--------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOPIC: What Is The Best Full-Body Workout For Muscle Gain?
For the week of: 9/25-9/30
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
There has been debate as to whether full-body workouts can help one gain as much muscle as 3, 4, or 5 day splits.
What is the best full-body workout for muscle gain? Be specific.
How does a full-body workout stack up to the standard 3, 4, and 5 day splits?
What are the benefits of a full-body workout routine?
What are the disadvantages?
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever used a full-body workout routine? If so, how were the results?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.
----------------------------------
NEW PRIZE MONEY!!!!!
----------------------------------
The best response will get $75 in credit, and second place will get $50 in credit to use in our online store and will have their workout posted on our main site for the world to see!
----------------------------------
NEW RULE!!!!!
----------------------------------
* New Rule: Any exercise not listed on our exercise listing (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm) must be accompanied by a full and complete description and pictures (or a link to the exercise(s) where pictures and description are given).
Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com
|
-
09-25-2007, 03:09 PM #1
- Join Date: Aug 2002
- Location: Nampa, Idaho, United States
- Age: 40
- Posts: 9,178
- Rep Power: 9190
WEEK ONE HUNDRED-ONE :: What Is The Best Full-Body Workout For Muscle Gain?
twitter.com/i_am_the_goat
-
09-27-2007, 06:13 AM #2
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Douglas, Georgia, United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 37
- Rep Power: 0
I'm a firm believer that a full body workout is better for mass than isolation training splits. Training splits, I think are better for cutting and maximum pumps.
There are many advantages to a full body workout. Most lifters like to isolate one or two muscles one day a week in a 3 to 5 day training split. It?s true your muscles need an adequate amount of rest?but NOT 7 days! Why would you let a muscle be basically inactive for a whole week? After a workout your body is in a muscle building phase for 48 hours. For example, if you workout Monday at 8:00 p.m. your body is in repair mode until Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. We all know this is when muscles grow bigger to compensate the work load. This is where the full body workout is more consistent at stressing the muscles, because you?re working them more often, therefore keeping them in the muscle build phase more often. In training splits a typical leg day may consist of 3 sets of four exercises for a total of 12 sets every 7 days. Studies show you could do the same amount of work in the same time period by doing four sets 3 days a week. Full body workouts allow you to constantly be in a muscle building state.
Another advantage is you can add mass, strength, increase muscle endurance and decrease fat loss by adjusting your reps and weight. For instance is adding mass is your goal you can have a rep range of 4-6 reps with heavy weight, for strength 8-10 reps with medium weight, or for endurance/fat loss 10-15 reps with light weight. You can also rotate them for all three. Just always remember to concentrate on working the muscle and not making the lift.
As fir the workout, try to get 2-3 exercises per muscle or group of muscles. You can use more or less exercises/sets depending on weak or problem areas. Start with a good full movement such as the squat or deadlift. Obviously you want to start with bigger muscles and work down to smaller ones. I prefer to start with front squats and end with ab pull downs. Another good method is to have all your exercises as supersets. An example workout would look like this:
(Remember sets/reps/weight would vary according to goal)
(or if you prefer supersets)
Front Squats 2 x 4-15 reps
Leg Curls 2 x 4-15
Heel Raises 2 x 10-20
Calf Raises 2 x 10-20
Pulldown 2 x 8-15
Military Press 2 x 6-12
Upright Row 2 x 6-12
Incline Bench 2 x 4-15
Bench Press 2 x 4-15
Tricep Pushdown 2 x 6-12
Bicep Curl 2 x 6-12
2 Ab exercises 2 x 10
(or if you prefer supersets)
Leg Extensions 2 x 6-15
Leg Curls 2 x 6-15
Bent Over Row 2 x 8-15
Bench Press 2 x 6-12
Tricep Pushdown 2 x 6-12
Bicep Curls 2 x 6-12
Ab Pulldown 2 x 10
Hyperextensions 2 x 10
In conclusion, the full body workout is best if you?re looking for fast muscle gain. Not only is it good for the body, but you feel better mentally afterwards. Another great advantage is it can be done in under an hour. Go ahead and customize a plan and watch your muscles pop.Last edited by snlewis25; 09-27-2007 at 12:50 PM. Reason: Pasted wrong
-
09-27-2007, 06:49 AM #3
-
09-27-2007, 12:33 PM #4
-
-
09-27-2007, 12:52 PM #5
-
09-27-2007, 04:17 PM #6
-
09-27-2007, 04:23 PM #7
-
09-29-2007, 05:52 PM #8
What is the best Full body workout for muscle gain?
