Mon/Wed/Fri Best Scheme?

I do full body workouts. M/W/F. I rotate Deads/P-Ups/Dips 5x5 with Squats/B-Press/Rows every other w/out. However I had to leave town for a week and could not w/out. When I came back I noticed a nice size increase when I worked out again. I feel the spacing helped not hurt me. So I am considering 2 days rest between each w/out.(M/Th/Sun/Wed/Sat/Tue/Fri/Mon/Th/Sun for example)
Is this better for us older guys???

Thanks,Rob.

[quote]suprarob wrote:
I do full body workouts. M/W/F. I rotate Deads/P-Ups/Dips 5x5 with Squats/B-Press/Rows every other w/out. However I had to leave town for a week and could not w/out. When I came back I noticed a nice size increase when I worked out again. I feel the spacing helped not hurt me. So I am considering 2 days rest between each w/out.(M/Th/Sun/Wed/Sat/Tue/Fri/Mon/Th/Sun for example)
Is this better for us older guys???

Thanks,Rob.[/quote]

I would say training the whole body with intensity three times a week, particularly for older guys isn’t a marvelous idea. The gains you got demonstrate this so I don’t need to wax lyrical about it.

I’d train each body part no more often than 5 or 6 days and depending on your schedule and how you feel.

This is someone told me. Agree???

"No, that’s actually an effect you should exploit.

People focus far too much on recovery between workouts, when it’s the accumulated effect over time that leads to the delayed transformation you experienced.

In other words, you wouldn’t have seen the size increase after the rest period had you not built up a level of fatigue beforehand."

[quote]suprarob wrote:
This is someone told me. Agree???

"No, that’s actually an effect you should exploit.

People focus far too much on recovery between workouts, when it’s the accumulated effect over time that leads to the delayed transformation you experienced.

In other words, you wouldn’t have seen the size increase after the rest period had you not built up a level of fatigue beforehand."

[/quote]

Go here (to Dr Lonnie Lowery’s site)

and listen to the audio file entitled…

“How long should I wait before re-entering the gym?”

Hope this helps.

[quote]suprarob wrote:
This is someone told me. Agree???

"No, that’s actually an effect you should exploit.

People focus far too much on recovery between workouts, when it’s the accumulated effect over time that leads to the delayed transformation you experienced.

In other words, you wouldn’t have seen the size increase after the rest period had you not built up a level of fatigue beforehand."

[/quote]

For what’s it worth, I agree with this.

You might want to try something like 2 hard weeks (higher volume, 3x a week), followed by 2 easier weeks (lower volume, more weight and just 2x a week). Since you’re alternating between two different days, 2 week rotation seems nice.

Or you can rotate between three different set reps schemes, where one would be heavy, one light and one medium. Like 5x3, 3x10 and 4x6, each for 2 succesive workouts. It would take 6 workouts for a complete cycle:

Week 1
M - Workout 1, 5x3
W - Workout 2, 5x3
F - Workout 1, 3x10

Week 2
M - Workout 2, 3x10
W - Workout 1, 4x6
F - Workout 2, 4x6

Workout 1 is, of course, Dead/Pullup/Dips and Workout 2 Squats/Bench/Rows.

[quote]slotan wrote:
suprarob wrote:
This is someone told me. Agree???

"No, that’s actually an effect you should exploit.

People focus far too much on recovery between workouts, when it’s the accumulated effect over time that leads to the delayed transformation you experienced.

In other words, you wouldn’t have seen the size increase after the rest period had you not built up a level of fatigue beforehand."

For what’s it worth, I agree with this.

You might want to try something like 2 hard weeks (higher volume, 3x a week), followed by 2 easier weeks (lower volume, more weight and just 2x a week). Since you’re alternating between two different days, 2 week rotation seems nice.

Or you can rotate between three different set reps schemes, where one would be heavy, one light and one medium. Like 5x3, 3x10 and 4x6, each for 2 succesive workouts. It would take 6 workouts for a complete cycle:

Week 1
M - Workout 1, 5x3
W - Workout 2, 5x3
F - Workout 1, 3x10

Week 2
M - Workout 2, 3x10
W - Workout 1, 4x6
F - Workout 2, 4x6

Workout 1 is, of course, Dead/Pullup/Dips and Workout 2 Squats/Bench/Rows.[/quote]

As a 52 yr.old who has lifted for 38 yrs. doing body parts only really is not a good idea. This workout above is not a bad idea. If your schedule warrants the schedule you are thinking about 72 hrs between workouts is not a bad idea. TRY IT and see how YOU respond. What is your age? Because I firmly believe this thread should be Over 45 because 35 to 45 is still alot differnt than over 45

I am 45. Been working out for a few straight years. I like the workout above. Sounds good.
Rob.

Keep doing it for 6 weeks. Then try every other day with a different split for 4-6 weeks. It might be working so well because it’s a change from what you were doing and your body is responding as such. After 6 weeks, you may find that you need to step it up a notch to keep getting gains. After increasing your frequency for 6 weeks, you may need to reduce it again to keep making gains.

I reduced my workouts during the holidays (late Nov- end Dec) to 2x (Wed-Sat/Sun) a week and I made nice size and strength gains. I then kicked it up too much post-holidays was sick on and off for 4 weeks (maybe related, maybe not, my guess is probably). I’ve now settled into a middle ground (every other day) and I like the reaction I’m getting. Keep mixing it up - the body is funny like that.

DB