weight lifting frequency
 

Hello ladies (and gents):

This is my first post here, though I’ve been lurking and learning lots since October. I have some questions about my weight-lifting routine and am looking for input. Please bear with me as I am still new at lifting and have much to learn.

When I started lifting in mid-October, I generally followed the BFL plan. So I currently lift on MWF, alternating upper and lower body. I do more than the 20-minute BFL cardio, so I do cardio on alternating days plus once or twice a week on lifting days. I have one planned day of rest per week, either Saturday or Sunday.

I am getting a little bored with my routine, particularly the long cardio sessions three times a week. I already posted about that on the exercise board and Meg provided an extremely helpful response -- thank you, Meg!! My question here is regarding the lifting component. I’d like to lift five days a week so that I spend about an equal amount of time each week day working out. I am thinking of the following:
M - thighs and glutes
T - upper back and biceps
W - chest and triceps
Th - abs and lower back
F - calves and shoulders

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? If not, can you provide feedback/suggestions? I obviously want to avoid injury and right now my goal is fat loss. I generally do two exercises per body part, three sets of each exercise, and eight to twelve reps per set. I currently work out at home with dumbbells (at some point, I will outgrow them and likely shift my weight workouts to the gym.)

Thanks!

Wow, I can't wait to see the answers to this one! I just started lifting this month and am not sure if I have a reasonable routine. Like SF40, I lift M-F, although not in the same sequence as she listed. I'm also doing 3 sets, 8-12 reps/set.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Can't wait to see the responses!

It's always a good idea to shift your routines around periodically. Try different splits and combinations of reps and sets. You have good combinations, and with two body parts per day, the workouts shouldn't be too long. Try this for a while, and switch around again later on.

I did the BFL routine for about 6 months, then went to a 3 day split. Now I am back to a 2 day split (not BFL) which I will do until the nice weather comes, and my daily routine changes again.

Another way to mix it up is to do one exercise per body part for a week, then two exercises the next week. Lift heavy one week, then lighter the next, etc. The same can be true of your cardio question. Split your 60 minutes up into different combinations.

That looks like a reasonable 5 day split. I have a few comments, 'tho. Your ab and lower back day is probably not going to take very long so maybe that should be a long cardio day. I'd skip cardio on thigh and glute day. You are doing a lot of big muscle groups there (quads, hamstrings, and glutes) so its going to take longer and you'll probably be exhausted!
Personally, I would do calves with shoulders, some abs every couple of days, and keep back as a single day. But as long as you cover all your parts ;) and you enjoy the split, there is no right or wrong!

Oh, one other thought...your week is heavily loaded with the major muscle groups on the first three days; I'd switch the days so that you have an easier lifting day after your leg day. Maybe the ab and lower back day?

Mel

Thank you, northernbelle and Mel! Mel, thank for your comments and I am going to incorporate your suggestions. Northernbelle, thank you for the additional ideas for changing things around. I like a lot of variety and will see how this goes for a couple of months.