What Do You Think & Why???
O.k. Guys, I've never posted on this forum prior to this, but I've been confused or at the very least you could say wondering what the average bodybuilder thinks about workout frequency and muscle recovery?
You see, I'm one of those guys who work a bodypart basically once a week when I'm not doing a cycle, which is usually twice a year 12-16 weeks each time. My routine is usually
Day 1 - Legs (Quads)
Day 2 - Back & Rear Delts
Day 3 - Shoulders (front & side delts & traps)
Day 4 - Biceps
Day 5 - Legs (Hams & Calves)
Day 6 - Triceps
Day 7 - Rest Day (but I do a minimum of 45 mins cardio & abs)
* I do at least 30 mins of cardio every other day, but if I feel good (which isn't usually quad day) I do cardio everyday. I do abs on bi's & tri's days and any other day I choose.
Now....I blast the shit out of the one bodypart that I hit with moderate to heavy weight that allows me to do strick movements with 6-12 reps. I throw in drop sets or forced frequently, but not always depending on my pump. Here's the breakdown of total sets. Basically, not counting 1 quick warm up for each exercise or any drop sets, etc.
Quads - 3 exercises, 12-15 sets
Back and Rear Delts - 3 & 1exercises - 12-15 sets for back & 3 for rear delts
Shoulders - 3 & 1 exercises - 9 sets for delts & 3 for traps
Biceps - 3 exercises - 8-9 sets (usually 3, 3, 2 or 3 if needed)
Hams & Calves - 3 & 1 or 2 exercises - 10 sets for hams (4, 3, 3) & 4 sets or 2 & 2
Triceps - 9 sets - 3 exercises
I use the same exercises every other week, alternating.
Example - Triceps
Week 1 - cable pushdown with bar, skull crushers on incline bench, one- arm overhead dumbell extentions
Week 2 - cable pushdowns with cable or
rope sitting on incline bench (facing outward), skull crushers on decline bench,
one arm reverse grip cable pushdowns.
Repeat
O.K.....here is the main question. I workout as intense as I can while maintaining strict movement, get a good pump all the time and I am so f-----n sore the next day and 95% of the time I am still sore right up to the day before I am to hit the same bodypart again. So for me, common sense and evetything I know and have read tells me I need those 5 days of recovery. But, I have Tom, Dick and Harry telling me that I am undertraining and need to hit my bodyparts at least two times a week even when I'm not on a cycle.
I make solid size gains when I use gear and then my 1 bodypart a week off gear routine maintains most of my size and shape until the next cycle. I lose hardness and vascularity, but I maintain well.
My main question is this. Should you workout a bodypart even though it's still sore as hell? That doesn't make sense to me. You break the muscle down during your workout and growth occurs during rest period and food intake. Why would I hit a bodypart again when it's still sore?
If I'm juicing (example Test Cyp, Deca or Primo, Mast or EQ, maybe 4 weeks of Anadrol or D-Bol) then I'm gonna recover faster and need a routine that hits bodyparts twiceca week. Maybe 4 on 1 off or 2 on 1 off, 2 bodyparts a workout on a push-pull system. Ex. - Legs, Chest & Tri's, Back & Bi's, Shoulders & Traps.
So....what do you guys say???
Doesn't the muscle need to recover before you hit it again if it's still sore?
