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Jimbabwe
Jimbabwe g Jimmy Dunham
33 Post(s)
33 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: April 4, 2015
Posted

I can choose from a 5-day split, training each muscle group once a week, a 4 day split either upper/lower or legs/push/pull/shoulders. Previously I've done a push/pull/legs, but I only performed 9 sets a week for each muscle group. I started working out two years ago, although I haven't made significant improvements, I have some muscle everywhere at 15% bodyfat and about 110lbs. It is the summer and I want to try out the 5 day split, since I have more time. What do you guys recommend for a some-what intermediate lifter? If the 5-day split, training each muscle once a week option is a good fit for me, how many sets should I perform each workout?

ohawkey
ohawkey g Robert Fong
445 Post(s)
445 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Jimbabwe

I can choose from a 5-day split, training each muscle group once a week, a 4 day split either upper/lower or legs/push/pull/shoulders. Previously I've done a push/pull/legs, but I only performed 9 sets a week for each muscle group. I started working out two years ago, although I haven't made significant improvements, I have some muscle everywhere at 15% bodyfat and about 110lbs. It is the summer and I want to try out the 5 day split, since I have more time. What do you guys recommend for a some-what intermediate lifter? If the 5-day split, training each muscle once a week option is a good fit for me, how many sets should I perform each workout?

All depends on personal preference and how fast your body can recover.

And for how many sets per workout, each muscle group is going to vary. For example, muscle groups like back is going to need more sets than arms.

Try scott's holiday workouts. It's a 5 day split

jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Jimbabwe

I can choose from a 5-day split, training each muscle group once a week, a 4 day split either upper/lower or legs/push/pull/shoulders. Previously I've done a push/pull/legs, but I only performed 9 sets a week for each muscle group. I started working out two years ago, although I haven't made significant improvements, I have some muscle everywhere at 15% bodyfat and about 110lbs. It is the summer and I want to try out the 5 day split, since I have more time. What do you guys recommend for a some-what intermediate lifter? If the 5-day split, training each muscle once a week option is a good fit for me, how many sets should I perform each workout?

Jim,

 

If you are looking to get lean and leverage your workouts to help in that regard, muscle splits are not the way to go. You need to dramatically amp up your calorie burn during each workout and the only way to do that is full-body workouts. They also train your body in the manner it works in nature - as a whole unit not individual parts. I do 4-day a week Push/Pull workouts and complete about 450 - 550 total reps for 4 muscle groups. When you bump up the intensity, you don't need to lift as heavy a weight to stimulate growth as the sheer volume will stress the muscle. If in the past you were only doing 9 sets a week, that is way too low a volume level to lean out.

 

As Robert stated in his post above, everyone is different and respond differently to different training styles based on muscle fiber make-up, recovery ability, nutrition, etc. I had a MuscleGenes DNA test done and like Scott I am built more for high volume high intensity training. The combination of this and a solid nutrition plan has been what has gotten me very lean.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
JoeHurricane
JoeHurricane p Jordan Matthews
1.5K Post(s)
1.5K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: December 12, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Jimbabwe

I can choose from a 5-day split, training each muscle group once a week, a 4 day split either upper/lower or legs/push/pull/shoulders. Previously I've done a push/pull/legs, but I only performed 9 sets a week for each muscle group. I started working out two years ago, although I haven't made significant improvements, I have some muscle everywhere at 15% bodyfat and about 110lbs. It is the summer and I want to try out the 5 day split, since I have more time. What do you guys recommend for a some-what intermediate lifter? If the 5-day split, training each muscle once a week option is a good fit for me, how many sets should I perform each workout?

You got some solid answers from @Ohawkey and @jmboiardi.

For a more generic template, aim for around 10-16 sets for your smaller muscle groups, and 18-24 for your bigger muscle groups. Because you are training them once a week, you want to perform pretty much all of your desired sets for a particular muscle in one session..if that makes sense. So when you train your chest, doing 18-24 sets in that gym session.

 

Jordan

SHF Athlete MS Athlete Partial Fitness YouTuber
Jimbabwe
Jimbabwe g Jimmy Dunham
33 Post(s)
33 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: April 4, 2015
Posted

@ohawkey I'm gonna try out the holiday series and I'll see how that goes. Thanks for the suggestion.

@jmboiardi Damn 450-550 reps seems like it would take 1-2 hours. Is that necessary? I'll see how my body adapts to the holiday series. When I need to switch up my routine, I could try a routine similar to yours.

@JoeHurricane I'll keep those numbers in mind, thanks man.

 

William_Steinset
William_Steinset p William Steinset
1K Post(s)
1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: December 12, 1969
Posted
Posted By: Jimbabwe

@ohawkey I'm gonna try out the holiday series and I'll see how that goes. Thanks for the suggestion.

@jmboiardi Damn 450-550 reps seems like it would take 1-2 hours. Is that necessary? I'll see how my body adapts to the holiday series. When I need to switch up my routine, I could try a routine similar to yours.

@JoeHurricane I'll keep those numbers in mind, thanks man.

 

I train 1-2 hours a day, depends on your goals though.

MS Athelete / Super Hermanite / SHF
Jimbabwe
Jimbabwe g Jimmy Dunham
33 Post(s)
33 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: April 4, 2015
Posted
Posted By: William_Steinset

I train 1-2 hours a day, depends on your goals though.

yeah... im not about that life

William_Steinset
William_Steinset p William Steinset
1K Post(s)
1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: December 12, 1969
Posted
Posted By: Jimbabwe

yeah... im not about that life

People are different, you could try to do a full body routine with less sets and reps though.

MS Athelete / Super Hermanite / SHF
muscular strength
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