T Nation

Training 6 Days a Week

Bigger Stronger Leaner
#1

I need to ask and I think this is the best place to get proper answer.

I workout 6-7 days a week, every morning. You know that feeling after workout - you are awake, active, agile! I train like this for… 8 months? From when I ended GVT. Starting to workout 8 years ago and haven’t stopped since then. I’m 27 yo now. 178cm, 82kg, cca 10% bf.

When I don’t hit the gym I feel like I’m not fully awake.

Legs, Pecs, Delts&Abs, Back, Biceps&Triceps, repeat. 7th day is rest day.

Eating healthy, the food I prepare, no junk food. Protein shake and bcaa before and after workout, vitamin D3 + Zink every morning and evening, Omega 3 through a day. 6 meals through a day (I don’t count protein shake). Sleep 7 - 7:30 hours.

BUT! Is it too much? I was considering to change training plan to “on, on, on, off, on, on, off - repeat” but… should I? Are there any reasonable benefits? Mainly I am worried my testosterone level is lower due to high training days at morning…

#2

If you are making good progress then, no it’s not too much.

Is it OPTIMAL however, well that could be quite a different answer.

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#3

I would give the extra rest day a try, can almost guarantee after a couple weeks you’ll see strength/numbers on the big lifts going up faster.

If reeeally want can do some HIIT cardio on the bike or rower on off day and can act as good active recovery

Another option is keep doing what you’re doing but every 4th week cut back to three days a week in gym (can do HIIT/heavy conditioning/swimming etc on a couple off days)

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#4

Whats this theory called ?? A deload but like an active deload phase. I like it!!

#5

ha, yeah waving volume I suppose, just something works well for me and gym buddies

#6

Not really, no. I’m usually just glad it’s over. Satisfied, yes, sometimes; but awake, active and agile definitely not. Usually I just want to eat something and lie down somewhere quiet for a couple of hours.

I think so, but that doesn’t matter. If your progress is good it isn’t. If your progress isn’t good it is.

This is the key. If you train less often, you should be able to train harder in some way which - providing you fuel that extra work properly - should translate into better progress.

I think to answer the question, you could ask yourself if you are any closer to where you want to be than six months ago. If you aren’t in any way there, something is wrong. It could be that you aren’t recovering well enough (so an extra rest day could be all you need); or you may need more volume or intensity (which would probably mandate an extra rest day to make sure you recover).

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#7

Using personal anecdotal evidence, I echo the prediction that you will see better strength gains with fewer lifting days.

I got in fantastic shape lifting 6 days a week in my twenties. I made better strength gains lifting 3-4 days a week in my thirties.

(There was a long period between when I stopped lifting altogether to run instead. During that time I lost most muscle, so I was restarting with the same basic strength levels.)

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#8

Strength is a hard thing to quantify. There are so many ways to express it.

For example I feel the strongest I have ever felt in my life, but certain lifts are not at all time PR’s. Also my cardio is improving, so I feel like I don’t have to work as hard to do normal things.

I like training just about as often as I can because I enjoy training. If my goals were purely related to the lbs of a barbell that I could move, I would train lest often.

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#9

If you feel like you need an extra day off you probably could benefit from it. You can also decrease volume slightly each workout. With all other variables the same there is only so much you can do per week for optimal training and it can be spread to 3-6 days depending on your preference. Also be sure to get your conditioning in, if that’s lacking take an extra day off per week and do that instead.

#10

You add up the numbers on the plates, plus 45lbs for the bar. The higher that number is, the stronger you are.

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#11

I mean, kind of, yeah.

But who’s stronger: The guy who can walk around with 600 lbs in his hands or the guy that can pick up 700 lbs?

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#12

Those are two different lifts. Feeling strong is not quantifiable; numbers are. The iron never lies.

#13

Except for all uncalibrated plates at the gym :wink:

On them being different lifts isnt really the point. The point is that if I saw someone who could pull a large deadlift but struggle to farmers walk with a similar weight as the deadlift I would consider them very technically proficient but not very strong.

We’re lifting objects designed to be lifted. Moving a 300 lb sandbag is 100x more miserable than a 500 lb deadlift. I get what you’re getting at, but picking up a barbell has so many factors like technique, set up, nervous system fatigue…and so does a sandbag. There’s mountains of variables. I have been literally stronger at some points but have lifted less weight as a previous attempt because of said variables.

For example:
If on a training day I squat 500 for a triple, then 405 for an AMRAP and get 7 reps.
Next time I squat I hit 500 for a double and miss the third, but hit 405 for a set of 10.
Which day is stronger?

If strength to you means weight moved, then I’m sure your definition fits your explanation. To me strength in the gym has many more facets.

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#14

500 for the triple. Who gives a shit about the cardio you do with 405.

#15

You sound like a broken record of Mark Rippetoe-isms.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

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#16

I do. It put about 60 lbs on my total in six months.

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#17

As a natty training 6 days is too much. I’m pretty anti “bro split” for maximum size and strength 3-4 days is more than enough for you. This means doing more full body work and being on a caloric surplus and getting plenty of rest

#18

I train six days a week as a natural and also oh no a vegetarian.
If you train more days, just back off on the intensity or spread out the volume of exercises. If you train less days, you can run longer and heavier sessions.
I love to train, so I train. I let my nutrition and recovery take care of myself and I don’t force sessions if I don’t feel right but I’ll always get some movement in, even if it’s mobility and prehab work

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#19

You are right. It was too much. High intensive training 6 times a week is not for natty.
I do not train less now. I got my test. And I can see difference. With this kind of training my testosterone was low when I was natty. Don’t misunderstand me - tst was high during workout and maybe some time after, but not the rest of the day. For instance I didn’t feel I need a woman so badly. Maybe that’s why I was without a girl almost a year.

3 months ago I decided to loose some fat (I had cca 12-13% bf, total 83kg) and I prepared for my first safe steroid cycle to not loose a lot of muscle. Took some time to kick in and I could see difference in energy, sex drive, then power + small gains (can’t tell now exactly - maybe 2-3kg).
2 weeks to end of diet/cycle and I feel drained once again (although I’m still On).

When I’m off, I’m gonna train as scrubsman mentioned. Less and heavy.

#20

Lol I love these blanket statements.

Tell that to Christian Thibadeau (spelling?), he has designed quite an impressive natty program which has you working out 6 days a week.