Questions About 3-Day Split Routine

O.P.H

1- When doing the 3 day split routine I have been told the best combination is Chest/Biceps - Legs/Shoulders - Back/Triceps. Does it really matter what combination you do. I prefer to keep chest, biceps and triceps on seperate days so I can really work them and not tire them out two much with other exercises.

2- Are supersets any good. I tried them the last day and had to use lighter weights than usuall because of fatigue.

3- Usually I do 4 different exercises for each muscle goup(4 sets). Always 10 reps which is usually to failure and lower the weight slightly if I need to hit the 10 reps, is this way ok.

4- I want to focus on chest,biceps, triceps and shoulders for obvious reasons. I realise you have to do everything, legs and back included for all round best results and I do and will do, but I want to tweak my session slightly and want feedback if its a good or bad idea.

Firstly I dont do cardio as I'm trying to build etc.

So this is the idea. Monday(chest/shoulders) Wednesday(biceps/triceps) Friday(chest/shoudlers) etc etc. It would be that routine constantly, every second day, and I would throw in a legs/back session once a week in between two of the original sessions, so lets say on a thursday I would do the legs/shoulders.

I want to do this becuase the strength and size of my legs is alot better than that of my upperbody I want to focus on this.

Brian?

O.P.H wrote: »

1- When doing the 3 day split routine I have been told the best combination is Chest/Biceps - Legs/Shoulders - Back/Triceps. Does it really matter what combination you do. I prefer to keep chest, biceps and triceps on seperate days so I can really work them and not tire them out two much with other exercises.

2- Are supersets any good. I tried them the last day and had to use lighter weights than usuall because of fatigue.

3- Usually I do 4 different exercises for each muscle goup(4 sets). Always 10 reps which is usually to failure and lower the weight slightly if I need to hit the 10 reps, is this way ok.

4- I want to focus on chest,biceps, triceps and shoulders for obvious reasons. I realise you have to do everything, legs and back included for all round best results and I do and will do, but I want to tweak my session slightly and want feedback if its a good or bad idea.

Firstly I dont do cardio as I'm trying to build etc.

So this is the idea. Monday(chest/shoulders) Wednesday(biceps/triceps) Friday(chest/shoudlers) etc etc. It would be that routine constantly, every second day, and I would throw in a legs/back session once a week in between two of the original sessions, so lets say on a thursday I would do the legs/shoulders.

I want to do this becuase the strength and size of my legs is alot better than that of my upperbody I want to focus on this.

Neglecting your legs is a terrible idea, mainly because this means you're not doing to 2 best mass building excercises; 1.Squats 2. Deadlifts.

Not working your back is also a terrible idea because it will give you an imbalance between your front and back, you'll be hunched forward like a caveman.

A whole session dedicated to just arms, I can never understand how anyone does this. I'd be bored to tears as well as unable to drink a cup of tea afterwards.

You also need to look at whether you actually need to be doing a split routine, what are you lifting at the moment? Maybe you should concentrate on full body training if you're only a beginner.

O.P.H

But I would be working the back and legs, once a week, and in that session I do the squat and deadlift. The only problem in doing it the new way I have detailed above would be that I would be using up a "rest day" to do them, which is important for the muscles to build an all that. But I was hoping since its only the back and legs that I'd be doin and not the chest, biceps, tricpes or shoulders then it would be like a semi rest day for those areas, probly not though.

I know what ya mean by the tea comment. After a biceps/triceps session I need two hands to drink my water, its a funny feelin.

Been doin weights about 3 months now.

I find doin a full body session takes too long and is pretty hard and ya never really focus on certain areas properly

FunkZ

O.P.H wrote: »

I want to do this becuase the strength and size of my legs is alot better than that of my upperbody I want to focus on this.

Yeah? What do ya squat and deadlift? What do ya weigh?

aye

briankeating wrote: »

Neglecting your legs is a terrible idea, mainly because this means you're not doing to 2 best mass building excercises; 1.Squats 2. Deadlifts.

Not working your back is also a terrible idea because it will give you an imbalance between your front and back, you'll be hunched forward like a caveman.

A whole session dedicated to just arms, I can never understand how anyone does this. I'd be bored to tears as well as unable to drink a cup of tea afterwards.

You also need to look at whether you actually need to be doing a split routine, what are you lifting at the moment? Maybe you should concentrate on full body training if you're only a beginner.

have to agree with this.
neglecting the legs, and the back. two days on chest is going to lead to an imbalance.
if you want a v shape you need to work your back.

if you want to build you need to work your legs.

O.P.H wrote: »

But I would be working the back and legs, once a week, and in that session I do the squat and deadlift. The only problem in doing it the new way I have detailed above would be that I would be using up a "rest day" to do them, which is important for the muscles to build an all that. But I was hoping since its only the back and legs that I'd be doin and not the chest, biceps, tricpes or shoulders then it would be like a semi rest day for those areas, probly not though.

I know what ya mean by the tea comment. After a biceps/triceps session I need two hands to drink my water, its a funny feelin.

Been doin weights about 3 months now.

I find doin a full body session takes too long and is pretty hard and ya never really focus on certain areas properly

the point of split days is to work different body parts on different days, so you can work on consecutive days.

a biceps triceps session would be better replaced with back and legs work. you'll work your biceps doing most back exercises, and your triceps doing most chest exercises.

what was your full body day like? if you are only going 3 days a week, is there really a need for a split?

billyhead

Agree with the above comments. You need to include a heavy leg workout once a week. You need to build the foundations first i.e like building a house build from the bottom up. Incorporate in the leg workout Squats, Deadlifts lunges, Leg Presses, Leg Extensions and Calve raises both sitting and standing. You will also as mentioned need a good back workout each week involving Barbell rows, Pull ups, One arm dumbell rows, Hyperextensions, Pull downs and seated rows. I don't understand this idea about working out your arms on one day. As long as you lift heavy on a chest and back workout day you will be working your arms anyway. You could also fit one or two workout sets for your triceps and biceps at the end of a back or chest workout. To be honest I can't stand people going to the weights area and doing a few barbell curls or cable pushdowns and thats it. You need to focus on the big compund exercises in order to get big.

Brian?

O.P.H wrote: »

But I would be working the back and legs, once a week, and in that session I do the squat and deadlift. The only problem in doing it the new way I have detailed above would be that I would be using up a "rest day" to do them, which is important for the muscles to build an all that. But I was hoping since its only the back and legs that I'd be doin and not the chest, biceps, tricpes or shoulders then it would be like a semi rest day for those areas, probly not though.

I know what ya mean by the tea comment. After a biceps/triceps session I need two hands to drink my water, its a funny feelin.

Been doin weights about 3 months now.

I find doin a full body session takes too long and is pretty hard and ya never really focus on certain areas properly

What are your goals? What are you stats and what do you currently lift?

If you're only training 3 months you don't need to focus on particular areas yet. You're number 1 priority should be learning how to lift with correct form, once you're sure you've done this your priority should be get as strong as possible. Focusing on your arms, chest and shoulders right now is wasting time you could be using to get stronger and thereby bigger.

In the next hour someone is going to reccomend Starting Strength