2 workouts?

[Aaron Gaskill]

Ok.

I already workout with a buddy 3 days a week in the morning. My brother wants to start working out with me, but can't on the days we do it until the evening.

Should i double up workouts (not the same workout obviously) on those days we workout...or should I workout more days in the week (like 6). I guess another option is neither. What do you guys think?

-4

[Roark Marsh]

6 days a week could work, if you can manage a light/heavy workout schedule so you don't overtrain.

2 workouts a day, especially crossfit ones may kill you.

[Connie Morreale]

it depends on the workouts. a light run is one thing. the filthy fifty is quite another.
as long as th e workouts target opposing muscle groups and go one for one easy/hard i think you should be okay if you are reasonably fit.

[Aaron Gaskill]

Thank you for your quick replies.

Sorry...i didn't post this in the first one...i am trying to gain mass as well. I am eating a lot.

Will working out 6 days a week hurt that?

-4

[Roark Marsh]

Recovery time = gains. You're only building muscle when you give those muscles the time to do so. So you need to pay close attention to the workouts you're doing, and like Connie said, if you can manage opposing workouts, it could work.

It might be easier to force the other people you're working out with to conform to what works for you.

Give it a try and see though.

[Keith Wittenstein]

"It depends" is the right answer.

Many strong, fit athletes workout 2x per day and 6 days per week. However, they have built themselves up to the point where their bodies can handle it and they are on programs that are designed around that workload.

I recommend reading "Starting Strength" and "Practical Programming" by Mark Rippetoe. If are doing a starting strength type of program you can see very easily if your working out too much or not enough. Assuming you are a Novice lifter, you should be squating 3 sets of 5 reps 3 days per week and the weight should increase every workout. Once you are on the program. You can use that as a baseline to determine if you are working too hard. If you were going up 10 pounds per workout when you were working out once a day and then you added a second workout per day and suddenly you can't make it through your warmup sets, then you are probably overtraining.

The general feeling around these parts is that there is no such thing as overtraining, just under-recovery. That being said, you want to watch for indicators that you aren't recovering enough: decreased performance, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, excessive soreness, rhabdo...

Try it. If it works, keep doing it. If it doesn't work try something else.

[Steven Low]

If you are doubling up on workouts:

1. try to get at least a day of rest after any doubled workout
2. strength before metcon generally if you're going to do it that way.
3. light-heavys will work VERY well in these situations
4. alternating push-pull light-heavy is your best bet, IMO. It should allow any decently fit person to do 8 workouts in a week: 4 days a week with 2x per each of those days without taxing the body enough that you need significant extra days of rest.

To program 4 you would do something like:
M: heavy push, light pull
Tu: heavy pull, light push
W: rest
Th: same as Mon
F: Same as Tu
Sat-Sun: rest

[Aaron Gaskill]

Thanks steven...that helps a lot!

[Gant Grimes]

I typically get behind and do 2 WOD in one session, along with some other stuff. No problem.