What Frequency Has Given You the Most Hypertrophy?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.[/quote]

I did recently check out that thread and there are some good points in there. I do agree that frequency and progression are the keys. I should have said training every day doesn’t work for me. 5 days a week is that max I can do for any length of time otherwise I burn out and progression stops. I did HFT on two specific occasions and it was great for conditioning and body comp but not muscle gain(for me). It’s likely my own fault since I have a hard time dialing back the intensity and really don’t like doing reps over about 8 unless on an accessory movement. Generally, ramping up weight to a 3-6 rep max, three way split but I have considered switching to upper/lower for more frequency.

I am intrigued by Waterbury’s “Next Frontier” or similar. A new job next month will mandate shorter training sessions and, fortunately, I will have more convenient gym access. So, perhaps an HFT approach will make logistical as well building muscle sense. I’ll reread the Alpha thread. Won’t be able to comment of course.

22

[quote]MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.[/quote]

link please?

23

[quote]RSGZ wrote:
I used to think frequency was the key.

While it is important, INTENSITY is the biggest factor when it comes to growth, in my experience.[/quote]

So true and I’d like to add that when people think they’re training with intensity, they’re hardly doing it. I’d bet only 5% of the people in the gyms actually train with any kind of intensity, as they’re too busy talking and not enough time spent lifting.

Right now for me, I’m doing:

Monday Chest/Back
Tuesday - Lower Body
Wednesday - Abs & Cardio
Thurday - Back and Tri’s
Friday - Shoulders
Saturday - Chest/Back Lower Body - Ultra-heavy, low rep day (following a 3/2/1/3/2/1 rep cycle)
Sunday - off

I’ve gotten the best results ever, regardless of my split or workout scheme, by training with full intensity. I keep a log of all my workouts and increase either the weight/reps/sets each time I hit that group from the previous week. I’m so exhausted during my workouts, I couldn’t talk to anyone if I wanted to


24

[quote]MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.[/quote]

Exactly. Also, the idea that a split routine offers “less frequency” is retarded. My triceps are worked on chest day, shoulder day and when trained directly. My biceps are worked alone as well as with back on its own day. I also don’t know many people who went from newbie status to looking like an advanced bodybuilder by only working out 3 days a week. Most of the ones making the most progress are working out up to 5 days a week or more and that is the way things have been for many years.

25

[quote]MODOK wrote:
mojo_ wrote:
MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.

link please?

Read the “bodypart once weekly”, “OTS Big Beyond Belief”, “Cephalic Carnage How Do You Train?” threads, as well as the DC threads to start. [/quote]

Sometimes you can help someone “too much”.

This is also not aimed at you specifically but I have seen two threads now in the last two days where a new poster asks for a link when actually understanding this info requires footwork.

26

[quote]MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.

I did recently check out that thread and there are some good points in there. I do agree that frequency and progression are the keys. I should have said training every day doesn’t work for me. 5 days a week is that max I can do for any length of time otherwise I burn out and progression stops. I did HFT on two specific occasions and it was great for conditioning and body comp but not muscle gain(for me). It’s likely my own fault since I have a hard time dialing back the intensity and really don’t like doing reps over about 8 unless on an accessory movement. Generally, ramping up weight to a 3-6 rep max, three way split but I have considered switching to upper/lower for more frequency.

I am intrigued by Waterbury’s “Next Frontier” or similar. A new job next month will mandate shorter training sessions and, fortunately, I will have more convenient gym access. So, perhaps an HFT approach will make logistical as well building muscle sense. I’ll reread the Alpha thread. Won’t be able to comment of course.

Now, what I am saying is NOT that a specific frequency (2,3,4 times per week) is the appropriate frequency for a particular person. Once weekly may in fact be more appropriate for a particular individual. What I am saying is, when you boil all the flesh off of any training program and look at what you are trying to accomplish
 you are trying to stimulate, recover, and then get back in AS FAST AS POSSIBLE to do it again. Can you recover, get back in, and better your performance in one or more parameters in 2 days? 3 days? 7 days? Well, obviously you would grow in strength and size faster the more you get in the gym. But, that is predicated on the fact that you are actually recovering enough to progress. Some folks can’t. Some can.