1. I believe that the best full-body routine for muscle gain is going to be a 5x5 program, with emphasis on heavy compounds. An example of this would be something like Bill Starr's 5x5, as outlined HERE
A sample program, similar to the one in the link above, would be:
Monday: BACK SQUAT 5x5
Flat Bench press 5x5
Row 5x5
Assistance, such as abs
Wednesday: Deadlift 5x5
Military Press 5x5
power clean 5x3
Assistance, maybe lower back work
Friday: Back squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Row 5x5
Assistance:
Skullcrushers 3x8
Barbell Curls 3x8
You try to up the weight each workout, by maybe a 2.5% increase for your last set of 5. If you cannot complete all the reps, than keep the weight the same until you can.
For each set, you should ramp the weight. For example, if your max set of 5 is 100:
5 x 50
5 x 62.5 (round up or down, whatever you feel like)
5 x 75
5 x 87.5 (round up or down, whatever you feel like)
5 x 100
2. Full-body routines are great for beginners. One cannot deny the success that countless people have had or are having with programs such as rippetoes and Bill Starr's 5x5. They will, combined with the right nutrition, build a good base. However, at this point, if you plan on competing in a competition, you need to take into account smaller muscle groups that aren't worked by your average full body routine, such as calves, rear delt possibly, etc. This is where split routines have an advantage. They allow one to train specific muscle groups with full intensity, and bring up lagging muscle groups.
However, that is not to say that compounds are useless. Compounds should be part of every routine, but isolations have their place too. A beginner will probably have better results on a full body routine than standard 5 day split. This is parly because they cannot be trusted to have the knowledge or experience to put together a solid routine by themselves, and partly because full body routines focus on building hard mass everywhere, rather than bringing up lagging muscle groups.
3. There are many benefits of a full body routine. One such benefit is the frequency of training a certain bodypart. This may or may not apply to everyone, but I know that my body responds best to frequent training. Another potential benefit is time. It is probably going to be easier to get through a full body routine if you are pressed for time than it would be to get through "Leg day" for example, in a 5 day split routine. Lean muscle and strength gain is another huge benefit. Obviously nutrition is a very large part of weight gain, but with the right nutrition, you can gain quite of bit of muscle using a full body routine. In my experience, the strength just sort of comes with the program.
4. The only negative thing about full body routines that I can think of is that certain muscles may or may not get worked hard each workout, which could potentially cause them to lag a little.
BONUS QUESTION:
I am currently using a modified version of Bill Starr's 5x5, sort of like the one in the link above. It is an awesome routine. I have gained 6 pounds of mostly muscle in a month, and my lifts have gone steadily up. I am totally sold on fullbody routines.Last edited by Sultan_of_Spin; 09-29-2007 at 05:56 PM.
Workout Journal
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=107713181
-
-
09-30-2007, 01:08 PM #9
- Join Date: Aug 2007
- Location: Massachusetts, United States
- Age: 39
- Posts: 377
- Rep Power: 235
What is the best full-body workout for muscle gain?
I believe full-body workouts can be very effective in building muscle. A full-body circuit is one of the greatest tools for massive strength and cardio gains.
The great thing about circuits is that everyone can design their own circuit to accomplish their individual goals; you can change the amount of exercises per group, adjust the rep range, or vary you rest period, however, I will use and example of one of my favorite circuits to get you started.
