How many sessions do you do?

[radrado]

I’m torn as I love the buzz I get from outdoor HIIT and bootcamp and I need cardio for my hobby (mountain climbing) but I want to build muscle too.

So I’m doing 3 days lifting weights (PT once a week for form) plus two days bootcamp /sprints/HIIT and then sometimes one day yoga or Pilates. Plus I get at least 10k steps in a day.

Is this going to work in terms of building lean muscle? I’m around a size 8/10 so not a lot of fat to lose but am definitely wobbly! Age 50.

I eat protein at every meal and aim for over 100g per day.

How long have you been doing this for OP?

Interested too!

Hi, I’ve been doing the bootcamp/HIIT for around three years. The focus on heavier weights only over the last six months. But I’ve only just started with a PT in the gym. Prior to that I had someone on zoom, but it wasn’t ideal in terms of checking form etc now that I’m focusing on a heavier weights so I’ve switched to a gym based PT.

I think 3 sessions a week sounds great. So long as you're lifting pretty heavy (heavy for you), you should definitely see results before long. You're aware of how important protein is, and you have support from the PT, so you're in great shape. Good for you, and enjoy!

What are your three days of lifting - push/pull/legs split, or a mix, or what? Are you seeing gains? I don't expect to see much progress if I only hit a major muscle group once a week, but it does vary (also woman in 50s).

I strength train (my main thing) and don't "count" the other stuff I do - it has to fit around the strength training. So if I do a bootcamp with a lot of push ups and I know I have PT the next day (which is all upper body), I may swap them out for squats etc.

I do two weights sessions a week, all body workout (so based around compound lifts eg deadlift, bench, squat, row, overhead press, pull ups - not all in one session obviously!)
Doing this consistently and eating enough calories and protein and I'm seeing progress.
I had worried it wouldn't be enough - I can't do more as I do other sports and I need the recovery time - but the consistency really is key. That's what makes the difference over time, not how many days you do a week.

Hi there - three days are arms, legs, all over. I specifically asked for that to give my legs a bit of a rest for bootcamp/mountain.

All body day includes hip thrust, RDL, bench press, shoulder press, hip extension. Leg days include squats, leg press, leg extension , good mornings, walking lunges. Arms are rows, triceps, biceps, shoulders.

3 heavy lifting sessions and 5-7 spin classes per week.
Weekends off

Ps
One PT session and 2 in my own gym

Three. My PT has done me a programme of 3 sessions per week, and advised that I do 3 per week so that my body has enough recovery time. Recovery is when your muscles build so training on consecutive days (or at least, training the same muscle groups) is self-defeating if your objective is to build muscle.

I do 4 now but I did 3 for a long time. At 3 I think full body is also fine.

Thanks all. @RayKray and @LordEmsworth what do your sessions consist of? Are they full body or do you have leg /arm days?

I train powerlifting, so they're bench/squat/deadlift days with accessories. Two are exclusively upper and lower because they're back to back, the other two it's a mix (it's programmed for me). Prior to that when I did 3 they were all full body if I recall correctly.

It varies - current block is 2 upper body and 1 lower body.

If you’re in to mountain climbing are you not in the climbing wall regularly too? I do a lot of climbing in the mountains but due to it being a dry sport and tricky in the cold winter shorter days after work I go to the wall twice a week particularly during winter.

Hi @Gwdihooooo about to start. I’m just getting more into scrambling/climbing as opposed to just walking up a mountain!

The climbing wall will do wonders for your overall strength and flexibility.

If you want to be fit and strong then carry on with what you are doing. If you want to improve your climbing then it looks like you are going about things in the wrong way.

Of course weights will improve your strength and more strength will help your climbing. But do you actually need more strength/muscle? Muscle is heavy and i see loads of gym bunnies at the climbing wall who cant climb for shit because they are either too heavy or zero technique. If you are doing all those fitness classes etc you are probably fairly strong anyhow.

Then you get to cardio. Are you out of breath when climbing? Are you struggling to do climbs because you are to heavy? There are loads of things climbing requires but actual base cardio fitness usually comes from regular climbing and training techniques. Google Lattice training and look at some of their free advice. Possibly dont get hung up on their fascination for finger strength though......

At the end of the day you need to do what is fun. If working out 5 days a week is fun then keep at it. But what you are doing wont improve your climbing much. A few sessions with a coach at a climbing wall. A few months of 4x4's on a rope wall. Have you tried a circuit board at a bouldering centre? These can be a fantastic tool for building up strength, technique and endurance. 1 or two conditioning sessions per week to compliment and keep yourself strong and fit.

I weight train 4 times a week, 2 days upper/2 days lower and climb at a bouldering wall 2x a week. Strength training has helped with the climbing and climbing has helped with grip strength for training. To learn technique though you need to be on a wall.

I do just three weights sessions a week split into pull, push and full body. The beauty of lifting heavy weights and resistance training is that it raises ones heart way similarly to cardio but without raising one's cortisol levels.

The other four days are rest days, although I occasionally go swimming. I walk at least 13,000 steps every day.

If I was OP, I would quit bootcamp, HIIT and sprints and concentrate on weight training and pilates/yoga.