I currently go to orange theory 3 or 4 times/week but I’m honestly starting to get tired of it. I was weightlifting last year for four months and I went 5 days/week to the gym and just got extremely burnt out even after trying to take a week break from it. I just dreaded going eventually. I’d really like to get down to 110-115 lbs. Right now I’m around 123/124 at 5’ tall and because I carry more fat in my midsection, I’d really like to lose that weight and/or recomp. On days I workout, I eat 1400-1500 calories. On other days I eat more like 1300 calories and still get my steps in. I know my BMR is around 1400 so I’m trying to stay in a deficit and still hit 100g protein. Anyway, I’ve been debating on going back to weightlifting and focusing moreso on lower body and having maybe 2 lower body workouts and 1 upper body workouts per week. But would 3 days in the gym not be enough?
Can 3 days in the gym be good enough?
- Thread starter luin31
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@rossylisy What is your workout split? I’ve heard that 3 days in the gym would have to be full body days but I honestly hate full body days…
horsefeathers8899
New member
@luin31 for muscle growth, ideal volume is between 10-20 sets per week.
for upper body, 10 sets in one workout is probably not realistic. the latter half of sets would probably be wasted volume, due to excess fatigue, poor form, etc.
3 days per week is fine, but i would just do some kind of upper and lower body exercise each workout. its fine if you have say 1 upper and 2 lower body exercises, though.
id couple that with some cardio after the muscle workout. jump rope is king...but if youre too winded after the workout, treadmill at manageable pace can get results you want too, it will just take more duration.
for upper body, 10 sets in one workout is probably not realistic. the latter half of sets would probably be wasted volume, due to excess fatigue, poor form, etc.
3 days per week is fine, but i would just do some kind of upper and lower body exercise each workout. its fine if you have say 1 upper and 2 lower body exercises, though.
id couple that with some cardio after the muscle workout. jump rope is king...but if youre too winded after the workout, treadmill at manageable pace can get results you want too, it will just take more duration.
liveinlight
New member
@liveinlight What’s your split routine at the gym? I’ve been considering adding yoga or Pilates too
liveinlight
New member
@luin31 I always change my schedule bc I like to go out and play hehe
But usually it’s two leg days:
Hip thrusts with a 10 lbs weight (I injured my lower back recently so I’m starting off light)
3x10-15
Bulgarian split squats w 10 lbs weight
3x10-15
Cable machine w the belt around my hips (kinda like a hip thrust) 20lbs
3x12
Leg curls 40
3x10
Hamstring curls 20
3x10
Upper body:
Some celamarr upper body workout bc I’m not really concerned w my upper body.
Other days:
Pilates at home
Yoga/hot yoga classes
I hope it helps. I can clarify if you want
sometimes im bad at explaining things.
But usually it’s two leg days:
Hip thrusts with a 10 lbs weight (I injured my lower back recently so I’m starting off light)
3x10-15
Bulgarian split squats w 10 lbs weight
3x10-15
Cable machine w the belt around my hips (kinda like a hip thrust) 20lbs
3x12
Leg curls 40
3x10
Hamstring curls 20
3x10
Upper body:
Some celamarr upper body workout bc I’m not really concerned w my upper body.
Other days:
Pilates at home
Yoga/hot yoga classes
I hope it helps. I can clarify if you want
sometimes im bad at explaining things.utteraprayer
New member
@luin31 If your BMR is 1400 you are likely not eating enough if you are working out and feel burnt out.
For building muscle perhaps up your portion intake to 1g per pound as a start to ensure you are getting the recovery and building you need.
You likely can increase your caloric intake but hard to know without the data. Do you track your daily burn with a device (ex: apple watch)? That will give you more accuracy on your deficit (although not perfect it’s better than guessing). You might not be eating enough and your body/metabolism is plateauing.
Are you eating carbs before and after your workouts? This will help with keeping your energy up.
Are you following a specific macro ratio? Sometimes this needs to be adjusted by body type if the average recommended for recomping isn’t working for you personally.
If you are feeling 3 days working out isn’t enough - on your rest days perhaps try walking for at least an hour and for recovery days - a zone 2 cardio you find fun (jogging, high incline walk, swim, dancing, tennis etc.). I find this helps keeps my metabolism going and I don’t have to fluctuate too much on my caloric intake (I personally prefer to eat about the same amount of food daily rather than change it for inactive days too much).
Orange theory seems more targeted at HIIT - you will not build as much muscle as you will tone and cut fat (if diet is correct). You may want to switch to traditional strength training and incorporate core exercises if you are wanting to tighten mid section as well as cardio.
Lastly, if you aren’t having fun definitely try something else. Working out and eating well is not sustainable if it’s a suckfest.
