how many times to life weights a week?

[SevenStar]

A ridiculous comparison. Training MA doesn't ware down the muscles to the point that they need to rest for any more than a day or two. Lifting, when done properly, requires a great deal more rest.

 

I think the issue here is what you define as proper and what type of lifting you are referring to. In regards to mass and endurance training, yes, you need rest. three days a week is still sufficient, however. For strength training, you can get away with lifting daily. You CAN train your body parts once per week, but you won't see the greatest results. your body will begin to "untrain", or atrophy in as little as 96 hours. By lifting once per week, you may be working against yourself, because you are giving yourself TOO MUCH rest.

And a minimalist approach does not mean minimal results. Neither does it mean minimal intensity. The workouts you do are hard and that combined with greater rest periods and decent nutrition is where the gains come from. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

 

Once again, depends on the goal. If mass is your goal, you are correct. If pure strength is your goal, you are not.

[SevenStar]

ok, how often per body part should i work out if i were to stress the muscles out as much as i physically could?

 

what is your goal?

[SevenStar]

so if i spent between 2 and 4 hours one day a week to work out my entire body, would that be good enough (for the weight lifting part) for the entire week? also, how can i work my body hard enough to only have to work each body part once a week?

 

2 to 4 hours is WAY too long for a weight training session. split your body into groups, for example, pulling muscles one day and pushing muscles the next.

[SevenStar]

i would never practice just once a week.... ok, can someone then tell me how to wisely figure out which body parts to workout on which days? and what exercises would be best for me to perform? i plan on joining a gym when i move granted theres one close enough to me. so i can do any exercise there is, i just need to know what which would be the best ones to perform, thanks

 

you can figure out which days - you are the best one for that. As for what to work and which lifts to do, we can better determine that after you tell us what your goals are. What do you want to get out of weight training?

[Mtal]

I mean right now for example, chest I do 4 sets of flat, 3 incline, 3 dips, 3 machine flys. Is that too much, to little, just right? I probably do about the same amout of exercises for my back, legs and shoulders, arms a little less. Thanks.

 

Why do you do inclines, flyes AND flats?

 

Well from what I read, Flats for overall chest development, Inclines for upper chest, flyes (well I dont do them all the time, maybe 1 out of every 3 workouts, but I was thinking of doing them more often), just to get a good pump.

 

Why did you ask?

[Mtal]

Once a week is baloney though. It's minimalist (which will get you minimal results) and no physical trainer I know will suggest you work out once a week. Would you practice your martial arts once a week?

 

A ridiculous comparison. Training MA doesn't ware down the muscles to the point that they need to rest for any more than a day or two. Lifting, when done properly, requires a great deal more rest.

 

For the record, I never said workout once a week. I said work out each body part once a week. To get maximum instensity in that workout, you will need to split to some degree.

 

And a minimalist approach does not mean minimal results. Neither does it mean minimal intensity. The workouts you do are hard and that combined with greater rest periods and decent nutrition is where the gains come from. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

 

Could you give me an idear of what body parts you work on what days? How long are your work outs?

[Mtal]

I think the issue here is what you define as proper and what type of lifting you are referring to. In regards to mass and endurance training, yes, you need rest. three days a week is still sufficient, however. For strength training, you can get away with lifting daily. You CAN train your body parts once per week, but you won't see the greatest results. your body will begin to "untrain", or atrophy in as little as 96 hours. By lifting once per week, you may be working against yourself, because you are giving yourself TOO MUCH rest.

 

So, then when people talk about working out one body part a week, is that really the best way to approach working out (ex. doing chest every 7 days)?

[Mtal]

so if i spent between 2 and 4 hours one day a week to work out my entire body, would that be good enough (for the weight lifting part) for the entire week? also, how can i work my body hard enough to only have to work each body part once a week?

 

2 to 4 hours is WAY too long for a weight training session. split your body into groups, for example, pulling muscles one day and pushing muscles the next.

 

If someone is going the pushing musles in one work out, and the pulling in another, how many times should they do that work out a week? Can they get away with doing it just twice a week (just seems like too little)? Or should it be some thing like monday push, thuesday pull, wednesday rest, thursday push, friday pull, rest saturday and sunday, start all over.

 

I guess what I am looking for, well #1 strenght (I dont care to be a monster, but at the same time like to push myself, but anyway in shape to handle what life puts in front of me, and do my MA's and other activities), and #2, ok I admit, I like to look in shape, I dont need to be a body builder, but I just want to stay toned, fit in my clothes, etc.......

[SevenStar]

Well from what I read, Flats for overall chest development, Inclines for upper chest, flyes (well I dont do them all the time, maybe 1 out of every 3 workouts, but I was thinking of doing them more often), just to get a good pump.

 

Why did you ask?

 

I asked because I was hoping you wouldn't say that, even though I figured you would. If you look at a diagram of the pectoral muscle, the "upper", "lower" and "inner" pec are all within a close proximity - so close that you can't work one without working them all. The pectoral muscle is one muslce, not three, and any of the bench variations will hit all three, so only one variation is necessary.

 

The abs are the same way - the abs are one sheet of muscle - there are no upper and lower abs, technically. The "lower ab burn" that people feel when doing leg raises isn't the lower abs, but actually the hip ab/adductors.

Edited January 26, 2005 by SevenStar

[SevenStar]

So, then when people talk about working out one body part a week, is that really the best way to approach working out (ex. doing chest every 7 days)?

 

best approach? No. But everyone's genetics are different, so it may work for some. Definitely not the best approach, however.