How many days rest between workouts for muscle groups?

You need to ask yourself if you are getting any gains from your programme?

Obviously you are getting worn out, but are you making any real gains?

I would ditch the pack, it will be doing nothing except tiring you.

You have a lot of different exercises on Day 1, way too many for me.

Perhaps concentrate them down to 3 of your favourites?

With so many differing exercises it is hard for an individual to pin down what does and doesn't work to their optimal potential. Every exercise will work to some degree, but you want to concentrate on works best.

Your weighted exercise on day 1 are in direct opposite (for effect) to day 3. High reps, low weight will add plenty of definition and build some size, whereas, low reps and heavy weight will mainly produce good strength gains.

So if you are after good strength gains stick to low sets and reps and heavier weights. For body weight exercises, try doing them weighted, not entirely necessary though.

Day 2, try a 3.5 mile brisk walk instead, weigh yourself before and after, you will be surprised.

As has been said above, the less is more approach, is a proven concept these days, your muscles and central nervous system need rest to recover and build gains.

On your lifting days, get a good meal with plenty of protein and complex carbs mixed in afterwards, weigh yourself before you go to bed and as soon as you get up, again, you will be surprised what happens within your body overnight, it burns nutrients very well.
 
Brandon... Traditional body building splits are great for muscle growth and to look big. But they don't do you justice in terms of real functional strength. That type of training isn't going to help you recover or make you any better up the hill. It is great to make those muscles big and puffy and work in a controlled environment like a preacher curl chair or a bench press rack. You want some real strength you come over to the oly lifts and plyo gymnastic world. That'll get you up the hill faster than any body building split will.
 
I used to do the bodybuilding route. And it works great to make you strong in the controlled environment of the gym. But I always had oly lifts in my routine regardless. But since I ditched the splits and do more whole body lifts with plyo and gymnastics along with weighted pack hiking I go up the hill much easier. You saw for yourself. Only thing that impacts me on that mountain is altitude. Once I'm adjusted I'm like a diesel truck! Take it for what its worth but I'd ditch the split routine and get more functional.
 
Nik, I'm all ears. It is VERY hard to get into a routine being a dad. I sometimes just say I have 1/2 hour. I'll be back all frothed up, including work.

My 5rep 6set routine ended last year at 13 reps but I did abs after each set along with a modified burpee. I'm just getting revved up but find myself whipped. I was also running 4.5 miles with a 50# ruck and doing 4 sets of the stairs (#1 workout) but that all takes time and I am finding it hard to do pullups in 2' of snow and running on ice sucking in 10 degree air. I know; wah wah call a wahmbulance.
 
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I used to do the bodybuilding route. And it works great to make you strong in the controlled environment of the gym. But I always had oly lifts in my routine regardless. But since I ditched the splits and do more whole body lifts with plyo and gymnastics along with weighted pack hiking I go up the hill much easier. You saw for yourself. Only thing that impacts me on that mountain is altitude. Once I'm adjusted I'm like a diesel truck! Take it for what its worth but I'd ditch the split routine and get more functional.


Did this starting a year ago, my gains have been 10 fold
 
Nik, I'm all ears. It is VERY hard to get into a routine being a dad. I sometimes just say I have 1/2 hour. I'll be back all frothed up, including work.

My 5rep 6set routine ended last year at 13 reps but I did abs after each set along with a modified burpee. I'm just getting revved up but find myself whipped. I was also running 4.5 miles with a 50# ruck and doing 4 sets of the stairs (#1 workout) but that all takes time and I am finding it hard to do pullups in 2' of snow and running on ice sucking in 10 degree air. I know; wah wah call a wahmbulance.

I got you. Just saying I would ditch the bodybuilding methods and do more compound lifts. Running with that pack will do the trick, but I do bleachers instead, since climbing is what you'll be doing. Deadlifts, squats, cleans, snatches, pullups, Burpees, sit ups, push ups, box jumps, knee to elbow raises from a pullup bar. That's just a few. Thing is with the oly lifts you need to have the form. You don't need to do heavy weight either. I'm bias, I use crossfit because I'm a coach and it sprinkles all those movements in to my daily workouts. But you don't have to do crossfit to do those lifts. Or you can just drag trees around and be skinny like hawk. He moves up the hill well. But in all seriousness most people looking to put on size for mountain hunting are only hindering themselves. There's a reason Aron dropped a bunch of weight and lost his top end strength. I'm doing the same and I get around those hills much better every year. No need for hypertrophy type workouts when your goal is mobility and endurance on the hill. Bench press won't save you! And neither will bicep curls. Keep that in mind Brandon!
 
But honestly Brandon for your time constraints you'd be good with a insanity or a t25 type workout that uses bodyweight and high intensity. Get that workout done and then you can do bleachers with a weighted pack a few days a week when season gets closer.
 
I bet insanity would kick your ass! Give it a shot I'm telling you! What you're doing ain't working give her a shot. I won't tell chip or hawk what youre doing...
 
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