I just joined Ladder (app) this year and have found some great results with the coach of Team Limitless for building muscle and getting sets in. People in the program that do it 3x’s a week stack upper and lower body sets - otherwise it’s up to 6 days of planned workouts. I find the workouts are challenging but not so much that it isn’t sustainable. Deload weeks are built in every 6 weeks so you can give your body a rest. Overall it’s about progressive load and getting muscle gains. They follow pretty good guidence for getting sets in as another commenter was recommending.
For building muscle perhaps up your portion intake to 1g per pound as a start to ensure you are getting the recovery and building you need.
You likely can increase your caloric intake but hard to know without the data. Do you track your daily burn with a device (ex: apple watch)? That will give you more accuracy on your deficit (although not perfect it’s better than guessing). You might not be eating enough and your body/metabolism is plateauing.
Are you eating carbs before and after your workouts? This will help with keeping your energy up.
Are you following a specific macro ratio? Sometimes this needs to be adjusted by body type if the average recommended for recomping isn’t working for you personally.
If you are feeling 3 days working out isn’t enough - on your rest days perhaps try walking for at least an hour and for recovery days - a zone 2 cardio you find fun (jogging, high incline walk, swim, dancing, tennis etc.). I find this helps keeps my metabolism going and I don’t have to fluctuate too much on my caloric intake (I personally prefer to eat about the same amount of food daily rather than change it for inactive days too much).
Orange theory seems more targeted at HIIT - you will not build as much muscle as you will tone and cut fat (if diet is correct). You may want to switch to traditional strength training and incorporate core exercises if you are wanting to tighten mid section as well as cardio.
Lastly, if you aren’t having fun definitely try something else. Working out and eating well is not sustainable if it’s a suckfest.
I just joined Ladder (app) this year and have found some great results with the coach of Team Limitless for building muscle and getting sets in. People in the program that do it 3x’s a week stack upper and lower body sets - otherwise it’s up to 6 days of planned workouts. I find the workouts are challenging but not so much that it isn’t sustainable. Deload weeks are built in every 6 weeks so you can give your body a rest. Overall it’s about progressive load and getting muscle gains. They follow pretty good guidence for getting sets in as another commenter was recommending.
@utteraprayer Sorry, let me clarify a little. When I was feeling burnt out last year going 5 days/week, my calories eventually increased to 1900. That ended up being my maintenance for my goals and activity levels at the time (recomp). Now that my activity levels are less, I eat less. And the burn out was moreso just not feeling motivation to go anymore, dreading going to the gym, feeling like I HAD to go, etc.
utteraprayer
New member
@luin31 Oh! Okay
I personally don’t find Orange Theory fun. I did something similar for a year and would go to their studio while traveling for work.
Find things that are fun to you.
I thought lifting would be sooo boring but I enjoy it because the workout doesn’t feel like I am dying and I track my progress which is fun to see.
Otherwise I like jogging, swimming, biking (super casually), and roller skating. Dance classes, tumbling, and aerial arts are my absolutely favorite when I can find a good routine (currently not local to any decent ones for adults - they are all for kids in my area).
What does it most for me is having friends who like physical activity and doing them together regardless of skill level or fitness. I moved away from my active friend group so I am currently working out solo. That’s where the app comes in for me is there is a community built in.
I hope you find something that brings you joy.
I personally don’t find Orange Theory fun. I did something similar for a year and would go to their studio while traveling for work.
Find things that are fun to you.
I thought lifting would be sooo boring but I enjoy it because the workout doesn’t feel like I am dying and I track my progress which is fun to see.
Otherwise I like jogging, swimming, biking (super casually), and roller skating. Dance classes, tumbling, and aerial arts are my absolutely favorite when I can find a good routine (currently not local to any decent ones for adults - they are all for kids in my area).
What does it most for me is having friends who like physical activity and doing them together regardless of skill level or fitness. I moved away from my active friend group so I am currently working out solo. That’s where the app comes in for me is there is a community built in.
I hope you find something that brings you joy.
@utteraprayer I found orange theory fun for a little bit. I think what I need to do is go more like 3 days/week and make sure I have one day where I’m not in the high fat burning zone so much lol
I work from home so I thought back then I could do 5 days/week at the gym but it became sooo difficult and almost felt like a chore. I’d like to get more into pickleball and disc golf. Yoga and Pilates would be fun too
I work from home so I thought back then I could do 5 days/week at the gym but it became sooo difficult and almost felt like a chore. I’d like to get more into pickleball and disc golf. Yoga and Pilates would be fun too
@luin31 Changing things up is better than stopping altogether. First time I lost the weight I was working out 5/6 days a week for about two hours each day. I gained most of it back cause I stopped working out. This time around I’ve lost the weight working out 45-60 mins 4-5 days a week and it’s been more sustainable. My workouts are more flexible and I don’t beat myself up for missing a day or two.
@mohamad I was considering switching over to mainly just the strength classes. I think for some of the workouts I can lift heavier than what they have but I was also thinking I could get those workouts in at a cheaper gym lol I was also considering doing 2 regular classes and then 2 weightlifting days in the gym