I don’t think anyone would believe me. Of course I ate everything in sight and slept a lot. I also got massages at least least 2 times per week. My supps consisted of nothing more than creatine, MRP’s and vitamins. In short, all my ducks were in a row. Had I used a pro-hormone I am sure my gains would have been even greater.
4-7 in the AM; 8-12 in the PM.
I'd most likely use 5x5 in the AM with all compound movements.
I also like incorporating six 5-5-5 drop sets in my hypertrophy workouts (this would be PM, don't be misled by the "5"; it's actually 15 reps a set). I'd only use this for the larger compound movements (squat, dead, bench).