Is it ok to lift everyday or close to it?

[Biception]

Is it ok to lift everyday or close to it particularly during the first week when the sets are easy? I typically do only one set of each exercise and only 4 seperate lifts.

Something like:

Mon- on
Tues-on
Wed- on
Thurs- off
repeat

I keep the number of exercises low i.e Stuart McRobert thinking. Bench, Curls, Squats, Shrugs. Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Old and Grey]

You can lift like that as long as it doesn't tire you out. However, your workout seems to miss back, delts and other body parts.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42]

I'd say you are better off doing 2 sets as suggested and taking the proper days off.

 

[jwbond]

keep in mind all the lifting in the world will not produce results if you do not eat enough. upping frequency requires you to eat more cals. make sure you have enough cals and you should be ok.


PS - like OG said make sure you get some back exercises in there.

 

[Totentanz]

Bentover rows? Overhead Press? Something for hamstrings might be a good idea too, depending on how you squat. It sounds like you want to look good from the front, but personally, I think looking good from the back is more impressive.

 

[Old and Grey]

If I were going to lift 5-6 times per week again, this is likely what my workout would be:

Dips or incline BP
Close grip chin ups
Overhead military BB or DB press
Shrugs
Squats or deads

No real need for direct arm work with this workout.

1-2 sets of each.

I may do this in the winter when I can't be outdoors as much as I would like.

 

[jvroig]

Whether it's ok or not really depends on the big picture, meaning:

1.) The number of total sets/reps per week is more or less the same - simply put, the volume per workout is controlled and much less than a regular 3x a week workout. This should make sense since you should always be doing as much as you can without overtraining.

2.) You adjust your diet to suit your training. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to eat way more if you train everyday. After all, each workout you would have has less volume than a single workout in a 3x-a-week plan, right? The only way to find out for sure is to measure your food intake and watch your weight gain for a few weeks.

As long as you follow those two general guidelines, you can workout even twice a day if you like. As long as diet and volume are controlled, you got it made. Of course, assuming your choice of exercises is ok. Follow what the guys already said about that.

Regards,
-JV

 

[Old and Grey]

<div>
(jvroig @ Sep. 17 2006,12:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">1.) The number of total sets/reps per week is more or less the same - simply put, the volume per workout is controlled and much less than a regular 3x a week workout. This should make sense since you should always be doing as much as you can without overtraining.</div>
I actually go for the reverse. That is, I like to train as little as possible to get the maximum result. In other words, why do 3 sets if one will get you almost the same benefit. The extra sets burn more calories (energy) which requires more fuel and sleep and is harder on the CNS which can lead to overtraining or, perhaps more correctly put, stagnation. The preponderance of resistance training studies have shown very little difference in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power or endurance as a result of performing a greater number of sets. The jury is still out, however, on the efficacy of multiple exercises for the same body part. At best, they certainly have a diminishing return as the number of exercises increases. Whether they diminish slower than multiple sets has yet to be proven.

 

[style]

I cant believe he chose 4 exercises and one of them was curls

 

[scientific muscle]

<div>
(Old and Grey @ Sep. 17 2006,12:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(jvroig @ Sep. 17 2006,12:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">1.) The number of total sets/reps per week is more or less the same - simply put, the volume per workout is controlled and much less than a regular 3x a week workout. This should make sense since you should always be doing as much as you can without overtraining.</div>
I actually go for the reverse. That is, I like to train as little as possible to get the maximum result. In other words, why do 3 sets if one will get you almost the same benefit. The extra sets burn more calories (energy) which requires more fuel and sleep and is harder on the CNS which can lead to overtraining or, perhaps more correctly put, stagnation. The preponderance of resistance training studies have shown very little difference in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power or endurance as a result of performing a greater number of sets. The jury is still out, however, on the efficacy of multiple exercises for the same body part. At best, they certainly have a diminishing return as the number of exercises increases. Whether they diminish slower than multiple sets has yet to be proven.</div>
You make some good points O&amp;G.
But don't forget that one key to hypertrophy is total work. One set of 15 reps may be enough work for the muscle, but one set of 5 reps may not cause much hypertrophy at all, especially on an advanced trainee.

http://hypertrophy-research.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8

Here is an example of the importance of work output by Daniel Moore, clipped form his hypertrophy-research.com website.

