Author Topic: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding  (Read 7437 times)

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Offline edmon171

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Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« on: April 19, 2014, 02:11:34 am »
Has anyone heard this theory that the full muscle repair process takes about 5-10 days to complete and that working the same muscle before healing is complete will actually slow your progress? If this is true, I would think a good way to test your required time is to do a hard full body workout after not lifting for a long time. Then see how long it takes for the soreness to go away completely and this is your ideal recovery time. This flys in the face of the convention of doing split routines every day or full body every 2-3 days.

Most people say working out once a week will only maintain your current strength and mass. Right now I am testing this theory. I'm into my 3rd week and I've been doing a full body routine once a week in the morning before eating then following with half a pound of beef fat and half a pound of lean beef, raw of course. Then another 50/50 later in the day. So far my strength is increasing, but its too early to tell.

Let me know if anyone is interested, I will post my progress or lack thereof.
My basic health philosophy:

1. If it is advertized on TV, don't touch it.
2. If it is recommended in the news, do the opposite.
3. If it makes most people afraid, it might be good for you.

Offline Andy Chow

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Re: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2014, 12:59:14 pm »
I'm interested in knowing your progress, but I don't think this really goes against current theories. Most people I've talked to don't recommend exercising the same muscle groups more than twice a week.

Mike Mentzer advocated 4-7 days of rest between workouts, about 20 years ago. So it's nothing new.

Offline edmon171

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Re: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2014, 04:20:39 am »
I've kept up with this program mostly and I am making gains. I haven't been measuring my muscle percentages scientifically, but visually they are clearly getting larger and strength is increasing, though more slowly than it has in the past. I don't know if it is because of the frequency or because I am not a teenager any more. More likely, my roadblock is that i am using freeweights with no rack or spotter so I have to stop one rep short of true failure or risk injury or breaking my select-techs. I suspect I could benefit from a second workout in the week if i am not pushing through failure, but i still beleive the once a week routine may be more appropriate if I am working with a trainer/spotter and really tearing up alot of muscle fibers on my last rep.

Another factor is that I am water fasting monday-thursday for weight loss and working out on fridays, which may  be negating the benefit of the extra recovery time for the lack of protein. I think it is safe to assume that if I am makling any gains given the fasting and the lack of intensity, one could make good progress, if not equal to or better than bi-weekly workouts, correcting for these two variables.

« Last Edit: June 06, 2014, 04:34:47 am by edmon171 »
My basic health philosophy:

1. If it is advertized on TV, don't touch it.
2. If it is recommended in the news, do the opposite.
3. If it makes most people afraid, it might be good for you.

Offline nummi

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Re: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2014, 08:15:30 am »
How about doing 2 workouts a week or over some other scale, first upper body, the second lower body?
Upper body then 2 or 3 days off, then lower body and again 2 or 3 days off, etc. All muscles would get 5-7 days of rest. All muscles could be subjected to harder work, as each workout would concentrate only on half the body.

Been doing something like this for about a month now (before that at home with dumbbells and body weight for about two months). In the span of 8 days I have 2 gym workouts, one upper, the other lower. In those 8 days I also go running/sprinting (whichever I feel like) 2 times, and then I have easier upper and lower body at home with body weight and dumbbells. Within 8 days 5-6 hours of workout.

Between exercises/sets I try not to rest, or rest only 5-10 seconds if weaker muscles give up too quick. Trying to build strength, stamina, endurance so resting moments would eventually disappear.

