Why do people do leg day, arm day etc? Why not do all of them everyday?
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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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maranarasauce93 wrote: »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.
I do overhead work, usually push press or push jerks. It's a bench accessory as are rows. It's a rare program where I have a day where I'm not doing at least one of squat bench and deadlift.0 -
After an hour of lifting medium heavy, I'm toast. I've yet to develop a lower body routine that works with my bad knees and cranky lower back, so I currently have a chest & shoulders day followed by a back day at least two days after. I previously did this all in a session and ended up hurting my shoulder, likely from over-training my front and under-training my back. I like this split much better.
http://seannal.com/articles/training/rear-deltoid-exercises.php0 -
This really depends on your goals guys. The "hot" thing right now is trying to be as non-bro as possible, which is probably why you don't see that many 5-6 day splits out there being recommended. My best guess is if you started seriously lifting the last 3-4 years, you're going to say push/pull/upper/lower with focus on compound movements. If you started lifting 10+ years ago, you are probably going to see some validity in volume training vs frequency training and split body parts up. The current "cool" thing is strength.
I think it's wise to first organize your current and medium term goals, and adopt a program that maximizes the achievement of those goals. That may be an individual body part split or it might be like just nonstop compound lifts with some accessories sprinkled in. Or it might be crossfit, hell...it's all good.
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reyoflightphoto wrote: »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!
LOl, we have the same goals I'm 57 and love being able to keep up with the kids. Regarding the strength gains yours are probably higher due to the way you're approaching it. I'm about at my goal weight, but keeping a slight deficit most days, so while my gains are great compared to where I was at when I started, I couldn't say that I can match someone who's been strength training at maintenance or a surplus for a while.
So we're hitting it from different angles, but I wish you the best with your goals. No walkers or canes for us. 1 -
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!
@stephenearllucas - I use the 5x5 format M, W, F with some slight adjustments. I don't pursue maximum weights due to multiple injuries over the years that I just don't want to chance re-aggravating. But my program looks something like this most weeks, with leeway for those days I just feel like something different.
Important note here: My goals are geared towards being a strong/healthy 57 year old who, as another poster said elsewhere, wants to be able to get out of my own chair at 90 That, and my wife and I (she's strength training too at 53 years old) still have lots of hikes and fishing left to do
So define your goals, and that will help determine the program you follow.
I also use a home gym with bench, squat rack, bowflex, TRX straps and various free weights. For body weight I use "You are your own Gym" - although there are many others available.
Sunday - rest day. Long walks, elliptical for 30 minutes etc
Every day - at least 3 miles walking, which daily business eats a lot of.
Each primary workout day (M,W,F) I might substitute other exercises occasionally. This seems to really help me keep from falling into a rut.
Mondays, Fridays
Stretch/warmup 10-15 minutes
Squats: 5x5
Bench press 5x5
Deadlifts 5x5
OHP 5x5
Wednesdays:
warmup/stretch 10-15 minutes
Lunges with dumbbells or Split squats 5x5
Pendlay rows 5x5
Pushups 5xamrap
pullups 5xamrap
calf raises 2 or 3 x amrap
Tuesdays/Thursdays - lower weight and will choose 2 or 3 from below, or follow "You are your own gym"
I also have the option of doing nothing as they're technically rest days, which I do use from time to time.
Stretch/warmup as usual
barbell curls 3x8-10
tricep pulldowns 3x8-10
bodyweight squats 3x8-10
Let me ups
trx curls
trx core
I may have left some out here and there, but I hope this helps.
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As a begging powerlifter, I have a full-body routine on Mondays. Warming up at each set and then doing the same workout to failure (until I can't do any more reps). I do about 2 two three routines per body part using all muscle groups prestigious to the bench (shoulders/arms/triceps/chest), squat (legs) and deadlift (back). Then on Thursdays I max lift in all three lifts starting with a warmup, then a lower weight rep, middle weight rep, and my highest weight in one rep. If I've been at the same weight on my highest rep more than two weeks, I bump up in weight hoping to set a new PR (Personal Record). Other than that I do 20 minutes of cardio Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays for fun followed by a low weight, high-rep lifting class that only runs 15 minutes, with Tuesdays being Triceps day, Wednesdays being shoulders, and Fridays being legs. I get core work through cardio. This works for me, half of my routine is for fun, I follow a high protein macro-balanced regimen and have no problem recovering. I shoot for 200 grams in protein per day with none of it coming from supplements, I eat real food.0
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I found this interesting http://beyondfitmom.com/total-body-workouts/0
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legs 90 min
Back 75min
chest 75 min
shoulders arms 75 min
All these after my 15 min warm up and 10 min of core. They have to be on different days or would be in the gym half a day.
Second answer-- Because That is the way JOE WEIDER said to do it in the 80's So I guess I agree with RyBO0
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