Workout focus question

[ashnarrowistheway]

Hey all. Some basics: 6 ft, 260 lbs. down from 310 6 months ago due to diet change and adding cardio/lifting. I’m looking to build muscle.

I’m finding it difficult to be able to get to the gym on a regular schedule. Some weeks it’s 4 days, some weeks it’s 1 or 2. Am I likely to get better results by working the hell out of one muscle group in a workout l, knowing I may not get around to that group again for 2 weeks, or should I try to work everything a little bit when I’m able to make it?

 

[khadijahcarr]

@ashnarrowistheway Neither of those are ideal…building muscle (effectively) requires a pretty rigid set of requirements.

That said, if what you’ve written is absolutely the best you can do, then I’d opt for the full body workout over any type of “bro split”. Reason being is just simple math:

You mentioned some weeks being 3-4 times you’re able to hit the gym, other weeks being 1-2 times. Let’s just average it out at 2x per week.

If you “bro split” and separate it into the typical: chest day, back day, leg day, arm day that means going (on average) to the gym twice a week yields only working out each muscle group a measly two times a month (that’s terrible).

If you do full body, that means each muscle group will get a workout 8x a month (this is still far less than ideal, as I mentioned above, but if it’s simply the best you can do it certainly beats splitting the workouts).

EDIT: Forgot to mention, congrats on the tremendous weight loss. Keep at it!!

 

[predrag]

@ashnarrowistheway

some weeks it's 1 or 2

Full body routine. Probably an A/B, making sure you hit all six movements across the two different days. (Squat, hinge, bench, row, press, pulldown). Since you're so inconsistent, you could kitchen sink it until you decide you're ready to progress.

Squat/bench/row and hinge/press/pulldown tend to work as minimalist days.

 

[kimmac23]

@ashnarrowistheway Ideally you want to train each bodypart twice a week. With the emphasis on the bigger muscles (legs, back and chest) , you can get away with training the smaller ones less often as they are hit when training the bigger ones.

So if your going only twice one week you'd do full body each day, chest back and legs.

On weeks when you can go 4 times you can afford to split it a bit.

I would do day 1 chest back and triceps.
Day 2 legs, shoulders and biceps.

Workout 3 would repeat day 1 and workout 4 repeat day 2

 

[amn]

@ashnarrowistheway I think you should use a whole body routine on all 4 days, by default.

Any kind of split would be less than ideal frequency for some or most muscle groups, even if you could train all 4 days as planned. This is especially true since your training is more erratic. I would set it up with the following priority:

1. Every week: Hit all major muscle groups with 4-6 direct or indirect sets, 5-30 rep range, 1-3 RIR (7-9 RPE). This could be accomplished in as little as one workout per week with any variation of: Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Row/pull-up -- this should be enough volume to retain your size, and possibly grow a bit.
2. If you think you're going to have at least 2 workout days, you could split the volume of #1 over two days, and also add in some extra accessories (like direct triceps, biceps, side delts, calves, abs).
3. If you think you'll get at least 3 workouts this week, you could spread the exercises out more, and do more total sets.
4. 4 days -- again, more volume, maybe a few more exercise variations, higher frequency for the movements/ muscle groups that can handle them (e.g. biceps, side delts, abs, perhaps, whatever this is for you).

So I would suggest you lay out your ideal 4-day a week program, and then figure out the contingency plan to pair to down to 3, 2, or 1 day a week.

Does that make sense? If you're interested in this approach, feel free to ask any clarifying questions.

 

[olirain]

@ashnarrowistheway Have two "core" workouts that you do every week. Something full-body, some like 531 or gzcl would work. Hit everything you need to hit in those. Then you create some optional workouts that you get to if you can. Still full-body, but maybe something more like bodybuilding program or conditioning/cardio. You can definitely still make progress on Something like that

 

[antponetteoaks]

@ashnarrowistheway Workout programs are usually set up in weeks, but it doesn't mean you have to do all the sessions in one week. Just do the next session from your program, it'll be fine. I've seen people split a 4 day program over 2 weeks.

 

[crimson12]

@ashnarrowistheway can you not buy a bench press and some free weights? I’m not trying to be a smart ass just asking

 

[ashnarrowistheway]

@crimson12 I have a few things at home and try to squeeze in a mini workout sometimes if I have 20-30 minutes instead of the 90 minutes I’d like for a to/from/at gym workout.

I have a demanding job and 2 young kids, it’s hard to carve out time for myself without sacrificing some family time or sleep, which I’m not ready to do yet. I know I’m not gonna get shredded without budgeting the proper time to put in the work, I just want to make sure I’m using the time I do get as efficiently as I can.