Working Muscle Groups 1X A Week

[d0rkyd00d]

Hi All,

I'm a newbie here, and in a couple of months I will be uploading success story. I started at 245, I'm down to 220 at this point (and I'm positive I've added on 10-15 pounds of muscle), and goal weight is 195-200.

Anyways, currently schedule only allows me to work out four times a week, at which times I have to both squeeze in cardio and weightlifting.

I'm currently doing 20 minutes of HIIT, and about an hour and fifteen minutes of weightlifting.

From what I've been reading, though, I shouldn't be working out for this long. The reason workouts have been so long is because two days a week I try to squeeze in all upper body (back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and chest), and two days a week I do lower body (legs and abs). This forces me to only accomplish 1-2 exercises per muscle group, though.

I'm thinking it would be better to work only two muscle groups once a week (back & shoulders one day, biceps and chest another day, triceps and abs a third day, and legs and abs the fourth day), and overload those muscle groups with 3-4 exercises. But I have a (possibly irrational) fear that working a muscle group once a week instead of twice a week will slow progress on strength training, muscle building, and toning.

I guess I'm looking for some reassurance that it's better to overload a muscle group once a week than it is to only do 1-2 exercises twice a week. Your help is greatly appreciated!

[Packard]

Depending upon your age:

40 years old or younger:

Try doing one heavy workout and one light workout per body part. The light workout would be the same number of sets and reps but with a weight about 20% to 25% lighter than normal. You should fly through the light workout and it will allow you to train harder the next time for your "heavy" workout.

I like a break down like this:

Monday: Heavy, upper body
Tuesday: Heavy, lower body
Wed: off
Thursday: Light, upper body
Friday: Light, lower body
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
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If you are over 40 or have a hard time recovering from your workouts, then try hitting each body part 1 time per week. But layout the workouts so that you rest your body parts adequately.

For instance, bench presses and triceps work both work the triceps. So lay out your routine so that you give your triceps a chance to rest.'

[swanso5]

i'd go for a full body approach doing 3 x wt workouts, 1 hiit session (all at gym) then find some time for some bodyweight circuits / cardio on your own

don't worry about training each muscle either, train movement patterns of which there are 6

1 - hip dominnat (deadlifts)
2 - quad dominant (squats)
*lunges can be both
3 - horizontal press (bench press/push ups)
4 - horizontal pull (rows)
5 - vertical puah (shoulder press)
6 - vertical pull (chin / pull ups)

core can be added in too

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