Full body or P/P/L split?

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inherentst0rm
inherentst0rm Posts: 84 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm pretty new to lifting, and have been doing the SL5x5 for about 3 months now (not super consistently though sadly) Someone just told me I might see better results with a Push, Pull, Legs split and may even benefit from less rest days on the new routine.

When I started I was about 205 lbs and 25.7% BF, I hover around 180 lbs now, but still around 25% BF, so I feel like I am losing muscle mass, not body fat.

Would I benefit more from a split or is it just a case of I am not using enough weight or staying consistent enough?

Replies

  • Bentforkx
    Bentforkx Posts: 69 Member
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    How are you estimating your BF??
  • inherentst0rm
    inherentst0rm Posts: 84 Member
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    Bentforkx wrote: »
    How are you estimating your BF??

    Just going off what my scale tells me.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    What are your goals?
  • inherentst0rm
    inherentst0rm Posts: 84 Member
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    Lose body fat and gain a bit of muscle, essentially just recomp I guess.
  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
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    I had a scale that told me I was at the same body fat when I was 215 lbs not working out as I was when 178 and training for a marathon and lifting. I’d get a DEXA scan and really have a good idea of where you stand.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited October 2018
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    If your goal is to build muscle then I would use a hypertrophy program not a strength program such as SL.

    Also to build muscles, it is about the appropriate volume at a useful weight. Lack of weight on the bar isn't usually the problem it's consistency and appropriate volume.

    I'm not a fan of push/pull. First, muscles cannot push, they can only pull or contract. Secondly, not that some people can't respond to that type of programming, but there is simply is better programming available for the average person who desires hypertrophy on average.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
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    i'm with @Chieflrg above. hypertrophy program over SL. Another BIG thing is mind:muscle connection and doing the exercises with good form. I see people all wonky at the gym doing, for example, really heavy lat pulldown - but not actually using the lats properly coz the weight is so heavy they are all bunched up and crooked and stuff (but "OMG I can pull 50kg"!) - better work on form, the actual muscles and definitely run a hypertrophy program.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    How are you setting up the programs?

    Full body, 3x week?

    Push/Pull/Lower... 3x week? IMO, for a PPL to be considered for a beginner, it's gotta be a 6x week routine. Anything less than that and, IMO, you aren't getting enough frequency.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Any program that you will do consistently will be the best program.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Any program that you will do consistently will be the best program.

    That's a very good point, one that shouldn't get lost in the details.

    An average program that you do consistently will probably give better results than a "great" program that you do sporadically.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    You could also do a push/pull routine 4 days/week... But push leg exercises go in push day, and leg pull exercises go in pull day...

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