Training Splits... Which are best for your goals?

Training twice a week or, 7 days a week? Which is the best? Which type of splits do y’all enjoy the most?

Replies

  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    Right now I'm on a 3 day full body. I'd really like to do a 4 day split, but my schedule is so tight as it is. My gym is pretty far away, I drive to it because they have the best childcare. So it's 3 day full body for me for now.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Weight room right now full body 2x per week. I do it primarily to maintain some semblance of a reasonably good poolside physique and to maintain my muscle mass as I age...it's not my favorite thing in the world, but I do it. The rest of the time I like being out on my road bike or hitting the trails on my CX bike.
  • Right now I'm on a 3 day full body. I'd really like to do a 4 day split, but my schedule is so tight as it is. My gym is pretty far away, I drive to it because they have the best childcare. So it's 3 day full body for me for now.

    Dedication! That’s awesome, good for you! Truly, much respect
  • cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Weight room right now full body 2x per week. I do it primarily to maintain some semblance of a reasonably good poolside physique and to maintain my muscle mass as I age...it's not my favorite thing in the world, but I do it. The rest of the time I like being out on my road bike or hitting the trails on my CX bike.

    That’s great! As long as your diet is somewhat in check, you’re active, and doing those full body, hitting them compound movements, and using progressive overload. You’ll maintain maybe even gain a bit of lean muscle mass. Good for you, keep it up!
  • rosiorama
    rosiorama Posts: 300 Member
    edited February 2019
    I am currently doing four days a week upper/lower split. Would love to go 5 or even 6 days per week but I’m working over 50hrs / week right now. It wears me out trying to do more.

    My work is about 5 km from home so at least once a week I take the bus one way and then walk home. When it gets warmer I’ll be cycling a few days a week too.

    I personally like alternating 5 days one week and then six the next. Three days lifting. one day break. Repeat... Take an extra day here and there if it gets too feel like too much.
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    Pull-Legs-Push-Legs-repeat sequence, hitting entire body at least 2X/week. Often lifting 7 days consecutively (mostly high volume with select# (1-3) strengths lifts per session) followed by 7 days off (work schedule related). Not trying to make any crazy gains, just maintenance. LISS Cardio everyday

    Can't make fullbody work; for myself exercise should be fun & I like too much variety. Possibly will be throwing in some bodyweight movements & resistance band work during my 7 days off from lifting stints.
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    Injured. Only training legs and core 3x a week and gonna blow my brains out if I have to sit on the leg press one more time
  • jdog022 wrote: »
    Injured. Only training legs and core 3x a week and gonna blow my brains out if I have to sit on the leg press one more time

    Damn brotha, wishing you a speedy recovery mate!
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    edited February 2019
    I'm in the final 2 months of training for 2 marathons in 2 weeks, so am only doing upper body strength training at the mo (I do do leg work but not heavy and it's all prescribed by my trainer)

    I do shoulders and arms on a Monday, core on Wednesday and chest and back Thursday.
    Once my marathons are over with I'll start slowly adding 2 leg days back in, one squat focussed and the other deadlift. I'll start with really light weights while in recovery month and then start adding the kgs every week.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I always come back to 3x per week full body (lower focus), plus one higher rep glute day and an extra upper day if I'm bulking. Upper/lower splits never work well for me, I have tried so many times and I end up skipping certain days because I find them so boring. So that clearly isn't a good plan for adherence for me!
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I always come back to 3x per week full body (lower focus), plus one higher rep glute day and an extra upper day if I'm bulking. Upper/lower splits never work well for me, I have tried so many times and I end up skipping certain days because I find them so boring. So that clearly isn't a good plan for adherence for me!

    Same / what are you doing on the other days? Just curious

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I always come back to 3x per week full body (lower focus), plus one higher rep glute day and an extra upper day if I'm bulking. Upper/lower splits never work well for me, I have tried so many times and I end up skipping certain days because I find them so boring. So that clearly isn't a good plan for adherence for me!

    Same / what are you doing on the other days? Just curious

    If I'm bulking I keep cardio minimal otherwise I find it hard to keep up with my intake. If I'm cutting I will add two days of cardio.. one steady state and one more intense.
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
    edited February 2019
    3 days a week full body resistance, 3 days a week cardio (1 long run - 10K, 1 interval sprint, 5K parkrun), 1 day complete rest
  • DisneyHook
    DisneyHook Posts: 5 Member
    I train for strength, so I do 3 days a week Mon/Wed/Fri full body each day. It's allowed me to come from 170lbs squat to 360 squat in just 4 months.
  • Erika90292 wrote: »
    I'm on a 5 day program. I love it, but it took some serious planning with work and my social life. Luckily, it leaves my weekends free in which I'll do a cardio session of box jumps, step ups, treadmill, etc.

    Seems like you got it figured out! Keep killing it!
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    4 days body part splits. leg days, chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulder (with now some extra glutes work on shoulders day).
    If I make it 5 times (sometimes I can - I go to the gym at work and sometimes I can't do all 5 days) so the 5th day is a bonus day and I will usually do legs/glutes or just do whatever i feel like - work on form on my major lifts for example, rather than a proper workout off my plan.

    Saturdays I swim, Sunday I sit on my *kitten*.
  • Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    4 days body part splits. leg days, chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulder (with now some extra glutes work on shoulders day).
    If I make it 5 times (sometimes I can - I go to the gym at work and sometimes I can't do all 5 days) so the 5th day is a bonus day and I will usually do legs/glutes or just do whatever i feel like - work on form on my major lifts for example, rather than a proper workout off my plan.

    Saturdays I swim, Sunday I sit on my *kitten*.

    That’s an awesome routine, active lifestyle 💪
  • karlpm
    karlpm Posts: 78 Member
    I do the same:
    1 - Legs and Bi
    2 - Chest and Tri
    3 - Back and Bi
    4 - Shoulders and Tri

    This is usually heavy weights, low reps. Then the Bi/Tri stuff is lower weight and high reps. I usually throw in a couple of core movements each day also.

    And if I get time/can be bothered:
    5 - Run (5K) and heavy arms (my bro day)

    My team at work is pretty good and each hour on the hour we do 1-2 minutes of body weight stuff, push ups, squats etc. I usually do a plank so that adds up to about 8-10 minutes of plank a day.
  • karlpm wrote: »
    I do the same:
    1 - Legs and Bi
    2 - Chest and Tri
    3 - Back and Bi
    4 - Shoulders and Tri

    This is usually heavy weights, low reps. Then the Bi/Tri stuff is lower weight and high reps. I usually throw in a couple of core movements each day also.

    And if I get time/can be bothered:
    5 - Run (5K) and heavy arms (my bro day)

    My team at work is pretty good and each hour on the hour we do 1-2 minutes of body weight stuff, push ups, squats etc. I usually do a plank so that adds up to about 8-10 minutes of plank a day.

    Interesting splits, I dig it. Keep working hard brotha!
  • tanasta2
    tanasta2 Posts: 19 Member
    edited February 2019
    I usually do these:

    Week 1
    1. Shoulders and Chest
    2. Back
    3. Arms (mine are lacking I need to dedicate a day to it once in a while, including forearms)
    4. Legs (including calves, sometimes including abs)

    Week 2
    1. Shoulders and Abs (optional)
    2. Chest and Triceps
    3. Back and Biceps
    4. Legs (including calves, sometimes including abs)

    And repeat
  • Riff1970
    Riff1970 Posts: 136 Member
    I like 4 or 5 days a week. Push, pull, legs split is what I always go back to.