Training Frequency.

[AirForceMX]

I've done a lot of research on this! I'm just curious what my fellow B&Ber's are up to. I lifted for several years doing the typical "blast every muscle once per week" routine. Now I'm doing a more frequent, less intense routine and it has been awesome! Every muscles gets worked out every 4th or 5th day. I feel better, because I'm not blasting the **** out of my muscles, and the more frueqent stimulation has garnered strength and size gains. Also, I enjoy working out a bit more, because I'm not dreading an hour long torture session. How about you guys?

 

[KCee]

I've been trying to be more efficient with my workouts and it seems to be working. I might work out for an hour on Sat or Sun, but for the most part I stick to 15 to 30 minutes workouts. I have an elliptical and I do intervals on that usually 2X a week for anywhere from 20-30 minutes. I do bodyweight and dumbbell based exercises for 20-30 minutes on other days. With my job, long commute and busy family I just don't have time to waste, but I have been finding that I can get a great workout in as little as 15 minutes. I've found a lot of good workouts on menshealth and then I make up my own routines just to work different muscles and keep from getting bored.

 

[Deltaboy]

3 -5 times a week, On the 3 day I lift 20 minutes and 30 miutes of Cardio every day on the 5 day I lift only MWF and Cardio TTH and the next week I flip it.

 

[blary54]

I usually do a 4 day split.
Chest/Triceps.
Back/Biceps/ Forearms
Legs
Shoulders/Traps

However im doing this new workout for 6 weeks(if I can make it)
6 days a week lifting:Multijoint lifts first 3 days and single joint the last 3. With micro-cycles changing reps/set each week. Then high intensity cardio in between each set. Found it on bodybuilding.com its called shortcut to shred. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jim-stoppani-six-week-shortcut-to-shred.html
Heres the split:
Chest/Tris/Abs
Shoulders/Legs/Calves
Back/Traps/Bis
Chest/Tris/Abs
Shoulders/Legs/Calves
Back/Traps/Bis
Rest Day

Could be intense but looks like its a solid workout.

 

[dieselfuel79]

3 on 1 off. I vary between weights, circuit or cross fit. I am trying to incorporate cardio each day.

 

[Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt]

3 -5 times a week, On the 3 day I lift 20 minutes and 30 miutes of Cardio every day on the 5 day I lift only MWF and Cardio TTH and the next week I flip it.

I like that schedule. I'm going to start adding in some more resistance training this year and a little less cardio. Need to try to retain some muscle and bone density as I hit my mid-forties.

 

[KMan]

5 days a week, sometimes 3 on 1 off, always start a workout with a 1000m row and finish with a 2 km cycle and sometimes cycle to the gym
do different sets of muscle groups everyday

 

[John Von Wuggz]

When I was competitive I lifted 6 days a week on a double spilt (for a total of 12 2 hour sessions a week) not including cardio and aerobics. That type of routine placed major emphasis on immediate recovery, long-term recovery, strict dietary regulation,

Now I can't imagine going back to that level of commitment.

Currently I do double spits on Tu/Th/Sa, cardio on M/W/F, and active recovery on Su. It's more work than I'd prefer to do at this stage of my life so I pick my training partners carefully. They are all younger than me, want to compete in the future, and don't mind dragging me up the last lap of the mountain.

 

[Redzone]

Its about recovery and not using more testosterone than you produce. Age is a major factor. If you haven't had your levels tested its just a little trial and error but it sounds like you are on the right track. Even when I was at my best I still preferred to train twice a day (weights) for 35 mins than an hour or more in one hit.
Competed internationally at both bodybuilding and powerlifting and still compete at powerlifting at 47 and the principal in still the same today. The biggest hindrance to gaining muscle or strength is over training or more accurately, taxing your Test level beyond recovery.

 

[Lmarkow]

Lift (alternating pushing and pulling exercises) and swim M/W/F
Run with the dogs T/R/Su
Rest Sa

 

[Emanon]

My training has changed drastically over the last couple of years. I power lifted (sort of) years back, and also trained pretty extremely for many years. However, I have come to believe that although one can keep up a good pace into older ages, it may start to be dangerous to an extant. I'm now 56 and have lately have slowed down alot. I don't mean because of age, I mean purposely. I haven't lifted in years but do use weights to stay fit and add to my workouts. Very light weights and just as "exercise." Not to build major muscle or tone (hate that word) or get bigger or anything. Just to keep the muscles from being lost as I age.

But I was into odd lifts....stones and logs, sandbags etc. And I was also into interval training, tabatas, running hills, stairs, and all kinds of kind of extreme training. Ross Enemait type training. But I was also a fighter so I had a goal. These days, while I was still keeping that pace I started to wonder why. I'm no longer fighting. I do believe that you can just wear your body down. I think there is a time to modify. Now I am just looking to stay healthy. I just look to maintain myself.

I never gain weight, I am always the same and I look good. I can drop and give you at least 50 or 60 pushups even if I haven't done any in months. And I would probably start with going for 100. So I don't look to break records anymore and I am hoping to extend the life of my body and not wear it out.

Now I try to get the minimum "time" in per week. Like 2.5 hours. So that may end up with only two workouts per week. I use a scale sort of like this. If yo were to walk for health/exercise then you need 30 minutes per day for 5 days. If you run it cuts that in half. And so on. My training level is usually a bit more intense than running or at least that for other parts. So twice per week an hour or less per workout has been working for me. The rest of the week I constantly get up and do something. Whether that's walking a little bit, moving around. climbing stairs, lifting some weights that we have at work, some kettlebells, shadow boxing etc. All for just a few minutes at a time. Sometimes just 2 minutes. Sometimes even one. Or other times 10 or 15. Sometimes I just climb something. A pole, a fense. At times I go in the warehouse and crawl under racks or crouch and walk under low objects. I have no plan and no schedule. I just "play."
I'm limber....solid enough...5'10" and can fit in a 32 waist pants (although I buy 34's) maintain 175 lbs. So I'm satisfied with that.
And it fits in my hectic schedule.

I think my body is thanking me for slowing down. My doc said to stop hitting stuff (heavy bags etc). Things ache!!

 

[Take Five]

I like to switch up routines every couple weeks / seasons.

I go between lifting Monday through Saturday, 1 muscle group per day and related groups far apart. For instance, chest on Mondays and arms on Fridays. I added about 20lbs of muscle mass following this for 3 months which was amazing.
When I feel like I reach a plateau I chang up to follow the SEALs training program. Which is basically heavy weight training twice a week, lower body one day and upper a few days later. The days in between are mostly pull, push, sit up days.
The SEAL schedule is great to follow as it really guides you to peak fitness.

No matter which routine, my cardio is generally jump rope (20-30mins) or swimming(20mins-1hr). Living in south florida makes running impractical for the majority of the year.