is a 5 day split bad for a beginner

No workout (with proper form) is bad, it just depends on what you're trying to achieve and how fast. If you're more into lifting and doing cardio just to maintain stamina, then as a beginner compound workouts are better than split.

I split simply because I'm doing more cardio to increase my endurance, so I lay off leg workouts for the time being.

No workout (with proper form) is bad

I'm afraid that's just not true, if you cannot recover from a session in time for the next then a programme is bad. I would say if the op as a beginner would find it hard to do legs and back on back to back days, especially if they use an appreciable amount of volume.

Hm. This is interesting. Every time I ever worked with a trainer, they told me to split, and I am DEFINITELY a novice when it comes to strength training and working out in general... What would you recommend, if not split?

Nothing wrong with a split, but a 4 day split is better than a 5 day split...for a beginner you're going to over train with a true 5 day split...really, a 5 day split is just over kill and completely unnecessary. You can also do 3 day splits like I'm doing now...it really just depends on your goals.

Personally I think beginners get the most benefit from a 3x weekly full body routine. I did Starting Strength for about 7-8 months and made some really awesome strength gains...I finally got to the point where I couldn't recover from squatting every time out and just switched to a 3x weekly split with Wendler's 5/3/1 a couple weeks ago. I'm enjoying it, but my strength gains are going to be much slower with this program.

It really depends on what's important to you. Also, a lot of trainers are pretty stupid...there's about 2 out of 10 at my gym that I would pay any attention to whatsoever.

Depends on how much of a beginner they are. If they are entirely new to lifting, I personally wouldn't put them on a split till they achieved some base strength and form.
If they were a beginner returning to lifting and have been working out for a month or two, then depending on their goals I might.

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not bad but certainly not optimal,

AS a beginner you need frequency not volume.

^^yep

Hm. This is interesting. Every time I ever worked with a trainer, they told me to split, and I am DEFINITELY a novice when it comes to strength training and working out in general... What would you recommend, if not split?

Nothing wrong with a split, but a 4 day split is better than a 5 day split...for a beginner you're going to over train with a true 5 day split...really, a 5 day split is just over kill and completely unnecessary. You can also do 3 day splits like I'm doing now...it really just depends on your goals.

Personally I think beginners get the most benefit from a 3x weekly full body routine. I did Starting Strength for about 7-8 months and made some really awesome strength gains...I finally got to the point where I couldn't recover from squatting every time out and just switched to a 3x weekly split with Wendler's 5/3/1 a couple weeks ago. I'm enjoying it, but my strength gains are going to be much slower with this program.

It really depends on what's important to you. Also, a lot of trainers are pretty stupid...there's about 2 out of 10 at my gym that I would pay any attention to whatsoever.

i pretty much agree with this.

if you are brand spanking new, full body circuits 3 times a week are great. as your lifts progress, you'll struggle to do them on the same day.

thats when you work to a program that is 5/3/1. four day split. day 1 Overhead press. day 2 dead lift. day 3 is chest press. day 4 is squats. you don't have to do those monday through thursday. just saying spread those out though the course of 7 days. find a few days to run, swim, bike, push a weight sled, tackle some hills, the stairmaster, or whatever.

I think a natural progression is to a push/pull or upper/lower 2 day is better personally than going straight into a four day split.

he is simplifying 5/3/1. it actually has a lot more volume than that. ever movement will be done 2-3x a week on it.

Not the standard 5/3/1. It has more volume due to assists but each compound is 1 x a week.

Put shoulders with chest and tri day, and do cardio after weight lifting. Reduce it to 3 days.

When it comes to lifting there are more questions than answers. I think experimentation, doing what you want, and listening to your body is key.

humans are not unique snowflakes in this regard. doing what you want is really about the worst way to train when you have so many excellent programs avail from elite trainers. you have to be a fool to ignore them and think you can do better

to the op. read this. http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/1f1kqy/why_nobody_is_critiquing_your_workout_read_this/

you might want to relook. it's expected to do assists and you do other movements for it. you're still going to be doing movements 2-3x a week on it.

Nope. Here is a summary (which is consistent with the book):

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/hardcore-look-at-jim-wendlers-5-3-1-powerlifting-system.html

It is a 4 day split. You only dead, squat, bench and press 1 x a week.

you might want to relook. it's expected to do assists and you do other movements for it. you're still going to be doing movements 2-3x a week on it.

Nope. Here is a summary (which is consistent with the book):

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/hardcore-look-at-jim-wendlers-5-3-1-powerlifting-system.html

you need to reread it. you missed the "and assistance work" part. wtf do you think is being done for assistance work? tiddlywinks?

What? And stop being a tool.

How many times a week do you think you dead? or bench? or squat? or press?

you might want to relook. it's expected to do assists and you do other movements for it. you're still going to be doing movements 2-3x a week on it.

Nope. Here is a summary (which is consistent with the book):

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/hardcore-look-at-jim-wendlers-5-3-1-powerlifting-system.html

you need to reread it. you missed the "and assistance work" part. wtf do you think is being done for assistance work? tiddlywinks?

What? And stop being a tool.

How many times a week do you think you dead? or bench? or squat? or press?

1x. but so what? you do 2-3x movements a week. so you dead, then a couple days later you do pullups. thats called pull movement son. then you do rows, also a pull. And thats 2-3x/week movement volume. you need to learn that noone uses body part training anymore but bros. Time to learnyour movement patterns. And yes, 5/3/1 is very much a 2-3x per week movement pattern training template. deal with it.

OMFG - unless you adapt it, do you or do you not squat 1 x a week? Squatting 1 x a week is not ideal imo for the majority of people (and not for a beginner/novice).

Stop being a condescending prick and assuming things.

I dont have any advice for the OP but, i do a different body part every day. Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs and Arms and i do abs with them each day as well . I do this 5 mornings a week and 2 nights a week do some type of cardio. I do this because i like being in the gym that often and it works for my schedule to spend an hour each morning there. When i get tired of it i change it up for a few months to 3 times a week with mixed or full body. So i guess it depends on what works for you time wise and as long as you are getting proper rest.