Best workout pattern

[FearlessFreep]

I work out about 3 days a week in the morning. I have about an hour but could go longer if I had some self-discipline. Cardio and dynamic stretches is a given on all days

So...assuming maybe 45 minutes to go, three days a week, I'm dividing it up into "upper body" (biceps/triceps/shoulders/back/chest) and "lower body" (calfs/hamstrings/quads/glutes/etc...)

Right now I'm wondering if it would be better to work the same body area for a week (every other day) and then switch the next week or I should alternate body area every workout (Monday=Lower, Wednesday=Upper, Friday=Lower..reverse next week)

I'm kinda in favor of the first as I've heard you get good results if you workout again the same area while it's rebuilding (so lower monday and then lower wednesday, etc...) but the downside is that I'll get some time off after

My wife thinks I should break it down further into Legs, Abs/Core,Arms,Back/Chest and do less area but more intensity, but that means that I end up with longer breaks between areas as I cycle through

She also suggested breaking it down but do two areas a day with a stagger: Monday =Legs/Arms
Wednesday=Arms/Abs
Friday=Abs/Chest
Monday=Chest/Legs
etc...

Something like that so I don't go as long without working an area but I get the benefit of a back-to-back workout for one area

Any thoughts?

As I said, cardio with rope and heavy bag is a given every day. I'm looking to build power (and speed), not cut weight

 

[terryl965]

For me it is about upper body one day and the lower body the next and I stay on that routine.

 

[Fiendlover]

For me it is about upper body one day and the lower body the next and I stay on that routine.

Same here. Lower body one day, upper the next and keeping it consistent.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Thanks, I was afraid of that I wake up at 4:00 am on those days because my wife swims early in the morning so it's a good time to workout for me too..I was hoping for a solution that would allow me not to get up early on Tuesday and Thursday as well

 

[bluekey88]

When I was doing straight weight training...I'd workout every other day, alternating upper and lower body. Focus on compound lifts (squats, deads, cleans, presses, pullups, etc.0 I avoid isolation movements like curls. I find with all the oher stuff my arms get a really good workout.

the trick being changing up what you do every 4-6 weeks.

currently I'm doing less pure strength training and more all around athletic conditioning with the workouts of the day at www.crossfit.com. I'm finding it beneficial and have gained quite a bit of endurance, speed and power in the 2.5 months of doing their workouts. the other great thing is the workouts tend to be shorter (just really intense). I've found a lot of MMa guys are adapting crossfit to their training regimen (Lidell's training does a version of crossfit in his camp, BJ Penn uses corssfit at his school as well)

www.rosstraining.com also offers some great workouts 9with less equipment than crossfit) aimed at again imprioving overall fitenss (strength, endurance, speed and power).

peace,
Erik

 

[KempoGuy06]

i do a rotating workout. Ill go chest/triceps and legs. chest and triceps because you work them both with lifts like bench and incline, or dips. the next day ill do bicpes/back (pull-up, lat pull downs)and shoulders (most people would argue to do these with chest/tricep workouts but it is a bad idea sense you use your shoulders a lot in those workouts to stabalize so when you go to work them idependently they will be taxed)

after 2-4 weeks of that i go on a one week super set workout. ill do tricep extensions or pull downs follow up by curls then back to triceps. this helps to keep up the heart rate as well as provide some rest time for one group of muscles while you are working the other group and will also lead to a more defined and toned body/

B