Bottom line is, doing what works optimally for YOU. Only you can really answer that question through knowing your body’s capacity. Waterbury, CT, Poliquin, Dante, Me
we all respond to different frequencies optimally. Find your optimal frequency, and you will grow optimally.[/quote]

Agree completely.
You have sparked a thought though. I diligently use a log book to track progression (strength, reps etc.) and to ‘keep score’. But, I have not specifically adjusted training frequency in order to track impacts on recovery. As you said, is it 2, 5, 7? Recovery assessment has been more through intuition and feel which works but can be an inefficient path. Perhaps some quantification is in order. Of course, I might find out that I’m right where I should be.

Obviously, if the optimal training freq is a day shorter than I ‘feel’ it is then that is pile of additional training/recovery cycles per year.

There is also the variable of intensity. I generally don’t leave many reps in the hole on a set. Not to failure generally but the last one is the last clean one I can get. I suspect that I can up the frequency if I leave one or two in the hole to help avoid burnout. Not sure at this point. Then, of course, you have to find the balance between frequency and reduced intensity.

Thanks for the prompt.

27

[quote]MODOK wrote:
Professor X wrote:
MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.

Exactly. Also, the idea that a split routine offers “less frequency” is retarded. My triceps are worked on chest day, shoulder day and when trained directly. My biceps are worked alone as well as with back on its own day. I also don’t know many people who went from newbie status to looking like an advanced bodybuilder by only working out 3 days a week. Most of the ones making the most progress are working out up to 5 days a week or more and that is the way things have been for many years.

No doubt. You still sore from Colorado? :slight_smile: Whats that Anaconda taste like? That didn’t sound right
lol[/quote]

My shoulder hurt for about a week. I train chest tonight so I guess I will see if it is still screwed up at all.

28

[quote]MODOK wrote:
Professor X wrote:
MODOK wrote:
Professor X wrote:
MODOK wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Vektarm wrote:
Think Im gonna try train every day like Arnold did when he did a 3-days split.. if Im not mistaken. If this dont work out for me, Ill just have to add some rest days :slight_smile:

Training everyday is a path to nowhere due to lack of recovery time. Somewhere between 3 and 5 days a week typically works.

No its not. You guys need to come on over to Alpha and read some of the discussions that the vets have had/are having on this subject. FREQUENCY and progression ARE the keys to hypertrophy and strength. Come read some of our discussions if you’d like to know the reasons why.

Exactly. Also, the idea that a split routine offers “less frequency” is retarded. My triceps are worked on chest day, shoulder day and when trained directly. My biceps are worked alone as well as with back on its own day. I also don’t know many people who went from newbie status to looking like an advanced bodybuilder by only working out 3 days a week. Most of the ones making the most progress are working out up to 5 days a week or more and that is the way things have been for many years.

No doubt. You still sore from Colorado? :slight_smile: Whats that Anaconda taste like? That didn’t sound right
lol

My shoulder hurt for about a week. I train chest tonight so I guess I will see if it is still screwed up at all.

They asked me to come, but I couldn’t work it out with work. Its a shame
would have liked to have met up with you guys.[/quote]

Don’t worry, I didn’t see Stu or the others at all because of the schedule differences.

29

Right now i’m sticking with a 3 day split with a day of rest in between. I split it up like this
 Chest/shoulders, back/arms, legs.

Generally i’m sore for 3-4 days after a workout so the long rest in between workouts is a good thing for me. I think its important to think about recovery not just pertaining to a certain muscle group, but the whole body. Example, My leg day is pretty intense for me, deadlifts then leg presses and other accessory exercises. So to try and work out the next day would be putting a little too much stress on myself and my ability to recover, even though i would be working a completely different group of muscles.

However i still consider myself to be barely an intermediate lifter so as my work capacity increases maybe i will increase the frequency down the road

30

hi again. ive been douing a 3-day split now where i have been training for 3 days straight and then a rest day, and repeat. i must say, moving from a fullbody routine to a split is the best thing i have done in a long time. im stronger every workout and i dont have to workout 1 - 1/2 hour every time. now im done in 30-40 minutes, even tough i have incresed the number of sets some
 which is a good thing. and i can train more intensly. when i did a fullbody routine i barely had the energy required to finish the workout. im looking forward to get more experienced with splits.