Why do people do leg day, arm day etc? Why not do all of them everyday?
mbanks123
Posts: 117 Member
Probabaly a very silly question but I've always wondered. I just prefer doing a bit of everything and just wondered if there was a reason I should change?
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Replies
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Muscles need to rest in order to rebuild and get stronger.8
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Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.2
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Thanks that makes perfect sense
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Properly working all your body parts would take a very long time. Unless you plan to stay over2
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People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
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Yeah, full body is fine past beginner stage. Even doing it a couple of days in a row can work if you vary intensity.
I go back and forth between upper/lower splits and full body programming. But even on an upper or lower day I might throw in something from the opposite side between sets.3 -
As a powerlifter, my days revolve around bench/squat/deadlift, not body parts.6
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People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
I have to disagree with you. My program may not be the best for you, and vise versa. As long as the individual is getting the results they are looking for.2 -
I train individual muscle groups.0
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People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
You say the bolded with such certainty. Be careful using absolutes like that. I know that there is no way I could effectively work all of my muscle groups and still see strength gains by working them all every workout. I'm FAR from a bodybuilder.
I don't know why you would say that focusing on specific muscle groups are less than optimal either? If you're doing a full body routine, are you not still focusing on specific muscle groups in that workout?3 -
People usually do splits for couple of reasons: to spend less time in the gym and to focus on body part(s). I train each body part once a week. About 30 minutes average workout time. Do that 5-6 days a week and I'm not spending a lot of time in the gym.
But for the majority of my clients, I have them do full body workouts. And we can still get done in 30 minutes doing one exercise for each body part for 3 sets.
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Beginner here. I've always loved Body Pump, which is a total body workout, but I'm having a lot more success after switching to a program that does body part splits. I get sore super easily, so it's hard for me to keep up with regular full body workouts. On this new program, I am working out 6 days a week, establishing a consistent exercise habit. I'm still sore everyday but it doesn't stop me from being able to make the most of the next workout. I like to work my muscles to failure (actually, that's the whole premise of the program I'm doing) and you simply can't do that with the same muscle group every single day!2
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I was going to the gym each night and my strength seemed to decrease/workouts got harder as the week went on.
My Physio told me that my muscles needed time to rest and to alternate between upper and lower workouts, and that is what worked for me. Obviously, this may not be the same for other people.3 -
I lift heavy. After a few sets of deads and a few sets of squats, I am toast. So if I try to follow that with bench and overheads, my upper body isn't going to get worked very well because I am already too wiped to push it as hard as I need to. I only do five exercises for the most part, but I still split them up. I personally think any workout where you can do it all in one session, is not really worth your time because you obviously aren't pushing yourself over the limits which means your body doesn't really need to step up it's game, and that means you aren't really moving forward. That's why I don't do it. 1
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People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
I have to disagree with you. My program may not be the best for you, and vise versa. As long as the individual is getting the results they are looking for.
You can disagree all you want. My response came from a historical point of view. Old school body building is where the popularity of lifting weights emerged, that is a fact. And because body part splits are extremely common in that sport, that's what became the norm for most people who go to the gym.
Nothing I've said refers to any individual reason or response to a particular type of training setup. I only speak from a historical roots perspective.0 -
I've been told by every trainer I've ever worked with - at least 5 of them - that you need a day of rest to repair your muscles. I do full body work outs when I go to the gym, but I go every other day or maybe every 3rd day so I've rested enough.1
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_incogNEATo_ wrote: »People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
You say the bolded with such certainty. Be careful using absolutes like that. I know that there is no way I could effectively work all of my muscle groups and still see strength gains by working them all every workout. I'm FAR from a bodybuilder.
I don't know why you would say that focusing on specific muscle groups are less than optimal either? If you're doing a full body routine, are you not still focusing on specific muscle groups in that workout?
I say it with certainty because I'm speaking from a historical point of view. Old school body building is where the popularity of lifting weights emerged, that is a fact. And because body part splits are extremely common in that sport, that's what became the norm for most people who go to the gym.
Nothing I've said refers to any individual reason or response to a particular type of training setup. I only speak from a historical roots perspective.
And after explaining the history, nothing else I've said is an absolute. It's also pretty commonly recommended here and anywhere for beginners to stick to full body training using compound movements. I so very often say around here "there is no best" and that's still the case here. I trained using body part splits the majority of my life, made great gains. Do I think it was optimal looking back, no. I wish I'd have done more full body training. Was I happy at the time, yes, so it really doesn't matter.
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reyoflightphoto wrote: »I lift heavy. After a few sets of deads and a few sets of squats, I am toast. So if I try to follow that with bench and overheads, my upper body isn't going to get worked very well because I am already too wiped to push it as hard as I need to. I only do five exercises for the most part, but I still split them up. I personally think any workout where you can do it all in one session, is not really worth your time because you obviously aren't pushing yourself over the limits which means your body doesn't really need to step up it's game, and that means you aren't really moving forward. That's why I don't do it.
