Full body workout vs specific body parts per day?

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LKArgh
LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have recently started again training with weights, gym machines etc and I have fallen into a routine of doing whole body workouts. But I cannot say why, it is mostly because this is what I used to do several years ago when I was last using free weights and I cannot really remember if there was a reason for it back when I started. I wonder if this is the best way to do it or not. Is there some advantage in assigning different days to different muscle groups over doing whole body routines? I train on average 3 days per week.

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  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Full-body workouts are perfect for starting back up. Compound exercises should take priority. That's where multiple joints move (e.g, squat), as opposed to 1 joint (leg curl).
    An advantage of a split routine is you can fit in more sets per muscle group per workout, which can be useful for advanced lifters. But even advanced lifters can do fine with full-body workouts, if it fits their goals. Another option is upper body on one day, lower the next, and full-body the 3rd day.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Pretty much what @Cherimoose said. Beginners tend to be weak all over, so might as well do whole-body, compound lifts. Intermediate and advanced lifters or bodybuilders have a whole different set of needs, and they'll generally be doing programs with a lot more targeted lifts, assistance exercises, etc.
  • lngrunert
    lngrunert Posts: 204 Member
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    I am definitely a beginner lifter, and I do full body workouts twice a week. It fits in better with my schedule to be at the gym with less frequency for a longer duration (about an hour and fifteen minutes counting warmup and stretching after).
  • zipa78
    zipa78 Posts: 354 Member
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    You would need a reason for NOT doing a full body routine, not the other way around.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I am a fan of full body workouts. Even for some "veteran" lifters. Splits certainly have their place, but I think many people are quick to jump to a split when it's really not needed or the most efficient program.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Thank you :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    did you design this routine on your own or it part of a program??
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    awarreningermany wrote: »
    I have wondered about this too cause I have been adding so many things to my training since I started 8 months ago that I often feel I did not hit everything I wanted to hit even after over 1.5 hours (not even including the warm up or stretching or cardio in that). I dont know if that means I am doing too much or not enough on the things I do but trying to hit shoulders, arms, abs, back, legs etc takes me so long to get through now so I was wondering if it would be better to split for the simple reason of spending less time in the gym per single session.

    you should find a structured lifting program and not just design your own...
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    awarreningermany wrote: »
    I have wondered about this too cause I have been adding so many things to my training since I started 8 months ago that I often feel I did not hit everything I wanted to hit even after over 1.5 hours (not even including the warm up or stretching or cardio in that). I dont know if that means I am doing too much or not enough on the things I do but trying to hit shoulders, arms, abs, back, legs etc takes me so long to get through now so I was wondering if it would be better to split for the simple reason of spending less time in the gym per single session.

    you should find a structured lifting program and not just design your own...

    Agreed^

    Programming is an art. And learning what works and why is normally best achieved by trying existing established beginner routines for a decent shake and seeing how you personally respond to them.

    Once you move beyond the need for beginner's routines and have a more specific purpose in mind for your training, then you can take what you learned at the beginner stage and shape your program more precisely to your goals.


  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    awarreningermany wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    awarreningermany wrote: »
    I have wondered about this too cause I have been adding so many things to my training since I started 8 months ago that I often feel I did not hit everything I wanted to hit even after over 1.5 hours (not even including the warm up or stretching or cardio in that). I dont know if that means I am doing too much or not enough on the things I do but trying to hit shoulders, arms, abs, back, legs etc takes me so long to get through now so I was wondering if it would be better to split for the simple reason of spending less time in the gym per single session.

    you should find a structured lifting program and not just design your own...

    I was given a routine when I started that I have just added to as time has gone on, was not totally just walking in the gym with no idea and picking things randomly. Where does one find a structured routine to fit their specific needs/abilities without getting a personal trainer?

    What are your goals?
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    awarreningermany wrote: »

    How long is one considered a beginner? I have been training in the gym for 8 months now and figured it was fine to start progressing by this time as without anything new, there was no challenge and the beginning routine I was given was getting boring (I was given a circut basically through some of the sit down weight machines) I have tried to add more in over time and as I felt stronger and needed more of a challenge.

    A beginner from a programming standpoint is based on knowledge, as much as it is on time. More is not always better. Using fewer compound movements can hit all your muscles in less time. Increasing weight, decreasing rest, increasing reps are all ways to make the exercises harder and different ones apply based on your goals.

