What's your split?

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LishieFruit89
LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking to switch up my routine - not that I'm not a fan of the version of Stronglifts I was doing, it's because I'm not allowed to do it right now.

I've messed up my knees and while I work with a physical therapist, he's not allowing me to do any lower body work outside of what I'm doing with him. I'll eventually allowed to go back to squats, lunges, and etc.

I'm able to do upperbody & core workouts but NO deadlifts of any kind (for now)

So what my plan is, is to come up with a 4 day split - one leg day, the rest upper body with some core work sprinkled throughout (because my core strength blows, not because I think a million crunches will get me abs). And skip leg day until I'm allowed to do it.
I think mine will end up legs, back, chest, and arms. Each a day obviously.

What's your split??
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Replies

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,717 Member
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    I find it quite natural to organize my splits as push, pull, legs, core.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I find it quite natural to organize my splits as push, pull, legs, core.

    I hadn't really thought of it that way...
    But I get really bored doing core stuff so an entire workout of it would drive me bonkers lol

    Now I have more thoughts swirling in my head, thank you =]
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I have a 4-day split of squat day, deadlift day, chest day, and back and shoulders day. I'll throw the occasional core move if I have time on any given day, but honestly, the major lifts, especially my squats and deadlifts are heavy enough to be enough core work for me.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I have a 4-day split of squat day, deadlift day, chest day, and back and shoulders day. I'll throw the occasional core move if I have time on any given day, but honestly, the major lifts, especially my squats and deadlifts are heavy enough to be enough core work for me.

    Very simple split haha

    What do you do for chest day & back/shoulders day?
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I have a 4-day split of squat day, deadlift day, chest day, and back and shoulders day. I'll throw the occasional core move if I have time on any given day, but honestly, the major lifts, especially my squats and deadlifts are heavy enough to be enough core work for me.

    Very simple split haha

    What do you do for chest day & back/shoulders day?

    Keep in mind that my program basics were put in place by physio years ago, with some of the accessory work being swapped in and out.

    Chest day is flat bench, flat flies, incline bench, incline flies, and I add in a couple tricep exercises, switching them up frequently.

    Back and shoulders is pullups, reverse grip rows, standing overhead press, low cable rows, wide grip and narrow grip pulldowns, and low cable rows.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Push / Pull probably makes the most sense, but why not hit all upper body 3x week with 1 PT/leg day?
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Push / Pull probably makes the most sense, but why not hit all upper body 3x week with 1 PT/leg day?

    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week until im cleared for lower body as well
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    ABxABxx all 3x5 (except deadlifts, 1x5) with 50% and 75% working weight warm up sets.

    A: Lowbar squats, deadlift, weighted crunches
    B: Bench press, overhead press, bent over row, lat pulldown

    Takes about an hour each workout.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    I would do an upper body workout every 2-3 days too.
    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week

    Then vary the exercises. There are dozens of exercises for each body part. If you need suggestions, tell us what equipment you have available.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I would do an upper body workout every 2-3 days too.
    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week

    Then vary the exercises. There are dozens of exercises for each body part. If you need suggestions, tell us what equipment you have available.

    Wow, not what I was expecting - the help part lol.
    My plan for now is to do upperbody only MWF and with my limited cardio on TTh, maybe the weekend if I'm feeling it.
    And once I'm cleared for leg work & my normal cardio, make one cardio session leg day and the other a longer cardio session (I'm allowed 30 minutes right now - no more than 10 minutes per machine =[ )


    I know there are a variety of different exercises for each muscle. It's just creating a coherent full upper body routine would be more difficult for me than splitting into 3 days.

    I have lots available to me - it just depends which gym I go to what's available at each (I have 2 memberships - my free work gym and a paid gym as well)
  • missmwikali
    missmwikali Posts: 7
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    My 4 day split is chest and tris , back and bis, shoulders, and then legs/abs day though I don't bother with abs too much
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I would do an upper body workout every 2-3 days too.
    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week

    Then vary the exercises. There are dozens of exercises for each body part. If you need suggestions, tell us what equipment you have available.

