I just can't pull off workouts on the days I work. Call me whatever you want, I just can't. I work 14-15 hr days and only get in the three meals. I work a rotating schedule, so some weeks I work 3 days in a row. Some weeks I have 3 days off in a row.

I came up with two options. Please help me decide which would be best for growing muscle.

Option one. Two full body routines per week. Workout twice a week.

Workout one
Trapbar Deadlift 3x5
Inc db 3x10-12
Chin ups 3x(whatever)
Side laterals 3x12
Skull crushers 3x12

Workout two
Front Squat 3x10
Dips 3x8-10
BB row 3x10-12
Trapbar shrug 3x12
Bar curl 3x12

M-off
T-Workout 1
W-off
T-off
F-Workout 2
S-off
S-off

Or option two. a push/pull full body where I could squeeze 3 workouts in per week, as I would be able to workout two days in a row.

Workout one (pull)
Trapbar deadlift
bb row
chins
tb shrugs
bar curls

Wokout two (push)
Front squat
inc db
dips
side laterals
skulls

M-off
T-workout 1
W-workout 2
T-off
F-off
S-workout1
S-off


Don't know what would be better for growth. Any adivce apprectiated.

I have trained 2x per week when getting ready for a bodybuilding competition. Not usually by choice, but because of priorities and work related responsibilities. So, I understand your situation totally. However, I don't feel it held me back.

Here's something I did for 8 weeks leading into a show. I trained on Tuesdays and Fridays. And did ZERO cardio...

Tuesday:
Flat DB Bench Press: 3x5-8
Weighted Chins: 3x5-8
Weighted Dips: 3x6-8
Military Press: 3x4-6

Friday:
Squats: 6x6-10
Deadlifts: 4x5

One suggestion I would make is to eliminate isolation movements if you are only training 2x per week.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I have trained 2x per week when getting ready for a bodybuilding competition. Not usually by choice, but because of priorities and work related responsibilities. So, I understand your situation totally. However, I don't feel it held me back.

Here's something I did for 8 weeks leading into a show. I trained on Tuesdays and Fridays. And did ZERO cardio...

Tuesday:
Flat DB Bench Press: 3x5-8
Weighted Chins: 3x5-8
Weighted Dips: 3x6-8
Military Press: 3x4-6

Friday:
Squats: 6x6-10
Deadlifts: 4x5

One suggestion I would make is to eliminate isolation movements if you are only training 2x per week.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
Thanks for the reply. I read the thread where you posted this routine up. You have a great physique.

Is there a reason why you arranged it like that and not say...

Tuesday
Squats
Military press
Chins

Friday
Deadlift
Flat db
dips

The reason I arranged my full body the way I did in "option 1" was to hit chest and back twice a week.

Even if it is the same volume does frequency make any difference?

I like your routine though, thanks! With that one I could easily do one day after the other and therefore get at least 3 workouts in per week. My only concern though is 3 chest exercises/1 back exercise on your upper body day. Maybe I could add rows. Seeing as I do trap bar deadlifts?

I like your routine though, thanks! With that one I could easily do one day after the other and therefore get at least 3 workouts in per week. My only concern though is 3 chest exercises/1 back exercise on your upper body day. Maybe I could add rows. Seeing as I do trap bar deadlifts?

Upper body day is actually balanced out. The only direct chest movement would probably be the flat DB presses. All the others are hitting the major muscle groups, i.e., shoulders, lats, tri's, bi's, traps.

The squat/deadlift day was truly my "total body" day. It also was meant to increase total body anabolism. The squats worked the lower body, and the deadlifts worked the entire back and served to gel whatever else I did on Tuesday.

You can give your revised routine a go. I see nothing wrong. Looks good. As you can see, there are many different options even when training only 2x per week.

One suggestion is to work your squats very hard. What I tried to do was take my approximate 6 rep max and try and bang out 10 reps. Didn't always succeed but the effort usually brought about the results I was after.

making gains working out 2x a week is totally possible man, i made some very suprisingly good gains when i started out only 2 times a week in no time.

This is a split bodypart workout i put together when i was on a 2 day week, now this may seem like a lot of excersizes on a days workout but whilst you only have time to workout 2 days a week, i find its very acceptable.

monday
flat BB bench 3 sets of 8-12
WG pulldowns 3 sets of 8-12
BB militery press 3 sets of 8-12
Close grip bench or DB tricep exts 2 sets of 8-12
DB bicep curls 2 sets of 8-12

friday
back squats 3 sets of 8-12
BB stiff leg deadlifts 3 sets of 8-12
Db or BB lunges 3 sets of 8-12
BB standing calf rasies 2 sets of 8-12
Weighted crunches 2 sets of 8-12

i followed that routine for around 6-8 weeks