Full body vs targeted

vecchioni23
vecchioni23 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I have been doing a full body workout 3x a week for about 3 months now. Is it better to keep doing full body or switch to target areas each day? I have read mixed things and not sure what to do.

Thanks!

Replies

  • indigoigloo
    indigoigloo Posts: 20
    No reason to change your routine unless results have plateaued. Splits are nice if you go to the gym every day or don't have much time at the gym, full body workouts are great if you go only a few times a week and have a bit more time.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Someone who is relatively new to lifting (as in, less than 1-2 years) will probably get the most benefits from full body. Reasons to switch to split would if results are plateauing or you need more recovery time after training (ex. your legs still hurt so bad 2 days later that you can't give full body your all again).
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    I'd definitely recommend switching to a 3 or 4 day body part split. You can hit each muscle group much harder than a full body workout every day. The other advantage is each muscle group gets more rest in between workouts since you only hit it once a week.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Unless you have a goal to body builder, you will get great results from full body compound lifting. It is also far more time efficient. If you love spending time in the gym and want to achieve body builder type results, do a split routine with lots of iso work. Personally, 3 to 4 hours per week to look and feel great is working for me. I don't wish to spend that much time at the gym and have many other pursuits that fill my life. Fitness is just a means to an end. YMMV.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    I like full-body workouts. There's less stress on each body part at each workout, which reduces the chance of injuries. Also it's more similar to how we use our body outside the gym - using multiple muscle groups together. Also there's less soreness.
  • DaveP_Fit
    DaveP_Fit Posts: 318
    Is it better to keep doing full body or switch to target areas each day?

    better for whom? what are your goals?
  • March87MFP
    March87MFP Posts: 19 Member
    better for whom? what are your goals?

    @davep_fit
    Good question. What are your goals?
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I talked to a trainer yesterday..- so here is what we talked about .. hope it helps.

    My goals are:
    To be able to run faster and jump higher
    To build strength
    To do an unassisted pull up
    To reduce body fat percentage
    To tone
    To improve my cardiovascular health (always!)
    To get to "ideal body weight" whatever that is. lol
    To maintain the soft feminine look (I don't want to look like i have muscles)

    Her advice was the full body 2-3 times a week with targeted training 3 times a week. I also do a lot of cardio.

    She gave me a very intense full body workout to do 2-3 times a week and reviewed my targeted training with a thumbs up

    She also went over my diet.. since all this is moot if you don't eat right.
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
    Hi everyone! I have been doing a full body workout 3x a week for about 3 months now. Is it better to keep doing full body or switch to target areas each day? I have read mixed things and not sure what to do.

    Thanks!

    You need to experiment. People's bodies respond differently to different routines. I worked a 3 day full body split for about 4 months when I started, then switched to a 4 day isolation push/pull split with incorporated compounds and found I respond much better. I have several friends who are the complete opposite and grow to their maximum potential on a full body split.
  • vecchioni23
    vecchioni23 Posts: 12 Member
    My goal is to drop my body fat % and to look "tone". I don't really need to loose anymore weight, just turn it into muscle. Thanks for the advice!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Are you still progressing with full body?
  • vecchioni23
    vecchioni23 Posts: 12 Member
    very slowly.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    very slowly.

    Then I'd keep doing what you're doing. Progress is slow, and it's especially slow the further into all this you get. Most people will see relatively faster progress early, then progressively slower progress as they, uh, progress.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    When you say "full body" what exactly do you mean? I think full body is the way to go, but the types of exercises you're doing could make a big difference on your progress.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    I'd stick with the full body workouts. Even intermediate to advanced lifters benefit from that kind of workout. You are still a beginner, keep at it. Yes, progress can be slow once your "newbie gains" are maxed out. At one point it took me a year to put 5lbs on my bench!

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