Q: What do you think about full-body workouts? I was thinking about the ideal exercise for two sets and then one set of an add-on move. Do that for every body part at every workout.
A: You sound as if you’ve been reading researchers talking about the importance of training each muscle more frequently—like every 48 hours.
I train each muscle twice a week with three to five sets—sometimes six, but rarely. So around 10 sets per week per muscle…
A recent meta-analysis suggested that number is about right—although some trainees need more and some less. I’m old, so I try to err toward fewer.
If you do as you described, you’ll be training each muscle with three sets three times a week—so nine sets. You didn’t say how old you are, but that may work well for you, especially considering the higher frequency. However…
Your workouts will be longer. My guess is around an hour…
That was my workout time when I used full-body workouts awhile back. Why did I stop? The dread factor.
I started thinking up reasons to miss those full-body workouts, like “I probably need more recovery and carbs. I should skip today and eat this pie instead.”
When you start making lame excuses like that, it’s time to reevaluate your training—although pie is delicious…
All I can say is that it may suit you—at least for awhile. Give it a go. You may get some new growth, but if dread rears its ugly head, go back to a split.
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Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
What Would You Do to Protect Your Family?
Mike Westerdal is a renowned personal trainer and national best-selling physical preparedness author, but he’s also a father and a husband… who would do anything to protect his family.
He used to get pushed around when younger and spent years building up his body and becoming stronger, getting mentally and physically tough the hard way. As he got bigger, he learned to handle himself, and working in security, he learned first-hand how violence really plays out.
Some of the other guys online who show off their self-defense videos and books need to get a grip. The level of skill needed to pull off their basic moves is CRAZY for most ordinary people.
- If a defense system requires more than a few hours to master, it’s not a program.
- The only techniques you will ever use are the simple ones.
- They need to work for an ordinary person without prior training, technique, or ability.
- So even if you think you don’t have time to learn how to defend yourself…
- You don’t need to spend years training to be a martial artist.