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View Full Version : How many days out of the week do I need to hit up the gym?



p1nkangel
02-17-2009, 07:53 AM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia

Kell0509
02-17-2009, 09:01 AM
I don't have a gym membership, but I do have a treadmill at home along with a few exercise dvd's.........how much cardio is best when initially starting out?

Jer
02-17-2009, 09:35 AM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia
4 times a week is perfectly fine. I train 4 days a week and hit everything and I'm not in the gym for more than an hour most times. (leg day might be 75min. at times)

There are many ways you could structure your workout to hit all body parts in the 4 days.

Example:
Mon - Chest/Tri's
Tues - Back/Bi's
Wed - OFF
Thurs - Shoulders
Friday - Legs

That's just one of the many ways you could structure it. But I think you get the point.


I don't have a gym membership, but I do have a treadmill at home along with a few exercise dvd's.........how much cardio is best when initially starting out?

I'd say 30min. is a good start, a few days a week. Then every week or so add a little. Maybe add a fourth day of 30min. or maybe at 10 min. to your workout.

p1nkangel
02-17-2009, 11:06 AM
Cheers Jer, that example you gave is great thanks, and 60-75mins in the gym each time sounds damn good to me. Thanks a million. :)

Daniel Minarsky
02-17-2009, 12:09 PM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia

4 times a week is perfectly fine. Even 3 times a week would be OK. It would just take a little adjusting of bodyparts from the 4 times a week split.
You could go:
Mon - Chest, arms
Wed - Back, shoulders
Friday - Legs

Or if you want to hit every bodypart more often then once a week you could structure it as AB split
Mon - A: Chest, shoulders, arms
Wed - B: Legs, back
Friday - Same as monday.

That way you would hit each bodypart three times in two weeks going ABA in week 1 and BAB in week 2. Than all over again. Than maybe some outside or at-home cardio couple of times a week and you'll be set.

MartyMcFly
02-17-2009, 01:09 PM
Cheers Jer, that example you gave is great thanks, and 60-75mins in the gym each time sounds damn good to me. Thanks a million. :)

Is that including cardio or just the iron? I'm usually at the gym 2-3 hours, but that's with an hour plus of cardio each day, but then again I'm on a cutting phase.

militantmuscle
02-17-2009, 02:58 PM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia

Lavinia, you could even train three days a week, it depends. What is your experience with weight training? There's no split or set routine you have to follow, you can do one exercise per body part if it works, why do more? What are your goals? A lot of my female clients (who don't compete) do well with three days/week

wnybodybuildingfan
02-17-2009, 04:39 PM
I train a lady that works out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She has shown great strides in muscle toning and weight loss.

Orca
02-17-2009, 10:08 PM
Agree with 3 day a week suggestions. The important thing is consistency week to week (my personal weakness, I admit =P), that is, lifting regularly. If you can't make the 5 days (or whatever number) you won't and if you don't: no training= no results.

I even agree with Daniel-James suggestion of Legs-Back on the same day but only because this is the beginners section.

Wow, awfully agreeable today aren't I?

DECABEATZ
02-17-2009, 10:30 PM
4 times is enough as long as u are covering all muscle groups in that week !

nitro
02-17-2009, 11:28 PM
Four is fine and if you miss a day do not stress as long as your consistent.

indianamonster1986
02-17-2009, 11:32 PM
4 times a weeks is more than enough especially if its offseason.

and if you can only make it 3 that's fine too.


Try HIT training works wonderful and you can knock out two or three body parts in under an hour.

BullGod
02-18-2009, 12:25 AM
Just make the most of every second your in the gym ....work it hard and with intensity. When you do so your body does the growing when your resting and feeding it.

Daniel Minarsky
02-18-2009, 01:34 AM
I even agree with Daniel-James suggestion of Legs-Back on the same day but only because this is the beginners section.


That was my view exactly. I think that a beginner (and a woman especially) can get away with it. I would not advize it to more advanced though. Too much for one session...

p1nkangel
02-18-2009, 01:43 PM
Thanks Everyone for your replies and advice, they are very much appreciated and I can assure you they will be taken onboard. :)

Elite316 I don't have much experience with weight training to be honest...I've followed set workouts before and had improvements in losing bodyfat.

I've never really stuck at it, then it ends up with a few months here and there, but I am determined this time around.

My goals are to lower my bf and add lean muscle. I'm not a competitor but would love to have the physique of one, even if it means an off season lean look if you know what I mean.

Thanks

Lavinia

militantmuscle
02-18-2009, 02:49 PM
I'd go three days to ensure proper recuperation and less chance of overtraining (stress, undereating, and other factors can contribute).

