3-day split vs full body..

[mch243]

Right now I do a 3 day split Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, Legs/Abs/Shoulders. I am considering switching to a full body workout doing 1 day on 1 day off.... I know everyones different but I am curious if anyone else has made this change and what kind of results they got....

My goal is to build more mass and bulk to 175 currently I am upto 166.

My question is for the full body workout do you do 1-set for each body part, and do you switch exercises for each body part on different workout days?

Any advise would be appreciated!

[:::JMANN:::]

well i have tried numerous training methods, and have made better results with some than others, but recently went to a low volume fullbody 3x a week, and the gains i have seen in strength and size were beyond my expectations. i was going to go back to a 4day volume split, and did it for two weeks before realizing that right now i can't recover from that type of workout and am switching back to the fullbody routine in hopes to continue those gains that i was making. i think it more so depends on how your body reacts to volume/frequency training. i always said i felt i had better overall gains with lower volume and higher frequency training, but this may not be the case for everyone.

[jgreystoke]

Originally Posted by mch243

Right now I do a 3 day split Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, Legs/Abs/Shoulders. I am considering switching to a full body workout doing 1 day on 1 day off.... I know everyones different but I am curious if anyone else has made this change and what kind of results they got....

My goal is to build more mass and bulk to 175 currently I am upto 166.

My question is for the full body workout do you do 1-set for each body part, and do you switch exercises for each body part on different workout days?

Any advise would be appreciated!

Hi Mike.

It would be helpful to know what kind of poundages you are handling in some of the big basic barbell moves in your profile over the goals.

Due to joint injuries from the smith machine, I switched to full body twice a week for a couple of years, and the only mass driver was the stiff leg dead. Gained about 40lbs while getting slightly lower BF%, so went from looking like an ordinary soft guy to a muscular bouncer type. And that was in my fifties.

Rippetoe's has you doing 5 reps for three sets across. Meaning that after your warmups you do three sets at the same weight. It is considered the best program for beginners and old timers coming back after a layoff. Built in rapid poundage progression.

A system with more strength emphasis is 5 x 5 with ramping sets. Meaning you increase the weight each set. Not as much emphasis on size.

A more advanced protocol is 5 x 5 sets across. Meaning after your warmup you do five work sets at the same weight. Very intense. Lots of size emphasis. But better for strength than say 8 reps x 3 sets across. Why? The work set rep count is about the same. But the intensity is higher, as a percent of one rep max, so has more strength effect.

For a beginner doing Rippetoes, you squat three times a week. Gains are very rapid, taking advantage of "newbee gains".

A more advanced guy would likely alternate something like:

Squat, bench, row

With

Press, power clean, dead.

The big three categories of lifts are hit with alternating overlapping exercises.

1.Massive leg/back/whole body. Eg squat, deadlift variations, goodmorning.

2.Massive push. Bench variations, parallel bar dip, overhead press.

3.Massive pull. Besides dead of course. Row, clean, chin, pullup, pulldown.

Obviously direct arm work like strict curls and pushdowns can be done whenever, without cutting into recovery in the massive movements.

[mch243]

Hey guys thanks for the advice. I have been reading up on some of the articles to get a feel for the full body routine and think I'm going to give it a try starting tonight.

I kinda jumped into bodybuilding doing a 3-day split and got results but started thinking its probably for a more novice level because I never built a good base first off, and the full body hits all muscle groups more frequently...

I want to really focus on major compounds Bench, Squat, Lunges, Deadlifts, Military Press, and some arm and ab work in hopes that I do not overtrain...

Thanks for all the help though I know you probably hear the same questions over and over but I was having trouble finding info answering my specific questions.

[mch243]

Originally Posted by jgreystoke

Hi Mike.

It would be helpful to know what kind of poundages you are handling in some of the big basic barbell moves in your profile over the goals.

Due to joint injuries from the smith machine, I switched to full body twice a week for a couple of years, and the only mass driver was the stiff leg dead. Gained about 40lbs while getting slightly lower BF%, so went from looking like an ordinary soft guy to a muscular bouncer type. And that was in my fifties.

Rippetoe's has you doing 5 reps for three sets across. Meaning that after your warmups you do three sets at the same weight. It is considered the best program for beginners and old timers coming back after a layoff. Built in rapid poundage progression.

A system with more strength emphasis is 5 x 5 with ramping sets. Meaning you increase the weight each set. Not as much emphasis on size.

A more advanced protocol is 5 x 5 sets across. Meaning after your warmup you do five work sets at the same weight. Very intense. Lots of size emphasis. But better for size than say 8 reps x 3 sets across. Why? The work set rep count is about the same. But the intensity is higher, as a percent of one rep max, so has more strength effect.

For a beginner doing Rippetoes, you squat three times a week. Gains are very rapid, taking advantage of "newbee gains".

A more advanced guy would likely alternate something like:

Squat, bench, row

With

Press, power clean, dead.

The big three categories of lifts are hit with alternating overlapping exercises.

1.Massive leg/back/whole body. Eg squat, deadlift variations, goodmorning.

2.Massive push. Bench variations, parallel bar dip, overhead press.

3.Massive pull. Besides dead of course. Row, clean, chin, pullup, pulldown.

