Thoughts on a non-weekly routine?

[nuttynutskin]

I've come to realize that for pretty much as long as I've been working out I've stuck to a weekly routine. My question is would there be any benefit to a routine that isn't based week by week, for instance working out every other day. I'd be interested in hearing thoughts, personal experiences and pros/cons.

 

[GrymReefer]

Incorporating frequent rest periods is always beneficial from my personal experience. When I'm not being a potato and actually working out...i break up my muscle groups to be worked individually on a day-to-day basis usually resulting in a specific muscle group getting worked every 7-8 days. I go as far as separating my quadriceps from my hamstring/glutes and working those on completely separate instances. I treat my abdominal muscles and my calves the same way, too.
Never be afraid to have a couple rest days. You don't grow in the gym during your workout. You grow when you get home and supply the adequate nutrition and provide proper rest. My personal belief is that if I'm not feeling 110% committed when I walk in to the gym then I skip it and take a rest day. I would rather take an extra rest day than go into the gym and not be able to give it my all and walk out frustrated and disgruntled at myself. A negative attitude just ruins the whole experience so I do everything to avoid it.

 

[nuttynutskin]

Thanks for the response, I probably should've mentioned that I'm training a powerlifting type routine tho so i don't break up body parts like for bodybuilding. My focus is solely on increasing my bench, squat, deadlift and overhead press.

 

[GrymReefer]

Ahhhh... I do incorporate powerlifting exercises or at least I believe they are powerlifting exercises? I would integrate them either into the middle of my 8 week loading period or I would incorporate a few into the 2 week deloading period.

Squats and deadlifts are a given. I tend to elevate my feet while deadlifting in order to create a greater ROM. Brings the posterior chain into the lift more than conventional deadlifts for me.

I also play around with hang cleans, but generally never exceed 225 pounds. I can't barbell bench press for the life of me. I have solely used dumbbells for all chest pressing exercises since I started working out.

Can you post a rough sketch of your routine? I'm pretty lost when it comes to a lot of powerlifting exercises.

 

[nuttynutskin]

Can you post a rough sketch of your routine? I'm pretty lost when it comes to a lot of powerlifting exercises.

Sure, it's pretty bare bones tho...

Monday

Bench
OHP
Squat

Wednesday

Squat

Friday

Bench
OHP
Deadlift

Typically the first squat day I'll work up to some sort of max and the second will be more rep oriented. Same with bench although I'm still trying to tweak around with it to see what works. Deadlift I pretty much work up to a max every week. As for overhead press it just really depends on how I'm feeling.

I also incorporate dumbell rows, shrugs, curls, tricep push-downs, pull-ups and things like that to help with the main lifts.

 

[GrymReefer]

That is pretty straight forward. Do you ever worry of working the shoulders too much and putting yourself in a predisposition for injury? Everyone has different mechanics, but I'd be afraid to do incorporate a shoulder routine twice in one week.

 

[nuttynutskin]

Do you ever worry of working the shoulders too much and putting yourself in a predisposition for injury? Everyone has different mechanics, but I'd be afraid to do incorporate a shoulder routine twice in one week.

No, because like I said I go by feel. If my upper body is feeling too trashed that day I don't push it. As far as I can remember tho I've never hurt my shoulders doing overhead press. The same can't be said for bench tho. It might not be for everyone but I've just always liked training overhead press and feel it's a better indicator of overall strength than bench anyways, at least to a degree.

 

[GrymReefer]

Bench pressing with a barbell is too restrictive of a moment due to my shoulders being forced to move within a bilateral function of each other and they don't have the same range of motion. I'm sure I'd be fine if I didn't skateboard so much as a teenager and end up with multiple dislocations over the years. I can get away with a decline bench press because of the angle at which the pec is targeted feels natural within the movement. Sadly, since moving back to my home state and this country cornflake town....no gyms around here have a decline bench press!!!

Your a powerlifter so you would solely focus on various bilateral movements. Also bilateral movements have a greater power transfer in comparison to a unilateral movement. In my case unilateral movements such as incline dumbbell press allow me to comfortably move through my range of motion without the wrong kind of pain and allow a quality contraction that I couldn't achieve with a bilateral movement. I can get away with a barbell shoulder press if I don't go to the full extension of the elbows and lock out. I just try to avoid it out of fear of injury.

 

[CFC]

would there be any benefit to a routine that isn't based week by week, for instance working out every other day. I'd be interested in hearing thoughts, personal experiences and pros/cons.

Possibly. It depends on what works best for you, your recovery and your schedule - there's more than one way to skin a cat. My routines always vary, both because it keeps me interested and because I may have some injury or limitation to my time. Sometimes I don't bother with any routine at all, and just train whatever I feel like with no relationship to the day or week, based on factors like whether a certain bodypart is lagging or whether it's sore from training before. I wouldn't recommend that to beginner or intermediate trainers though, I think you need to know your body well or you may end up with imbalances > injuries.

 

[noone1]

Mike Mentzer advocated HIT training with very slow controlled movements and heavy weights and then a rest period of up to week.

I've also seen some bodybuilders (can't remember which) say to scale down on the heaviness of the weights and to workout twice per day with more sets/reps your body doesn't really need rest periods if you don't over do it.

I've seen a case made for both philosophies, maybe it depends on the individual.