Brand new here, trying to find these answers - splits, muscle growth and sets/reps

Hi everyone,

Ok so I've watched about a billion Youtube videos now over the last year during Covid on everything to do with body building you name it.

I've tried a few different training styles and ideas now related to these different ways of training but still want to know so much more.

I am new to weights really (I am 43yo) as did endurance sports my whole life (boxing) and for the last few years now started doing a circuit of weights in the gym with a full body workout every second day, basically I went on every machine in the gym and did 2 circuits in about 45 minutes (6-8 reps to near failure on each one).

I did cardio every other day.

Now I have been trying to build muscle and see how my body responds and am trying all of the different things I am learning online including:

Compound strength lifts to 1 rep max
Endurance/hypertrophy training with 20+ reps of both compound and isolation exercises similar to my circuit
Bro splits with 8-10 reps x 3 sets which destroyed me
Push pull splits with above ratio
Other splits trying different forms of training over a weekly cycle to see how I respond and lower/higher reps within this split based on the exercise in both movement planes
Plus Yoga, Calisthenics, running, movement training, boxing etc

I find recovery hard and am not on steroids and have limited time in the gym so am trying to learn the best ways of training for muscle growth not interested in strength or endurance.

I want to know everything I can. Please add your comments.

Thank you.

The best tip is don't try to roll your own program. There are many nuances to program design which only come with both experience and knowledge. These are things that you get for free if you run a ready made routine like Fierce 5.

Another hint which surprises many is this: "splits" don't matter. It's all about exercise selection and the total amount of work you do for each exercise accumulated over time. How you organise it during the week is far less important. The idea that you have to wait for X hours to be recovered before training a muscle again is a gross oversimplification.

[QUOTE=SuffolkPunch;1636629283]The best tip is don't try to roll your own program. There are many nuances to program design which only come with both experience and knowledge. These are things that you get for free if you run a ready made routine like Fierce 5.

Another hint which surprises many is this: "splits" don't matter. It's all about exercise selection and the total amount of work you do for each exercise accumulated over time. How you organise it during the week is far less important. The idea that you have to wait for X hours to be recovered before training a muscle again is a gross oversimplification.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Suffolk Punch

I appreciate your reply. However, I believe that to best understand this whole training thing it is good to study (and try) all aspects, otherwise I am just randomly following someone else's work hence my trying of the different types of weekly workouts and splits. This is also a structure that allows me to work out what works and what doesn't in terms of exercises and time. For now I am learning.

I do understand and appreciate exercise selection (good point), total volume and rest times and think that these are key.

I am still learning all of the different exercises and movement patterns which I enjoy, total volume is a bit of a mystery to me right now (in terms of my own growth) and rest time I've learnt is massive for me also as I am older now and can;t afford to be completely busted after every workout and let it take away from other parts of my life as a father.

Now to facts, this is why I was originally doing total body workouts with varying exercises, for time efficiency and yield.

What I am trying to work out now though is if there is a better way of structuring my time/this (splits etc) and how to maximise muscle growth or gains within this?

I did exactly what you are describing myself... and I still say it's a mistake. You can still learn a lot from observing how a well structured routine works - you aren't just blindly following instructions, there is always adjustments to be made based on feeback.

Of course you can also be learning the principles at the same time but it will be a LONG process and take way more than a few casual posts on a forum. Here are some resources for you
Greg Nuckols - strongerbyscience
Menno Henselmans
Eric Helms
Brad Schoenfeld
Mike Israetel

and there are probably many I've forgotten but that gets you 99.999% of what you need to know - all science based practitioners, coaches and researchers

[QUOTE=SuffolkPunch;1636630523]I did exactly what you are describing myself... and I still say it's a mistake. You can still learn a lot from observing how a well structured routine works - you aren't just blindly following instructions, there is always adjustments to be made based on feeback.

Of course you can also be learning the principles at the same time but it will be a LONG process and take way more than a few casual posts on a forum. Here are some resources for you
Greg Nuckols - strongerbyscience
Menno Henselmans
Eric Helms
Brad Schoenfeld
Mike Israetel

and there are probably many I've forgotten but that gets you 99.999% of what you need to know - all science based practitioners, coaches and researchers[/QUOTE]


Thanks SP!

Compound lifts with free weights give the best return on investment of time and energy. Squat, deadlift variation, bench press, row, overhead press, pull-up/pulldown. They work several muscles within one exercise movement.

The main drawback to compounds is the fatigue cost if you push too hard & heavy. So learn your limits.

Look at and compare the following strength-building programs:
Fierce 5
Candito Linear
Vikings
AllPro
Stronglifts 5x5
Starting Strength

I started at age 39, 135 lbs 5'7". Did my own thing for the first year+. Still wish I'd started any of the above programs sooner.

[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1636632643]Compound lifts with free weights give the best return on investment of time and energy. Squat, deadlift variation, bench press, row, overhead press, pull-up/pulldown. They work several muscles within one exercise movement.

The main drawback to compounds is the fatigue cost if you push too hard & heavy. So learn your limits.

Look at and compare the following strength-building programs:
Fierce 5
Candito Linear
Vikings
AllPro
Stronglifts 5x5
Starting Strength

I started at age 39, 135 lbs 5'7". Did my own thing for the first year+. Still wish I'd started any of the above programs sooner.[/QUOTE]

Whoa I was the same! I started at 39 doing full body circuits and did them for the last few years until Covid hit then spent time researching other ways of training and putting more effort into this. I'll check those things out see what I can find.

I'm 5"8, 43yo and about 95kg and only tried out PB's for a month last year but did pretty well for a 'beginner' with 135kg bench, 160+kg squat and 150kg deadlift.