Working it out hard one day or splitting them up?

[Ted-P]

I'm really confused about this shit so please be gentle.

What do you think is more effective?

Training a muscle hard one day a week or splitting it up and working it out like twice or thrice a week.

For example

should I be doing close grip bench and dips at the same day or should I split those mother fuckers?

Should I be doing pulldowns and rows at the same day or split those up in days?

Help a beginner out here?

 

[Fedorable]

I'm really confused about this shit so please be gentle.

What do you think is more effective?

Training a muscle hard one day a week or splitting it up and working it out like twice or thrice a week.

For example

should I be doing close grip bench and dips at the same day or should I split those mother fuckers?

Should I be doing pulldowns and rows at the same day or split those up in days?

Help a beginner out here?

The first thing a beginner should say is, "My goals are..."

A good split would be a push, pull, and leg day with plenty of rest for at least a few months, don't go too heavy and concentrate really hard on form. I think a reason a lot of people don't do some more of the popular strength training exercises like the dead lift is because they aren't something you get right away like the biceps curl. Another thing people are worried about being a beginner is that they are weak and people will see that. The good news is that 99% of most gym members (i just made that stat up from experience) are s anyways and it doesn't matter what they are doing. A beginner's weight Good Morning is more respectable then an advantaced bodybuilder's pec deck to the few, the proud, the non-body builder based lifters. You have our support and it is pretty neat being the only one in your gym doing certain exercises.

 

[Fedorable]

I'm really confused about this shit so please be gentle.

What do you think is more effective?

Training a muscle hard one day a week or splitting it up and working it out like twice or thrice a week.

For example

should I be doing close grip bench and dips at the same day or should I split those mother fuckers?

Should I be doing pulldowns and rows at the same day or split those up in days?

Help a beginner out here?

Okay I didn't directly answer that question, so here it is: What are you going for?

My beginner program had pull-ups (pull-downs for you) and rows on the same day, but now I have them on different days. So the answer is: it all really depends.

 

[chia]

I'm no expert, but I split my upper body into a vertical push/pull day and a horizontal push/pull day.

Horizontal movements include: bench press, incline press, bent barbell rows, dumbbell rows, etc.

Vertical movements include: weighted dips, military or push press, wide grip pull ups, and chins or narrow grips pull ups.

That way, I'm training upper body twice a week but using using diferent exercises each time and hitting different angles. Also, I like to alternate sets (NOT supersets) between opposite muscle groups, such as bench press/bent rows, push press/wide grip pull ups, dips/chins.

On a side note, I really like how you used the word "thrice".

 

[Ted-P]

Okay I didn't directly answer that question, so here it is: What are you going for?

My beginner program had pull-ups (pull-downs for you) and rows on the same day, but now I have them on different days. So the answer is: it all really depends.

I'm going for strength and power obviously.

I'm not sure if I should put em all together one day or split them up. I feel like I won't make much progress lifting those specific movement or muscles once a week.

And I'm not sure if I'm supposed to have a dynamic workout every other workout.

 

[Ted-P]

I'm no expert, but I split my upper body into a vertical push/pull day and a horizontal push/pull day.

Horizontal movements include: bench press, incline press, bent barbell rows, dumbbell rows, etc.

Vertical movements include: weighted dips, military or push press, wide grip pull ups, and chins or narrow grips pull ups.

That way, I'm training upper body twice a week but using using diferent exercises each time and hitting different angles. Also, I like to alternate sets (NOT supersets) between opposite muscle groups, such as bench press/bent rows, push press/wide grip pull ups, dips/chins.

On a side note, I really like how you used the word "thrice".

That's pretty cool actually.

I'll consider it, but I wish I could hear more from others.

 

[CrazyAZNRedneck]

Thrice is a word.

I do:
Chest, Abs
Back
Shoulders, Hips (machine or cable stuff, good for your guard work)
Arms
Legs
Traps, Neck (the reason I give these their own day is because I'm entering a BB contest and these are a weak point; just put them somewhere else in your routine and take an extra day of somewhere)
Rest

Side Note: I train grip 3 times a week or so. I also train twice in one day (same body parts). This is a little intense for when you're starting out so just worry about any of that crap later.

Now, BB style lifting isn't all THAT different from functional strength training. The basics stay the same but I train more body parts and I train somewhat differently from how pure BBs do. For instance, I do a lot of somewhat heavy Oblique work which BBs don't touch, because they're trying to have a skinny waist, but I need the strength for almost everything when training.

Later on in your program, I'd say for a split of Push/Pull/Legs for M/W/F and really get your maximum strength up there. I wish I'd started like that instead of benching 4 days a week for the first 4 years I trained.

 

[E C Monee]

Go with the Pull/Push/Legs M/W/F routine, this would probably be the best one especially for a beginner once you come into your own you will alter it to your own likeing.

As far as dips or close grip I would probably stick with the dips, you will already be benching normal grip.

Pulldowns and rows are usually 2 of my 3 power exercises for pull day, so I say do them both or a variation of both.

 

[graedy]

it really depends on you. just experniment a bit and see what works. some prefer the 3 day full body split some the bench/Back/leg split. some intelligent person once said, that you mastered the art of training when you know what your body needs.

 

[colinm]

i find i dont have the energy to properly hit more than one muscle group in a workout. and after i deadlift, for example, there is no way i want to do heavy bench in the same workout. so, for me, i like to work my muscle groups hard on one day instead of splitting them up and working with opposing muscle groups on the same day. this way, i can put forth my best effort for every major movement and i dont slack off.

this is just what i've found works for me.

 

[Ted-P]

i find i dont have the energy to properly hit more than one muscle group in a workout. and after i deadlift, for example, there is no way i want to do heavy bench in the same workout. so, for me, i like to work my muscle groups hard on one day instead of splitting them up and working with opposing muscle groups on the same day. this way, i can put forth my best effort for every major movement and i dont slack off.

this is just what i've found works for me.

Interesting.

And do you make the gains you want with one once week stuff?

 

[Sean S]

You have to remember that everyone may give a different answer due to the fact people are just different in what works. Personally I hate focusing in on any one area heavily in a workout. If I have to (Say close grip bench) then I will only do it once per workout per week. So I would do close grip one week and dips the next. But I'm just weird like that. I don't make good gains doing the same thing every week and sure as hell don't if I have to do the same like motion two times a week. Two in the same day? Nah. If nothing else that means I'm focusing way too much on one specific area. If I'm working on tricep pushing motions (Which I think seem to be very important in grappling, but no expert) then I would do a specific one like close grip then focus on less specific ones like say incline or clean and jerkishes.

 

[colinm]

Interesting.

And do you make the gains you want with one once week stuff?

yes i am making great gains so far and most of time i dont even get in all my workouts in the week. im running on like a 7-10 day split (not advocating this at all, its just im always busy with work and bjj and finding it hard to squeeze in 3 a week). however, the big split hasnt bothered me because i feel like i need at least 2 full days after each workout for recovery because i am training hard in jits as well. check out my log if you want: cnugs strength and bjj log or something like that.

again, this is working for me, i dont know how it works for others. and in fact the lengthy split is forced upon me by my schedule. if i had the choice, id be doing it in a week.

 

[wenispinkle]

it would be better to split them up...working a muscle group more times is better. however...you cannot just pound a muscle group using the same exercise all 3 times you work it throughout the week...this wont get you very far....work the same muscle but do it on a different plane...for example..if your working chest and you did flat bench press last workout, switch it up and do incline....or if your working back and you did power bent rows last time...use deadlifts this time....

hope i helped