Hi Everyone,

Question: In reading posts when it comes to weightlifting, I keep reading that you should let your muscles rest at least a day before lifting again. Well I usually work out w/ my trainer 3 days a week - MWF. Well when something comes up and I miss a day sometimes I will make it up whenever ..like this week since I did not make it Mon or Tues, I am working out Wed, Thurs, Frid. Well here is the thing I do a 30 minute workout routine w/ him which hits upper and lower body all in one workout. Well I did this routine yesterday and now I am going today and doing the same exact workout? Are my muscles not getting the proper rest they need?? Because again, I am going to work the exact muscles I worked yesterday.

Could he possibly be wrong?

I almost never do the same muscle group two days in a row. The only exception is when I work on my endurance, where I use lower weights (half of what I use for strength training) but I do many many more reps (typically to failure). I find that I recover a lot fast and have little or no soreness after an edurance training.

Take a look at my routine (link in my sig) which I do with a trainer..

Hi Arie,

Your workout is similar to what I thought weight training should encompass. When I first joined a gym they had a guy that went around to show me what to train on. He too suggessted upper body, rest, lower body, and then like back,abs.

This week i will be training the same muscle groups three days in a row!

You have very impressive stats!!!!! You look ABSOLUTELY GREAT!!!!

I quit doing full body workouts when I got to the point where my strength gains peaked. I changed over to a routine where I lift 3 or 4 days a week, but only work the same muscle group once a week. This made a big difference for me.

If you're just getting started into weight lifting, a daily or every other day routine should be ok. That is if you're working out with a variation of weights. People get the notion that when you work out, you gotta lift heavy all the time. Yes, more stress allows your muscles to grow. But they need rest too. If you are working out daily, make sure you're alternating muscle groups. Here's an example:

Monday: bench press, incline press, decline press, cable pushdown, dips.
Tue: preacher curls, cable rows, bent over dumbell rows, concentration curls.
Wednesday: squats, leg extensions, leg curls.
Thursday: repeat mondays routine
Friday: repeat tuesdays routine
Saturday: repeat wednesdays routine.
Sunday: take a break!!

You can do some cardio AFTER your weight lifting, but not before. You need that energy for the heavy stuff. You'll want to warm up and stretch before you lift weights. Your body will like you better for that.

Good luck!

I am going to have to agree with Coolcat's suggestion here. Your muscles do not completely recover from a workout for 72 hours. To maximize the result of the effort you are putting in, your best bet is to divide your weight lifting into three days and alternate them. I personally do chest and shoulders on Day 1, arms and back on Day 2 and legs on Day 3.

He has me work my triceps, biceps, shoulder, back and legs. But it is the exact same routine and then I switch up like every 4 weeks. But like you all said I thought you should do like legs one day, arms one day, etc. He has me working the same muscles even if I go in back to back!

So what do I need to do in regards to this? Do I ask him to change things or find another trainer? I am so confused!!!

Thanks for all of you all's input. You all are so helpful!!

But I am so so confused.

Most gyms you go to offer personal trainers. If it's a corporate run facility like Ballys or 24hr fitness, they'll have their own trainers instead of 3rd party trainers. When you buy a training "package", you pay for X amount of training sessions. There's normally a selection of trainers to choose from too. If the one you have is a problem, ask for another one. You'll probably have to start 'fresh' with the new one but it'll probably be better than doing the same old thing.

I personally can't see what your current trainer has in mind for you as you haven't given much detail about it yet. It's hard to criticize what they're doing at this point. But the bottom line is if you're not happy, get a new trainer.

Good luck!

Where is this trainer working? All of the details would need to be given, but odds are that what he/she is having you do is not correct. I worked as a personal trainer for "the big B" and all 6 trainers there were incompetent, except for me and one other guy. Be careful. Even if a trainer is certified doesn't really mean they know thier stuff. Ask to speak with previous clients. Testimonies from previous clients who have achieved their goals is the best qualification a trainer can have.

I'm with dirty on that one..

Back in the "day", years ago when I was training... we weren't required by the company to be certified. We had in house certifications on weight equipment, cardio classes and such... but that's it. Today, the need for certification has changed some. Most places require their trainers to be certified to work there, or they require getting a certification in a short time frame. Like 30-90 days of getting the job.

Also, a training certification is NOT government regulated. Nor is it regulated by any type of 'official' group or board. So in a nutshell, anyone can give a test and call you certified. There's some 'recognized' certifications out there that most go with, but there is no 'standard'. So you'll want to lean towards someone that's got a degree (from a college) that's centered around physical education or something of the sort. If they do have a degree.. it'll most likely be on the wall to show off. Right next to their personal trainers certs.

Good luck!

He has his certification, but I am not for sure exactly what type of certification it is. I am going to ask him to talk to some of his clients he has worked w/ and see what they have to say!!!

Thanx so much for all the great info!!!

I think it's great that you are lifting weights!( I think veryone should be!)
If I was you I would look for another trainer, it sounds to me like the trainer you are working with may be more interested in the bottom line than maximum gains for you. Many trainers have outdated information or just not enough knowledge to provide their clients with the support they need. Although it is true that for a few months you COULD workout fullbody, back to back this is FAR from ideal and could result in muscle catabolism which would be the opposite effect of what weightlifting is supposed to acheive. Taking responsibilty for your health means you will have to go out and find some info yourself, so you are not at the mercy of others ignorance.... try http://www.stumptuous.com it is one of the best resources for beginner lifters( male and female) I have found.Good luck on your journey!

Thanx for the information. I just visited the website and it is really great!!!

Will keep you all posted on how things work out.

Good on you! Knowledge is power, you never know, you could easily find enough info out there so you can be your own personal trainer! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!