When to transition to split routine?

Rayman79

Hey all, I'm just wondering when you all decided to transition from a full body to split routine.

I've been doing a full body routine (ICF 5x5) consistently for 6 months now (with patchy training for a while before that). My lifts have progressed pretty well (I'm naturally pretty weak), and I'm sitting around the intermediate range by most strength standards (squats 225 for 5x5, Deadlift 275x5, Bench 170 for 5x5).

I think I may naturally more inclined to a higher rep, less frequency program though. When I have a couple of training sessions with three day breaks I notice I'm a lot fresher and perform better than after only two days (particularly on squats). I know this is pretty normal as longer recovery time helps on the bigger compound lifts, but it has me wondering when the time is right to split up my routine.

So, when did you all jump to a split routine? What were your numbers and in hindsight was it the best move? Should I just milk the full body linear routine until my numbers are more respectable?

Thanks.

sijomial

I switched from a three times a week full body routine when my progress stalled out - partly rest/recovery related but also partly to fit better with my cycling. I had almost a year of good progress from what was (for me) a fairly low start point.

Now I'm typically doing 1 x full body, 1 x push (upper & lower), 1 x pull (upper & lower). So volume per "body part" is the same over the course of a week. Should add that I don't have space in my schedule to fit in a 4 day split routine.

Gets me to the weekend with legs (particularly quads) a bit fresher which helps my rides. Also find I have less niggles in my elderly joints. Really glad I changed and should have done it earlier when progress was slowing rather than wait for a complete stall.

Can't help much with numbers as I don't squat or deadlift due to spinal issues - current best for BP is 105kg / 231lbs (3RM), closing in on 1.5 bodyweight. Leg press 200kg/440lbs if that helps for comparison (20RM - my little gym has run out of weights!).

darrensurrey

I switched when
1) I felt I could get more out of my compound work by not doing everything on the same day and
2) I wanted to focus on specific body parts particularly for gymnastics training.

Additionally, my routine started to change when I started doing sports more regularly as I wanted to make sure I could run for tennis, for instance!

SideSteel

I went in reverse largely out of ignorance. Started with split training, moved to 5/3/1 once I learned how to perform BB lifts, then when my goals shifted more to strength, I moved to a 4-day split that Helms designed, where 3 of those days are basically full body with 1 accessory day.

I think it really is going to depend on individual goals and preferences. For example you may not be able to follow a linear 5x5 but you might still benefit from squatting 3xweek at varying intensities and/or volumes and with a less aggressive loading scheme.

This isn't to say that upper/lower wouldn't also work--I'm just presenting it as an idea because it could be the aggressive loading and static intensity throughout the week that is impairing recovery and/ or progress and not necessarily the fact that it's full body.

Rayman79

Thanks everyone, SS I think you could be on the money there, perhaps I should look to vary my weight/reps on my squats as a form of variation before abandoning the full body routine. Any suggestions? I think my quads are still the weakest point so some front squats or high bar paused squats are probably a good idea.

SideSteel

Have you considered madcow?

_errata_

I have never done full body workouts. I started out doing a 2-day HIT split doing just the big 4 lifts and made some pretty big gains, but recently I have decided to go to a 4-day split using the 5/3/1 triumvirate routine outlined by Wendler.

Sarauk2sf

Tagging to add my thoughts later

JTick

I moved from 5x5 to 5/3/1 when I started to increase my running volume. My legs couldn't take squatting three times a week and running in between. It was absolutely the right move for me - I'm so much happier and am recovering so much better when I only squat once a week. I also wasn't seeing as much progression on 5x5 - I followed it for about a year before I moved to 5/3/1.

ETA: I don't strictly follow 5/3/1 either. I guess I do more of a split program. I follow that theory on how I increase my big 4 lifts, but I had my trainer put together the assistance work for me which is a mix of barbell, dumbbell, and machine work. I'm really happy with my routine right now, and I'm much stronger in a more balanced way than I was a few months ago (if that makes sense).

bostonwolf

I went from doing only split routines since I started lifting at age 25 to a full body routine at age 40. And, unsurprisingly, experienced a lot of strength increases.

still seeing gains so I'll likely stick with full body workouts and Olympic lifting sessions.

