[Detectorist]

Just wondering if once a week is enough to maintain poundage.

Does it depend on the particular exercise?

[Comedian]

I have found that for squats or anything thigh related, that once a week is enough to maintain and even gain strength. But i go to complete muscular failure on my work sets. So the intensity has to be there. I have even maintained my strength levels doing thighs once every 2 weeks, as long as the intensity is there during the workout. Upper body is different though. You have to train more frequently to maintain and make gains on the upper body.

[Green_Manelishi]

You must find what works for you.

[cesaros]

People take rest days for squats?

Once a week is enough to make you get DOMS every time you squat. Squat 3-4 times per week to increase strength/maintain and rid yourself of debilitating leg soreness. If you try to "maintain" you'll end up losing strength.

I'm also talking about Olympic squat or Lowbar squat...not those ***** half squats every kid is doing in the gym now-a-days.

[California Jack]

Green Man said it right. It depends on a lot of variables. Training-wise there are the variables frequency, intensity and volume. Physical variables include age, sleep, nutrition, etc.

Part of the fun and frustration of this hobby is figuring out how to balance all these variables to get it to work for you.

I have squatted three days per week and made progress and squatted one day per week and made progress. One thing I have learned, at least for me, is that maintaining doesn't work. Always strive to get better, even if we are talking about adding one pound or even one rep.

[California Jack]

Oh yeah, deloading. You will know when to deload or take time off. Your body will tell you.

["Cold Dead Hands" !]

When it comes to lifting weights, less is more.
One set to failure stimulates maximum muscle growth.
Anymore sets just prolongs recuperation.
Just warm up properly with lighter and increasing weight first, for each exercise.
My gym has a full basketball court.
So, I also get motivated & nice and warmed up, by playing half court basketball for 20-30 minutes first.
Makes getting warmed up & motivated for weight lifting much easier.
Change exercises now and then.
This creates" Muscle Confusion".
A state that stimulates more muscle growth, by hitting the same muscles from different angles.
Example:
Instead of flat Bench Press one workout.
Do a superset:
Flat Flys, immediately followed by Incline Bench Press.
Just warm up good with light & increasingly heavier weight first for each exercise, before doing the main set to failure.
Then you won't tear a muscle or tendon, or blow out a rotary cuff in your shoulder or elsewhere.
Good warm up is always critical.
Dress warm, in layers.
Take them off as needed, just before sweating.

Hit each muscle group once every 5-9 days for maximum results.
Don't do extra BURN reps.
Instead, vary the exercises or number of reps to stimulate more muscle growth, instead of BEATING A DEAD HORSE or killing yourself with extra burnout reps.
Avoid over training.

Mike Mentzer's workout routines are the best I found.
Whether you workout heavy or moderate weights.
Google it, it works !

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[Detectorist]

Originally Posted by cesaros

People take rest days for squats?

Once a week is enough to make you get DOMS every time you squat. Squat 3-4 times per week to increase strength/maintain and rid yourself of debilitating leg soreness. If you try to "maintain" you'll end up losing strength.

I'm also talking about Olympic squat or Lowbar squat...not those ***** half squats every kid is doing in the gym now-a-days.

Why don't you post the last Month of your training logs so we can see how squatting 4 times a week is helping you..

[BCR]

Originally Posted by California Jack

Green Man said it right. It depends on a lot of variables. Training-wise there are the variables frequency, intensity and volume. Physical variables include age, sleep, nutrition, etc.

Part of the fun and frustration of this hobby is figuring out how to balance all these variables to get it to work for you.

I have squatted three days per week and made progress and squatted one day per week and made progress. One thing I have learned, at least for me, is that maintaining doesn't work. Always strive to get better, even if we are talking about adding one pound or even one rep.

GreenMan and Jack have nailed it.

Nothing works for everyone. Its worthwhile to ask peoples opinions, but take it with a grain of salt.

If a certain bodypart isn't sore, its ok to work it again.

cesaros brought up a good point. Squatting more often will alleviate soreness.

I just learned that. After squatting once a week for years (and usually getting very sore) I finally tried squatting twice a week, and my leg soreness almost vanished.

And don't think you need to deload because you have a bad workout or feel tired or less strong. Thats probably just a bad day.

If you have multiple bad workouts, then consider a deload.

[Green_Manelishi]

Training is only one component to the puzzle. You must rest (sleep) and eat enough to allow your body to grow.

[California Jack]

A few thoughts;

training to failure is not for me. I do not want to fail at anything.

I only count successful reps.

Missing a rep sucks.

There is nothing wrong with sweating.

Muscle confusion is goofy.

I am better off training one exercise hard rather than doing goofy
multiple set thingies with iso exercises.

Training muscle groups is dumb. Train your whole body. Your body is one piece

Pavel has a program were you go straight into your work set.

Don't believe any one that tells you that you can only gain by training one part every five to nine days. There are people that succeed training multiple sessions 6 days weekly.

Doing only one work set is not always the best for the trainee, it is best for the gym owner. It frees up equipment so the gym can have more paying members.

HIT is not as effective as HITers want you to believe. There are no gold medal winning weightlifters using HIT. No champion power lifters using Hit and no pro strongmen using it.

You can get great results doing only bench and dead lift three times weekly.

Oh yeah, body building is queer.

[Detectorist]

I spoke to Mr. HIT, Mike Mentzer, many years ago. One thing that stood out was that he told me that pro body builders spent up to $30,000/month on drugs and food. And the way many of them got the money was to pose for gay camera clubs.

Weird.

[California Jack]

Bodybuilding is a very homo oriented sport. Bobdybuilders workouts mostly only work for druggies. Run from anyone that wants you to follow a BBers workout, they most likely are
after your anal cherry.

Read this..... http://www.thatbigforum.com/intervie...r-t179959.html

[California Jack]

Slam fire, sorry.

[California Jack]

To stop from getting sore, a possible idea is to work squats really hard once per week and on another day do a lower intensity medium volume day, and if you want more do a light day of practice.

The idea that you always need to train with super high intensity isn't always a good idea.

[Detectorist]

Originally Posted by California Jack

Bodybuilding is a very homo oriented sport. Bobdybuilders workouts mostly only work for druggies. Run from anyone that wants you to follow a BBers workout, they most likely are
after your anal cherry.

Read this..... http://www.thatbigforum.com/intervie...r-t179959.html

Wow. I'm not surprised, though.