my .02 you are overtraining your biceps and triceps...they are small muscle groups that get indirect work when you do your chest and back...and all this training of them will not allow growth...you would be better served by a Mon, Weds, Fri spilt....rep range 12-20 for muscular endurance...all other cardio activities on your off days.

Liftnlady,

I am slightly confused. Are you saying that I should only hit each muscle group 'one-time' per week?

J.

For most of my training, I only hit each muscle group hard once a week - although there's some indirect work on some parts twice - right now, I'll be doing some power movements once a week on parts I've done concentration work on, but that's it.

yes...the standard split could be

Mon- legs

Weds-Chest/tri's/shoulders

Fri Back/Bi's

if you want to add an additional leg workout you can add in another lite 1-2 exercises in on Friday...nothing to taxing as your weekends are usually running and biking. Your major focus should be on the major muscle groups..back, chest, legs....all the other groups are much smaller and will get indirect work from your major muscle group workouts. After doing this for a few weeks (6-8), you can see what your lagging bodypart is and maybe put a little more focus there. Personally I would lift heavier on the upper body..maybe 6-10 reps and lighter 15-25 reps on your lower. You seem to like to do alot of endurance events that involve your lower body and that rep range is more endurance geared...you can even shock the muscle every few weeks by doing reps of 25-50...this is tough but will help muscular endurance.

Liftnlady,

When a lifter exercises each muscle group twice in one week, is that called a "double split"?

J.

they can be called that or it means to weight train twice on one day....the only people who do this are professional bodybuilders and those that take androgens...otherwise you will not have muscle recovery from these types of workouts...it will also be very taxing to the central nervous system.

Okay, good stuff,

Please help me compare two plans:

Plan A, Evening Workouts:
Monday: Push;
Tuesday: Pull;
Wednesday: Rest;
Thursday: Push;
Friday: Pull;
Saturday and Sunday: Rest.

or

Plan B, Evening Workouts:
Monday: Legs & Abs;
Tuesday: Chest;
Wednesday: Back & Shoulders;
Thursday: Biceps;
Friday: Triceps;
Saturday & Sunday: Rest.


I appreciate your opinions. Both of these splits were recommended to me by male trainers. (Remember that my weekends are usually full of cycling and running events, and that I do ab-endurance workouts on Wednesday and Friday. I also do KM on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday which includes a lot of punching.)

Liftnlady, I know that you stated that bi's & tri's were small muscles, but I have been told that I should work each of these muscles like any other, that it would be benificial to my KM.

Jeff

Well J. I would opt for plan A....not sure what trainers you have spoken to, but bi's and tri's do not need a day of their own...but do as you wish.

I agree with liftnlady. Bis and tris are small muscle groups that get a lot of work doing other things (like back and chest, and shoulders). There is no good reason to give them their own days, and this isn't a split I've ever heard of.

What do these male trainers LOOK like, by the way?

Those routines come from a team of trainers, one's a competitive cyclist, one's a nationally ranked marathon kayaker, and one is a 2-time national and world power lifting champ. They seemed to know what they were talking about.

One more routine, and this is my idea:

Monday: Legs & Abs,
Tuesday: Chest,
Wednesday: Back,
Thursday: Shoulders,
Friday: Arms,
Sat & Sun: Rest.

I understand what you were saying about the triceps being involved with all kinds of other muscle group exercises. Mine have been sore more of this week.

Your comments greatly appreciated!

J.

well if you have all of these qualified people telling you what do do then why waste your time or ours asking for advice...do what you and you trainers feel is right for your goals and development.

You are right, of course. Sorry to have wasted your time.

J.