 

[Old and Grey]

SM, thanks for the link. Interesting article. The frustrating problem is that all these studies have a slightly different 'tweak' to them and it is difficult to draw a definitve conclusion from them. Some day there will be tests readily available to everyone to determine their particular fiber makeup in each muscle group and then select the best exercise, # reps, # sets, tempo, etc. to maximize results. Until then, all we can do is experiment on ourselves and attempt to find the best program as individuals.

 

[jvroig]

Pretty much true, O&amp;G, which is why the best anybody can do, really, is to just do as much as they can while avoiding overtraining. Of course, hand in hand with proper diet. This is the best shot anybody can have to being reasonably sure their training is &quot;maximized&quot;. After all, if you are already doing as much as you can (while still avoiding overtraining, which is an important point), then that's all anybody can ask from you.

As for the &quot;more sets = better&quot; versus &quot;one set is already cool&quot;... well, &quot;sets&quot; are just one way to frame the problem. By now, no one should really think about sets anymore as if they are written in stone. Rather, what's more important is the total work done, that is, the number of reps. If it takes you only one set to get your rep count, good for you. If it takes you two or three because you want to take a break early in the set, good for you. If you do max-stim, then there is really no difference between reps and sets at all.

Counting sets is pretty much an artifact of old times. Better to just shoot for a rep count.

 

[Key Of David]

<div>
(jvroig @ Sep. 18 2006,08:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">As for the &quot;more sets = better&quot; versus &quot;one set is already cool&quot;... well, &quot;sets&quot; are just one way to frame the problem. By now, no one should really think about sets anymore as if they are written in stone. Rather, what's more important is the total work done, that is, the number of reps. If it takes you only one set to get your rep count, good for you. If it takes you two or three because you want to take a break early in the set, good for you. If you do max-stim, then there is really no difference between reps and sets at all.

Counting sets is pretty much an artifact of old times. Better to just shoot for a rep count.</div>
So basically what you're saying is that if you can complete one good set (as planned) that's all that's needed?

 

[liegelord]

I agree, however, one set is fine as long as you're progressing. I can do well with one set to a point, then I need to break it up. Once I stall and cannot add more weight, then I cluster. If my 5rm max stalls at 455, then the next workout I'll do 3 sets of 3 with 455. My next workout I should get 460x5 or I can continue adding weight each workout and continue doing 3x3 or 4x3.

 

[scientific muscle]

Key of david-
NO!  What we are saying is...count TOTAL REPS, not sets.  For example make it your goal to complete 15 reps for every exercise, no matter how heavy the weight.  If you can do 15 in a row, then do it.  If you can only do 10, then stop for a rest and then do 5 more reps to finish.  If you can only do 5 reps in a row, you will have to do 3 sets in order to reach your goal of 15 reps.
This is commonly know as 'clustering' your reps, and is a more modern, scientific way to look at work output in weight-lifting, instead of counting sets, simply count reps....after all sets are just groups of reps!

 

[9to5lifter]

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Counting sets is pretty much an artifact of old times. Better to just shoot for a rep count.</div>
True, true, true.

 

[jvroig]

<div>
(Key Of David @ Sep. 18 2006,17:24)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(jvroig @ Sep. 18 2006,08:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">As for the &quot;more sets = better&quot; versus &quot;one set is already cool&quot;... well, &quot;sets&quot; are just one way to frame the problem. By now, no one should really think about sets anymore as if they are written in stone. Rather, what's more important is the total work done, that is, the number of reps. If it takes you only one set to get your rep count, good for you. If it takes you two or three because you want to take a break early in the set, good for you. If you do max-stim, then there is really no difference between reps and sets at all.

Counting sets is pretty much an artifact of old times. Better to just shoot for a rep count.</div>
So basically what you're saying is that if you can complete one good set (as planned) that's all that's needed?</div>
Nope.

Going for a rep count means determine how much you want to do (say 25 reps), then achieve that rep count regardless of how many sets it will take you, whether 1, 2, 3 or 4 or whatever. (The heavier you get, the more sets you will usually need to get your rep count)

Regards,
-JV

 

[Old and Grey]

Number of sets or reps are all irrelevant numbers without taking into consideration tempo, time under tension and load. Therefore, there is no one answer as to the best number of sets or even the best number of reps. We can make generalizations but they will not be true for all individuals or all muscle groups on the same person. Until we have better analyzation techniques, all one can do is self-experiment.