    Wow, not what I was expecting - the help part lol.
    My plan for now is to do upperbody only MWF and with my limited cardio on TTh, maybe the weekend if I'm feeling it.
    And once I'm cleared for leg work & my normal cardio, make one cardio session leg day and the other a longer cardio session (I'm allowed 30 minutes right now - no more than 10 minutes per machine =[ )


    I know there are a variety of different exercises for each muscle. It's just creating a coherent full upper body routine would be more difficult for me than splitting into 3 days.

    I have lots available to me - it just depends which gym I go to what's available at each (I have 2 memberships - my free work gym and a paid gym as well)

    Why? Are you over complicating things by wanting to get too many lifts into each workout, or do you just not know how to work certain muscle groups?

    1-2 chest pushes
    1-2 shoulder pushes
    1-2 upper back pulls
    throw in some core work if you want
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I would do an upper body workout every 2-3 days too.
    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week

    Then vary the exercises. There are dozens of exercises for each body part. If you need suggestions, tell us what equipment you have available.

    Wow, not what I was expecting - the help part lol.
    My plan for now is to do upperbody only MWF and with my limited cardio on TTh, maybe the weekend if I'm feeling it.
    And once I'm cleared for leg work & my normal cardio, make one cardio session leg day and the other a longer cardio session (I'm allowed 30 minutes right now - no more than 10 minutes per machine =[ )


    I know there are a variety of different exercises for each muscle. It's just creating a coherent full upper body routine would be more difficult for me than splitting into 3 days.

    I have lots available to me - it just depends which gym I go to what's available at each (I have 2 memberships - my free work gym and a paid gym as well)

    Why? Are you over complicating things by wanting to get too many lifts into each workout, or do you just not know how to work certain muscle groups?

    1-2 chest pushes
    1-2 shoulder pushes
    1-2 upper back pulls
    throw in some core work if you want

    Honestly, probably both haha
    I feel like 6 total lifts is slacking - especially when I have to use 5-10# dumbbells for some stuff so I don't lose form and if I've split it out. I just don't feel as accomplished (if that makes sense)
    And by coherent, I also meant a muscle grouping & order that makes sense, isn't repetitive, and such (repetitive within the specific day). I have a vague grasp on anatomy but I never took it in high school or college (it's what happens when you transfer school districts half way through with different requirements)

    I'm not sure if I'm making sense in my explanation (I have a hard time doing that lol)

    I do like what you've mentioned about jacksonpt.
    I think I'll look into that and figure out a few routines based off of that.
    And maybe toss in one extra lift each day (for some reason, I liked skullcrushers & 21s so I think I'd keep them somewhere)
    Plus some planks or whatever lol
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    My 4 day split is chest and tris , back and bis, shoulders, and then legs/abs day though I don't bother with abs too much

    This also makes sense to me as well.
    i like plus the poster right below you...

    Yay, more thoughts swirling around haha
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I would do an upper body workout every 2-3 days too.
    I could do that but I worry about getting bored doing the exact same upper body only routine 3X/week

    Then vary the exercises. There are dozens of exercises for each body part. If you need suggestions, tell us what equipment you have available.

    Wow, not what I was expecting - the help part lol.
    My plan for now is to do upperbody only MWF and with my limited cardio on TTh, maybe the weekend if I'm feeling it.
    And once I'm cleared for leg work & my normal cardio, make one cardio session leg day and the other a longer cardio session (I'm allowed 30 minutes right now - no more than 10 minutes per machine =[ )


    I know there are a variety of different exercises for each muscle. It's just creating a coherent full upper body routine would be more difficult for me than splitting into 3 days.

    I have lots available to me - it just depends which gym I go to what's available at each (I have 2 memberships - my free work gym and a paid gym as well)

    Why? Are you over complicating things by wanting to get too many lifts into each workout, or do you just not know how to work certain muscle groups?

