Is Hitting Every Muscle the Trick?

What is a Full Body Split?

To put it simply, a full body split is when you work each major muscle group (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, legs) during each training session. People that practise body weight exercises such as HIIT and circuit training, rather than weight lifters, usually turn to a full body training split. However, full body workout is still popular among beginners and those who enjoy high volume training. Because the nature of the split necessitates a lot of energy, the split may be divided in a variety of ways based on availability and overall time commitment to the gym.

Examples of a full body weekly split may look something like this:

2x/week:

Monday: Full Body Workout

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday: Rest Day

Thursday: Rest Day

Friday: Full Body Workout

Saturday: Rest Day

Sunday: Rest Day

OR

3x/week:

Monday: Full Body Workout

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday: Full Body Workout

Thursday: Rest Day

Friday: Full Body Workout

Saturday: Rest Day

Sunday: Rest Day

OR

4x/week:

Monday: Full Body Workout

Tuesday: Full Body Workout

Wednesday: Rest Day

Thursday: Full Body Workout

Friday: Full Body Workout

Saturday: Rest Day

Sunday: Rest Day

OR

5x/week:

Monday: Full Body Workout

Tuesday: Full Body Workout

Wednesday: Rest Day

Thursday: Full Body Workout

Friday: Full Body Workout (Lighter Session)

Saturday: Full Body Workout

Sunday: Rest Day

Note: Although training 6x/week for a full body split is conceivable, I wouldn't advocate it unless you commit to lighter sessions because the high volume of the split necessitates adequate recovery time in order for progress to be made. In reality, 5 full-body exercises each week is really more than enough.

Pros & Cons of a Full Body Split

The first and most obvious advantage of a complete body split is that exercising all muscles on the same day compels you to do compound lifts (along with extra hypertrophy lifts) because compound lifts efficiently target many muscles in one single exercise. Compound lifts not only help you acquire a lot of strength, but they also help your muscles work better together. Essentially, when you use a Full Body Split, your body learns to engage your muscles as a unit rather than as isolated muscle groups which has many other benefits.

If you haven't read the previous post on the PPL (Push-Pull-Legs) split, muscle functionality, which is acquired through a full body programme, has been shown to improve athletic performance. Better functionality benefits motions, balance, muscular efficiency, and proprioception (your body's capacity to orient itself in space). These elements have direct links to improved athletic performance.

But, if you want to improve your athletic ability, is a full-body exercise the best way to go?

To say the very least, there isn't a single correct solution.

Yes, a full body split has advantages, but its disadvantages must also be considered. As previously said, exercising your entire body at once necessitates the use of compound lifts, which can have drawbacks. Don't get me wrong: compound lifts are a crucial element of weight lifting, if not the most important part. However, focusing entirely on compound lifts leads in a lack of precision training for smaller muscle groups. Neglecting minor exercises as a result of the large volume of full-body training can lead to bigger problems, such as muscle imbalances. It just depends on where you are in the training process; if you are behind or have muscle imbalances, full body exercising isn't the greatest solution.

Key Takeaways

At the end of the day, properly determining your split is one of the most critical aspects of working out. A complete body split includes both high volume training and improved athletic performance. Discipline is vital for any type of workout split, but it is more important when following a full body split, because many minor exercises are sometimes overlooked and neglected. But, people with irregular outside schedules will benefit from the added flexibility. A complete body split is one of the most efficient, and it's a great choice for a beginner!

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The Hype Behind a Push-Pull-Legs Workout Split

What is a Push-Pull-Legs Split?

Push-Pull-Legs, abbreviated as 'PPL,' is a popular split among athletes. The split divides the muscle groups that are exercised depending on the primary movements that are done to target the muscle. The push day, for example, targets the pushing muscles which are the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The pull day, targets the primary pulling muscles which are the back and biceps, and lastly leg day, aims to target each leg muscle.

A PPL split may look something like this:

Monday: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Tuesday: Pull (Back, Biceps)

Wednesday: Legs (Hamstrings, Glutes, Hip Flexors focus)

Thursday: Push (Chest, Shoulders Triceps)

Friday: Pull (Back, Biceps)

Saturday: Legs (Quads, Calves focus)

Sunday: *Rest Day

OR

Monday: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Tuesday: *Rest Day

Wednesday: Pull (Back, Biceps)

Thursday: *Rest Day

Friday: Legs

Saturday: *Rest Day

Sunday: *Rest Day

* Rest days can be interspersed with core training, aerobic exercises, or anything else that will benefit from an active rest day.

