# frequency or volume



## over9cc (Aug 21, 2014)

wondering what everybody's opinion is about this. focusing more on BB than powerlifting. 

if you like frequency better how many times a week do you hit each muscle group? how many sets do you do each time for a given muscle group.


----------



## NbleSavage (Aug 21, 2014)

Short answer: both. 

5-6 days a week in the gym if geared, 3-4 if natty. Cardio on off days both to stay lean and well dammit, because its good for yer heart.

Mix-up your rep ranges but keep the overall volume high. I personally shoot for 15-20 work sets for each target muscle group, and I use pyramiding techniques on compound exercises such that I'll work in rep ranges from as high as 15-20 down to as low as 4 reps (and the occasional single to test overall strength gains). On iso exercises (which I do after the major compound movements for the target muscle group), I keep the reps high and train to failure, sometimes using 'forced rep' techniques such as supra-maximal eccentrics. 

Example: Leg Day (quad dominant, work sets only)

* Squats: 15-12-10-8-4-4 (adding weight each set)
* Leg Press: 20-15-10-10-10 (add weight for 1st three sets, then held constant)
* Leg Press (supra-max eccentrics): 5-5-5-5-5 (each leg)

Peace.

- Savage


----------



## TheLupinator (Aug 21, 2014)

Intensity.


----------



## transcend2007 (Aug 21, 2014)

I have a workout routine that incorporates both over a 6 week period.  Workouts 5 times per week.

Week 1: 2 Sets - 8-12 reps - 2 minute rest between sets
Weeks 2-3: 3 Sets - 4-7 reps - 90 seconds rest between sets
Week 4:  4 Sets - 8-12 reps - 1 minute 15 seconds rest between sets
Weeks 5-6: 5 Sets - 4-7 reps - 60 seconds rest between sets

Then start over with week 1.


----------



## JAXNY (Aug 21, 2014)

Noblesavage hit it right on.  Always increase your weight as you drop reps. On gear I'd go 6 day a week natty 4. 
You can also add drop sets on your last set. 
And eat,eat.and eat.


----------



## FreeBirdSam (Aug 21, 2014)

I seem to grow best from 5x5 3 days a week of just squats, bench, and power cleans.  With all the stress in my life right now and the physically demanding job of mine, I couldn't function if I tried training more.   I've tried bodybuilding type routines and none of them made me grow even with gear..   basic Bill Starr stuff and grazing all day on food and milk is what got me over 200lbs before my divorce, and it's what is currently pushing me back up on the scale right now.   Progressively heavier weights, tons of food, water, and rest.


----------



## over9cc (Aug 21, 2014)

frequency i mean training a muscle group multiple times in the same week. lets say an upper/lower split where you would be hitting chest on mondays and thursdays. however volume for each muscle group would be kept at 3-6sets, you must train all other muscle groups as well.

my current split is push/pull(both full body)/rest/chest.tris/shoulders.legs/back.bis/rest

i hit each muscle group twice a week however volume is kept low to have enough time to hit all the muscle groups.

if you could pick higher frequency with full body x amount of days per week on one side, vs bro split hitting each muscle group once a week with massive amounts of volume where would you stand and why.

im thinking about changing my workout routine and just looking for ideas. i prefer set days to train so a 7day split is better for me.


----------



## JAXNY (Aug 21, 2014)

If you're cycling hit each body part twice a week. If not then once. 
And if you're hitting legs and back on the same day,then you're not training either one of them hard enough. 
Legs alone should leave you with not enough energy to do anything else.


----------



## over9cc (Aug 21, 2014)

JAXNY said:


> If you're cycling hit each body part twice a week. If not then once.
> And if you're hitting legs and back on the same day,then you're not training either one of them hard enough.
> Legs alone should leave you with not enough energy to do anything else.



i dont hit legs and back on the same day. i do back and hams, quads i do on my push day.i do full legs with shoulders on my shoulder/leg day which is a long 2h workout.