You can do either push/pull, or upper/lower and alternate.

For example:

Monday (PUSH): Chest, shoulders, triceps

Wednesday (PULL): Back, biceps

Friday (LEGS): Quads, hams, calves


OR


Monday: upper body

Wednesday: lower body

Friday: upper body


With each approach comes their own set/rep/how many exercises protocol. Good luck! And remember, the most important thing will be consistency!

BigChris
02-22-2009, 11:06 AM
More doesn't always mean better! You should look at Elite's advices. You have to remember that your body needs time for regeneration so increasing intensity and decreasing frequency will be good choice. I suggest weight training 3 times a week and cardio 4 times a week.

Tiki
02-23-2009, 03:44 AM
Like Elite mentioned, "there's no set routine you have to follow"

My training routine changes quite often - one week I might do Full Body Workouts M/W/F, the next I might do an upper/lower split M/T/TH/F, or I might do upper/lower in a "2 day on/2 day off rotation". With that said, I probably can't even tell you when I did a 5 day split last - I'm sure it's been yeeeaaars. I prefer having 3 or more days off to rest.


But, my preference will always be my full body workouts - I just LOVE them!

.

IRONURSE
02-25-2009, 04:14 PM
I do a 5 day split. Usually it looks like this:
Fri - Bi/Tri + abs/cardio
Sat - Legs +cardio
Sun - Chest +abs/cardio
Mon - Back (More Bi/Tri) + cardio
Tues - Shoulders (More Legs) +abs/cardio

Of course I reserve the right to change it up depending on my mood!

bigdaddyd
02-25-2009, 04:38 PM
Four is plenty if that is all the time you have. You have to do what you can do. There are times I will go weeks straight with no days off because my body lets me do that. There are other times I need to do one on and one off. It depends on my work schedule, home life, sleep patterns, stress, etc. As I have learned and I am still learning, you do what you can do when you can do it.

anthony1992
02-25-2009, 05:27 PM
i train 5-6 days a week

bbrules
02-27-2009, 02:03 AM
I train 4 days a week...

anthony1992
03-03-2009, 12:48 PM
i train every muscle every 5-8 days

partsRheavy
03-04-2009, 01:45 AM
Weights 3 or 4 times per week is fine.

I think that cardio works best on the days when you don't lift. With spring on its way, outdoor cardio is always a possibility.

Keep a log book so that you can monitor your progress with the weights. Write down the name of the exercise, weight, and number of reps for each set that you do.

Join a gym if you can afford to and if one is reasonably close to work or home. It's so much easier to set up a good routine with the variety of equipment that's available.

Sledge
03-05-2009, 08:24 PM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia

4 days a week is heaps, you could even lower it to 3 days a week and get great results. I'd actualy say when starting out that less can be better.

Just sit down and honestly asses how many days per week you will be able to train. No point commiting to 4 days a week when in reality you know you will realy struggle to get that in. Once you have been training for a few months and you get your head around training fitting into your life then you will be able to increase your volume if you need to or stick to 3 or 4 days a week, it's plenty.

The training splits people have listed above are great. Pick one and stick with it for the next 8 weeks. Make yourself a log and stick with it.

Gray
03-08-2009, 06:50 AM
I go only twice a week. Gains always came thick and fast.

GREENMACHINE23
03-14-2009, 12:06 PM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia

4 days is plenty. Keep your rest periods between 30 seconds to 60 seconds.

jjjohns_10
03-14-2009, 03:06 PM
Yes, 4 times is enough. 5 times per week would probably be better, but let's face it, most of us have mortgages and bills bodybuilding doesn't support.

According the Mr. Olypmpia Dexter "The Blade" Jackson, he used to only workout 3 TIMES PER WEEK!!!! He said that's all he needed because it gave him more time to rest and recover!

Zetawill
03-14-2009, 09:29 PM
Yes, 4 times is enough. 5 times per week would probably be better, but let's face it, most of us have mortgages and bills bodybuilding doesn't support.

According the Mr. Olypmpia Dexter "The Blade" Jackson, he used to only workout 3 TIMES PER WEEK!!!! He said that's all he needed because it gave him more time to rest and recover!


