# 2 days a week, advice



## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

Im looking for a routine i can do 2 days a week, that does not include deadlift as i have a dodgy lower back, i run 3 times a week too so dont really want to squat both workouts

any advice on a balanced routine much appreciated


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

What's your training history?


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

Ultrasonic said:


> What's your training history?


Been training for about 4-5 yrs, want to focus on running more now days but still enjoy lifting, have a very busy home and work life at the moment!


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gazza81 said:


> Been training for about 4-5 yrs, want to focus on running more now days but still enjoy lifting, have a very busy home and work life at the moment!


What sort of routine have you found most productive for you recently? Trying to gauge whether you'd be better suited to a whole body routine twice per week, or some sort of split...

Are you more interested in size or strength?

(I'm partly asking questions here that the wiser heads than mine will need answers to go order to offer you better advice.)


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Upper/lower :thumbup1:


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

Ultrasonic said:


> What sort of routine have you found most productive for you recently? Trying to gauge whether you'd be better suited to a whole body routine twice per week, or some sort of split...
> 
> Are you more interested in size or strength?
> 
> (I'm partly asking questions here that the wiser heads than mine will need answers to go order to offer you better advice.)


At the moment i do

Saturday Squat bench row curl

Tuesday Shoulder press dips chins abs

All 3x8

Size more than strength really, definitely prefer the fullbody approach ive done 3-4 day splits before


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

As its only 2 days ,I would do full body on each day leaving out deads.


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

> Upper/lower :thumbup1:


I just cant batter my legs all in one session and run! My legs are sore for 3-4 days after if i do it like that, prefer the A/B style routines


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gazza81 said:


> At the moment i do
> 
> Saturday Squat bench row curl
> 
> ...


Whole body would be training all major muscles in each of your two workouts. I'd probably start by trying that, but if you find you aren't progressing then switch to e.g. an upper/lower or some other split closer to what you have right now.


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## TommyBananas (Nov 23, 2014)

Gazza81 said:


> I just cant batter my legs all in one session and run! My legs are sore for 3-4 days after if i do it like that, prefer the A/B style routines


If you train squats 2x a week, your legs will not get sore anymore.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gazza81 said:


> I just cant batter my legs all in one session and run! My legs are sore for 3-4 days after if i do it like that, prefer the A/B style routines


But with what you posted you were doing you currently are only training legs once per week :confused1: .


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

TommyBananas said:


> If you train squats 2x a week, your legs will not get sore anymore.


Ok ill try squatting twice, so for example

Squat bench row

Squat press chins ??

How can i include dip cos i love em!


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## TommyBananas (Nov 23, 2014)

Gazza81 said:


> Ok ill try squatting twice, so for example
> 
> Squat bench row
> 
> ...


Personally if I was doing 2x full body a week (I wouldn't, but if I was)

Workout 1:

Squat Bench Row

Workout 2:

Squat Bench OHP Chins


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

TommyBananas said:


> Personally if I was doing 2x full body a week (I wouldn't, but if I was)
> 
> Workout 1:
> 
> ...


What would you do twice a week then?


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gazza81 said:


> Ok ill try squatting twice, so for example
> 
> Squat bench row
> 
> ...


Tricep dips or chest dips (the latter are great but I'll assume for now you mean the former)?

A whole body routine would be e.g.

Workout A

Squat

Bench press

Chin-up





 (an exercise to hit rear and lateral delts, after your bench press worked the front delt.)

Workout B

Squat

Decline dumbbell press (just giving you an idea, I much prefer decline to flat presses - try it)

Row

Tricep dip, possibly supersetted with a bicep exercise

(I would have put an overhead press in Workout B insteads of the dips if you weren't so keen to include them.)

What exercises you pick and the order will also depend on your priorities.


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## Gazza81 (Aug 18, 2011)

Ultrasonic said:


> Tricep dips or chest dips (the latter are great but I'll assume for now you mean the former)?
> 
> A whole body routine would be e.g.
> 
> ...


No shoulder press?

Yeah i do chest dips


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Gazza81 said:


> No shoulder press?
> 
> Yeah i do chest dips


Sorry, I edited my post above while you posted that. I would personally do a shoulder press instead of tricep dips. But as you're doing chest dips (good man :thumbup1: ) I'd go with:

Workout A

Squat

Bench press

Chin-up

Behind back upright rows

Workout B

Squat

Chest dips

Row

OHP

Just a suggestion as a starting point...


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## TommyBananas (Nov 23, 2014)

Gazza81 said:


> What would you do twice a week then?


What?

I'd do work out A, then workout B, lol. Every week


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## peanutbob69 (Aug 26, 2010)

So you don't want to squat and you don't want to deadlift. Might as well just buy a set of dumbells and train at home.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Ultrasonic said:


> Tricep dips or chest dips (the latter are great but I'll assume for now you mean the former)?
> 
> A whole body routine would be e.g.
> 
> ...


This is what I would do.

Squatting does mean destroying you legs. A solid 3 sets of 5 reps twice a week is fine whilst running


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

I realise I hadn't commented on the squating twice per week thing. I think this may actually work better with running since you can do a lower volume per session (so you aren't crippled the following day), whilst still getting the same or possibly greater total volume per week done. As Tommy pointed out, training more frequently also makes the body better at recovery, so DOMS become less significant. I definitely think it's at least worth trying squating twice per week to see how it goes.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Most professional rugby players squat twice a week. And those lads cover some ground. You'll be fine


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## Kristina (Apr 12, 2014)

I'd suggest full body twice per week and DEFINITELY squat both workouts. If you're worried about DOMS affecting your running, I'd suggest increasing your frequency NOT lowering it. If you squat twice per week (and everything else for that matter) you will be less sore and see much greater results all round.


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## Kristina (Apr 12, 2014)

Personally I would do:

Workout A

1. Barbell OHP

2. Single Arm Dumbbell Rows

3. Barbell Bench or Weighted Dips

4. Squat

5. Deadlifts or SLDL (if you have a dodgy back, be proactive in correcting and working on the imbalances and limitations by using the correct training and rehab protocols... anyone can deadlift with patience and humility) - unless it's an acute injury that requires a recovery period; in which case fair play.

Workout B

1. Arnold Shoulder Press

2. Barbell Rows

3. Dumbbell Chest Press

4. Squat

5. Weighted Pull Ups


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

If you're worried about soreness then lower volume and higher frequency is the way to go on legs mate, no question about that.


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