I have to disagree regarding a programs worth. I train a combination of strength and body weight, and every session is full body, takes about 1.5 hours and has gotten me much more than I expected in the way of gains.
But I'm not a power lifter or body builder either. I think determining the goals, and then choosing the program(s) needed to get there is the way to go really, rather than viewing lifting/workouts as one size fits all type programs. 3 -
Just adding my two cents since I think I have a reason for splitting my workouts that hasn't been mentioned.... I don't only do weight training, nor is it a big priority for me now. Running, hiking, and yoga are my priorities and weight training is just for general health and to help me get better at the yoga and running. So.... I tend to do lower body work in the day before or after a strenuous yoga session that involves poses that stress my upper body, then do upper body work in the day before or after a long strenuous run. My schedule varies a lot from week to week but following this pattern allows me to let upper body heal/rest while lower body is worked out (and vice versa). When you go hard on the same muscle groups day after day with no rest it can lead to overtraining.1
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reyoflightphoto wrote: »I lift heavy. After a few sets of deads and a few sets of squats, I am toast. So if I try to follow that with bench and overheads, my upper body isn't going to get worked very well because I am already too wiped to push it as hard as I need to. I only do five exercises for the most part, but I still split them up. I personally think any workout where you can do it all in one session, is not really worth your time because you obviously aren't pushing yourself over the limits which means your body doesn't really need to step up it's game, and that means you aren't really moving forward. That's why I don't do it.
I have to disagree regarding a programs worth. I train a combination of strength and body weight, and every session is full body, takes about 1.5 hours and has gotten me much more than I expected in the way of gains.
But I'm not a power lifter or body builder either. I think determining the goals, and then choosing the program(s) needed to get there is the way to go really, rather than viewing lifting/workouts as one size fits all type programs.
Fair enough. If you value high levels of endurance in addition to strength then your program is better for you. I don't see the value of endurance to that level in the long run unless your goals are to be able to run a marathon or climb a huge mountain or become America's next top ninja among many others.
My goals have to do with wanting to be able to get up out of a chair with ease when I am 90, along with things like not falling out of bed and having to wait for someone to pick me up. I also want to be able to go on long walks still. Training for that requires more strength and less endurance. I try to maintain 10,000 steps a day for endurance enough to get around when I am older. I have no desire to run marathons or anything else that requires great amounts of stamina so it makes no sense for me to work on endurance to that extreme. I am looking for bone health and strength for a healthy future.
I work out for about 2 hours a week, maybe 3. I would be curious how my strength gains compare to yours. I would imagine they might be similar, but you probably have more endurance. So yes, I can see what you are saying. If you value high levels of endurance in addition to strength then the extra time is not wasted. If you are looking for strength and enough stamina to lead a healthy life and you don't want to spend long hours in the gym, it's better to go heavy and keep it simple.
It really does all depend on your goals and your lifestyle and what you value.
But I must say to the original poster, don't work out full body every day. Your muscles do need rest. I really don't think that can be argued. At 23 you might be able to take it, but it won't go well as you age. Muscles are being torn down in a work out, they need time to rebuild. That's the truth!0 -
I do lower body/upper body splits. I do each twice a week and core (stomach/back) daily when I'm at the gym. I take Wednesdays off. I don't do full body (unless I know I won't make it to the gym for a certain workout) because of time. I like to do cardio for 30-45 minutes after I lift and that would literally put me at the gym for 2hrs if I did that all the time. Splitting it up gives me a 1hr 15 minute workout and I feel accomplished but still get home in time to start my day on time. So for me, it's mostly a time/practical issue. However, I do need the muscle rest between sessions because I lift to muscle failure in terms of the amount of weight I'm lifting. I have had huge gains in tone, etc. working out this way - so it works for me.2
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As a novice you can do a full-body program and come back 48 hours later and do it again with more weight. As an intermediate, your recovery for a maximal lift is longer - three to seven days depending on programming and other factors - and you're working to maintain that balance between overload, recovery, and adaptation without lapsing into detraining.
Novice programs are designed with this in mind. That's why Starting Strength and Stronglifts have you in the gym three days a week (recognizing most people won't work out on the weekends due to other aspects of life) doing the same five lifts while adding weight to the bar every session.
Intermediate programs tend toward body part splits and/or submaximal days mid-week because they allow for greater time for recovery from those weekly maximal load days. There's certainly full-body intermediate programs (Texas Method comes to mind) but they're harder to recover from if you're not under the age of thirty, and finding time for a two-hour-plus squat and bench session is hard for a lot of people.
