Does lifting twice a week build twice the amount of muscle vs lifting once a week?

[Guy11941]

Someone at the gym told me that there are diminishing returns when it comes to lifting weights more than once per week, but this seem to go against common sense, because as I understand it, it only takes 48-72 hours for muscles to fully recover. I normally just do an upper and lower body workout once per week, but I would be willing to do it twice per week if it were to mean twice the amount of hypertrophy. Or are we looking at diminishing returns? Thanks in advance.

 

[GreatGunz]

As long as you’re getting your calories and correct macros 2 x a week is ok .
On gear even better ( that’s your where you’re 36-48 hours comes in for recovery)
Even on I’ve been sore for days.

 

[CJ]

Someone at the gym told me that there are diminishing returns when it comes to lifting weights more than once per week, but this seem to go against common sense, because as I understand it, it only takes 48-72 hours for muscles to fully recover. I normally just do an upper and lower body workout once per week, but I would be willing to do it twice per week if it were to mean twice the amount of hypertrophy. Or are we looking at diminishing returns? Thanks in advance.

Most programs hit everything at least 2x per week, including well programmed Bro Splits.

Typical bro split breakdown is a 5 day split, Chest, Back, Shoulders and Arms, Quads, Hams.

On Chest Day, your shoulders and triceps are still being worked. On Back Day, your biceps, rear delts, and possibly hamstrings are being worked, too. On Shoulders and Arms day, your still getting chest activation if you're doing high incline or overhead presses. On Quads day, many add in leg curls. On hamstrings day, many add in lunges or leg extensions. Fuck the calfs.

So train a body part again when you're recovered, as shown by progression over time. This is a self experiment.

 

[Guy11941]

All this is good to know. Thanks, guys.

 

[buck]

As for training things directly once per week may be all a person can do depending on volume, intensity, weights etc. If the recovery hole is dug to deep, then it may take a week to recover much less grow. The lower the volume etc. per part the more often it can be trained.

 

[snake]

Someone at the gym told me that there are diminishing returns when it comes to lifting weights more than once per week..

The law of diminishing returns applies to time over years more than within a week. An example is how a guy who has lifted for 6 months can add 10 lbs to his bench as opposed to a guy who has been training for 20 year who may need 12 months to get that same return.

Personally, I only hit the major muscles groups one a week. I have been doing that for decades and it works for me. Then again, I'm in the gym 5x/wk, not once. I'll tell you this, if all you can do is one full body workout a week, it's 100% better than nothing.

If you can do an upper body one day and a lower body 2 days later once a week, you will see more results.

 

[Guy11941]

Why would one see better results doing their upper body and lower body workouts on separate days as opposed to doing both on the same day?

 

[CJ]

Why would one see better results doing their upper body and lower body workouts on separate days as opposed to doing both on the same day?

Fatigue.

As the workout goes on and on, your ability to perform as well diminishes. You only have so much gas in the tank.

Full Body workouts are perfectly fine for beginners and those looking to maintain, but eventually you'll just simply need to do more to see progress continue.

 

[Guy11941]

This makes sense; thank you.