(02-05-2016, 04:06 PM)tigerseye Wrote: As mentioned above 4 sets does seem to make a difference. What I used to do and my sons now do is 4 sets on what ever you want to blow up (special attention).

The problem with 4 times a week is burning yourself out.

My biggest problem with working out when I was serious (at my level) about it was burn out.

I would add and add and add until it took to long and ended up quiting for periods of time.

Gotta keep it reasonable.

No way in hell im working out a body part 4 times a week. I do one part of the body 1 time each week. 

(02-05-2016, 04:42 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: No way in hell im working out a body part 4 times a week. I do one part of the body 1 time each week. 

 If you do more compound exercises you work out multiple body parts multiple times a week depending how your plan is structured. If you are saying you only touch an area of your body once all week, that could be part of your problem. That split seems too big unless the OP workout was at close to 1RM. If you only go once a week it should be a complete killer workout, but even then I am in the camp that says a body part should be hit twice a week.

Found this article as well:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/04/20/the-correct-number-of-reps-per-set-in-the-gym/

What do we think about that? I like the idea of doing 4 sets and increasing the weight on each set.

(02-05-2016, 04:49 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Found this article as well:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/04/20/the-correct-number-of-reps-per-set-in-the-gym/

What do we think about that? I like the idea of doing 4 sets and increasing the weight on each set.

I just don't trust articles found on the internet or magazines. I posted a link to a study because a lot of workouts are designed based on anecdotal results rather than science (or good science at least). Once again, not saying your setup or the ones you have referenced won't produce results. I am pointing out that I workout to do it the most efficient way possible, and the study I found points to very high weight low reps with a relative high frequency.

(02-05-2016, 04:49 PM)Au165 Wrote:  If you do more compound exercises you work out multiple body parts multiple times a week depending how your plan is structured. If you are saying you only touch an area of your body once all week, that could be part of your problem. That split seems too big unless the OP workout was at close to 1RM. If you only go once a week it should be a complete killer workout, but even then I am in the camp that says a body part should be hit twice a week.

Every workout plan I see out there hits the body part 1 time a week. 

Day 1 - Chest Tricep 

Day 2 - Back Bicep 

Day 3 - Legs

Day 4 - Shoulders traps


How on earth does anyone have time to workout a body part 3-4 times a week? 

(02-05-2016, 04:53 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Every workout plan I see out there hits the body part 1 time a week. 

Day 1 - Chest Tricep 

Day 2 - Back Bicep 

Day 3 - Legs

Day 4 - Shoulders traps


How on earth does anyone have time to workout a body part 3-4 times a week? 

Compound lifts.

This was the workout used in the study I mentioned.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562558/table/tbl1/

(02-05-2016, 04:55 PM)Au165 Wrote: Compound lifts.

Ah I got ya. Well if thats the case, then I guess I am working out a body part more than once a week. 

(02-05-2016, 04:58 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Ah I got ya. Well if thats the case, then I guess I am working out a body part more than once a week. 

I posted the workout they used in the study in the last post you quoted if you want to check it out.

(02-05-2016, 05:05 PM)Au165 Wrote: I posted the workout they used in the study in the last post you quoted if you want to check it out.

Just looked at it. Looks like a nice program. Might give it a whirl. 

(02-05-2016, 04:53 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Every workout plan I see out there hits the body part 1 time a week. 

Day 1 - Chest Tricep 

Day 2 - Back Bicep 

Day 3 - Legs

Day 4 - Shoulders traps


How on earth does anyone have time to workout a body part 3-4 times a week? 

Depends on your goals.. lol Like when i workout i dont do just Arms or Just Legs or Just back.. when my arms get tired i do some leg or crunches to back to the arms.

I have Never worked out just focusing on one body part unless another was out of commission. But im not trying to max out or gain mass either im trying to tone.. Last 2 years have been spent trying to go from a bulkier body type to long and lean

Everyone has pretty much hit on this, but the 3 to 5 rep range is best for gaining strength. 8-12 is best for building bigger muscles. The key is using weight that is appropriate the amounts of reps your. Doing 3 reps of a weight you could do 8 on is not going to give you strength and flying through a set of 10 and only stopping because you had no more fingers to count isn't going to bulge your muscles.

I'm more likely to feel sore after doing a 3x10 workout of something than if I go heavier and do it as a 5x5. Idk, why it ends up like that, but it means don't just equate the amount of soreness with how much gains you're going to get.

(02-05-2016, 05:53 PM)6andcounting Wrote: Everyone has pretty much hit on this, but the 3 to 5 rep range is best for gaining strength. 8-12 is best for building bigger muscles. The key is using weight that is appropriate the amounts of reps your. Doing 3 reps of a weight you could do 8 on is not going to give you strength and flying through a set of 10 and only stopping because you had no more fingers to count isn't going to bulge your muscles.

I'm more likely to feel sore after doing a 3x10 workout of something than if I go heavier and do it as a 5x5. Idk, why it ends up like that, but it means don't just equate the amount of soreness with how much gains you're going to get.

This. 

I think my biggest problem with not feeling sore was that I bailed out after I hit my rep range. For example, if I was trying to hit 6 reps, I was hitting that but wasn't hitting it close to failure. I was half assing it. 

I was basically saying, "Oh, I hit my 6 reps, good, im done." Even though I still had some left in me.

If im going to do the 6-10 rep range, then I need to be damn sure to stick in that rep range and go to failure IN THAT REP RANGE. 

(02-05-2016, 02:57 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: After doing some research, I disagree. 

It seems like if you want to get STRONGER you have to lift more weight, with fewer reps. If you want to put on muscle and promote muscle hypertrophy, then it seems like a higher rep range and a moderate amount of weight is the way to go. 

Where is Sunset or Rugby when you need them?

Generally speaking, to build muscle, you still need to challenge yourself with the weight being attempted for 8-12 reps, for 4 working sets.  If you want to get stronger, yes, you need to do work in the 2-5 rep range, at 90% of your working max.

I'm just gonna throw this out there since no one else has mentioned it:  form. If your form is bad you may be using your biceps to do more of the work rather than the back muscles you're trying to target. That may explain why the biceps were so sore, but you didn't feel it in your back. But, then again maybe not.