Obviously direct arm work like strict curls and pushdowns can be done whenever, without cutting into recovery in the massive movements.

Thanks for all the helpful info. I know I have to calculate my maxes. I really haven't worried about it to much, just going in and lifting my butt off.

Is there any info on this Rippetoes Routine?

[:::JMANN:::]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

[mch243]

Originally Posted by :::JMANN:::

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

Haha I found it after I posted that last one....I about have a headache after reading through it! I'm gonna give it a shot thoguh....

JMANN: What type of full body routine are you following?

[thailegacy]

Originally Posted by jgreystoke

Hi Mike.

It would be helpful to know what kind of poundages you are handling in some of the big basic barbell moves in your profile over the goals.

Due to joint injuries from the smith machine, I switched to full body twice a week for a couple of years, and the only mass driver was the stiff leg dead. Gained about 40lbs while getting slightly lower BF%, so went from looking like an ordinary soft guy to a muscular bouncer type. And that was in my fifties.

Rippetoe's has you doing 5 reps for three sets across. Meaning that after your warmups you do three sets at the same weight. It is considered the best program for beginners and old timers coming back after a layoff. Built in rapid poundage progression.

A system with more strength emphasis is 5 x 5 with ramping sets. Meaning you increase the weight each set. Not as much emphasis on size.

A more advanced protocol is 5 x 5 sets across. Meaning after your warmup you do five work sets at the same weight. Very intense. Lots of size emphasis. But better for size than say 8 reps x 3 sets across. Why? The work set rep count is about the same. But the intensity is higher, as a percent of one rep max, so has more strength effect.

For a beginner doing Rippetoes, you squat three times a week. Gains are very rapid, taking advantage of "newbee gains".

A more advanced guy would likely alternate something like:

Squat, bench, row

With

Press, power clean, dead.

The big three categories of lifts are hit with alternating overlapping exercises.

1.Massive leg/back/whole body. Eg squat, deadlift variations, goodmorning.

2.Massive push. Bench variations, parallel bar dip, overhead press.

3.Massive pull. Besides dead of course. Row, clean, chin, pullup, pulldown.

Obviously direct arm work like strict curls and pushdowns can be done whenever, without cutting into recovery in the massive movements.

pretty much what im doing it works and i will never go back to a slip routine this will keep getting me bigger and stronger

[:::JMANN:::]

Originally Posted by mch243

Haha I found it after I posted that last one....I about have a headache after reading through it! I'm gonna give it a shot thoguh....

JMANN: What type of full body routine are you following?

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/JM...workoutprogram

[mch243]

Thanks man. I never realized how complex bodybuilding can get! haha. I have been just doing my thing with the 3-day split and staying dedicated. I am going to try Rippetoes and see what happens. Because my strength hasn't been going up as much as I'd like.

[mch243]

Originally Posted by :::JMANN:::

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/JM...workoutprogram

Your freakin diesel man how much did you weigh when you first started?

[Vinda-lou]

Originally Posted by :::JMANN:::

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/JM...workoutprogram

Jmann, I am going to adopt your routine starting next week. It looks great. I am coming off about 8 weeks of 5x5, and basically taking 9 days off. Next Monday, I'm starting.

Couple questions about Weds:

barbell rows - are these bent-over?
seated press - these are shoulder presses/military, right?
lying ext. - legs, right?
seated raises - what are these? calf or laterals?
What are your rests btwn sets?

Newbie questions, sorry!

[:::JMANN:::]

Originally Posted by mch243

Your freakin diesel man how much did you weigh when you first started?

i weighed about 150lb when i moved back to cleveland from south florida. that was in the summer of 2003. i started working out again when i returned, but didn't get hardcore until just over 3 years ago when i learned about diet and nutrition and how important they are.

Originally Posted by Vinda-lou

Jmann, I am going to adopt your routine starting next week. It looks great. I am coming off about 8 weeks of 5x5, and basically taking 9 days off. Next Monday, I'm starting.

Couple questions about Weds:

barbell rows - are these bent-over?
seated press - these are shoulder presses/military, right?
lying ext. - legs, right?
seated raises - what are these? calf or laterals?
What are your rests btwn sets?

Newbie questions, sorry!

answered in a PM.

[mch243]

Originally Posted by :::JMANN:::

i weighed about 150lb when i moved back to cleveland from south florida. that was in the summer of 2003. i started working out again when i returned, but didn't get hardcore until just over 3 years ago when i learned about diet and nutrition and how important they are.



answered in a PM.

Yea man I've lifted on and off since high school but never had a good diet until I started back up in October.

I wasn't able to do Rippetoes because its a lot of reading and I only have sometime at work so I'm going to print it out and try it... Lastnight I did do my first fullbody workout and it felt 10x better then my 3 day split. Heres what I did:

Bench 3x8
Squat 3x8
Bentover Row 3x8
Shoulder Press 3x8
Barbell Curl 3x10
Tricep Pushdown 3x10
Weighted Crunches 3x15

I think the only thing I missed was calves but I was pretty shot after that workout. I plan on incorporating them into my Wednesday workout.

Do you think I should mix up my lifts every workout or stick to the same lifts for a couple weeks then switch them up alittle bit?