Over-training question -

[Taff'O]

Hi there!

I'm currently doing a 3 day split programme, and have concerns that I'm not leaving enough days between sessions.

If I'm currently doing the following -

Mon - Back & Tri's

Tues - Shoulder & Legs & Abs

Thurs - Chest & Bi's

Friday - Biceps extensions with a pint glass....

Is it unwise to train shoulders on a Tuesday, if the shoulders are being used doing back exercises?

Also, are there any other suggestions on different types of programmes like possibly push/pulls.

Many thanks

T

[Curtis00]

Well Friday is clearly the recovery period.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Shoulders shouldn't really get that much of a workout during back exercises as shoulders are used in pressing movements ('push') and back is usually exercised with 'pulling' movements. However, training shoulders the day after triceps may lessen the effectiveness of the shoulder workout since triceps are assister muscles in most pressing movements. The same thing applies to chest, which you train following shoulders (though you appear to have an extra day recovery between those two body parts). So you are training triceps first, which are hit again on shoulder day and again on chest day. If triceps have not sufficiently recovered between these workouts you may be falling short, performance-wise, on subsequent shoulder and chest exercises. You may want to re-jig your split/days if this is a concern or causing problems.

[James]

Upper lower split for the win, ever thought of doing that?

[Taff'O]

Many thanks for the advice. My tri's do seem generally tender throughout the week, so I should consider doing a cv day on the Tuesday. How about doing chest and bi's on a Monday or maybe a new programme?

Also would you say I'm hitting all the muscle groups enough, throughout the week?

Cheers

T

[Taff'O]

Hi James,

Please could you explain further.

Ps - apologies for the double post - I'm currently writing from a phone!

[NU_nutrition_TS]

I have removed the duplicate post for you.

You could keep your existing split but space them out more - Mon, Wed, Fri - or do as James suggested - an upper/lower body split or a push/pull split. Basically group together body parts that require pushing/pressing movements - chest, shoulder, triceps (in that order BTW!) followed by (on a different day) body parts that require pulling movements - back, traps, biceps, etc (again, in that order). Legs could go either way depending on whether you are exercising quads or hamstrings (biceps femoris).

[Taff'O]

Thanks for the advice NU. I like the idea of push/pull, and seems you adding 3 muscle groups, rather than say 2. If you don't, I may at some point show you my current exercises, and see what you think.

Many thanks again

T

[Martin Brown]

It's much more understandable - and more logical - to think in movements rather than muscles (no thanks to bodybuilding! )

If you think there are four main (strong) movements of the arm - push forward, push upwards, pull towards, pull down. And two with legs - pull upwards, push upwards.

A push / pull split should incorporate half of these in each:

Push - Arms Push Forward, Arms Push Upwards, Legs Push Upwards

Pull - Arms Pull Towards, Arms Pull Down, Legs Pull Upwards.

In exercercise terms these are failry straightforward when dealing with compound movements:

Push - Bench Press, Standing Military (shoulder) Press, Squat

Pull - Row, Chin/Pull Up, Deadlift


This can often prove a very good starting point and can be done frequently if the exercises are kept basic and volume not too crazy.

M

[Taff'O]

Tried the pushes routine today and really enjoyed it! Many thanks again for all the above advice!!

Hope you all have an enjoyable BH weekend!

T