----------



## JAXNY (Aug 21, 2014)

I read your post wrong then, I see how you have it now. None the less, legs and shoulders or legs and any other body part. 
If you're talking you want BB size and mass,  you've got to lift heavy. If you're doing your legs correctly, you should be exhausted by the time you're finished with them.  I do 6 exercises for legs which is about 2 hours. JMO, but legs should be it's own day.


----------



## over9cc (Aug 21, 2014)

JAXNY said:


> I read your post wrong then, I see how you have it now. None the less, legs and shoulders or legs and any other body part.
> If you're talking you want BB size and mass,  you've got to lift heavy. If you're doing your legs correctly, you should be exhausted by the time you're finished with them.  I do 6 exercises for legs which is about 2 hours. JMO, but legs should be it's own day.



so you prefer volume? i was thinking maybe a push/pull/legs/off split.


----------



## JAXNY (Aug 21, 2014)

Volume, yes but if you're cycling you can do both.


----------



## HollyWoodCole (Aug 22, 2014)

Hey Jax, can you post up a typical leg day?


----------



## JAXNY (Aug 22, 2014)

HollyWoodCole said:


> Hey Jax, can you post up a typical leg day?



I start out with leg extensions, always. It warms  up your legs for the heavy weight coming. 
I hit extensions hard though. I'll do 4 sets increasing weight every set, my last set I'll stack the machine  or add weight to it depending on the machine. 
I'll do a 5th set,  which is a triple drop set. 
Then it's squats, then hack squats, then leg presses, then leg curls. 
Every exercise I'll increase the weight and get as many reps as I can. If you train like this you'll notice your starting weight will increase and keep increasing, this how you keep lifting heavier and heavier and you get that strength and mass. Too many guys stay at the same weight all of the time or barley increase. You should have a hard time walking out of the gym after a leg day,especially if you have to walk down any stairs. 
I'd finish up with calves if I were you. I'm fortunate that I don't need to ever train calves and I never do, yet I'm usually one of the guys with the biggest calves in the gym.


----------



## ECKSRATED (Aug 22, 2014)

I don't like those push pull splits. Unless you have 3 hours to be in the gym you'll always be neglecting some muscles. I've done 6 days a week even on gear and it's too much. I grow the most on a 4 day slit. Recovery time is most important. Especially if your squatting deadlifting benching and overhead pressing with intensity. 

I was always the type that thought more days in the gym is better. I recently switched to a 4 day PLing split and never looking back.


----------



## PillarofBalance (Aug 22, 2014)

ECKSRATED said:


> I don't like those push pull splits. Unless you have 3 hours to be in the gym you'll always be neglecting some muscles. I've done 6 days a week even on gear and it's too much. I grow the most on a 4 day slit. Recovery time is most important. Especially if your squatting deadlifting benching and overhead pressing with intensity.
> 
> I was always the type that thought more days in the gym is better. I recently switched to a 4 day PLing split and never looking back.



The day I dropped from 5 or 6 days to 3 was the same day I started making gains I didn't even think were possible.


----------



## HollyWoodCole (Aug 22, 2014)

I dropped from 5-6 days a week to 4 days and have been making much better progress recently.  Once I get to be 1/2 of POB's size I will drop to 3 days.


----------



## over9cc (Aug 22, 2014)

so all of you agree that training 3-4 times a week is better than 5 for a BB? while on and off? or simple while not useing?


----------



## PrismaticTaper (Aug 27, 2014)

Saw this interesting study comparing "low-load high volume training" with "high-load volume training": http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012033

If i understand the study correctly, it says that low-load, high volume training resulted in more protein synthesis than lifting heavy with a lower rep range. More protein synthesis means bigger muscles?


----------



## number5 (Aug 27, 2014)

I was wondering about this also.  I just came off a cycle and I was working each group twice a week.  Now I'm thinking of going back to each group once for a 4 day week.


----------