Group 1
1. BB Squats
2. DB lunges
3. Calf Raises
4. Leg Extensions
Group 2
1. Wide Grip Bench Press
2. Pushups
3. Dips
4. Overhead Press
Group 3
1. Overhead Press
2. Pull-ups
3. Weighted Crunches
4. Leg Lifts
Group 4:
1. Deadlifts
2. Bent Rows
3. BB curls
4. Shrugs
Perform each group 3 times; taking 15 second rests between each exercise. One you complete the group, take a 3-minute rest period and move to the next group. You should be able to complete all four groups in about 45 minutes, increasing your strength and muscle gains, while boosting your cardio simultaneously.
How does a full-body workout stack up to the standard 3, 4, and 5 day splits?
While you may not get the opportunity to isolate each muscle, if you perform your circuits with as many compound movements as possible you will boost your overall strength and your cardio will increase dramatically, loosing body fat and showing off your amazing new physique.
What are the benefits of a full-body workout routine?
Full-body workouts are very beneficial to overall strength, and a great way to combine cardio into your lifting program. This will save you many hours at the gym and give you incredible muscle gains.
What are the disadvantages?
While full-body workouts can be a great addition to your training program, it does have its disadvantages. For example, you will generally not have the opportunity for as many isolation exercises to improve problem areas. Also, your body requires a lot of recovery after an intense full-body workout, so if you enjoy going to the gym frequently, you will have to plan your full-body workout accordingly.
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever used a full-body workout routine? If so, how were the results?
I use full-body workouts frequently for athletics. When I am training for MMA competition I use full body workouts to increase strength while boosting cardio. Your full-body routine can be adjusted to almost any goal. For example, to really boost your cardio conditioning, or to tone your body, high reps with medium weight will benefit you greatly. Or if you have a focus sport or area, doing specific exercises to target those areas may work best. (ex. Explosive pushups using a medicine ball, improving your coordination as well, or heavy bag rounds during your rest periods)."It's difficult to beat someone who never gives up."
-
09-30-2007, 06:06 PM #10
- Join Date: Jul 2007
- Location: Michigan, United States
- Age: 30
- Posts: 846
- Rep Power: 307
The full-body vs. split workout debate is as old as bodybuilding itself. Both have their advantages, and their disadvantages. But whether you?re a beginner, or one of the elite few, a proper full- body routine might be the key to your success.
What is the best full-body workout for muscle gain? Be specific.
I'm a firm believer that everyone is different, and that one program won?t work for everyone. For example, can you imagine a beginner to bodybuilding do one of Arnolds 3-hour a day, 6 days a week routines? Heck, Arnold probably spent more time just for abs (30 minutes) than many people spend in the gym. Variety in rep schemes and exercises is the road to success.
The program below is the full-body template by Cowpimp, and is taken almost word-for-word from his thread. I don't wish to tinker with it, as I believe it works best for most people as is, due to all of the choices available. It is done A, B, A one week, and B, A, B the next. The days you workout is up to you, as long as 48 hours rest is allowed between each one. 48 hours is how long a muscle takes to recover, give or take a few hours depending on the size of the muscle and the intensity it was worked.
--------------------------------
WARM-UP - 5-10 minutes of light cardio, and dynamic stretching. Warm-ups are important; although they are often being forgotten as we race in and out of the gym. They prevent injury, and spending a few minutes is better than wasting a few weeks.
Workout A:
Lower body push(quads, glutes):
back squats
front squats
hack squats
leg press
lunges
step-ups
Upper body horizontal push (pecs, triceps, anterior deltoid):
bench press variations
decline press
pushups
DB bench press
Lower body pull(back, glutes, hamstrings, grip):
Deadlifts
Good Mornings
Straight-Legged Deadlifts
Romanian Deadlifts
Glute Ham Raises
Upper body horizontal pull(lats, biceps):
bent rows
Yate's rows
cable rows
single arm DB rows
T-bar rows
Accessory movements: arm isolation work, calf isolation work, full body movements, additional work for a weak point, grip work, stabilization exercises, rotator cuff work, etc.
