The gym workout is all about doing the proper amount of exercise consistently. Many of us need clarification about how much shows we do to align with our fitness goals.
It is crucial to know. In general, the number of exercises in your workout routine per muscle group depends on your requirements. The correct number of workouts per muscle group helps you target the muscle effectively, improve muscle growth, and avoid the risk of overtraining.
Stay with us till the end as we find out more about the exercise required to do as per the muscle group so that you can get close to your fitness goals.
What is the proper amount of exercise in your fitness routine?
As you are heading towards the planning of your gym routine, the essential thing to know is the amount of exercise you need to do as per the muscle requirements. How about we take a trip down to the amount of exercise required as per the muscle group.
General Recommendations
In the normal range, if you are training the large muscle groups like chest, back and legs, then it is better to go for 2-4 exercises per muscle group. But for smaller muscle groups like biceps quads it is better to aim for 1-3 exercise.
Weekly Volume
Depending on your training frequency and goals, it is better to include 15-20 sets per muscle group in a week.
Moreover, if you are working on those large muscle groups, it is better to divide 90-120 reps weekly and for smaller ones, go for 40-50 reps.
Training Experience
Whether large or small, the training experience has an impact on the number of workouts.
Beginners:
The beginners should start with 2-3 exercises per muscle group. Put your focus on mastering the form and building a foundation.
Intermediate and Advanced Lifters:
The intermediate can handle around 3-4 exercises per muscle group as they are used to continue progressing.
Goals
The fitness goals also determine how much exercise you want to do.
Muscle Endurance: You should focus on higher repetitions with fewer exercises, around 1-2 exercises per muscle group.
Muscle Growth: Perform 3-4 exercises per muscle group, using moderate weights and varied angles to increase engagement.
Strength: Generally, 2-3 exercises per muscle group with lower repetitions and heavier weights are recommended.
Recovery Time
Recovery time is essential for muscle growth and injury prevention. Each muscle group requires at least 48 hours of recovery time after an intense workout. This means that you should train the specific muscle groups intensely and allow adequate time before targeting them.
Frequency
The frequency depends on each muscle group and its impact on the exercise. If you include a muscle group once a week, do 3-4 exercises to ensure sufficient volume.
If training twice a week, it reduces the number of exercises to about 2-3 per session.
How to divide gym days?
Now that you know how much workout to do per muscle requirement, it is better to make an ideal workout routine that follows the pathway. Remember, the goals of a person are different so that the workout routine will work differently for all p[people. It is just a workout breakdown for your talent.
Common Workout Splits:
Total Body Workout (3 days/week)
It is to train all the major muscle groups in each session
Upper/Lower Body (4 days/week)
Upper Body: 2 days (e.g., Monday, Thursday)
Lower Body: 2 days (e.g., Tuesday, Friday)
Push/Pull/Legs (6 days/week)
Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps): 2 days (e.g., Monday, Thursday)
Pull (Back, Biceps): 2 days (e.g., Tuesday, Friday)
Legs: 2 days (e.g., Wednesday, Saturday)
Body Part Split (5 days/week)
Chest: Monday
Back: Tuesday
Shoulders: Wednesday
Legs: Thursday
Arms (Biceps/Triceps): Friday
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even after proper planning, you can make some mistakes during gym workouts.
Overtraining: You should only focus on training the same muscle group occasionally while giving adequate rest. As it can cause fatigue and injury. Remember to give your muscles at least 48 hours of rest before targeting them again.
Neglecting Recovery: Do not include rest days that can progress and increase the risk of burnout. Schedule regular rest days to allow muscles to recover.
Inflexible Scheduling: Stick to the split routine that can be issued if you miss workouts. Choose a flexible split that allows you to adjust based on your weekly schedule.
Ignoring Muscle Balance: Focus on specific muscle groups and do not focus on others during that time. Otherwise, it can create imbalances and potential injuries.
Too Many Exercises: Do not perform exercise for a single muscle group in one session at the same time. This can cause fatigue and poor form. Instead, do a manageable number of exercises (2-4) per muscle group.
Conclusion
The ideal length of exercise per muscle group in the gym depends on visual goals. However, a balanced approach to a general workout includes about 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Muscle growth requires 3-4 exercises [per group[ with 3-4 sets of 8-12 rep for effective muscle stimulation without overtraining.
It is better to follow a schedule based on your personal preferences. In the meantime, listen to your body and try not to exhaust yourself. With time you will see the balance in your exciters
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