Total Body Strength Training or Split Days?

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Whimzeee
Whimzeee Posts: 152 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For those people who lift weights, do you work your entire body in one day or do you split your days between upper and lower body?

Which has been more successful for you? Or does it really matter as long as you do it?

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    For those people who lift weights, do you work your entire body in one day or do you split your days between upper and lower body?

    Which has been more successful for you? Or does it really matter as long as you do it?

    Very generally speaking:

    Full body 3xweek for beginner to intermediate.
    upper/lower or push/pull 4xweek for intermediate to advanced
    bodypart split for advanced+

    Frequency typically trumps volume for quite a while.


    This absolutely does not mean that bodypart splits don't work for beginners. They just aren't typically as efficient.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I do full body 2-3 times. I would do upper/ lower splits if I had more time.
  • bradwsimmons74
    bradwsimmons74 Posts: 4
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    Since you asked an allegorical question, here is an allegorical response. I do not like resistence training. However, I know it's a necessary component of physical fitness. That said, I limit my time in the gym by lifting full body 2 to 3 times per week at 1 hour per session. I alternate upper and lower body exercises going from largest muscle groups to smallest. I train to swim and bike faster and longer. Most importantly, I keep records. There is a record of every single time I have touched a weight going back 22 years. That is the key to being effective in my opinion.
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
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    I do full body 2 times a week. I would love to split but my schedule does not allow.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    It matters quite a bit but what matters more is what stage of the process you're in. Since you asked this question I'm assuming you in the early stages and should probably focus on a full body, 3x per week, beginners program for a while.
  • Tricep_A_Tops
    Tricep_A_Tops Posts: 319
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    Here is my program/split, it provides the perfect amount of rest (which is very important) between work days for every muscle group. I have seen awesome results using this program/split. Muscle grows during recovery not breaking them down while in the gym 2/3 times per week.

    Mon: Legs & Calves
    Tue: Back, Bi's & Ab's
    Thur: Chest, Tri's
    Sat: Shoulders, Traps & Ab's
  • missabeez
    missabeez Posts: 280 Member
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    I hope this isn't too far off track and I know some frown on these programs but for things like Jillian Michaels 30day shred would the resistance and strength moves in those circuits be similar to full body?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I hope this isn't too far off track and I know some frown on these programs but for things like Jillian Michaels 30day shred would the resistance and strength moves in those circuits be similar to full body?

    Legit question that many people here are confused about but don't ask.

    The answer is no. Those DVDs would get filed under cardio.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
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    I find split 4x a week easiest for me :)
  • ifychudy
    ifychudy Posts: 210 Member
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    For those of you that do body strength training at home, do you have guide in form of video that a beginner can follow
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
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    the most important thing is to find a program that u like and will stick too. everything works but some programs are more optimal. so unless u plan on competing, just get started, stick 2 it and u will c results
  • lorenzoinlr
    lorenzoinlr Posts: 338 Member
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    I've been doing resistance training for 35 years since I was a teen involved in athletics. The most important consideration is what fits your ability to commit. The increased benefits of doing splits is marginal unless you're talking about serious body building. I've been doing 3X a week full body for years now with excellent muscle gains, nearly as good as when I did split days. More important is rotating exercises periodically, pushing/increasing weight and working muscles vigorously in each set.

    I've worked out alongside quite a few guys over the years who switched to my approach after comparing our results.

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