Working The Same Muscle Group 2 To 3 Days In A Row

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Once...Twice...Three Times In A Row

by Alan Palmieri

I've been asked several times for clarification concerning a statement I've made: "During my instinctive training I might train the same muscle or muscle group three days in a row." Strange... not sound training... not a logical method of working out... hogwash... what a nutty thing to do... overtraining... natural bodybuilding blasphemy! These and other, some unprintable, comments are often thrown back at me when I mention the Three in a Row workout scheme. Well I can't really blame most of the negative comments, after all, unless you knew exactly what I was talking about or knew the whole story I might feel the same way. This is especially true since I have often written about natural bodybuilders tendencies for over training.

I won't take credit for developing the Thee in a Row program because even though I have not heard of someone else using it like I do, I know bodybuilding contains nothing new under the sun and sometime in the past someone, I'm sure, came up with basically the same concept, if not exactly the very same one. Taking or giving credit is not the intent of this article anyway.

I came up with the Three in a Row after I became frustrated with lagging body parts. At the time it was particularly arms and calves that presented the most challenge for me. I had hit a sticking point and no matter what I did or how I did it arms and calves remained in a state of "no growth."

I had followed the much discussed all day arm building program that was supposed to add 1" to your arms in a single day. I had high hopes it would move me beyond the sticking point I had come to. The routine required you to perform barbell curls and triceps extensions every hour on the hour for 12 to 18 hours. I followed the routine and various modifications of it several times over the years and each and every time the only thing I got was sore arms and within two days I would lose size - not gain. I believe it caused overtraining and did nothing at all for me. I tried the same thing for my calves. Talk about bad shape, man oh man, my calves would be so sore I couldn't even walk. Once I actually thought about going to the doctor for some relief.

After my unsuccessful efforts to totally "blast" my muscles into new growth failed, I experimented with every method and sequence you can think of to overcome my frequent bouts with sticking points. Over the years I did actually came up with several ways to push beyond sticking points and they have worked really well for me. The Three in a Row however, is one method that not only moved me past a sticking point but actually produced gains. It is a system that can only be used sparingly and wisely. It is not something you can use every month or on a regular basis. I have used it on every muscle group and been very satisfied with the results. Now this does not mean you will or that it will work for you but, if you have a lagging body part or a particular muscle has hit a sticking point it might help.

The method is just what the name implies. Three in a Row means you will work the selected muscle or muscle group three days in a row. No need for a long drawn out routine to be listed. This program is too simple for that. You can use it with any program or routine you are presently following.

Here's how it works. Let's use arms for an example. I'm using arms because most people who will use this program will use it on their arms first. Everyone wants "arms." To heck with legs, neck, calves... its arms everyone wants to get up in a hurry. That's the only reason I'm using arms as an example - trying my best to please here.

To carry the example forward; you are working each body part, including arms, twice a week. Do your regular workout. When you come to the first arm workout of the week perform it exactly as you normally would. Now for the next two days after your normal workout, you will work arms again, at the end of your regular workout for whatever body part you are training. You will however, not use the same exercises you performed on the first arm workout. Each workout must consist of different exercises.

You also must make certain your first workout consists of lifting the heaviest poundage's possible in each movement. Since we are talking about arms, the 6 to 8 rep range is the target to shoot for. In your second workout, use light weight for reps in the 12 to 15 range. The third workout you will use moderate weight for reps in the 8 to 10 range. It's a heavy - light - moderate scheme.

Regardless if you use heavy, light, or moderate poundage in your exercises; you must push yourself and not hold back. Learn the point where you begin to lose the pump in the muscle region - work slightly beyond that and stop. Time, experience, and patience are the only things that can tell you where that point is. For each person it is different due to genetics, experience, age, etc.

Since you are working each muscle group twice per week, if you normally do arms on Tuesday and Friday, you would work them on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and not again until the following Tuesday when you once again train them for three days in a row.

How many exercises and how many sets? Good question but only you know what is best for you and what fits into your schedule. The big DON'T here is; DON'T cut back due to the stress you will be placing on the muscles being worked, that is the whole purpose behind the Three in a Row program. Tax your muscles to the point of exhaustion, work them hard and drive them beyond what you have been doing. You are pushing, by force and overtraining, your muscles beyond anything they have been associated with before.

This is to be followed for a period of not longer than four weeks. Less than four weeks usually is not enough time to fully shock the muscles, longer than four weeks tends to destroy the muscles, nerves, and emotions beyond the limits for growth. Once you have followed the program for four weeks; as with many programs I write about, you are to take a full week off from working the muscle group you performed the Three in a Row on. It's not a particular bad idea and one I have used numerous times is to take a complete break from working out for a full week. I would then return feeling stronger than ever.

The Three in a Row can be used on any lagging muscle group but do not attempt to use it on two various body parts at the same time. Biceps and Triceps are fine, so would calves and forearms, but combining other muscle groups place too much of a drain on the system. Work only one muscle group per scheduled Three in a Row for chest, back, and thigh. For some reason my chest, back, and thighs received more in the way of shape than mass when put into a Three in a Row program. Of course you may find the exact opposite true.

There you have it. Short - sweet and simple. Good Luck!

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