Workout Frequency?

topfuel · Nov 30, 2008

I am currently trying a workout that works out one bodypart a week. Is this enough or should I go back to working out my bodyparts twice a week? I am seeing some strengh gains but I am not seeing any size gains. Any imput would be appreciated.

thebrick · Nov 30, 2008

How old are you and how long you been working out Topfuel? How long do you workout per session?

topfuel · Nov 30, 2008

I am 48 years old and have been lifting for 30 of those years. I have been a powerlifter for most of that time and now that I have retired from the sport last year I want to focus on bodybuilding. I believe you can never stop learning about the sport and that is why I put out the question of training.

tkav1980 · Nov 30, 2008

i think frequency is going to depend on volume. if volume is high it will take longer to recover. if volume is kept low you can recover and retrain in a short amount of time. this is my personal opinion but i believe that the more frequently you can train a muscle without over training the more opportunities you give yourself to grow assuming all other factors like diet....etc are all in check.

Mash1 · Nov 30, 2008

Took me 30 seconds...

topfuel said:
I am 48 years old and have been lifting for 30 of those years. I have been a powerlifter for most of that time and now that I have retired from the sport last year I want to focus on bodybuilding. I believe you can never stop learning about the sport and that is why I put out the question of training.

Here you go...a thread about how their workout routines changed once they got older...there are a couple of ideas for you in there as you stated you were 48.

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38673&highlight=workout+routines

Mash1 · Nov 30, 2008

Also, as for frequency, tkav is on point with what I think too. Short intense workouts with lower volume offer the ability to recover quicker and train that muscle more.

dan0 · Nov 30, 2008

personally i could not workout each body part more than once a week i need more time to recover.

thebrick · Nov 30, 2008

If you are 48, hitting a body part hard once a week and getting some stronger but not growing, have you examined your diet to see if that might be a problem?

topfuel · Nov 30, 2008

That is a good point about diet. I work in sales and sometimes I get tied up for hours and hours without getting a chance to eat. I try to eat every three hours or so but that doesn't always happen. Any suggestions?

Dad · Nov 30, 2008

topfuel said:
I am 48 years old and have been lifting for 30 of those years. I have been a powerlifter for most of that time and now that I have retired from the sport last year I want to focus on bodybuilding. I believe you can never stop learning about the sport and that is why I put out the question of training.

You may want to checkout DC Training.

Being a powerlifter, you know how to work hard and heavy, and would probably find this to be a great training approach that will let yuo get both stronger and bigger, while taking advantage of yuor experience.

Start with a Search under the username DOGGCRAPP (yep, that's no joke), and read some of the threads to get a sense of the way his unique approach works.

Oh, and don't even worry about the 48 year old thing, DC has trained people that age very successfully!

bm11 · Dec 1, 2008

My suggestion is to create a rigid set of diet guidelines, such as that you will eat 6 meals, each with a minimum set amount of protein, fat, and carbs, and if you find yourself missing a meal because you get busy, eat it as soon as you can, and decrease the amount of time between the subsequent meals. If, by the end of the day, you do not have all of your meals in, set an alarm to get up and eat the last one or two. At least that is what I do, though my meals are all the same, day in and day out, which makes it easier to adjust based on results.

Proper diet is more of a mindset than anything else, once you make it routine, it becomes a lifestyle.

dragonfire101 · Dec 1, 2008

All depend on several things, diet, sleep, intensity, work etc.

You have to take into account total stress occurring on the CNS from everything throughout your day and week.

For some each body part 1 day week may be sufficient while others 2 days may be.

thebrick · Dec 1, 2008

topfuel said:
That is a good point about diet. I work in sales and sometimes I get tied up for hours and hours without getting a chance to eat. I try to eat every three hours or so but that doesn't always happen. Any suggestions?

Yeah, you have to find a way to eat something. Protein shake, bars, something… You cannot go for "hours and hours" with nothing at all to eat. You are simply not giving your body the building blocks to grow when you do that.

dragonfire101 · Dec 1, 2008

oops double post

topfuel · Dec 1, 2008

Currently I only get about six to six and a half hours of sleep per night due to mt work and workout schedule. The protein bars sound like a good thing but I am not so sure about which ones are best. Any suggestions?

BALDNAZI · Dec 1, 2008

DC

I agree with Dad on this topfuel. You have the powerlifting background, and I think you would do well with DC training. Its right up your alley. Mixing frequency with rest, and heavy ass weight...

topfuel · Dec 1, 2008

Thanks guys.......

I have looked at the workouts by doggcrapp and it looks very different from what I am currently doing. This is exciting news! Thanks to all.
Topfuel

Pekkerwood · Dec 1, 2008

Topfuel:

I am 47 and have been training for thirty years, primarily for power although I've never been a power lifter. I also no longer do squats so I can't be! There, I said it, and I'm not scared!

If your will fix/tweak your diet it will make whichever training method your choose yield better results. The answer does not have to be either/or but both. I tend to agree with The Brick, that you do not want to have those six to eight hours gaps for the most part if you are trying to grow.

I used to use the protein bars but I currently mix up a bottle of LBA's and sip on it during the day instead of just water. I also find that a lot of people who are not "bodybuilding attuned" often miss that first protein of the day upon waking. I figure if I can get the morning started right, and get the evening finished right, the in between is manageable.

One more note: I am a proponent of change and muscle confusion. Almost every change I make to my training works...for a while... I am generally talking about smaller changes, not wholesale changes in philosopy like going to the Doggcrapp methods. It is just very easy to go in and do the same exercises daily and just try to make gains on them. Our mind/body connections become so efficient at those particular movements that almost any significant change of exercises, or angles, or rep ranges, seems to promote results.

At any rate, its fun to explore and see what we can do at our "advanced" age.

topfuel · Dec 5, 2008

New DC workout started today!

I started the high intensity low volume workout today and I almost puked 3/4 of the way through the workout! Awesome! I can only say that I have always done tons of sets as a powerlifter so I didn't think that this would be enough but boy was I wrong. I would like to that those that gave me the solid advice and Professional Muscle for having this forum. I am looking forward to training tomorrow.
Thanks guys,
Topfuel

doitright · Dec 5, 2008

topfuel said:
That is a good point about diet. I work in sales and sometimes I get tied up for hours and hours without getting a chance to eat. I try to eat every three hours or so but that doesn't always happen. Any suggestions?

tkav hit the nail on the head with the workouts. As for not getting enough meals in I would suggest you looking into LBA's= Lean Beef Aminos. Great fast source of protein.

fat free milk, LBA's, olive oil = one supercharged yoohoo!