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How many times a week should you squat?

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whoa

Original post by hermitthefrog

Thanks for all your responses- I've definitely decided that squatting outwith weighlifting club isn't going to be beneficial, unless I miss a session and make it up elsewhere.

However, we only deadlift once a week at club, am I okay to do them another time during the week?

For those interested, the program to the best of my memory at club goes like:

Day A (Mondays and Fridays):
5x5 squat
5x5 bench
5x5 rows
3x8 dips
3x8 curls

Day B (Wednesday)
5x5 Squat
3x5 Deadlift
5x5 OHP
3x8 Close grip
3x8 Pull ups

I was then thinking of lifting two more days on my own, made up of smaller lifts and follow more of a 3x10 format- a leg day something like:
Leg day
Split squat
Leg press
Hip thrusts
Cable kickbacks
Hamstring curls
Hip adductor machine

Upper Body
Deadlift (1x5 working set)
Dumbell incline press
Lateral pull downs
Pull ups
Dumbell rows (the ones where you lean on a bench)

Am I just adding in extra silly stuff that isn't going to have any real benefit? All I want is a defined body, particularly in the leg/ ass area and also really nice back and shoulders and am worried the program alone at club isn't going to get me there.
I should add, I eat at TDEE-20% (around 1750 cals) which includes 3 cardio workouts a week

Are you kidding with that routine? Having looked at your proposed training routine, If you didn't state that you were at uni, I would be more inclined to believe that you were training for an Olympic event hahaha. But, I sense that you are not lifting 80% of your 1RM (One-rep Max), so you can probably get away with doing all that lifting within each session. Frankly, If I were your guy, I would be kind of intimidated by all that lifting hehe.

On a serious note, you are going to be in a bit of a pickle as Angry Cucumber pointed out with your calorie intake. An increase in physical exertion per day requires subsequent proportional increase in calorie as well as protein intake + increase in rest whenever you can. Your body esp. your central nervous system will not be able to cope with such massive change in energy expenditure.

Let's break things down:

Your objective: "....(toned) leg/ ass area and also (develop) really nice back and shoulders.."

I would create three action plans:

A) If I were in your position, I would still give the original plan with 3 workouts with WL club + 2 personal WL session a go for a week or two, and increase my calorie and protein intake in the mean time- to see if I could handle it. If you were to do this make sure to still continue with your two day a week rest OP. If your body couldn't handle it, you should start looking at cutting down exercises that helps you regressively to achieve your target.

B) Stick to only One Day A (Monday) + Day B (Wednesday) + Upper body day + Leg day + still leaves you with a full day of cardio and two day's rest. If you are really committed to this, I would do any personal lifting early in the morning and then cardio in the evening, as your body will repace the muscle glycogen and other nutrients within 6-8 hours of you using them up. If you are to do this, make sure to take an hour nap in the afternoon somehow to give your central nervous system a break.

C) (Controversial ooooo): Drop Day A completely. Upper body day (but add dips to your session as they are like squats for upper body when done with form!) + Day B (Wednesday) + Leg day + cardio day/s. **1

**1 pointer: You did state that you wish to perform your personal sessions with 3 x 10 format in mind. The only excepion to this format within your personal sessions should be deadlifts, Squats and Dumbell rows. You should find out your 1RM and try reaching 70-80% of your 1RM when doing reps for deadlifts, dumbell rows and Squats, respectively- as they are the best compound movements that will help reach your objectives of developing legs/butt/back/shoulders quicker. So, the 3X10 format may not work and instead a 10-8-6 pyramid set would work better where you would lift 70% of your 1RM for 10 reps, then 75% for 8 reps and finally 80% for 6 reps. Some may even suggest reverse pyramid but that's debatable when it comes to squats/deadlifts.

This is the reason why I would want you to drop Day A from the weight lifting club at uni. In my opinion, this way you can go heavy on your personal leg day session and comparatively lighter on Day B,Wednesdays, to increase endurance. Day A's exercises will be rendered useless to you objectively, once you take out dips and stick by doing squats twice a week, like you have been doing any ways.

So overall, I would recommend plan C to you as in my opinion it will help reach your goal quicker. Make sure to eat well, drink lots of water and sleep well. And please don't beat us up if you see us on the streets hahaha

Hope that helps. :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 22

wicklinemisty

So this is the question very near to my heart and related to me. Aside from working 100+ hours/week on a startup for years, I used to be obese. When you are building a startup from nothing, you don't try to build everything at once. But as conversation here is going on a squat only, I think squat should be done twice a week because you have to maintain your legs according to your upper body. Perfect body shape would be better than only big or muscular legs.

Reply 23

alyssa8kins

Original post by wicklinemisty

In my point of view squat can improve our whole body and it is not only for our legs but it targets 2 main areas of our body part i.e. your core & legs.