There has been much debate and many "spears broken" among theorists regarding the frequency of training in bodybuilding. However, my point of view has the advantage of being proven in practice.
Once, when I wanted to know how often I needed to go to the gym, I looked at the blisters on my own hands and found the answer. As we know, the skin on your hands becomes rough when you regularly lift weights. Blisters form as a protective reaction of the skin, but if you overexert your hands with a barbell every day, your skin can't withstand it and may turn into bleeding wounds. Therefore, your skin needs rest, and during that time, it can repair the damaged areas.
The same applies to muscles since they are biological tissue, like the skin. I have observed that a well-developed muscle or muscle group needs at least a few recovery days. In this sense, even training every other day may be excessive.
It has been widely discussed how often one should train in bodybuilding, and many theories have been proposed. However, I believe that my perspective has been proven in practice.
Once, when I was trying to figure out how often I should go to the gym, I looked at the blisters on my hands for answers. As we know, the skin on our hands becomes rough due to regular weightlifting, and blisters form as a protective reaction. But if you subject your hands to continuous pressure, they may develop blisters that turn into bleeding wounds. Therefore, your skin needs rest to heal and repair the damaged areas.
Similarly, muscles also require rest because they are biological tissues like skin. I have noticed that well-developed muscles or muscle groups need at least a few days to recover. In my opinion, even training every other day is excessive.
Studies have shown that the average time required for muscles to recover is between 48 to 72 hours. Smaller muscles, such as biceps, need only 48 hours, while larger muscles like legs or back require up to 72 hours. However, for moderate intensity training, I believe that 72 hours of rest is sufficient. Heavy training requires much longer recovery times.
Personally, I think that recovery intervals should always be more than 72 hours. Additionally, training the same muscle group twice a week can lead to overtraining, especially for the biceps.
When I suggest working out three times a week, I mean split-training, where the body muscles are divided into three groups. Each muscle group should be trained every seventh day, providing an intense workout.
It's essential to remember that all physiological systems need recovery, not just your muscles. The nervous system cannot handle daily training stress. Daily heavy training, including forced and negative reps, can potentially lead to a breakdown of the immune system and illness. Bodybuilders should spend at least 1-2 days outside the gym to allow for deep overall recovery.
The stronger you become, the more workout loads your muscles require for growth stimulation. Unfortunately, the ability of the body to recover does not increase as strength and mass increase.
Let's consider a scenario of a beginner bodybuilder with a 13-inch arm size who can do straight-bar curls for biceps with a 20 kg weight. After a few years of consistent training, the same person can lift 65 kg, and their arm size would increase to 19.6 inches, indicating a 400% increase in strength. However, their body's ability to recover from the workload would only increase by 50%.
Additionally, to exhaust a 19.6 inches bicep would require much more effort than a 13 inches bicep. The more experienced the athlete becomes, the more energy they need to expend to achieve muscle failure. Consequently, experienced athletes require more recovery time than beginners. For instance, if a 13-inch bicep recuperates in two days, a 19.6 inches bicep would take at least 5-6 days to recover.
It's impossible to make progress without increasing the workload. However, as the intensity or workload increases, the required muscle recovery time also increases.
In 1990, I trained each body part once every five days. In 1992 - once every six days, and currently, I train each body part once every eight days. In 1992, I did two main sets per exercise, whereas now, I only do one. Despite spending less time at the gym, I am gaining weight like never before.
Symptoms of overtraining.
The purpose of training is to achieve steady progress, and it's essential to establish a balance between recovery and training intensity. It's crucial to listen to your body and watch out for signs of overtraining such as fatigue, irritability, poor appetite, insomnia, joint pain, headaches, nausea, and depressed mood. If you experience two or more of these symptoms, it's advisable to refrain from training until you have a strong urge to do so.
While you recover, take the time to evaluate your training program and consider reducing the number of sessions and their duration. Once you return to the gym, follow your revised program closely and maintain focus.
Adequate sleep is vital in the recovery process, as it allows the body to replenish energy and stimulate growth hormone production. A balanced diet is another crucial component, with 55-60% of calories from carbohydrates, 25-30% from protein, and 10-15% from fat. Nutritional supplements like vitamin B and C can help in recovery. Vitamin B enhances the absorption of protein and carbohydrates, while vitamin C strengthens the immune system. Personally, I take 3 grams of vitamin C daily.
Remember that failing to give yourself enough recovery time can be detrimental to your progress.
Dorian Yates 'Less is better!'
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