I'll also add that when I really ramped up the intensity I would lift every 3 days instead of 3 times a week. So it would be Mon-Thu-Sun-Tues....

I just found that I needed that extra time to really be able to attack my next workout.

tomcornhole

I switched from 3x/ week full body Starting Strength routine to 5/3/1 4 day split after 4 months. At 48, I quickly ran through my newbie gains (what little there were) and could not progress at full body. And it didn't make much sense as what I needed was adequate recovery time. But once a week was a little light on the volume so I do a modified 5/3/1 to get more volume. I do the normal 5/3/1 sets, add one joker set up to next week's target weight (or more if it's a good day), do first set last and then finish with Boring But Big. 5 day is normal speed and I usually add my chain work here, 3 day is power day (all lifts are as fast as I can move), and 5/3/1 day is 1RM day (I stop short of failure). I reload every 8 weeks (vs 4). After a year of playing around with 5/3/1, this is what works best for me.

Tom

_benjammin

Have you considered madcow?

^This^
I did StrongLifts 5x5 for about 16 weeks. 5x5 Squating did me in. I switched to 3X5, still rough. I didn't want to go to 1x5 so I switched to MADCOW.
Monday is ramping sets up to 1X5 at the heaviest weight for Squat, Bench, and Row.
Wednesday is a light a light Squat day, couple of warm sets and 2 sets of 5 @ 75% of Monday's top set. Ramping sets of OHP and Deadlift to 1x5 heavy.
Friday is a "volume" day. Ramping sets of Squat, Bench, Row to 1x3 heavy and then a drop set of 8 @ 75% of the heavy set.
I'm starting my 3rd "round" (of 8-10 weeks) and love it. Still making gains but have started using micro-plate loading for OHP and may do micro-plates for Row and Bench too. I've concentrated on lower body accessories to make up for my imbalance but this round I'm adding some upper accessories too.

_benjammin

My other reason for not switching to a split was I only want to lift 3x a week.

bostonwolf

Have you considered madcow?

^This^
I did StrongLifts 5x5 for about 16 weeks. 5x5 Squating did me in. I switched to 3X5, still rough. I didn't want to go to 1x5 so I switched to MADCOW.
Monday is ramping sets up to 1X5 at the heaviest weight for Squat, Bench, and Row.
Wednesday is a light a light Squat day, couple of warm sets and 2 sets of 5 @ 75% of Monday's top set. Ramping sets of OHP and Deadlift to 1x5 heavy.
Friday is a "volume" day. Ramping sets of Squat, Bench, Row to 1x3 heavy and then a drop set of 8 @ 75% of the heavy set.
I'm starting my 3rd "round" (of 8-10 weeks) and love it. Still making gains but have started using micro-plate loading for OHP and may do micro-plates for Row and Bench too. I've concentrated on lower body accessories to make up for my imbalance but this round I'm adding some upper accessories too.

I actually never started SL because I knew squatting 3 times a week just wasn't going to happen, not unless I was varying load and intensity far more than that program calls for. I did a similar program (actually one based on Reg Park's old routines, which is who Medhi pinched his whole workout plan from, but anyways) that had one day of squats, one day of front squats and then a day with no squats at all. Worked well for me, I just got bored with it after a while.

Doing Crossfit now but I will still do one of those whole body workouts once or twice a week.

_benjammin

Worked well for me, I just got bored with it after a while.

Yeah, I hear ya. I've gotten over the boredom by changing up the accessories.

Rayman79

This is good stuff thanks guys. In looking over some of the more recognised routines I'm leaning to either madcow or the Texas Method.

I think I'll add in a little more assistance work for hypertrophy, nothing huge though, just a little arm work. I just need to not be squatting so much 120+ reps per week is too much volume for me personally and I'm no longer getting stronger at an appreciable rate.

At this point I really envy the younger guys in the gym, even though I'm still relatively young I am paying the price for not setting foot in the gym until my 30's. The few that seem to have decent routines make such quick progress and recover so much faster. Why did I have to waste the best lifting years on the couch stuffing my face and sitting behind a desk? le sigh.