Full bodies or Splits

[apollo1975]

Just a quick question I'd like to ask on lifting on a calorie deficit fat loss programme.

Want people to answer out of personal experience rather than what they've read.

What workout do you think is better?

A chest, back, shoulders, legs split 4 times a week.

Or a full body workout 3 times a week.

Both workouts lifting heavy on a 3x8 basis.

[mpipes]

3x8 lifting heavy full body 3X per week could be OK or could cut you short on recovery time and lead to joint issues.

The benefit of a full body workout is you burn more whole body glycogen which can aid in fat loss or at the least give incoming carbs in your diet a place to go (muscle cells) but to do this you use a higher volume and slightly less weight.

The heavier you want to go, the less often you can do it, so a heavy full body 3X/week is most likely out of the question. Unless you kept volume super low or used strictly "big bang for the buck" type lifts like deadlifts one day, squats plus overhead press on another day, and barbell rows on the 3rd day - that makes your workouts pretty efficient on time.

The split you mentioned would work well too as you're working different muscles each day and should have plenty of time for recovery from heavier workouts. Plus, you can always add cardio on the chest, back and shoulders days essentially turning those days into full body workouts... so you not only get a 4 day split, you also get 3 full body days, and 3 cardio days.. then you still have either 3 off days per week left over, or you can add light cardio/activity to them as well.

In the long run, provided you get enough recovery time, either way is fine. Some people will do well with only one or the other, others will do fine with either, it just depends how well the individual body recovers.

[Pine Grove]

Personally I have had best gains with a push/pull/legs split. I like to think of my lifting totally separate from cardio or weight lose. I don't lift to lose fat... I lift to get strong.

[sharpieblet]

routine should pretty much stay consistent regardless of whether you're cutting or bulking, but anytime you go on a deficit you will start to have lower energy levels at some point, which is why it's common to lower overall volume and take off a set, maybe two, from a lot of exercises. us doing it naturally just can't expect to go high volume and high weight constantly on a cut, unless you're genetically gifted and have amazing recovery. that said...

i would say let your routine match your level of development for the most part. there's a lot of people doing bodybuilder splits and making decent progress (i've been there) but don't realize they would be making much better progress if they switched to a full body or upper/lower split, anything that would let them hit everything 2-3x a week. the difference after switching is VERY noticeable. i say let the advanced guys have the bodybuilder splits, and let the rest of us take advantage of faster recovery.

[Jaks]

If you're incorporating the big three lifts and hitting them heavily enough, I'd be surprised if you have the energy for a 4-5 day split on a calorie deficit. I prefer to lift every other day so I retain the muscle, and mix it up with cardio to deplete the glycogen stores. I'm only guessing, but I imagine it'd also be easier on the ligaments and CNS damage which would take longer to recover on a cut.

[lee__d]

I'd prefer upper/lower 2x weekly or fb 3x weekly for 99% of naturals regardless of cutting or bulking

[v4micajr]

I've always done something along the lines of split days- back/bis; chest/tris; shoulders; legs then day off. I've always assumed that full body would either take too long, or just wouldnt be worth my time- but ive never done them to actually find out

[lee__d]

My thoughts are based on Ian's knowledge:

[apollo1975]

So I'm back on my annual cut again and this question has raised its ugly head again.

For the last 4 months I've been working a 5 day split - chest, back, legs, shoulders & arms with two rest days in the mix and on that program I am the strongest I've ever been, finally broke the 100kg bench press too. I've only been eating 50% clean, plus I was working abroad for 6 months so I've put on 30lbs. I'm hoping not all fat, but I'm certain 20+ pounds of it is.

Anyway I'm on a 16 week cut, calorie deficit diet and although I'm still doing a 5 day split. I'm thinking of doing a upper/lower split 5 times a week, upper 3 times and legs twice. I've only ever cut using that routine, so I know it works.

Curious to see if the 5 days split works but as I'll only be maintaining. I thought hitting upper three times a week would help me hold on to my muscle.

Thoughts?

[Robin13]

I'm cutting so doing a push day Monday/Thursday...chest..shoulders..tris and quads
Pull day. Tuesday/Friday........back...biceps..hams....rest up Wednesday and weekends