Once a week vs. 2x a week

[bigfish]

Just wanted to know everyone opinion on hitting a muscle goup once a week versus twice a week? Results? Tendencies?

[slayer of souls]

Your muscles need ample recovery/rest to grow and get maximum gains. Overtraining will hinder you. I will train abs or calves more than once a week sometimes, but nothing else.

It depends how you structure your training regime.

Training twice a week through the traditional way of 2 muscle/day split will mostly likely result in over training. However, Upper/Lower splits or Full Body splits allows for 2-3 growth cycles/week while avoiding overtraining and results in maximum recovery. I am a strong believer of Upper/Lower splits and highly promote that to any natural bodybuilder. As it promotes a greater endocrine response that triggers a much greater release of hormones compared to that of the 2 muscle/day splits.

Personal results have been 10lb increase in lean bodyweight in 2.5 months.

My physique has gained greater thickness, size and strength.

[ROCKILLER]

Slayer, what does your typical upper/lower split look like as far as the week goes. I'm changing to that next week and I'm not exactly sure how I want to set it up.

[Stonecold54]

no reason to train a muscle more than once a week in just normal training...there are methods that can call for an increase in intensity, volume and frequency for short bursts (not periodization though).

[lordikon]

Just wanted to know everyone opinion on hitting a muscle goup once a week versus twice a week? Results? Tendencies?

I'm a newb, but I let my body tell me. If I workout hard, that muscle group is usually sore for 2-3 days. I figure it probably still needs rest even a little after that. So for instance I'll do biceps directly, like bicep curls on a monday, and then on friday I'll do exercises that happen to use the biceps as a muscle group, like seated rows. This way I hit the muscle group hard, give it 4 days, hit it light, give it 3 days, and repeat. But that's just me. Not sure what the pros on here would say.

[JUICE]

me personally from personal experience, i prefer working them out once in a week. Abs, calves, and forearms i train the most twice.

I had to learn the hard way before why i never grew, i was training twice a week. But now i grow like a weed once a week but alot too helps me.