1 body part once a week?

**mach_1_guy2009** · 04-18-2013, 10:20 AM

i've always focused on training 1 body part once a week. how many of you follow that?

when on gear can you lift more than that? say 1 body part every 4 or 5 days? more often?

**baseline_9** · 04-18-2013, 10:29 AM

Well this is a good subject and most people are thinking backwards on this one.... I need to write a big long reply but don't have time...

When your on gear you 'may' benefit from a higher training intensity... With higher intensity comes lover volume and frequency.... Yes you read that right, when on gear train harder but less often (due to extended muscle protein synthesis PWO)....

However as a natural I believe most of the data that is out there suggests a higher frequency lower intensity training protocol to be optimal.... Volume being the number one determining factor for hypertrophy....

So training a body part 2-3 times per week with lower volume (per session) and intensity....

Now a lot of your 'bro's' on here may disagree with this but NONE of the top guys in this industry (top nutritionists and exercise scientists) will....

**Times Roman** · 04-18-2013, 10:38 AM

I hit every muscle group in three days and then a day off.

so I'm about 2x a week for every muscle group.

it really taxes my CNS though....

**D2'd** · 04-18-2013, 12:15 PM

I've done every variation of workouts and I've found that working out every 2nd day with each bodypart hit once every 6-7 days works best for me. Plenty of time to recover. On or off gear, I still take a day off between workouts.

**tigerspawn** · 04-18-2013, 12:47 PM

I get more results from four day split.

**mach_1_guy2009** · 04-18-2013, 01:58 PM

i usually try for once a week but sometimes i go over and sometimes under.

**mach_1_guy2009** · 04-18-2013, 02:00 PM

when i work out a muscle group hard the next day i'm usually sore and i wait until i'm not sore any at all until i lift again. which is usually about 5 to 6 days.

**Brazensol** · 04-18-2013, 03:30 PM

I've been having good luck so far with once a week/body part. Now that I'm over 50 I can definately tell it takes longer to recover. Also I am not currently in the best shape (pretty sad actually) but getting there! Should be under 200 pounds again late this week or early next after sitting at 220 for a couple of years now. Currently sitting right at 25% bf (down from 30%). I'm hitting cardio (moslty biking) pretty hard and that is taking the most out of me. Hoping to get to something more like TR (3 on 1 off) or Tigerspawn (4 day split) in a few months when my energy levels hopefully rise.

**MajorPectorial** · 04-18-2013, 04:54 PM

I have weekends off. But have 1to two days off atm. Only because sometime I will hit 9+sessions in a week over 5 days depending on who's pestering me to train with em. But my mains are bout 5-7 sessions over 5 days. I use around an hour on each muscle group. Sometimes more for things like legs etc.

**Brazensol** · 04-18-2013, 05:11 PM

Wow. I spent 70 minutes last night on shoulders/tri's/bi's. I need more stamina...

**mach_1_guy2009** · 04-18-2013, 09:40 PM

so do you guys feel like you could train more on gear than when off? or do you train the same when on as off?

**austinite** · 04-18-2013, 10:54 PM

I do 4 on 1 off right now.

**marcus300** · 04-18-2013, 11:18 PM

Ive tried loads of different splits and without doubt the best for me is training my bodyparts once per week but very intensely. What you need to do is try a few different styles and approaches and implement what works best for you. I have made the biggest gains by training one bodypart per week but not everyone is the same.

**CMB** · 04-18-2013, 11:38 PM

This is a great debate. I think either way, you can do it. When I did a full body 3 day split, I had to drop the volume on my muscle groups.

On a once a week split, I would do 20 sets of chest... as opposed to 12 sets on a 3 day split.

In my experience, bodybuilders should experience with all different routines. I went from a 4 day split which worked very well for me. Now I am doing an 8 day split, and it too is working very well. Changing it up is valuable, your body will adapt to whatever you put it through. After I complete my 8 day split routine, I will do a Push/legs/pull routine to really change it up and my body will adapt, again. ITS ALL ABOUT SWITCHING IT UP IN THE LONG RUN

**Scottsdale** · 04-21-2013, 04:02 AM

Originally Posted by austinite

I do 4 on 1 off right now.

If you have a standard lifting regimen, meaning you lift around an hour to hour and a half, and tear down your intended muscle group, I wouldn't do the same muscle group again for 4 days at least. Im also mindful about the next day's muscle group. for instance I don't like to lift legs and then back/deadlift the next day (hamstrings are already broken down), and then shoulders the next day (traps are already broken down). Put together a training routine that makes sense for recovery so that you can grow! I like 3 on/1 off or 4 on/1 off like what she said ^^. lots of people will work the same muscle out sooner than it has had time to recover or grow, and therefore never make any progress, dont be that person lol. If its still sore, dont lift it, its pointless.