Split routine, or full body?

chases0102

Hi all,

Just wondering what people think the best course of action may be in the gym.

Is there greater benefit to splitting your workout routine; say, chest and triceps day 1, back and biceps day 2, shoulders and abs, day 3 and legs days 4.

Is this a better way to workout than say having two workouts (an A and a and just alternating them 4 days a week?

Thanks folks.

Blacktie.

What's your goals? How often can you go to the gym? Previous experience... We're going to need more info.

chases0102

Of course! Sorry for the lack of info.

Goals are simply to tone up, reduce this 'soft' look I have in my midsection (I attribute this to getting older and giving up team sports about 3 years ago). Would also love to become fitter - my fitness levels have certainly dropped in the last few years. I have given up smoking two years ago however, which is great.

I can get to the gym approx. four times a week - twice in the early morning, and then two other evenings. Could possibly swing a fifth day.

My diet is OK - I generally eat well, but would generally treat myself to something once a week.

Zillah

I'd never get full body done in one gym visit unless I was staying for several hours and downing energy drinks (don't do this). If you're able to do all the of the things you listed in one sitting then you're not lifting heavy enough or working hard enough. You should be wrecked after working on, say, two or three areas.

chases0102 wrote: »

'soft' look I have in my midsection (I attribute this to getting older and giving up team sports about 3 years ago).

The best thing you can do is not make excuses. You should attribute it to eating more food than your body needs.

jive

Do A and B, upper body (A) and legs (B). Focus on compound movements e.g. Squat, deadlift, bench, military press, barbell rows

A_Sober_Paddy

jive wrote: »

Do A and B, upper body (A) and legs (B). Focus on compound movements e.g. Squat, deadlift, bench, military press, barbell rows

As someone who did this, i'd also recommend some movements that isolate the hamstrings, or you may develop a muscle imbalance...like myself, suffering with patella tracking disorder due to my quads being much stronger than hamstrings

Mellor

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

As someone who did this, i'd also recommend some movements that isolate the hamstrings, or you may develop a muscle imbalance...like myself, suffering with patella tracking disorder due to my quads being much stronger than hamstrings

Deadlits and to a lessor extent squats hit the hams.
How do hamstrings affect the patella anyway?
Not saying you are wrong, genuinely curious as I've had a issue with a knee tendon injury and making my quads stronger, paticualarly Vast.Med, was the advice i was given

Alf Veedersane

Mellor wrote: »

Deadlits and to a lessor extent squats hit the hams.
How do hamstrings affect the patella anyway?
Not saying you are wrong, genuinely curious as I've had a issue with a knee tendon injury and making my quads stronger, paticualarly Vast.Med, was the advice i was given

I think it's similar to needing to strengthen the vast. med. except it's the
semimembranosus and semitendinosus that aren't up to par.

Mellor

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I think it's similar to needing to strengthen the vast. med. except it's the
semimembranosus and semitendinosus that aren't up to par.

Yeah, but the VM is directly attached the the patella, and in my cae affected the MCL. But the semi's aren't to my knowledge.

Alf Veedersane

Mellor wrote: »

Yeah, but the VM is directly attached the the patella, and in my cae affected the MCL. But the semi's aren't to my knowledge.

I'm not entirely sure but I would think it's more to do with stability and alignment of the knee during the likes of squats rather than a direct connection to the patella.

MaceFace

I would suggest a full body workout could be done in under 1 hour:

3x8:
Squat
Deadlift
Clean & Press
Bench Press
Row
Pullup

45 sec sets, 45 sec rest

That's 27 mins excluding setup/warm up/stretching.
Still leaves time for supplementary exercises.
Obviously not taking into account recovery.

A_Sober_Paddy

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure but I would think it's more to do with stability and alignment of the knee during the likes of squats rather than a direct connection to the patella.

Its basically if the quads are a good bit stronger than the hamstrings, its causes the knee to move in an unnatural position...

If was my physio who was explaining it to me about a year ago...but my patella tracking was caused by my quads being very strong and my hamstrings being very weak in comparison, now i was cycling alot them too so a lot more quad work...

Deads and Squats hit hams, but still a whole lot more quad, and quads are the muscles that we used a whole lot more in everyday movements than hamstrings...this was all from my physio, but i know a power lifter or two who when they started, stuffered a little bit of tracking issues...

Brian?

Zillah wrote: »

I'd never get full body done in one gym visit unless I was staying for several hours and downing energy drinks (don't do this). If you're able to do all the of the things you listed in one sitting then you're not lifting heavy enough or working hard enough. You should be wrecked after working on, say, two or three areas.

In one hour I could easily do a full body workout. In fact I can get it done in 45 minutes. Simply it'll be 6 compound excercises, no curlz

Brian?

My lunch time workout:

Foam roll, stretch, hip mobility stuff.

All 3x8. Minimal rest between exercises, 1 minute ready after 3rd exercise in circuit.

Circuit 1.
DB bench
Pull-ups
DB Romanian deadlifts.

Circuit 2.
DB overhead press
DB rows
Bulgarian Split squats.

Barbells can be switched for dumb bells. I'd stick very close to the excercises selection, decent balance of push pull.

After you're done this for a couple of weeks you'll find yourself flying through it and you can add in the vanity circuit at the end:

Curls
Tricep push downs
Calf raises.

chases0102

Thanks for the advice folks!