Was this the same time he said he doesn't do cardio? This guy says some of the weirdest stuff when he guest poses, I don't think I'd trust anything he says.

lilfitgirl
03-17-2009, 06:37 PM
the program i am on right now only has me working out 4 times a week
its a split so i do upper body/cardio, lower body/cardio, upper body/cardio, lower body/cardio
you could consider doing something like this

Caleb56
03-18-2009, 06:15 AM
the program i am on right now only has me working out 4 times a week
its a split so i do upper body/cardio, lower body/cardio, upper body/cardio, lower body/cardio
you could consider doing something like this
2 big muscle groups should not be exercised in the same day. upper body workout is crap, just too much to work up there.

thepump
03-19-2009, 11:21 AM
Make sure you're doing your cardio after strength training, preps your body if you're trying to burn fat and gain muscle.

lilfitgirl
03-19-2009, 12:36 PM
2 big muscle groups should not be exercised in the same day. upper body workout is crap, just too much to work up there.

umm its not all upper body workouts in one day 1/2 is on the first day and 1/2 is on the second day...same with lower body
- and i didnt make up this workout...its something ive been trying out of Muscle&Fitness Hers

lilfitgirl
03-19-2009, 12:37 PM
and after my weight training i do cardio certain days are intervals and other days are just steady longer jogs
when im trying to cut i use my fifth day to do some extra cardio & abb work

Ninja Loco
03-19-2009, 01:34 PM
How many "trainers" do we have here, actually? It's not the amount or number of times you go, rather it's about the intensity in each workout. THAT is what should determine the number of times. Ive gone as little as one day a week and as many as 6. It so happens that I like to go more often than once a week, so I adjust the intensity accordingly. That way I recover properly. If I trained 4-5 days a week with the same intensity in each workout that I used to do in one, I would overtrain. Consequently, if I trained one day a week with the same intensity I would use for a 4-5 day week, I would under train. It's the intensity and recovery, not the amount of times.

Caleb56
03-19-2009, 02:05 PM
umm its not all upper body workouts in one day 1/2 is on the first day and 1/2 is on the second day...same with lower body
- and i didnt make up this workout...its something ive been trying out of Muscle&Fitness Hers
Makes sense but why call it upper body? wouldnt it be back bi or chest tri? and how do you fit in traps and shoulders?

Caleb56
03-19-2009, 02:07 PM
How many "trainers" do we have here, actually? It's not the amount or number of times you go, rather it's about the intensity in each workout. THAT is what should determine the number of times. Ive gone as little as one day a week and as many as 6. It so happens that I like to go more often than once a week, so I adjust the intensity accordingly. That way I recover properly. If I trained 4-5 days a week with the same intensity in each workout that I used to do in one, I would overtrain. Consequently, if I trained one day a week with the same intensity I would use for a 4-5 day week, I would under train. It's the intensity and recovery, not the amount of times.
You shouldnt be adjusting intensity, you should be going balls to the wall all the time. If this is the case than the amount of sets and reps is what should concern you with overtraining.

thepump
03-19-2009, 04:39 PM
You shouldnt be adjusting intensity, you should be going balls to the wall all the time. If this is the case than the amount of sets and reps is what should concern you with overtraining.


alll out to fix a concern of flabing out

lilfitgirl
03-19-2009, 04:53 PM
Makes sense but why call it upper body? wouldnt it be back bi or chest tri? and how do you fit in traps and shoulders?

if you really r that interested its in the january magazine

NEWAY i will be on a new schedule in about a month that has the typical split that most guys use

Ninja Loco
03-19-2009, 06:06 PM
You shouldnt be adjusting intensity, you should be going balls to the wall all the time. If this is the case than the amount of sets and reps is what should concern you with overtraining.
You either didnt understand or fully read my post.

militantmuscle
03-20-2009, 07:16 PM
if you really r that interested its in the january magazine

NEWAY i will be on a new schedule in about a month that has the typical split that most guys use

It doesn't matter what other people say, do what works for you, if you like your results, stick with it.

I don't think the majority of guys will have the same mentality or goals that you do, so keep that in mind.

lilfitgirl
03-21-2009, 09:08 PM
It doesn't matter what other people say, do what works for you, if you like your results, stick with it.

I don't think the majority of guys will have the same mentality or goals that you do, so keep that in mind.

why thank you...im glad not everyone on this site wants to tell me im wrong all the time
:)

AFTazz06
04-03-2009, 12:46 PM
I would love to train 5 times a week but due to other commitments I can only push 4 times a week. Is 4 times a week enough?

How would I squeeze training all body parts over these 4 days without compromise or spending hours at the gym once there? Should I endeavour to make it to the gym 5 days out of 7?

Thanks

Lavinia


4 days a week is fine, that gives you 3 days to rest and recover.:beerbang:

Maximus7132005
04-12-2009, 04:04 AM
for tips on how to bulk up or get ripped visit www.fitnesswithflex.com

hesnobradpitt.
05-20-2009, 08:33 PM
I like a 5 days split with MMA on the other two days as cardio.


Brad.