Can anyone suggest a good 2 days a week work out regimen?

**sjc** · Posted On: 9/27/2007 9:53pm

Does anyone know of en effective work out routine that can be done 2 days a week?

Here's my situation:

I'm currently attending a DeVry school 3 days a week (Mon, Wed, Sat) to get my B.A. I also work in a kitchen 3 days a week (Tues, Thurs, Sun). On the days I work, I train in BJJ in the morning.

For the last 5-6 months I've been going to the gym consistently 3 days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri or Sat) using an effective full body work out. I've seen some great results from it.

Now here's the problem, on Monday and Friday nights my BJJ school teaches boxing. I really want to attend these classes. I want to try my hand at MMA after I get my degree and completely finished with school, so I want to get an early start on becoming well-rounded.

However, if I were to attend these classes, that means not hitting the gym that night because I'd still have to study.

So can anyone recommend a good work out plan that that will only take 2 days a week at most? Or is there really no such thing?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/27/2007 10:15pm

Why not just do your full body routine twice a week? If it's full body, you won't have to tweak it.

**sjc** · Posted On: 9/27/2007 10:23pm

But is twice a week enough for a full body routine? My current work out consists of working an upper body muscle group, then working on a lower body muscle group, and continuing this until I've done 3 sets of 10 reps on each group.

What I was thinking of trying is performing sets on one day on my upper body until I feel like I can't do any more. Then do the same on my lower body the next day.

But I also know if I run the risk of over-training and injury if I continually do sets until I feel like I can't dp anymore.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/27/2007 11:08pm

I don't understand your logic. You're concerned that 2 days of full body work won't be enough, so your plan is to only work your upper body 1 day week and your lower body 1 day a week? That's even less training.

It sounds like you don't really have a great routine for your goals. You might want to try sticking to big movements for low reps and high sets.

Here's an example of something that'll work for yu.

Monday:
Squat
Bench
Pull-up

Friday:
Deadlift
Overhead press
Bent over row

Pick a weight you can do for 5 reps on each weight and try to do 5 full sets of 5 reps with it, keeping the same weight on every set. Do this until you can do 5 full sets, then increase the weight 5 lbs and start over. Every 3 weeks, do only 70% of the total volume, to give your CNS a chance to rest, then start the whole process over.

**sjc** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 8:50am

Okay, thanks for the advice.

About the upper body one day/lower body the next day thing, a body builder suggested working one muscle group to exhaustion one day and then giving it a week to rest. He said that's how he trains anyway.

But maybe I shouldn't listen to him since I'm not trying to bulk up, just become stronger.

**gangrelchilde** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 9:23am

I wouldn't listen to him. His goal is to bulk up, your goal is to develop functional strength and explosive power. Try to include plyometrics and body weight exercises, and make sure you give yourself at least one day off a week to rest.

**sjc** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 9:43am

Originally Posted by gangrelchilde

I wouldn't listen to him. His goal is to bulk up, your goal is to develop functional strength and explosive power. Try to include plyometrics and body weight exercises, and make sure you give yourself at least one day off a week to rest.

But do you think 2 days of strength/weight training is enough?

**gangrelchilde** · Posted On: 9/28/2007 9:53am

I think Emevas gave you some good ideas to start with. Compound exercizes which will work your entire body. I've done the 5x5 and it's a damn good way to get strength training in, especially when you don't have a ton of time. Just make sure you have a spotter handy, that 5th set can suck big time ;) And make sure you're doing the exercizes properly as well.

Keep something else in mind... you're doing BJJ 3 days a week right now, and plan on picking up boxing. Unless you're watching videos all day, you're going to be exercizing... drills on bags, with moving and resisting partners, etc. That's going to keep your ass in shape, trust me. You're going to be developing functional strength, which is what you need. It doesn't matter if you can row 150 lbs if you can't use that strength. And that's what's going to help in the bjj and boxing, and you develop that stuff in class as well as the gym.

It's all about balance. You asked a question, got a pretty decent answer, so give it a try and then fine-tune things as you go along.

Oh, and I only lift 3 days a week. You'll be fine.