# hitting muscle groups once a week



## Fernando300 (May 15, 2010)

okay so for the past 2 weeks i tries hitting a new routine hitting each muscle group a week

monday- chest and triceps
tuesday off
wednesday- abs and cardio
thursday- biceps and back
friday- shoulders and traps
saturday abs and legs
sunday- off

however when i did bench press and flat DB press and incline DB press it was harder for me to lift up the normal weights i use to do....so my question is this, is once a week bad for someone such as myself? i cant lift the weight i use to im guessing because I waited an enitre week before hitting that muscle again and it never happened before when i use to hit each muscle group twice a week. I do high volume every time i go to the gym ranging from 25-30 sets 10 excercises each session and spend an hour in the gym each time i go but doing this one day a week thign i feel i've gotten weaker opposed to twice a week so not sure maybe its that my bodies not use to the new routine or what? can somebody help maye let me know whats up. Im thinking of going back to twice a week thing is I dont get the 2 day rest i have in this current routine.


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## CaptainNapalm (May 16, 2010)

I think you're mistaken trying to associate your new routine which you've experimented with for a mere 2 weeks as a reason for reduced strength.  I can honestly tell you that I can be on the greatest program in the world and then stop it cold for two weeks and not do a thing and still be able to bench and squat and whatever else just as much as I was able to two weeks prior.  14 days is definately not enough time to loose significant/noticeable strength especially if you're still training.  In fact, I've stopped programs for two weeks and came back able to execute more weight due to general body recovery.  I think your problem may be associated with other things.  Sometimes your body needs a bit of time to adapt to a new routine.  Suddenly changing workout times can also temporarily affect your strength as your CNS finds a way to adapt to this change.  Perpahs since you're now taking your muscles to failure on each session it may just "appear" that you're feeling weaker with the extra sets your body part is peforming each session.  I've personally never liked a "one day a week per muscle" routine because I always found it easier to push my muscles where they need to be in two sessions rather than trying to kill it in one session with 25 sets.  If you're training natural and this is your first year or two of training I would stick to a split routine where you hit each major muscle group twice weekly rather than once.


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## Fernando300 (May 16, 2010)

CaptainNapalm said:


> I think you're mistaken trying to associate your new routine which you've experimented with for a mere 2 weeks as a reason for reduced strength. I can honestly tell you that I can be on the greatest program in the world and then stop it cold for two weeks and not do a thing and still be able to bench and squat and whatever else just as much as I was able to two weeks prior. 14 days is definately not enough time to loose significant/noticeable strength especially if you're still training. In fact, I've stopped programs for two weeks and came back able to execute more weight due to general body recovery. I think your problem may be associated with other things. Sometimes your body needs a bit of time to adapt to a new routine. Suddenly changing workout times can also temporarily affect your strength as your CNS finds a way to adapt to this change. Perpahs since you're now taking your muscles to failure on each session it may just "appear" that you're feeling weaker with the extra sets your body part is peforming each session. I've personally never liked a "one day a week per muscle" routine because I always found it easier to push my muscles where they need to be in two sessions rather than trying to kill it in one session with 25 sets. If you're training natural and this is your first year or two of training I would stick to a split routine where you hit each major muscle group twice weekly rather than once.


 
thanks and true it could be because i changed to a new routine i use to do the antagonist way of lifting weights like back and chest and tris and bis, but now im doing once a week biceps and back, chest and tris and maybe  because I changed the routine and am doing this once a week possibly explains why my bench felt weaker. And i have been lifting since i was 16 i just turned 20 in march, so you think i should do twice a week? but its hard to make a schedule that puts each body part twice or is it that you don't use high volume and thats what allows you to lift twice? as for me I admit I use high volume 10 excercises sometimes 11  doing 3 sets 10-12, hitting 2 muscle groups every other day.