Workout B:
Lower body pull(back, glutes, hamstrings, grip):
Deadlifts
Good Mornings
Straight-Legged Deadlifts
Romanian Deadlifts
Glute Ham Raises
Upper body vertical push(deltoids, traps, triceps):
military press
DB press
dips
incline press (45 degree+)
Lower body push(quads, glutes):
back squats
front squats
hack squats
leg press
lunges
stepups
Upper body vertical pull(lats, biceps):
pullups
chinups
lat pull-downs
COOL-DOWN- full-body static stretch. Apparently this will stretch out the microtears created by lifting, resulting in more gains. Whether this is a myth or not, the injury-prevention is not a myth.
---------------------------------------
Popular rep schemes:
3x10 and 3x8 for hypertrophy
5x5 for power and hypertrophy
10x3 for hypertrophy and speed
3x3 for strength
These are very generalized, such as, 3x10 can easily make you stronger, and 3x3 will also result in hypertrophy. Experiment with rep schemes to see which one works for you. And it should be clear that not every exercise in a workout has to be one rep scheme. For example, you can do deadlifts for 3x3, and pull-ups for 3x10.
Train to failure?
While some people advocate training to failure, and others argue it?s a waste of energy, I, once again, support seeing what works for you. Doing the first exercise to failure, and doing the rest of them a few reps from failure, works best for me.
THERE'S NO CURLS!?!!?
Biceps are worked plenty from vertical pulls and horizontal pulls, and most people don?t require more than that. In fact, all muscles besides abs and calves should be worked out adequately. However, you can easily add in any exercises you wish on A-days.
What supplements?
I feel that a good quality whey protein is a must for most people, and I mean GOOD QUALITY. Not the ground-up bones and **** you can buy from your pharmacy, I mean proven products.
Creatine is also good, although I personally haven't had any experience with it.
And the most important supplements are food and water. EAT EAT EAT and DRINK DRINK DRINK.
How does a full-body workout stack up to the standard 3, 4, and 5 day splits?
Everyone gets different results from a full-body. They happened to work wonders for legend Mike Mentzer
But didn't work so well for the Governator, who preferred split routines
But I believe that its fair to say that beginners will respond the best to a full-body routine. Not to say that intermediates, advanced, and the elite won't, but I don't have the credibility or experience to declare one over another. All I know is that most people, including myself, live on full-body routines.
What are the benefits of a full-body workout routine?
There are a LOT of benefits of a full-body routine, which is probably why most people in a gym are doing them.
1. Days per week
The first and foremost being the amount of days per week it takes compared to a standard split. Not everyone has a whole day to workout like professional bodybuilders. With today's fast-pace lifestyle, not many people have enough time to go to the gym everyday
2. Muscles are used more frequently
On a split routine, your muscles are worked out once a week, maybe twice. On a full-body routine, your muscles are worked out three times weekly. With this amount of stimulation, the muscle gain you will see is unrivaled
3. Greater hormonal response
The amount of anabolic hormones released by your body during a workout depends on how many muscles are being worked, and how intensely they are being with. On a full-body routine, whole body should be worked, as opposed to one or two muscles groups in a split. It's comparable to natural steroids.
4. More calories burned
Such an intense workout will use a lot of calories, which will let you EAT MORE. In my opinion, this is what made me want to use a full-body.
5. Aerobic endurance
While doing a full-body routine, you're probably going to be panting the whole time due to the intensity, and small rest periods. This will strengthen your heart, lungs, and will increase your aerobic endurance.
6. Increased muscular coordination
Compound exercises, such as the bench press and squat; increase muscles coordination dramatically as opposed to a dumbbell curl, or a single-joint exercise like that.
7 .Increased neural efficiency and firing rate
A good side effect of full-bodies is that the Central Nervous System, or CNS, is heavily taxed while doing heavy compound exercises. As you progress, you will need less and less firing to lift a specified weight, which is neural efficiency. And if you ever want to impress a chick with your bench-press, your neurons can use all your muscle fibers, when it matters the most.
8. Functional strength
Many exercises in the gym have no use outside of the gym. When do you ever do something like a leg curl in the real world? The pushing, pulling, and jumping movements in the bench, deadlift, and squat, respectively are actually used in everyday life.
What are the disadvantages?
Although it has numerous advantages, there are, of course, some disadvantages.
