This has been on my mind

[purelifting]

I will get flamed for this but I just want to know.

So here is a qoute from Big A's post about basic growth

a muscle will not grow until it's recovered. The
muscle will not begin to recover until the nervous
system is recovered. It takes roughly 24hours for the
nervous system to recover from a workout. Only then
will the muscle begin to recover and grow. So, you
should never train 2 days in a row. Even if you train
different bodyparts, you still use the same nervous
system. You train 2 days in a row, your nervous system
recovers, but by the time the muscles begin to, you
train again, so the body has to concentrate again on
recovering the nervous system."



Here is my question. Why would a few trainners say to do 3 days on 1 day off trainning? I'm pretty sure I am wording this right; I stopped what my trainner said to go back to mon/wed/fri workout.

 

[purelifting]

When I mean 3 days on 1 day off, I mean this;
Day 1 chest/back
day 2 legs
day 3 shoulder, tri, bi
day 4 off
repeat

 

[Lenny]

I think it based on where you are at in your training, muscular developement, strength levels, supplementation, nutrition, etc...

A very advanced person may train more frequent because they have increased thier recovery abilities, enhanced them with time under thier belt, put on a ton of muscle, and now it is about the smaller things for them to make thier body's progress.

Now, a beginner, even intermediate trainee could benefit greatly from Big A's principles, there are times I even think about going back to that completely to see if my recovery system is really gotten better and see how I do respond, but I just reduce volume greatly, so I can train more frequent...I am get it done and get it out, I do not beat the muscle down with countless sets anymore just stimulate the muscles more often with effective sets (at least I hope so), unless I am just changing things up for fun I may do a high volume week here and ther, to break boredom!

Personally, I think some people just recover faster than others and toss that on top of other stuff that just makes them recover even faster. But, I do like Big A's principles, seems like the staple for most people wanting to grow...recovery is where it is at!

One more thing: So many people talk about how Supersetting is not that effective, but it is good to deload away from the grinding sometimes with high volume, supersetting, dropsetting, just know when to take some days off when you pound the muscles like that...supersetting is way for me to keep training fun and break up from the low volume training...but I still think lower volume kick ass, just learn to find ways to keep the body progressing while enjoying the training and never be afraid to just train so many days a week, especially if you are trying to grow in the offseason or whatever it may be!

 

[tenny]

bingo!!!!!! lenny

this is beginner growth principles

 

[Ulamalop]

Personally, I think some people just recover faster than others and toss that on top of other stuff that just makes them recover even faster.

This makes perfect sense. Some people have a genetic predisposition to recover faster, like others are predisposed to grow bigger, run faster, jump higher, lift heavier, etc.

 

[Dionysusedge]

I can go 3 days in a row, and then I have to take a day off.

i have found that if i try to train more than 3 days in a row - i get sick. Basically my system cant handle it.

So i will do my 3 days and take a day off, and if i need it - maybe 2 days off.

There's nothing wrong with taking an extra day and coming back stronger.

You have to find what works best for you.

 

[machola]

a muscle will not grow until it's recovered. The
muscle will not begin to recover until the nervous
system is recovered. It takes roughly 24hours for the
nervous system to recover from a workout. Only then
will the muscle begin to recover and grow.

Obviously all or part of this statement is not true. I've seen many people grow(natural and enhanced) while lifting weights every day.

 

[purelifting]

I figured it would be a intresting question to ask and I'm sure many have been pondering the same question.

 

[Druss]

I get great results training 3 4 times in a day, then take 3 days off, on days off i do light cardio or swimming.

I started trying this when i noticed how much stronger i was when i took a week off. Intensity would rocket, i tried different combos, and found training every 3 days or twice a week, had the best gains for me.

eg.
Saturday i train at 9am, then at 12pm then at 3 pm, if im not wiped ill do another at 6 to 9 pm.

sunday
monday
tuesday 30 min max light aerobics or 30 min slow swimming or 1 hour bike or rollerblade, key here is a relaxed non stressfull pace.

Wed same as sat.

 

[wasp]

i was doing m/w/f , now im doing m/t/th/f..................see how it goes..............no way id do 3 days in a row, but im 44

 

[tkav1980]

your recovery is going to depend on a few things. If you are a complete beginner then those factors are , volume, intensity of the training session, nutrition, amount of rest( meaning are you getting enough sleep) , your natural hormone levels, daily stresses outside of the gym. Big A's program is perfect for the beginner. It will help you grow while if followed with his outlined diet and teach you how your body responds to training. You may be geneticaly predispositioned to daily training, or training on a 3 on 1 off rotation and so on. But, the basics of nervous system recovery he posted is a great starting point for a beginner, or intermediate trainer. hell i NEED a day between to recover. If not, no matter how much i eat i burn out fast and need a week off.

 

[Hungry Hungarian]

I get great results training 3 4 times in a day, then take 3 days off, on days off i do light cardio or swimming.

