Rehab: Leg strength workout frequency to maximize strenght gains

[fstrnu]

Currently rehabing from a knee injury and need to build strength. I have heard everything from once to three times per week for how often to work legs. I am 35 years old and am not planning on doing any cycling in between workouts until I build enough strength to be comfortable on the bike. Obviously, I will be adjusting based on results but what should I start with? Is three times per week to much? Will once per week do any good? Would twice per week be the sweet spot to start with? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[ed073]

Currently rehabing from a knee injury and need to build strength. I have heard everything from once to three times per week for how often to work legs. I am 35 years old and am not planning on doing any cycling in between workouts until I build enough strength to be comfortable on the bike. Obviously, I will be adjusting based on results but what should I start with? Is three times per week to much? Will once per week do any good? Would twice per week be the sweet spot to start with? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Stick to whatever your OWN doctor or physio recommends. I wouldn't be taking web advice from e-experts on here if I was coming back from a knee injury.

Too much at stake.

 

[Felt_Rider]

Stick to whatever your OWN doctor or physio recommends. I wouldn't be taking web advice from e-experts on here if I was coming back from a knee injury.

Too much at stake.

That is the best advice.

In general (without injury) working legs 3 times a week is not good.
Working legs 2 times you may be able to recover, but that means you have to work at a lower intensity and volume because it is doubtful you can recover.

I am a former high level bodybuilding competitor and consultant.
My suggestion to clients and what I personally follow is to train legs once per week with weights. Most of the high level competitors that I know only train once per week unless they are near competition and then they may train once heavy and once light to help bring out the definition between muscle groups.

But again in the case of rehab always listen to your doctor above all.

 

[fstrnu]

OK. But, out of curiosity, forgetting the injury, and doing nothing else other than trying to build leg strength (no cycling or other strentuous activity), only once per week? Really?

 

[in.10.city]

OK. But, out of curiosity, forgetting the injury, and doing nothing else other than trying to build leg strength (no cycling or other strentuous activity), only once per week? Really?

It all really depends on the level of intensity and volume. For a bodybuilder who is pushing heavy weight and high volume, they should work legs once or twice a week. But if you reduce the volume and intensity, you can increase the frequency. One could do a few sets of high rep, light weight training every day.

 

[dfvcad]

It all depends, The first thing you need to do is tell us what type of knee surgery you had and depending on that you can tailor your specific rehab program for the knee. The type of injury dictates the rehab. Regarding strengthening/rehab normally 3 to 4 session per week is expected during the first two weeks post operative which includes electrical stim, IF, Ultrasound, joint mobilization and other specific stuff and from there it tapers down to three times per week with a bunch of different protocols to gain ROM, flexibility, strength, stability, and proprioception. BTW I am doctor by profession and not e-expert.

 

[Felt_Rider]

OK. But, out of curiosity, forgetting the injury, and doing nothing else other than trying to build leg strength (no cycling or other strentuous activity), only once per week? Really?

This is a picture of me in 1993 a few weeks out from competition.
I only train legs once a week, but I train very intense and it would take me a full week to recover. I don't have great genetics and I would be considered a "hard gainer". I started out like most people training each bodypart twice a week, but I found out two things. First, I was not training intense enough to stimulate growth because I had to reserve for the second workout or second, I would overtrain.

Most people feel as you do that "more is better" for muscular gain and in fact most high level competitors lay that mentality aside because recovery is just as important than training.

My comments are just to help answer your curiosity on leg strength and is not a statement toward training for cycling events which are totally different.

 

[fstrnu]

Many thanks for all the replies. Very informative....