1. Less bodypart-specific intensity
The fatigue you feel doing a full-body exercise is general fatigue, which is when your entire body and mind is feeling tired from all the work. However, each individual body part could probably do more exercise. While doing a split routine, the amount you lift is not held back by your general fatigue, and you will probably have more stimulation.
2. More prone to overtraining
The incredibly taxing quality of the full-body workout is sometimes too much for your Central Nervous System to recover from. When this happens, it's called 'overtraining'. You can prevent this by decreasing CNS stimulation, or increasing rest. Split workouts do the former.
3. More time in gym
A usual full-body workout lasts an hour, give or take 15 minutes. Compare this to the 30-35 minutes needed for a normal split-routine. However, the trade-off is that you go to the gym less times per week.
4. ITS HARD
Compounds like squats are HARD, which is why you rarely see someone squat or deadlift in a gym. SHUT UP AND SQUAT. Also the small rest periods make it hard as hell.
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever used a full-body workout routine? If so, how were the results?
I have used the Rippetoes Starting Strength routine, Bill Starrs 5x5, and a modification to Cowpimp template.
Up to today, I have continually increased mass and strength. My deadlift went from 115 to 245 in the four months i've used Rippetoes. I also went from 120 pounds, to 145 pounds in those four months. The results have changed my life, and I intend to continue using a full-body routine.
Works cited:
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/tr...y-routine.html
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle....r=bodybuilding
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle....4-073-training
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=933431Last edited by seanbolourchi; 10-01-2007 at 02:29 PM.
-
09-30-2007, 06:32 PM #11
-
09-30-2007, 07:09 PM #12
-
-
09-30-2007, 10:18 PM #13
- Join Date: Sep 2007
- Location: California, United States
- Age: 34
- Posts: 4
- Rep Power: 0
TOPIC: What Is The Best Full-Body Workout For Muscle Gain?
For the week of: 9/25-9/30
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
There has been debate as to whether full-body workouts can help one gain as much muscle as 3, 4, or 5 day splits.
The best full-body workout should contain compound exercises, that target all the muscles, but focus on the largest muscles groups.
What is the best full-body workout for muscle gain? Be specific.
Reps till failure (stay in the 8-12 reps range), pyramids, or super-slow reps
I advise that you go slow on the negative to achieve maximum muscles gain
Squats
Hack squats or weighted lunges
Straight-legged deadlift
Lat pulldowns, seated cable rows, T-bar rows, or bent over rows
Benchpress
Incline benchpress or decline benchpress
Military press
Upright rows
Calf-raises
Hanging knee raises
Curls
Tricep extensions
How does a full-body workout stack up to the standard 3, 4, and 5 day splits?
They are both good routines, but different in goals. An experienced bodybuilder who has the high intensity endurance to perform 35 sets of exercises for a single body part would prefer the split, but a competitor who’s main goal isn’t ONLY muscular gain would prefer the full-body routine. An athlete who is trying to gain strength would do better to do a full-body workout. Because each muscle isn’t worked as intensely, his training isn’t hampered by exhaustion.
What are the benefits of a full-body workout routine?
The benefits of a full body work out is that you won’t be sore from the day before. For example, if day one is back day with straightlegged deadlifts, and day two leg day with squats, the legs won’t be worked to their full potential because the hamstrings are recovering. Or if day one is shoulders and day two chests, the chest day will be lacking because many of the same muscles are recovering. Some may say that shoulders and chest workouts are closer together in a full body workout, but the muscles aren’t in the recovery phase when lifting, therefore not exhausted. Another benefit of full body workouts is that the nervous system is not over used. With a full body workout, the muscles and nervous system receive adequate rest, meaning a very quick increase in strength. Also, because larger muscles groups are worked more often, the testosterone levels will be higher, rather in a split routine, peaking during squats, straight-legged deadlifts and benchpress, and dropping during arms, abs, and shoulders.
What are the disadvantages?
The flaw with full-body routines is the time constraint. An anaerobic workout should be finished within 45-60 minutes, or the body will be in a catabolic state, the body uses tissue for energy (you lose muscles mass). Some people will find it difficult to limit their workout session to 45-60 minutes. Weightlifters can always minimize resting periods, or increase intensity to meet that limit. Some will forgo the time limit.
