Hello friends! Last month, I had a post about using three strength sessions per week to tackle most goals. I thought I’d follow it up this month with a four sessions per week framework. If you didn’t read that post, I’d recommend you do so as I dive a bit into frequency, volume, and intensity of training. Otherwise, let’s dive right on in.
A three times per week strength split works for most people because it offers the fewest number of days in the gym. And we have all been through a season when we just don’t have another day to give. If you are able, though, I enjoy a four day per week split. Four days offers shorter sessions as you are able to split the body up into more manageable pieces.
The tough part about a four day per week schedule is managing rest. Remember, all the benefits of strength training (from increases in endurance capacity to muscle size) happen during rest. Due to this, it is important to make sure that muscle groups still get at least 48 hours of down time before they are stressed again. In other words, you can’t schedule two upper body days within 48 hours. Your body might be able to handle that for a week or two if you have major schedule changes to accommodate, but long term, you’ll stop recovering properly and inhibit any progress you want to make.
From a frequency standpoint, remember that we are talking about improvements in the status of physical health. An upper/lower split that is repeated once is the easiest way to accomplish this. Much like the frequency based program from the three day per week routine, you are looking to attack large muscle groups with compound movements that mimic everyday life. You’re also looking for enough sets and reps to trigger change, but you aren’t looking for high volume so you don’t need to go crazy. Remember that you should still be lifting heavy enough to fatigue at an 8-9 level out of 10 on the last set.
Volume based training targets some sort of physiological change or muscle growth and development. This is the land of lots of sets and reps in order to teach the body to get better and badder at something. I find volume based training can be a bit taxing, but the four day per week split really allows for a good amount of rest. Now, if you look at the program below, you’ll note that it is technically the same frequency (2 times per week) as the frequency based program. The catch is the arrangement of the exercises and, again, the amount of work done via sets and reps.
You’ll rock a full body/push/pull/lower split. I actually enjoy doing the full body as the first workout in the week because it gets everything started off on the right foot while still allowing time for an immediate rest day. The rest of the work can be done fairly quickly on successive days. Of course, you can flip that and start the week off with the shorter, more focused workouts and end in a blaze of full body glory. You’re call.
Which brings me to the intensity based split. Here, you’ll see a one time per week frequency. But just as with the three day per week routine, you need the recovery time when you are lifting so close to failure every set. It’s a lot of tissue damage to repair and that takes time. And protein, but that’s a post for another day.
Just as the three day per week routine saw the body split into sections, we’ll break things down a bit further here. Giving shoulders and abs/core their own dedicated day allows lifters to concentrate on heavier lifts like bench press on chest day. However, as seems to be the theme for this post, you’ll need to arrange that work far enough part that your shoulders get rest.
I hope that these posts and sample programs have helped you figure out might work for your own strength routine. As always, if you have questions, leave them in the comments. Until next time, move well friends!
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