I'm currently on an ABxxCDxx program that's a combination of upper/lower (AB & CD) and volume/intensity (AC & BD) splits to keep progressing weekly while allowing for proper recovery. So, on the B workout I'd be doing volume squats (3x5 @ 90% 5RM) and intensity deadlift (1x5 for new PRs), while on D workout I'd be doing intensity squats (1x5 for PR with 2x5 90% 5RM backoff sets) with volume deadlift (2-3x5 @ 80% 5RM). This provides enough stimulus to promote higher strength while managing recovery quite nicely.
tl;dr: Recovery is where strength gains are made.3 -
I have to disagree regarding a program. I train a combination of strength and body weight, and every session is full body, takes about 1.5 hours and has gotten me much more than I expected in the way of gains.
But I'm not a power lifter or body builder either. I think determining the goals, and then choosing the program(s) needed to get there is the way to go really, rather than viewing lifting/workouts as one size fits all type programs.
I'd be interested in what your routine is--I'm looking for something whole body with more emphasis on body weight exercises. FYI, I'm just starting maintenance, at 6'2", 183 pounds, 57 years old, male. Thanks!0 -
i do upper body / lower body split. I use all my energy on bench day (and leg day), there is no strength or energy left over for anything eles. Also on bench day its one more rest day for my legs And visa versa.0
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no, no, no. None of the responses are why.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
I agree with this. Split workouts became popular thanks to the Bodybuilding world & steroid use. For the natural lifter protein synthesis takes around 48 hours after a workout which means you can rework a muscle/it will be "healed" in 48 hours. If you're on steroids protein synthesis is ongoing which means you don't need a stimulus (working a muscle) for it to happen like a natural lifter because it's constantly happening. That said, a lifter on steroids can actually have more gainz than a natural lifter by only working a muscle group once a week, where it is optimal for a natural lifter to work a muscle group twice a week.
Before I get scrutinized I will say that you should really find out what works best for you. Some people may have a longer recovery time so it may be more optimal for these people to do a split work out/working a muscle group once a week. Otherwise I don't see the logic between resting a muscle group for an entire week when it is ready to go again in 48 hours. That said, I'm obviously a fan of upper/lower workouts and full body workouts.
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People
no, no, no. None of the responses are why.Mycophilia wrote: »Because past the beginner stage you're generating too much fatigue per session to effectively stimulate all your muscles, hence the need to split it up.
People do body part splits because most mainstream lifting emerged from the body building world. And that's what they did. Doesn't mean it is right or the best way to do things. For most people, it's much less than optimal to do body part splits like that. And unless you are going towards the direction of bodybuilding, you could lift on a full body program your entire career and make incredible gains.
Most people should be doing full body routines, or at most an upper/lower split.
I have to disagree with you. My program may not be the best for you, and vise versa. As long as the individual is getting the results they are looking for.
You can disagree all you want. My response came from a historical point of view. Old school body building is where the popularity of lifting weights emerged, that is a fact. And because body part splits are extremely common in that sport, that's what became the norm for most people who go to the gym.
Nothing I've said refers to any individual reason or response to a particular type of training setup. I only speak from a historical roots perspective.
Your comment about splits being less optimal for most people.0 -
stephenearllucas wrote: »
I have to disagree regarding a program. I train a combination of strength and body weight, and every session is full body, takes about 1.5 hours and has gotten me much more than I expected in the way of gains.
But I'm not a power lifter or body builder either. I think determining the goals, and then choosing the program(s) needed to get there is the way to go really, rather than viewing lifting/workouts as one size fits all type programs.
I'd be interested in what your routine is--I'm looking for something whole body with more emphasis on body weight exercises. FYI, I'm just starting maintenance, at 6'2", 183 pounds, 57 years old, male. Thanks!
Get the book The Barbell Prescription by Sullivan & Baker. It outlines frameworks for your goals as you age and why they're more effective that the cookie-cutter programs you'll find on the internet.0 -
I have always made my best progress (strictly in terms of hypertrophy) on longer splits like pplx or body part splits. I make better strength gains on higher frequency.0
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feetjustgo wrote: »Beginner here. I've always loved Body Pump, which is a total body workout, but I'm having a lot more success after switching to a program that does body part splits. I get sore super easily, so it's hard for me to keep up with regular full body workouts.
Body part splits usually produce more soreness, since they tend to involve more sets per muscle group per workout. I think Body Pump includes slow reps and pulse reps, and those can increase soreness.stephenearllucas wrote: »I'm looking for something whole body with more emphasis on body weight exercises. FYI, I'm just starting maintenance, at 6'2", 183 pounds, 57 years old, male. Thanks!
A great program for your age group is New Rules of Lifting for Life.
For functional strength, it's good to include freeweights.. although not necessarily barbells.
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Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »As a powerlifter, my days revolve around bench/squat/deadlift, not body parts.
No OHP? Lol. I also a fan of incorporating accessory work to help build up those main lifts. But sometimes, especially if I have a busy schedule, I'll do 2 of the main lifts in a day and maybe 1 or 2 accessories. So I guess you could say I alternate between splits and full body in my own way lol.
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