The fasting definitely is not good in regards to muscle and strength gain.
Fasting is not something that should be done this often... Perhaps once a month. Forcing fast onto yourself is detrimental to health. There are times when body itself gives signs of a good fasting time, but this isn't even a monthly thing... in fact fasting has absolutely nothing to do with "time". Do you eat something that gives you toxins that you need to get rid of by fasting? Or are you reestablishing a specific energetic state in your body that is distorted with consuming (specific) food?
What kind of water do you use? Water reacts to EM waves, to sound, even to human emotions (which are reflected from the person in some waves to the surroundings). In liquid form it changes its structure, it remains liquid, it looks still like water, but the molecular structure changes. And our bodies use best harmonious, "beautiful" structures. (My father once put tap water into two cups, the same water, then affected one cup and had his mother and sister try both and asked which one was better. Water from the same place, the same water. Both said in one cup the water tasted better. Both the same cup. They didn't know why, probably still don't, even my father didn't then know. Don't even know why he did it. That was years ago I think.)
There's a movie that gives thinking material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itloBORPrag&feature=kp Might require some understanding of many other areas of our world, of us (what we really are, our "true" form; not this what you see with your eyes, because this doesn't come anywhere close to what we are), and what's "really" going on, to understand this.
Best to forget "science", as it's largely, but not wholly, fantasy based on lies and delusions (all of which is intentionally designed this way and kept this way, and not for anyone's good).

Why lose weight? It is pointless... If you eat right then your weight will be right, or will go right soon. Body weight is a completely pointless thing to fuss with/over... You are who you are and as you are, if you eat right and your lifestyle and your mind is right then there's nothing else to do but accept who you are and simply let go of all the trifles. If something is off then it is not because you haven't done something "unnatural".

Offline edmon171

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Re: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2014, 12:52:01 am »
I used to do a split routine like what you mentioned, but I found that my hands were being overworked by this and would fail before the muscle I'm targetting in the exercise. When I do the full body in one day my hands get adequate rest and recovery.

I agree that fasting too often is potentially risky, but it can be done in a safe way. From what I understand fasting is mostly unhealthy because of going in and out of ketosis and could cause protein loss or be dangerous if you are underweight. I think I am ok because I stay on a ketogenic diet in between fasts so the fasting just improves my adaptation. I've been doing this for a while and still have plenty of weight to lose. If I happen to eat myself out of ketosis, then I will take a week or two off of the fasting so I have time to re-adapt to ketosis more gently. This prevents me from breaking down any muscles and organs while fasting. Plus I feel fine. I am strong enough to walk or hike every day and never experience any dizziness or weakness. If it felt like it wasn't good for me, I would stop.

I drink spring water and distilled spring water mostly. Sometimes sparkling mineral water. I am aware of the structured water concept, but I am around so much negative energy in my current living situation, I don't think it would help at all.

I have been overweight my whole life, since I was a toddler. I never got to experience life as a thin person, so this is something I want to do for myself. I spent many years being around 400 lbs so I am also doing it for health reasons. I don't accept that "I am who I am" if that means I am going to die before I reach middle-age. Being overweight is not natural, it is triggered by environmental toxins, vaccines, and food additives. I lost most of my weight just by eating the ketogenic diet but my metabolism is so damaged that the weight my body tried to settle on was still 100lb overweight. The only way I can approach a healthy weight is through calorie restriction. I am not able to eat small meals without feeling like I am torturing myself, so fasting wisely and safely is what works for me. I get to eat my big satisfying meals over the weekend and its enough for a net muscle gain with my workouts, I don't gain back weight because I control protein and eliminate carbs, and I'm never hungry when fasting because I am already into a deep ketosis when I start.
My basic health philosophy:

1. If it is advertized on TV, don't touch it.
2. If it is recommended in the news, do the opposite.
3. If it makes most people afraid, it might be good for you.

Offline Satya

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Re: Recovery between lifting workouts for strength/bodybuilding
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2015, 05:32:46 am »
I'm interested in knowing your progress, but I don't think this really goes against current theories. Most people I've talked to don't recommend exercising the same muscle groups more than twice a week.

Mike Mentzer advocated 4-7 days of rest between workouts, about 20 years ago. So it's nothing new.

Yes, strength gains are highest lifting every 5th day for same muscle group to twice a week max.  And for recovery a minimum of 2 days off in between lifting for same group is recommended.  That is the latest science on the subject, according to the ACSM and one of my favorite exercise science writers based on accuracy, Lyle McDonald. 

 

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