Muscle Groups 2x Per Week Outlook

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I’ve usually been a 3x per week leg-push-pull sort of guy.
By utilizing the biggest compound movements of squat and deadlift variations (doing heavy farmer walks on bench days) on a power-bodybuilding template, I’ve always seen my workouts as ‘systemic’ in design and impact even though the split means these aren’t classical total body programs. I devolved into this pattern as a result of trial and error over the years. I think this approach is good but I’m not a zealot about it–there is more than one path to the top of the mountain.

Lately, since the fall, a combination of time factors led me to a once a week full body routine. I’ve been able to bring that up to 2x per week. About the same time I began coming across more and more articles with trainers putting up twice per week per muscle as optimal for hypertrophy, purely by serendipity.

This often means 4-6 days in the gym on multi-muscle splits. However, isn’t a 2x a week full body workout essentially, by default, mean you’re hitting each muscle 2x’s per week?

I realize the intent and philosophy of high(er) volume workouts and muscle grouping splits is a separate and distinct belief system than full body and (more) infrequent workouts, but as a matter of practical application doesn’t this basically shake out the same even though the number of sets and/or exercises will be constructed differently?

Just curious as to what people think. I’m in a place where I’m isolated from other lifters so I don’t have much chance for casual conversation about weights.

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I just changed from ABABAB off upper/lower to ABCABC off pull/push/legs, so from 3 X to 2 X weekly.
Look into our articles database for Chad Waterbury or to your local librairy he is in 3 X weekly fullbody(heavy-medium-light). I was doing a bit like his suggestions but spiltting because i like to train.
Usualy the 4 or 5 split once weekly is used for hypertrophy/bodybuilding(once weekly).
1 solution i use is to do some work at gym(power rack etc… available) plus some light work body weight/dumbells at home it facilitates high fequency. We can do push-ups at each TV commercial, etc…
I find 2 shorter sessions easier to fit in my daily schedule.
So maybe for you 2 gym fullbody plus some home can be a way to your goals.
A good read for a complement WO at home.

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Thanks for the link and the insight. When I came here to T-Nation Waterbury was a big part of my reading and I really like the 8x3 even though I tend to be more of a Dan John or Jim Wendler kind of guy.

I think I could implement what you’re talking about as I have a gym set up in my garage. It’s not great and I built it up over the years for those time when nothing was available or time demands were crushing me. I had never considered using it for a “secondary” workout like you’re talking about so thanks.

For all I know going in and getting a nice but not strenuous pump on a 3rd day might speed recovery.