Fullbody vs splits

[xBORKOx]

What do you think, which is the best one? Many people say splits are **** cause you have to wait several days ( sometimes even a week ) to train a certain bodypart again and I think I am one of them...what do you think?

[Retardo-pex]

If you are just starting out full body work is the way to go. Once you have a grasp and get some numbers up on heavy compound lifts, thats when you wanna start thinking baout split routines.

[industree]

If you are just starting out full body work is the way to go. Once you have a grasp and get some numbers up on heavy compound lifts, thats when you wanna start thinking baout split routines.

x2, fullbody are great for starters.

[beefcake_andy]

im doin massive 2 month bulk, where i aim to gain 10 pounds. Regarding my training i have solid experience and would regard myself as an intermediate lifter. To maximise my muscle gains should i do a full body workout 3 times a week? Or something like a 2 day split of chest + back + triceps, and shoulders + legs + biceps, performed every second day? i know the latter sounds weird but i just cant imagine doing bench, deads, squats and clean&presses all in the same workout. i am looking for maximum size.

[GoJu]

What do you think, which is the best one? Many people say splits are **** cause you have to wait several days ( sometimes even a week ) to train a certain bodypart again and I think I am one of them...what do you think?

splits are just way too boring for me, plus I like squatting, pressing, and pulling multiple times a week (2-4x is fun), if you're going to wait a week make sure you really need that week but the reality is you're probably not gonna do that much damage to the muscle that you need to wait a week, for natural lifters IMO 2x a week is good.

fullbody's are great for strength/conditioning at any level (depends how you structure the routine)

splits are good to specifically target weak areas, for the most part used for aesthetic purposes but athletes do use them as well to bring up certain weaknesses in their lifts or performance.

[Overload]

Both work well if planned correctly. With the full body routines, especially if done 3x a week, you need to watch the volume. Google HST and you'll see how they set up their full body routines.

I've just started one where 1 workout is free weight based, the next is bodyweight exercises and then back to free weights for the 3rd workout and I rotate that way with different exercises each time with a days rest in between each workout.

I just do about 2 sets per exercise and it's usually 1 exercise per major muscle group. Works well and keeps the issue of overtraining under control through the lower sets and # of exercises. Yet the increased frequency improves gains.

[Progressive8]

A full body rountine or an upper lower split, both are working wonders for me, i have tried as high as a FIVE friggin day split and the results were not impressive, the more days u split into(with the exception of a 2-day) the worse your results will be unless your on anabolic steriods or have many, many years of expierence with great recovery abilities imho. 3 day splits and over are resipies for either under or overtraining.

[In Flames]

both routines have merit. look at guys like steve reeves who always did full body workouts and he looked amazing. its all about preference. if you dont enjoy your routine then you wont do it or you will half ass it. the worst routine out there can yield results if your constantly doing it and putting 110% of your effort into it.

[Nightwolfer]

im liking splits , ive done both however split has really brought up some weak bodyparts (shoulders, triceps) and im growing nice even on a cut.

[zpnq]

What do you think, which is the best one? Many people say splits are **** cause you have to wait several days ( sometimes even a week ) to train a certain bodypart again and I think I am one of them...what do you think?

Fullbody is better for a beginner, but at some point you are going to have to split your work out up. When your lifts start to get heavy and are taxing your body more and more, there is no way you can do all of them in one day effectively. The heavier you lift the more your CNS gets hit, so when you lift heavy heavy weights on lots of lifts you will need to split them to allow your CNS to cope.

So i think a Fullbody is good to start with , then move to a 2 day split, then a 3 day split, then a 4 day split , then... a body part split.

Mixing it up also never hurts, an advanced lifter can do some fullbody routines and beginners can get into spilts, but i think they should not be the basis of there training and should just be to mix it up.

[nhemmie7]

ok i am having a lot of difficulty in finding a workout i like...i think i like splits but can only work out 3x a week so is split ok to do? also, can anyone please either refer me or show me a good split to follow. I know this is everyones goal, but i am really looking to add some muscle and have been trying so hard. I really hope that its not my diet that is stopping me from making gains because i really focus on this. Please help me though, thanks and reps to anyone!

[Overload]

ok i am having a lot of difficulty in finding a workout i like...i think i like splits but can only work out 3x a week so is split ok to do? also, can anyone please either refer me or show me a good split to follow.

How about rotating an upper/lower? That's a good way to use your 3 days you have available and things get hit with a little more frequency then once a week.

[nhemmie7]

How about rotating an upper/lower? That's a good way to use your 3 days you have available and things get hit with a little more frequency then once a week.

thanks, do you know where i could find a premade routine?

[Overload]

thanks, do you know where i could find a premade routine?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=815756

[Retardo-pex]

if you're going to wait a week make sure you really need that week but the reality is you're probably not gonna do that much damage to the muscle that you need to wait a week, for natural lifters IMO 2x a week is good.

This is said a lot on these boards and for strength purposes it is absolutely correct, but after reading some studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning research most of the results show that for pure hypertrophy goals (increased muscle CSA) Volume is the most important variable and frequency has a very small role.

One of the studies took, 19 male college students and had one group do the prescribed workout (basic 3x10 split type I believe) 1 time per week, group 2 would do it 2 times per week, and group 3 would do it 3 times per week. Each group averaged about 22% increase in muscle CSA while the 2-3x per week groups averaged higher strength gains on the tested lifts (mostly due to nueral adaptation)

Anyways like I said before , to build the foundation fullbody is the way to go, but once its time for some fine tuning and looks are your main goal, splits do a body good.

[GoJu]

This is said a lot on these boards and for strength purposes it is absolutely correct, but after reading some studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning research most of the results show that for pure hypertrophy goals (increased muscle CSA) Volume is the most important variable and frequency has a very small role.

One of the studies took, 19 male college students and had one group do the prescribed workout (basic 3x10 split type I believe) 1 time per week, group 2 would do it 2 times per week, and group 3 would do it 3 times per week. Each group averaged about 22% increase in muscle CSA while the 2-3x per week groups averaged higher strength gains on the tested lifts (mostly due to nueral adaptation)

Anyways like I said before , to build the foundation fullbody is the way to go, but once its time for some fine tuning and looks are your main goal, splits do a body good.

for bodybuilding I agree, as far as hypertrophy goes volume is the main thing, what I'm arguing is that most people don't do enough volume in a workout that they're going to need a whole week to recover so why not workout again if you're ready to go in 2 or 3 days? you're just de-conditioning yourself that way IMO.

[Al Swearengen]

This is said a lot on these boards and for strength purposes it is absolutely correct, but after reading some studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning research most of the results show that for pure hypertrophy goals (increased muscle CSA) Volume is the most important variable and frequency has a very small role.

One of the studies took, 19 male college students and had one group do the prescribed workout (basic 3x10 split type I believe) 1 time per week, group 2 would do it 2 times per week, and group 3 would do it 3 times per week. Each group averaged about 22% increase in muscle CSA while the 2-3x per week groups averaged higher strength gains on the tested lifts (mostly due to nueral adaptation)

Anyways like I said before , to build the foundation fullbody is the way to go, but once its time for some fine tuning and looks are your main goal, splits do a body good.

what do you think the difference would be if they ran the test for a year or more?