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## CaptainNapalm (May 16, 2010)

Fernando300 said:


> thanks and true it could be because i changed to a new routine i use to do the antagonist way of lifting weights like back and chest and tris and bis, but now im doing once a week biceps and back, chest and tris and maybe because I changed the routine and am doing this once a week possibly explains why my bench felt weaker. And i have been lifting since i was 16 i just turned 20 in march, so you think i should do twice a week? but its hard to make a schedule that puts each body part twice or is it that you don't use high volume and thats what allows you to lift twice? as for me I admit I use high volume 10 excercises sometimes 11 doing 3 sets 10-12, hitting 2 muscle groups every other day.


 
You can even put together a workout that targets each muscle group three times a week in as little 3 days a week with 4 rest days so twice a week per muscle group can be even easier done.  Here is what worked really well for me:

Day 1: upper body (chest/back/tricep/bicep)
Day 2: off
Day 3: lower body/shoulders (legs/shoulders)
Day 4: off
Day 5: upper body (chest/back/tricep/bicep)
Day 6: off
Day 7: lower body/shoulders (legs/shoulders)
Day 8: off
and so on, and so on...

So with the above split you basically alternate between upper body and lower body with one day's rest in between.  It's like working out 3 1/2 times a week.  I always use compound exercises mostly with one or two isolation at most for a few sets.

Because you have a solid few years of lifting experience under your belt I would also recommend the following:

Day 1: upper body (chest/back/tricep/bicep) compound exercises only
Day 2: rest
Day 3: lower body (legs/shoulders) compound exercises only
Day 4: rest
Day 5: accessory work (here you do isolation exercises for whole body)
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest

The above split works well if you want to keep getting stronger/bigger while giving you the opportunity to strengthen and improve specific areas on accesory day.  On this day you can do isolation exercises for whatever you see fit on any part of the body, or the full body.

In my opinion, it's way too much to do 30 sets per muscle group in one workout.  With that said, I like to break down these 30 sets you do in one day to two days.  Doing them on separate days allows you to lift more cumulatively in one week.


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## Fernando300 (May 16, 2010)

CaptainNapalm said:


> You can even put together a workout that targets each muscle group three times a week in as little 3 days a week with 4 rest days so twice a week per muscle group can be even easier done. Here is what worked really well for me:
> 
> Day 1: upper body (chest/back/tricep/bicep)
> Day 2: off
> ...


 
wow i really like the second routine you gave me I think im gonna do that one, thanks for the help appreciate it


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## CaptainNapalm (May 16, 2010)

Fernando300 said:


> wow i really like the second routine you gave me I think im gonna do that one, thanks for the help appreciate it


 
Good choice.  I'm currently in the process of executing a gruelling 20 rep squat program for 6 weeks after which I'm moving onto that same routine I gave you for 8-12 weeks.

Here is what my routine will look like:

*Day 1: Upper body (chest/back/bicep/tricep)*
Bench press (flat bench) - 4 sets, 8-10 reps/set
Bench press (incline bench) - 3 sets, 8-10 reps/set
Pull-ups (wide grip) - 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Pull-ups (close grip) - 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Barbell rows - 3 sets, 8-10 reps/set
Dips - 4 sets, 8-12 reps/set

Day 2: Rest

*Day 3: Lower body/shoulders *
Squats - 4 sets, 10-12 reps/set
Deadlifts - 3 sets, 6-8 reps/set
Power cleans - 2 sets, 6-8 reps/set
Shoulder press - 4 sets, 8-10 reps/set

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Rest

*Day 6: Accesory Day*
Cable flys - 3 sets, 10-12 reps/set
Tricep extensions - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set
Tricep push-down - 1 set, 10-12 reps/set
Bicep barbell curl - 1 set, 10-12 reps/set
Cable curl - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set
lateral raises - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set
leg extensions - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set
leg curls - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set
seated cable rows - 2 sets, 10-12 reps/set

Day 7: Rest

I'm still playing around with the accessory part and going to try to adjust this as I go along.  Like I said, you should set up accessory day however you best see fit and what parts you want to improve the most.  Let me know how the program works for you.


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