    1-2 chest pushes
    1-2 shoulder pushes
    1-2 upper back pulls
    throw in some core work if you want

    Honestly, probably both haha
    I feel like 6 total lifts is slacking - especially when I have to use 5-10# dumbbells for some stuff so I don't lose form and if I've split it out. I just don't feel as accomplished (if that makes sense)
    And by coherent, I also meant a muscle grouping & order that makes sense, isn't repetitive, and such (repetitive within the specific day). I have a vague grasp on anatomy but I never took it in high school or college (it's what happens when you transfer school districts half way through with different requirements)

    I'm not sure if I'm making sense in my explanation (I have a hard time doing that lol)

    I do like what you've mentioned about jacksonpt.
    I think I'll look into that and figure out a few routines based off of that.
    And maybe toss in one extra lift each day (for some reason, I liked skullcrushers & 21s so I think I'd keep them somewhere)
    Plus some planks or whatever lol

    If your form is limiting you, then you probably need to work the stabilizing muscles, which is why free weights are so great. It almost sounds like you have a mental block you need to get past more than anything else (which I can totally relate to). It wasn't until I got into Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program that I really grasped, accepted, and felt the benefits of a no bull**** workout.


    Pick 1 from each:
    chest pushes: flat bench, incline bench, cable crossovers, dips
    shoulder pushes: overhead BB press, DB press, DB raises (front/lat/rear)
    upper back pulls: pull-ups, bent-over row, tbar row, lat pull downs, or any other type of row you like

    Add in some core work (not just abs) and you're set.

    If you're going heavy enough, you should feel plenty accomplished.

    .
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    It usually ends up looking like this for me:

    A: Squat, Overhead Press, Chinups
    B: Bench Press, Row, Dips
    C. Deadlift, maybe pullups or an incline press or something else if I actually have anything left.

    Ideally, I'll hit these so they fall on M,W,F, but W might turn into a T day, like it will today.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    snip

    If your form is limiting you, then you probably need to work the stabilizing muscles, which is why free weights are so great. It almost sounds like you have a mental block you need to get past more than anything else (which I can totally relate to). It wasn't until I got into Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program that I really grasped, accepted, and felt the benefits of a no bull**** workout.


    Pick 1 from each:
    chest pushes: flat bench, incline bench, cable crossovers, dips
    shoulder pushes: overhead BB press, DB press, DB raises (front/lat/rear)
    upper back pulls: pull-ups, bent-over row, tbar row, lat pull downs, or any other type of row you like

    Add in some core work (not just abs) and you're set.

    If you're going heavy enough, you should feel plenty accomplished.

    .

    So for example (picked randomly from your list above lol):

    A: flat bench, DB raises, single arm DB row, decline crunches
    B: cable crossover, OHP, lat pulldown, planks
    C: incline bench, DB press, cable row, some other core work

    I will seriously feel like I'm slacking so much with 4 lifts... but I'd probably do everything 3x10-12...
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    It usually ends up looking like this for me:

    A: Squat, Overhead Press, Chinups
    B: Bench Press, Row, Dips
    C. Deadlift, maybe pullups or an incline press or something else if I actually have anything left.

    Ideally, I'll hit these so they fall on M,W,F, but W might turn into a T day, like it will today.

    What tip of dips?
    Like what's done on the assisted dip/chinup/pullup machine?
    Or using a flat bench with your legs out in front of you?
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    I am doing a lower(legs)/upper, legs push, pull hybrid.

    Day 1 lower (legs) power/strength
    Day 2 Upper power/strength
    Day 3 Rest
    Day 4 lower (legs) hypertrophy
    Day 5 push hypertrophy
    Day 6 pull hypertrophy
    Day 7 rest.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I am doing a lower(legs)/upper, legs push, pull hybrid.

    Day 1 lower (legs) power/strength
    Day 2 Upper power/strength
    Day 3 Rest
    Day 4 lower (legs) hypertrophy
    Day 5 push hypertrophy
    Day 6 pull hypertrophy
    Day 7 rest.

    Interesting...
    Can you go into more detail?
    I'm just a curious bean.
    So for strength, you'd be doing like 5x5 but hypertrophy is 3x10?

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