Weightlifting Only Once a Week

What is the most practical weight training program if only lifting once a week? The reason being once a week for the weights is I am currently focusing on running, pushups, pullups and situps for military conditioning purposes. If there are any recommended programs that utilize total body training with weights, please help me!

You should be lifting weights 3-4x a week along with your push-ups, pull-ups, etc. Cross training is ideal for military prep.

You will probably get better advice if you provide more specific information about your current goals/training/diet/circumstances/timelines etc. However, based on what you’ve given, here’s what I think:

If you can fit in 2x/wk lifting, many people have found good results with the 5/3/1 - 2 day split outlined in this article. If you really can’t do 2 days/wk, I suppose you could still do a similar split, just taking each workout in its turn. However, progress will be much slower and I would strongly encourage you to shoot for 2/wk.

Assuming your nutrition and sleep are adequate, you should find it compatible with a sensible running program that includes both steady state and interval/speed elements as well as daily pushups/pullups/situps. If you have the option (i.e. you’re not yet subject to mandatory PT sessions) avoid doing your pushups/pullups to failure on a regular basis, as this can make recovery difficult in high frequency/grease the groove training.

A recent article also recommended using gymnastic rings/TRX staps for high frequency pullups as they allow for natural rotation of the hands during the movement, which supposedly helps prevent certain overuse injuries. I can’t speak from experience on this one, but it makes a certain amount of sense to me.

Hope some of this is useful. All the best.

the 5/3/1 2 day split article was awesome! Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

why only one day a week? i’m pretty sure you will be able to fit more training days on your schedule.

[quote]McMurphy wrote:
You should be lifting weights 3-4x a week along with your push-ups, pull-ups, etc. Cross training is ideal for military prep. [/quote]

No it isn’t. They test you on pushups, pullups, situps, and running. Therefore, that’s what he should be doing.

If this kid is going into basic, he’s going to want to be as used to running as possible and be able to run for miles and do shitloads of pushups. Excess mass will make life miserable for him and it will be useless.

Yes, Irish is right, I went into basic training at 210 lbs and I was the “big” guy. I had been lifting heavy for awhile and I was strong as hell when I went in. Needless to say I was crushed when it came to running long distances and my mass killed me on the bar when it came to BW excercises. Yes, I was strong as hell and could throw everyone else around but in the specific basic training I was in that didnt matter, it was all about push-ups, pull-ups, sit ups and running. IF I could go back and train specifically for basic again I would not lift weights whatsoever and do all BW programs and hella running…PERIOD.

Find Alpha’s log

I remember reading something about Bob Sapp only lifting weights once a week (I don’t think he is the best example of anything) but he just stuck to the three power lifts followed by either bodyweight or kb conditioning stuff. It turned into something insane like a 3 hour plus workout.

Never the less I liked the basic idea of it. Here is what I remember:

Squat alternating back to front squat week to week. Sets of 5 adding weight per set. MAybe attempting a heavy triple.

Same deal with the bench press.

Deadlift would be be sets of 3 with maybe an attempt and a few singles.

Maybe this will give OP some ideas or inspiration.