1 day split???

[Fender]

I know it sounds stupid, but I'm afraid I can only work out once a week. Not because I've got a busy schedule or some crap like that, but because I'm basically doing moderate to intense swimming/tennis 5 days a week and can't workout on those days (too tired). I need at least one day rest so that leaves me with one day to do my weightlifting....

It's not great, but hell, its better than nothing I guess.

So what do you guys suggest me to do? I was thinking of either doing a full body push(squat+bench) for two weeks, then a full body pull (deads+row) for two weeks. Alternatively, I could try n do all the exercises in one go (that would be HELL).

Help!!!

(btw, my goal is just overall weight gain....the 5 days a week cardio is killing my muscles)

 

[Jay-X]

Originally posted by Fender
I know it sounds stupid, but I'm afraid I can only work out once a week. Not because I've got a busy schedule or some crap like that, but because I'm basically doing moderate to intense swimming/tennis 5 days a week and can't workout on those days (too tired). I need at least one day rest so that leaves me with one day to do my weightlifting....

It's not great, but hell, its better than nothing I guess.

So what do you guys suggest me to do? I was thinking of either doing a full body push(squat+bench) for two weeks, then a full body pull (deads+row) for two weeks. Alternatively, I could try n do all the exercises in one go (that would be HELL).

Help!!!

(btw, my goal is just overall weight gain....the 5 days a week cardio is killing my muscles)

the only reason people work out more than once a week when bulking is to avoid gaining too much fat. however, since you do lots of cardio, that won't be your problem. anyhow, you need to eat sh1tloads of food EVERY DAY, not just the day you workout.

i suggest that you should do a whole body workout when you train once a week. what about working out upperbody in the morning and legs in the afternoon?

 

[Warboss Alex]

I doubt it's what you want to hear but intense cardio 5 times a week + significant muscular weight gain = failure.

You have to cut down on the amount of cardio you do. It eats up too many calories and keeps your CNS under constant strain - you say yourself you're too tired to lift on cardio days, that's a good sign of how much it destroys you.

Training only once a week means you won't be able to do the big bore compounds at the right intensity to promote growth. (squat and bench and deadlift in the same day? just asking for trouble)

If you want to gain muscle, then do so in the 'offseason' when your cardio schedule is lighter.

 

[thekingdooder]

If I was you jawn, I'd still do some sort of lifting three times a week.

Although you may be exhausted, in the mean time, especially if you want to gain muscle, you have to do some sort of lifting. This will at least help your body gain some energy so you'll be able to move up to doing cardio and lifting in the same day.

Godspeed.

 

[CrizzleGA]

when you goto the gym just concentrate on doing deadlifts and squats... throw some dips and pullups in there and thats about all you should need. Doing those 4 exercises should hit just about every muscle. Dont waste your time on any isolation exercises. Just keep up the training and make sure your diet is in check. That is a major factor get your food right.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Originally posted by CrizzleGA
when you goto the gym just concentrate on doing deadlifts and squats... throw some dips and pullups in there and thats about all you should need. Doing those 4 exercises should hit just about every muscle. Dont waste your time on any isolation exercises. Just keep up the training and make sure your diet is in check. That is a major factor get your food right.

There is no way in hell you can do squats, deadlifts, pullups and dips in the same workout if you're working as hard as you should be.

 

[Fender]

Warboss, I don't really have an off season...even during winters, I'm doing 3 days of tennis and one day of swimming.

I think the smartest thing for me to do is going for squats on a tennis day, and do deadlifts, bench press and pullups on my "free" day.

It ain't great, but squats are really the only thing I can do after tennis (entire upper body is DEAD after tennis).

More importantly, I gotta increase my caloric intake- or my newly grown muscles will just dissapear(or not grow at all).

Warboss, I know your a strong advocate of intense, crazy widowmaker sets of exercises, but I can't do that...I gotta exercise the next day. If I kill my legs too much, then my legs won't be able to withstand the bashing from tennis the next day...

thx guys for your input.