  • WolverhamptonFitness
    WolverhamptonFitness Posts: 233 Member
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    You should google the 5X5 Training routine, At least to start with, 3 days a week, 4 Excercises, 5Sets of 5 Reps, Heavy weight. As a beginner this gives you experience and strength in all areas.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    edited February 2015
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    awarreningermany wrote: »
    jimmmer wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    awarreningermany wrote: »
    I have wondered about this too cause I have been adding so many things to my training since I started 8 months ago that I often feel I did not hit everything I wanted to hit even after over 1.5 hours (not even including the warm up or stretching or cardio in that). I dont know if that means I am doing too much or not enough on the things I do but trying to hit shoulders, arms, abs, back, legs etc takes me so long to get through now so I was wondering if it would be better to split for the simple reason of spending less time in the gym per single session.

    you should find a structured lifting program and not just design your own...

    Agreed^

    Programming is an art. And learning what works and why is normally best achieved by trying existing established beginner routines for a decent shake and seeing how you personally respond to them.

    Once you move beyond the need for beginner's routines and have a more specific purpose in mind for your training, then you can take what you learned at the beginner stage and shape your program more precisely to your goals.


    How long is one considered a beginner? I have been training in the gym for 8 months now and figured it was fine to start progressing by this time as without anything new, there was no challenge and the beginning routine I was given was getting boring (I was given a circut basically through some of the sit down weight machines) I have tried to add more in over time and as I felt stronger and needed more of a challenge.

    Some people consider you're out of the beginner stage when you hit so much times bodyweight on particular barbell lifts. Other people consider it when you can no longer linearly progress session-to-session (and after a few resets) i.e. you can no longer increase the weight on the bar each time you show up and backing off and running back up stops working.

    Of course, this is harder to establish for stuff like bodyweight (where exercise variation rather than load on the bar determines your progress), kettlebells (where density ladders bridge the gap between bell sizes), dumbbells (where standards may be less defined) and machines (technically, you could adopt the barbell criteria and when you can no longer continuously add load after a 3-4 resets, then perhaps move to a different progression model based on intermediate barbell routines).

    The most highly developed standards are for the barbell and other things are judged by the standards of the communities in which they are embedded.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    awarreningermany wrote: »
    My goals are just simply to tone my body right now. I am still trying to burn fat so not trying to build a lot of muscle at the moment (as far as I know you cant even if you try while you are eating at a calorie deficit). I have been going already 3 times a week for 90 minutes at a time for the whole 8 months. I also do a lot of reading on sites, follow trainers, watch others while they train etc. I am not totally clueless though I am aware I am not an expert. Somedays I do a bit more weight with less reps and the next day I will do less weight and more reps. I already do compound moves and on the days I am not in the gym I do trx or pilates and other non weight things to strengthen my body and use multiple muscles.

    I have looked into the 5x5 youtube video but seeing as I am not trying to build muscle at the moment, I was not really sure trying to go super heavy with only 5 sets was the right approach for me at this point (though I did take note of the moves he mentioned and have added some into my workouts with lower weights (so it is hard by the 10th rep kind of weight for me)

    5x5 is sold as some kind of magic thing around here. There are other rep schemes such as 3x8, 4x6, 3x10, 2x15, 5x3, 8x3... depends on the lift and the goal.

    If you're eating at a deficit, then heavy strength work is probably a really good way to go. You'll lose a minimum of lbm (depending on how deep your deficit is) and you'll come out the other end with a great base to pursue your future goals when you've finished cutting (whatever they may be).

    3x5 or 5x3 works well on a cut. If you've really grooved the technique on a lift, then 3x3 with a decent percentage of your RM for the lift when cutting can be another good approach....


  • NotGnarly
    NotGnarly Posts: 137 Member
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    I've lifted many years ago and just started back up again in December and I do a full body lifting session. It takes me about 70 mins total and then I do 15-20 mins of cardio. I prefer full body. I also prefer to keep things simple and not over complicate things. I hit arms, legs, back, abs, etc. I do this 3-4 times a week.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    did you design this routine on your own or it part of a program??
    A combination. I have been doing bodyweight exercises, TRX, plus some dumbbells/kettlebells the last couple of years, but I have been in gyms on and off for more than 20 years now, so I have a general idea what works for what purpose. In that sense, I do not feel like a beginner. I have some limitations right now (not allowed to put much weight on one foot) so most of the standard routines do not work for me for the next months, which is why I have to be a bit creative :)

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