I started trying this when i noticed how much stronger i was when i took a week off. Intensity would rocket, i tried different combos, and found training every 3 days or twice a week, had the best gains for me.

eg.
Saturday i train at 9am, then at 12pm then at 3 pm, if im not wiped ill do another at 6 to 9 pm.

sunday
monday
tuesday 30 min max light aerobics or 30 min slow swimming or 1 hour bike or rollerblade, key here is a relaxed non stressfull pace.

Wed same as sat.

Really? Do you do this now? Thats a very unique concept....How are you utilizing the day of training? Do you try and do your entire body? And I guess the big question is...what are you training for specifically....Size...a sport?

 

[scovik88]

Maybe this answered my ? . I have been training hard for over a year and since Nov. of 09 I've been running at least two cc a week of test and now for the last month sust and 300mg deca twic a week. Still not seeing great results. Results ,but not what I had in the past.

So am I over training? I'm going Mon-Fri and only taking the weekends off. Plus I'm 48 now but I don't feel tired at the end of the week. But I am getting dejected from not seeing the results I used to when I was younger.

Sorry to be so long winded bros. .. just aggravated!!

Diet is bout 3 grand in calories and 100-150 grams of protein on top of everything else. I'm 6' and weight is 211 last time I checked last week.

 

[Druss]

i train for health and raw strength, but i also get for me anyways the best mass gains this way, i really think people overtrain and dont rest enough, its not all just about the muscles, but training today seems to focus too much on just the muscles. The nervous system needs to recover, but what about tendons, joints? Theyre much slower, your best will be achieved, when all of the above are at near peak. Your muscles at 150% and your tendons at 10% average you out at best to 80% of your best.

AAS slant the equation in favor of muscles even more. So i think the extra rest is even more important to let the other parts of the body less effected by AAS to properly recover. The 2 days i train i train hard, i find its easier to push myself way beyond what i would normally do when i trained 3 4 days a week.


sat is all powerlifting 10 rep range
bench 5+ sets
squat 5+ sets
deadlift 5+ sets

takes 45 min to 1 hour , plenty of rest between sets with deep breathing and flexing involved muscles.

wed
is all isolated work, first workout covers large muscles eg. pecks lats quads
2nd covers medium muscles traps triceps leg bicep
3rd covers small muscles lower back biceps forarms calfs

whenever i do a 4th training, its whatever i feel like but often its neck abs stretching.

 

[buselmo]

I think it based on where you are at in your training, muscular developement, strength levels, supplementation, nutrition, etc...

A very advanced person may train more frequent because they have increased thier recovery abilities, enhanced them with time under thier belt, put on a ton of muscle, and now it is about the smaller things for them to make thier body's progress.

Now, a beginner, even intermediate trainee could benefit greatly from Big A's principles, there are times I even think about going back to that completely to see if my recovery system is really gotten better and see how I do respond, but I just reduce volume greatly, so I can train more frequent...I am get it done and get it out, I do not beat the muscle down with countless sets anymore just stimulate the muscles more often with effective sets (at least I hope so), unless I am just changing things up for fun I may do a high volume week here and ther, to break boredom!

Personally, I think some people just recover faster than others and toss that on top of other stuff that just makes them recover even faster. But, I do like Big A's principles, seems like the staple for most people wanting to grow...recovery is where it is at!

One more thing: So many people talk about how Supersetting is not that effective, but it is good to deload away from the grinding sometimes with high volume, supersetting, dropsetting, just know when to take some days off when you pound the muscles like that...supersetting is way for me to keep training fun and break up from the low volume training...but I still think lower volume kick ass, just learn to find ways to keep the body progressing while enjoying the training and never be afraid to just train so many days a week, especially if you are trying to grow in the offseason or whatever it may be!

and now you know

 

[Jeremy24]

persoanlly if i train more than two days straight my body shuts down. I feel sick, lose appetite, run down feeling etc. i only train four days a week for that reason. 4 brutal days i might add. i may do cardio on my days off but thats not training

 

[HOTROCKS]

cardio on my days off but thats not training

Huh ?
What about the effect on your CNS ?

 

[KTT]

This was the routine Big A used as a pro - it is not only for beginners!
There are different training philosophies, for example HIT as Big A or volume like Arnold with his 6-days high volume training and a lot between.

All training styles produced exceptional bodys.

When you go back to mon/wed/fri workout you train each bodypart once in a week. With 3 days on 1 day off you train each bodypart twice an in theory the higher frequency is better if you not overtrain an have the time.

 

[purelifting]

This was the routine Big A used as a pro - it is not only for beginners!
There are different training philosophies, for example HIT as Big A or volume like Arnold with his 6-days high volume training and a lot between.

All training styles produced exceptional bodys.

When you go back to mon/wed/fri workout you train each bodypart once in a week. With 3 days on 1 day off you train each bodypart twice an in theory the higher frequency is better if you not overtrain an have the time.

I like it.