How much is too much?

[Invain]

I know this has been discussed many times before, but I wanted to see opinions now that we have so many top level powerlifters on the boards.

I've definitely noticed a big difference in recovery time and how often I can lift the longer I stick with things. Last spring I started benching twice a week and had awsome results from it. I'm back at school now and want to take things even more serious as I'd also like to join a powerlifting club here at Michigan and finally compete.

Over the summer the gym was a 10 mile drive so I only lifted 3 days a week thanks to gas prices. I was hitting pretty much every muscle group hard and heavy once a week. Now that I'm at school and can walk 3 minutes to the gym I'd like to get back in the gym 4 and 5 times a week.

First, how many of you guys are benching 3 times a week? I've been going heavy one day a week with my second session being maybe 75% of my 1 rm for a couple sets of 10 or 12. Should I try throwing in a 3rd speed day, or drop the medium effort and just stick to max/speed days.

I've also tried squatting twice a week, with the second day being something super light, such as high rep front squats with 135 lbs or something, just to warm things up and get blood flowing in the legs good. Should I try really upping the weight on the second day or just keep things light and not push it? I'm also curious about doing deads a second time and keeping it light; same concept as with squats.

I guess the point is I've honestly never worked a major muscle group more than once a week besides my chest for a little while and I don't know how far I can push things. I really want to start putting in more effort but I also don't want to get burned out.

[jthomas]

Where in MI are you going to school at?

JJ Thomas/Detroit Barbell

[Lones Green]

i dont know how many top level benchers you're gonna see benching 3x a week. a heavy bench session is hard to recover from.

have you tried the standard westside template? its a decent amount of volume, and will zap you. 4 days a week.

[AJ Roberts]

If you plan on benching 3 times a week your going to have to wave your percentages and keep between the 60-80% range for the majority of your training.

As for your second squat day you can throw in speed deadlifts and you should be good.

[Brad08]

There are a lot of variables at work here, including your experience level, sleep, food intake, age, etc.

Just in general, you need more volume/work the farther along you are. A n00b can lift 3x/wk and get stronger each time, doing very little work. They can't exhaust themselves like a highlevel lifter can, especially on something like the bench press.

The big thing that people seem to overlook is, you can do as MUCH work as you want SO LONG AS you recover at some point, whether that means taking a day or two off after a big session or taking a full week off after 3 monstrous, high-volume, heavy weeks of balls out training. You get these "hardgainers" who are convinced they can't squat more than once every two weeks or their muscles will fall off when in fact, these pussies could squat 5 days a week if they really wanted too. They just need to EAT, SLEEP, be smart about their plan, and take some down time after a really intense week or whatever.

[Invain]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna try adding speed squats and deads and stick with benching farily heavy twice a week. Sleep and food intake are not an issue, so I'll see how things go these next couple weeks and go from there.

[Fuzzy]

Are you getting any massage and/or foam rolling etc done?

The extra active recovery stuff you do can be essential.

[Invain]

I really should do something for my back, but no Fuzzy, I'm not. I definitley don't have any access to messages either.

[Fuzzy]

I really should do something for my back, but no Fuzzy, I'm not. I definitley don't have any access to messages either.

Well, if you are interested in traning heavy with frequency then you need to be doing deep self applied work daily.

No way in hell I could train like I do without daily work.

3-5 massages in a fortnight, foam rolling everyday, sauna twice a week, water stuff etc.

Not saying you should do all this, but just giving you an idea. Active recovery is just a important as diet in your overall recovery.

Don't trust me? Just lookat every O weightlifter.