Weights at the gym- how many days rest do you need?

Wow. Saying everybody is wrong then going on to give a load of absolute bull**** information. Good job, mate. :rofl

1. You should always train through soreness. If you can explain why you shouldn't then do so. Every article I've read by professionals say hitting a muscle at a higher frequency will result in more muslc mass along with a calorie surplus. But obviously you know better.

2. Really? 3-4 days rest for larger muscle groups? So why does Starting Strength, a very well known and respected program, have you doing squats 3 times a week for complete beginners? Please explain.

3. Anyone can experience aching not just novices.

You really need to learn some things from professionals and stop listening to the idiots at your gym, you're embarrassing yourself giving such awful information.

 

Virus

With regard to point no 1. If its pain in the chest like for example when you havent lifted in a few month for whatever reason, usually its just to damn sore to do again too soon, I believe he was referring to this and not a run of the mill pain.
Im sure you know the feeling.

 

There's a difference between pain and DOMS. If it's DOMs however bad it is you can still train through it, just grow some balls. Although it is a good excuse for some not to go to the gym. If it's pain then obviously don't go. I just got back to the gym after 4 months off. My back is still aching pretty badly from deadlift Tuesday night. Tonight I have heavy deadlft again and I'll do it.

 

This point is largely irrelevant as the OP explicitly said his aims are strength. Any advice for gaining muscle mass is unnecessary.

In strength training, according to Rippetoe's work and Wendler's (on intermediate programs), you are supposed to give yourself adequate time to recover fully between workouts. Squatting 3 times a week in Starting strength is to aid increments in work capacity for beginners and not to aim for increased mass. The two are related but not the same.

 

My post wasn't to the OP.

 

I don't know why people are so adamant that what they know is the only truth and everyone else is wrong, even if they haven't gained any strength, muscle or anything else in ages, their methods are the best and anyone that disagrees should be viciously beaten into the ground through online forums!

 

If that was in reference to me, I spend the majority of my time saying what other people's work suggests. I have yet to express my own opinion.

 

You seem to be an ok guy so I didn't mean that as an attack on you or anyone else for that matter, just fact. It's a strange kettle of fish when it comes to lifting weights, everyone is an expert.
If that's the case with not expressing your opinion, why aren't you doing that?

Whats your bodyweight, and lifts in the squat, deadlift, overhead?
Just out of interest.

 

bw 70kg
squat: 120
Deadlift: 155
Press: 75 (tried for 80 yesterday and failed)

I'm not particularly strong for a lifter, but I base the advice I give on my research, and on the progress I've made which has come largely in the last 2 years, before which I was only working upperbody (mostly bench)

I don't express my opinion because it doesn't matter. Everyone has an opinion, but fewer have the benefit of reading the work of guys like Rippetoe who, despite not being scientists, are respected in their fields.

 

A lot of times its not the next day but 2 days out which is the sorest.

So say you do a particular body area, like chest on monday, wednesday would be the sorest for me so then Thursday might be the soonest I could do it again and close to 100%

 

So you are pretty much an armchair expert when it comes to these things then. No offence, you seem like you have good intentions. It may not even be a priority for you, which is what you said earlier in the thread, which makes your numbers pretty ok really. Keep up the good work.

Sorry but there are hundreds (literally) of people with similar numbers to you, similar weight, who will defend Rippetoe, stronglifts etc to the death, because they may or may not have tried them, but have heard they are good routines, and may have worked well for them, even though they are beginners and ANYTHING reasonable would work.

It's definitely better than usual terrible bodybuilding splits and 72 hours recovery between your curl workouts, though.

I just don't understand it, its truly a phenomenon, when it comes to "arguing" over weight training. Not aimed particularly at you, but I post up sound advice, and I get called all sorts, even though the guys bashing me have no real results to show from their workouts or know why they feel the need to prove they are righter and I am wronger. Bigger guns? Give yourself a cigar. Probably opening a can of worms with this one but I don't mind, slow day at work it looks to be.

Like people calling professional boxers bums, what the **** is that about?

 

Shut the **** up. I was the one who said before that you don't know what you're talking about. I'm a sports science student so I get my information from scientific research and textbooks. If you're training everyday and training through soreness you're just going to decrease your strength by fatiguing your CNS, creating a negative hormonal response and not allowing your muscles to repair. The same thing you are accusing everyone else of is exactly what you're doing. If you don't know what you're talking about why say something? And then you have the nerve to call others out? Seriously, STFU. Everybody starts from a different point, a 70kg person deadlifting 155 might be excellent for someone and average for someone else, it depends on alot of factors. There is a physiological response to different sorts of exercise depending on many factors like genetics, rest between sets, days of recovery, the place in your periodised plan etc. do your research.

 

My lifts are irrelevant. There are plenty of people who lift more than me using the same programs, whose priorities are lifting instead of boxing.

That being said, a 2xbw deadlift is considerable for a 70kg boxer as is an overhead press of more than bodyweight.

 

Just out of interest MrSmall, what are your lifts, and your bodyweight?

I saw you alluded to some pretty impressive lifts in the thread (something about a 150kg squat).

 

When I was boxing and I was 70-75kg, I was doing similar numbers, don't get me wrong. You seem like an ok guy, I didn't mean to bash your lifts at all.

Just a LOT of people doing 5x5 programs, Starting Strength, etc etc all have around 100-140kg squat, 150-180 deadlift at best, -20kg to bodyweight overhead press, and bodyweight to just over bench press. Sure they are decent lifts, for a beginner, but nobody will get **** strong doing that sort of program. You will see a LOT of people at the above threshold, and only a few just above (200-250k dead, 150-200k squat etc), and then even less above that (250-300+ dead, 200-250k squat etc). A good place to start, no doubt. Just a lot of people get to the above level.. and don't progress, because they don't learn anything and move on. You will rarely see anyone doing a 5x5 program getting a 200kg squat for example. But you will always see the 5x5 dudes nailing 100kg-120kg squats.

Ah this thread isn't about me really and I don't want to make it seem like the whole point here was "I'm stronger than you, so I know better" which I think is irrelevant, so I will PM you.

A fine sports scientist you will make starting your post with "shut the **** up, I'm a sports science student!".

This is true, I posted what I think he should do, but moreso I am wondering why people are defending THEIR methods so strongly, I don't understand where that comes from, with such zeal and hate enough to call a stranger names and all sorts. If this was a thread on anything else people would just post their opinions and that would be that but in this sort of thing you get guys directly saying "**** you, you don't know ****" to someone else!

Of course everyone starts from a different point, I wasn't bashing the man's lifts. Read above what I am posting in this one about numbers.

Research what exactly? How training works physiologically? No thanks, I prefer to see for myself what works and what the best are doing rather than regurgitate what I've read or been told. I used to do that, and I didn't get anywhere fast. I started seeing what the best guys do, what they all have in common and took it from there.

Sure, some articles and books are fantastic places to learn from. Some are not. What are you recommending for reading?

Do you yourself train? How does your routine go? What are your best lifts/bodyweight?
Do you have any sporting achievements?