Gym once a week, pointless?

[Beknown]

I use to do weight lifting at the gym 3 times a week, combined with a good diet I saw good results and was very happy. These days I have less free time on my hands (other hobbies, sports, family, girlfriend, time away with work etc.) but I think I can manage one high intensity session each week, probably your typical stronglift 5x5 or similar.

Is this worth doing or am I wasting my time? I am not expecting to see hypertrophy gains but it's more a case of maybe keeping things in slightly better shape than they would be, retaining some strength and expelling some built up energy.

[TheJimi]

Well, it's certainly better than nothing, put it that way!

You'll progress at a slower rate, obviously, but there's no reason you can't progress over time. Although, I can't quite make up my mind if 5x5 is the best approach for training once per week.

[maxxy5]

No it's not a waste of time. It's what I do, I get bored with weights and lose motivation if I go more than twice a week. I don't care if it's optimum, it's sustainable.

I do a 'push' routine one week then a 'pull' routine 5-7 days later. It's not all the exercise I do but it's all the weight training.

[Emily's dad]

I don't often get to the gym more than once a week.
As previously said it's better than nothing and progress is slow.
But slow progress is still progress.
I also look at it as a bit of time to myself, that's another benefit.

[V8covin]

For me personally,cutting back from an every other day full body workout to twice a week ( so 3 or 4 days between sessions) has proved to be the way to go.
I was getting repeated muscle strains which stopped me working out for weeks at a time,the last time I couldn't lift for 3 months !
I haven't had an injury since I went down this route,about 5 months ago now.Plus I'm seeing slow steady gains in strength and muscularity.

If it were me in your situation I'd concentrate on the compound lifts.......maybe try and fit in some body weight exercises midweek

[Shaoxter]

Of course not, it's better than doing nothing.
I've got much less time on my hands these days (having a young baby does that to you...) and probably do weights once a week and some form of sport once every other week, down from weights 3 times a week and sport 2-3 times a week. My goals are more about maintenance now and trying to still keep in some form of shape!

[HD Adam]

OP. on 5x5, you do shoulders, chest, back & deadlifts on alternate workouts so you would only train certain body parts every 2 weeks.

Unless you both the A & B workout once a week that is.

Still better than nothing.

[TheJimi]

maxxy5 said:

No it's not a waste of time. It's what I do, I get bored with weights and lose motivation if I go more than twice a week. I don't care if it's optimum, it's sustainable.

I do a 'push' routine one week then a 'pull' routine 5-7 days later. It's not all the exercise I do but it's all the weight training.

Ok, not pointless (although, in the scheme of training, not far off it) but it's not a good use of your time, imo