Pros & Cons of a PPL Split

A PPL split is most widely utilised by athletes because similar movement patterns contribute in the development of mobility and athletic performance. In contrast, a Bro Split, or an Upper/Lower Body Split, is designed to rapidly develop muscle mass, which has a negative impact on other athletic elements like agility, and coordination.

A significant advantage of a PPL split is the high volume of training. The split allows each muscle group to be exercised about twice a week, allowing for maximal muscular growth while also being excellent for muscle recovery. Furthermore, because the split is centered on movement rather than muscle groups, users of the split feel better recovered and can thus perform better due to the limited overlap of motions done during the various exercises. The balance between high volume training, and decent recovery periods, is what makes the PPL split so unique and balanced.

The PPL split is highly adaptable, and the training frequency may frequently be modified based on personal preference. PPL is usually either a three-day or six-day regimen, as seen above, which provides for a higher training frequency than most other splits. If properly managed, the rotation can also be modified to four training-day weeks, adding on to the flexibility of the split.

An example of a 4-day training week can be seen below:

Week 1:

Monday: Push

Tuesday: Pull

Thursday: Legs

Friday: Push

Week 2:

Monday: Pull

Tuesday: Legs

Thursday: Push

Friday: Pull

Week 3:

Monday: Legs

Tuesday: Push

Thursday: Pull

Friday: Legs

Repeat.

Meanwhile, a PPL split may grow monotonous, especially if you do the same identical push/pull/leg workout twice in the same week. Repetitiveness can lead to boredom and a loss of motivation, which is the opposite of what should be done while exercising. A variety of workouts can be difficult to come by*, but if done correctly, lack of motivation shouldn't be a worry. A PPL split is highly useful, and one of the best splits I've used for muscle strength and growth.

Key Takeaways

One of the most important components of working out is properly selecting your split. A PPL split balances the volume of training as well as the rest time your body needs. Maintaining discipline is essential for any sort of workout split, but it is more important when following a PPL split due to the nature of the repetitiveness. The additional flexibility assists people with variable outside schedules and has supplementary athletic benefits for hybrid athletes. If I say so myself, I would see this as one of the best splits, if not the best!

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A Bro Split - All You’ll Ever Need

What is a Bro Split?

The Bro Split is a routine that is most commonly used by Bodybuilders. The program incorporates split training, which essentially focuses on one major muscle group for each unique training day of the week.

For example, a Bro Split may look something like this:

Monday: Chest

Tuesday: Back

Wednesday: Arms (Biceps & Triceps)

Thursday: Shoulders

Friday: Legs & Abs

Saturday: *Rest Day

Sunday: *Rest Day

* Rest days can be interspersed with core training, aerobic exercises, or anything else that will benefit from an active rest day.

Pros & Cons of a Bro Split

Due to the nature of the low frequency training of each muscle group, the bro split routine has generated a significant amount of criticism. The problem with the low frequency training is that specialists have suggested that Muscle Protein Synthesis ("MPS"), the process by which muscle tissue is rebuilt, tends to deteriorate after 36 hours of intense resistance exercise. (MacDougall, J. Duncan, et al. “The Time Course for Elevated Muscle Protein Synthesis Following Heavy Resistance Exercise.”)

Because the Bro Split only exercises each muscle group once per week, the MPS process is also only stimulated once per week as well, which has led to the misperception that a bro split regimen does not contribute to muscular growth as other splits.

However, the Bro Split should be extremely beneficial to muscular growth and development provided a suitable quantity of exercises are correctly completed and a regular plan is maintained.

Furthermore, the Bro Split is a straightforward, easy-to-follow program. The low frequency of working the same muscle group also allows for better recuperation for subsequent training days, ideal for those trying to bulk up on muscle mass.

In comparison to other splits, like Push-Pull-Legs that are heavily movement oriented, a Bro Split is more strength based, which is why it’s often advised for more advanced gym-users

Key Points

One of the most important aspects of weight lifting is carefully selecting your split, and it should be done correctly. A Bro Split is easy, helps users gain muscle mass effectively, and is practical for advanced gym users, yet valuable for those with any level of experience.

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Works Cited

MacDougall, J. Duncan, et al. “The Time Course for Elevated Muscle Protein Synthesis Following Heavy Resistance Exercise.” Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 20, no. 4, Dec. 1995, pp. 480–86, doi:10.1139/h95-038. Accessed Nov 19. 2021.