If you do a search around the internet or input any of the listed terms into google search,
- "bodybuilding split routines"
- "weight lifting workouts"
- "muscle building workouts"
- "bodybuilding programs"
- "gain muscle workouts"
Google will return search queries listing sites that detail the typical ultra-high volume routines emulated or taken straight from muscle magazines. The routines generally consist of 4 or 5 different exercises for each muscle group with as high as 25-30 sets total.
photo credit: aghrivaine
The frequency of workouts will have you training 3 times for each muscle group every week leaving you in the gym for 2 + hours a day.The routines would stress the need to hit each muscle from every angle but this form of prioritization applies only to the highly advanced bodybuilder with years of training and a strength foundation who knows his limits.
The average recreational natural lifter won't be able to recover or do well on these high volume/high frequency programs. That's just the reality of our muscle building capabilities. Think about the purpose of lifting weights. You're trying to build muscle.
To build muscle, you need to build and develop a base of strength. To build strength, there needs to be some form or type of progressive overload. Overload is achieved through a variety of ways; adding more weight to the bar, decreasing the rest periods to increase work rate, increasing volume by increasing reps and/or sets, increasing frequency, or lifting the weight faster than the previous workouts.
The high volume split routines are too much for successively adapting and improving strength performance for most new lifters. Beginning lifters don't have the work capacity and strength foundation to handle such a high volume workload. Too much volume too quickly would stifle the body's ability to adapt to progressive overload leading to overuse injuries in the joints and connective tissues.
And without overload, you will not gain muscle.
Build that foundation of strength and muscle first for at least a year before delving into high volume protocols. Why would you need all those sets and exercises to hit the muscles from every angle if you don't have much muscle mass to begin with?
But you don't have to take my word on this. Gamble and take a risk. Try those high volume workouts and witness the results yourself.
Regardless, new lifters can do well on body part split routines. Proper programming and structuring of a split routine is key to long term progress.
General rules to keep in mind when formulating a split routine program:
- keep workouts to a maximum of 1 hour
- pick a method of progression (progression article) , record workouts in a workout journal (article) and gauge progress with the progression method
- don't do more than 3 isolation exercises per workout
- use a maximum of 2 compound movements for each muscle group
- focus on no more than training 2 muscle groups per workout
- train each muscle group a maximum of twice per week
- train a maximum of 5 days per week, 4 is preferable for new lifters with less than 1 year of serious and consistent training experience
- never work out for more than 2 consecutive days in a row, after 2 consecutive days or workouts, take at least a 1 day rest
Common and Effective Body Part Splits,
- 2-day splits consist of 2 full body workouts per week using compound movements, alternatively you could divide the full body workouts into upper body on one day and lower body on another (see minimalist strength training for busy professional )
- 3-day splits
Below is a list of variations of 3-day workout splits,
Variation 1
day 1: chest/back
day 2: rest
day 3: legs
day 4: rest
day 5: shoulder, arms, and accessories movements that train the grip, ab, forearms, calves
day 6 and 7 are rest days, repeat next week
Variation 2
day 1: chest, shoulders, arms
day 2: rest
day 3: back
day 4: rest
day 5: legs
day 6 and 7: rest days
Variation 3
day 1: legs, shoulders
day 2: rest
day 3: back, biceps, forearms/grip
day 4: rest
day 5: chest, triceps
day 6 and 7 are off days
Push/Pull/Leg 3 day split,
day 1: Push day consists of chest, shoulders, and triceps pushing exercises; bench press, shoulder press, tricep extensions/skullcrusher, military press, db chest press
day 2: rest
day 3: Pull day consists of back, biceps, and grip movements; deadlift, barbell and db row, chinups/pullups, wrist curls, bb/db curls
day 4: rest
day 5: Leg day consists of working the quads, hamstrings, and calves with squats, glute ham raises, leg curls, standing/sitting calf raises, stiff legged deadlift
day 6 and 7 are rest days
4 day splits,
A list of different 4-day splits,
Option 1
day 1: legs
day 2: chest
day 3 : rest
day 4: back
day 5: shoulders, arms, accessories
day 6 and 7 are rest days
Option 2
day 1: legs
day 2: rest
day 3: chest, shoulders
day 4: rest
day 5: back
day 6: arms and accessories
day 7: rest day
Option 3
day 1: chest, shoulders, triceps
day 2: back, biceps
day 3: rest
day 4: legs
day 5: accessories
day 6 and 7: rest
Horizontal and Vertical 4-day splits,
day 1: horizontal push
day 2: vertical pull/hip dominant
day 3: rest
day 4: horizontal pull
day 5: vertical push/quad dominant
day 6: rest
day 7: rest
Another 4-day split,
day 1: upper body
day 2: lower body
day 3: rest
day 4: upper body
day 5: lower body
day 6: rest
day 7: rest
5 day splits, work on a 9-day rotation as opposed to a 7-day rotation
Option 1
day 1: legs
day 2: chest
day 3: rest
day 4: back
day 5: shoulders, triceps
day 6: rest
day 7: accessories
day 8: rest
day 9: repeat day 1
Option 2
day 1: chest
day 2: back
day 3: rest
day 4: shoulders
day 5: arms
day 6: rest
day 7: accessories
day 8: rest
day 9: repeat day 1
Option 3
day 1: quads
day 2: mid to upper back
day 3: rest
day 4: chest
day 5: hamstrings, calves
day 6: rest
day 7: shoulders, arms, accessories
Now if you're relatively new to this type of training, start with low volume and gradually add sets (through set progression) for these routines.
Start with 2 sets of 8-12 reps for the mass compound movements and 1-2 sets for the accessories and isolation exercises like bb/db curls, calf raises, and wrist curls.
Train for performance increases and improvements by building strength. Do the least amount of volume you can get by that allows for results. It's not necessary to do more just for the sake of doing more if doing less gives optimum results in strength and muscle mass.
Nutrition
photo credit: clspeace
Also take care of the nutrition part of the bodybuilding equation,
- Take in at least 1g of protein per lb of lean body weight. I go for 1 gram per lb of bodyweight.
- Ensure a calorie surplus of at least 300-500 calories daily.
- Optimize carb/protein/fat ratio to 40/40/20, 50/30/20, or 35/35/30
- Get your EFA's, essential fatty acids
- drink lots of water, water keeps muscles looking full
- Take a post workout drink consisting of at least 25 grams of fast digesting carbs and 20 grams of protein for fast recovery, stifle cortisol release, and react with insulin to shuttle nutrients to muscle cells for immediate recovery, repair, and growth.
Sleep is the final part of the bodybuilding equation. Get at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night.
Train Hard. Train Safely. Train Smart.
If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to leave a comment below or email me at ZQH245@gmail.com or ZQH250@gmail.com
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