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever used a full-body workout routine? If so, how were the results?
I’ve used a full-body workout. I had a hard time fitting it into the time limit, but as a wrestler, I was able to get better mat time because I wasn’t lifting eve
-
10-03-2007, 06:28 PM #14
- Join Date: Feb 2006
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- Age: 44
- Posts: 6,734
- Rep Power: 10741
For those that said that full body workout works, please post your pictures!!!
To see if it is for real that it works!!!
Cause as I see the ones that said that works, have NO picture to prove what they say....System Administrator
CISCO CCNP Data Center, CCENT, CCNA Routing & Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CCNA Wireless, CCNA Data Center and CCDA Certified.
CompTIA Network+ and A+ Certified.
God be with you mother, I love you.
What we think, we become.
Buddha.
-
10-04-2007, 09:32 AM #15
-
10-04-2007, 10:15 AM #16
-
-
10-04-2007, 06:13 PM #17
- Join Date: Feb 2006
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- Age: 44
- Posts: 6,734
- Rep Power: 10741
PumpingSteel and olinerules87
I was talking about the other guys with out pictures!!!!
And as I can see there is nothing to make me change from split workouts to fullbody workout!!!!
Both of you look to be novice and thats maybe why you think that fullbody workout is the best thing for you!!!! But you can not focus on every muscle when doing all at the same time....System Administrator
CISCO CCNP Data Center, CCENT, CCNA Routing & Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CCNA Wireless, CCNA Data Center and CCDA Certified.
CompTIA Network+ and A+ Certified.
God be with you mother, I love you.
What we think, we become.
Buddha.
-
10-08-2007, 10:09 PM #18
-
10-09-2007, 01:22 PM #19
-a TRUE full body workout-
Do this, at exactly 12 pm, every saturday. One minute break between all sets, take a shake and a 30 minute nap, immediatley after the workout. Keep a solid diet and try to ease yourself at work. (if its physical)
Squat 2x8
Dumbell Pullovers 2x8
Lunges 2x8
Standing Calf Raise 2x15
Deadlift 2x8
Bent Over Row 2x8
Up Right Row 2x8
Bench press 2x8
Military Press 2x8
Barbell Bicep Curl 2x8
Skull Crusher 2x8
Weighted Ab Crunch 2x15
Wrist Curls 2x8-12
Theres no disadvantages to this, unless your scared of breaking every bone in your body.
A definit advantage, would be that you feal like the rooms spinning around you, every muscle in your body might explode and you might feal like your going to pass out.
Sweeps the floor with any split routine, TRY IT. The average muscle is not fully recovered for 7-10 days of rest, and even then, it dosent start to GROW UNTIL it IS recovered.
-
10-09-2007, 06:42 PM #20
-
-
10-10-2007, 06:30 PM #21
-
10-11-2007, 03:30 PM #22
-
10-13-2007, 02:42 PM #23
-
10-19-2007, 12:39 AM #24
-
-
10-19-2007, 11:17 AM #25
-
10-21-2007, 10:16 AM #26
-
10-21-2007, 03:06 PM #27
-
09-03-2008, 11:35 AM #28
-
-
04-29-2009, 06:10 AM #29
-
05-14-2009, 09:57 AM #30
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, United States
- Posts: 10
- Rep Power: 0
I had great success with this program when I trained full body...
3 day split
rest 60-90 seconds between sets
6-10 reps per set; 15-30 reps per set for crunches
Try it out for 6-8 weeks... you will be pleased with the end results I'm sure.
perform 1 set your 1st week, 2 sets your second week then 3 sets your third week and continue for the rest of the program at 3 sets per exercise.
Standing Calf Raises
Squats
Lying Leg Curls
Incline Bench Presses
Deadlifts
Close-Grip Pulldowns
Dumbbell Shrugs
Seated Military Presses
Triceps Pushdowns
Standing Barbell Curls
Crunches
Good Luck!
Bookmarks