After a 10 year hiatus I started working out again. I am alternating a "leg" "core" and "upper body" (arms,chest,shoulders) workout so I am working the same group every 4th day plus about 40-60 minutes of cardio 3+ times a week. I am mixing it up the best I can to break up the routine and to attack muscles differently every time. How many times a week should I be working each group to see any benefit?

Also - WTF is a skull crusher?


- Terry

Hitting the same muscle groups every 4th day allows pretty good healing time. But, that also sounds like a lot of gym time. It is easy to overtrain when you exercize every day.

A "skull crusher" is a triceps exercize done with a barbell or an ez-curl bar.
You lay on a bench. Start with your arms straignt up holding the bar overhead in a close grip (palms forward) then lower the bar to your forehead, then you use your triceps muscles to return the bar back to the starting point.

Thanks!

Like a french curl.

I've been trying to take 2 days a week off to break it up a little and avoid overtraining. Also been doing some mountian biking on off days....light rides, just enough to get the blood going - a roadie friend told me very light rides (or exercise) helps to gets the blood pumping just enough to help repair the microperforations in muscle that occur after a heavy workout.

Just seeing this post now:

What works for me:

Back and biceps about every 4th day

Chest and triceps about every 4th day.

Shoulders thrown in with one of the above days depending on when I have the most time. You're a guy so you'll want to do a lot more shoulders than I bother with.

Leg Day- this consists of working everything from glutes to calves. I like to do this twice a week if possible.

Abs- two to three times a week

Cardio- four times a week - 35 to 40 minutes on the eliptical machine. Changing the machine, or whatever you decide to do for cardiovascular exercise, every 3 weeks is better, I'm just limited because of back issues.

It's usually 3 days in a row of working out and one day off, although I may just go in to do cardio and abs. I sometimes won't work out the entire weekend, but ideally I can get in one of the days.

Of course, I haven't now worked out for 5 weeks since I discovered a herniated a disc in my back and it's making me very cranky! I'm just waiting to start some rehab.



Huh. My friends call those Head-bangers. :)

So, 2equis, how's the exercise going?

If you are concerned with overtraining or not enough healing time between routines. I use NO2 and Creatine and normal daily vitamin stack up daily. Once everything is balanced out, (usually about a week), you will notice increased healing and less fatigue. One warning is with this stack up you have to drink about two gallons of water a day to keep from cramping. Oh and one more thing. By increasing blood flow and water in muscles you walk around all stoked up a little longer.