Full body or split?

[ark]

I usually do a split workout... but this week I've started doing upper one day, lower the next.. which way is best? Or is it best to switch it up every few weeks?

[Erik]

What kind of split? A bodypart split where you're doing say chest/biceps on one day, back on another, etc?

If so, drop it.

You'll be FAR better off with either a full body program or an upper/lower program. They're just far more efficient.

For every one person that has really exceled (sp?) on a bodypart split there are 99 who haven't.

[ark]

I was doing a 3 day split w/ cardio each day.....

abs, biceps, back/shoulders, calves

abs,triceps,quads, hamstrings

abs, glutes, inner thigs/outer thighs

I have cut my steady state cardio to 3 days a week for 20 minutes... I have added HIIT one day at 15 minutes... this week I made it to 17!! If I do it on a treadmill, I can make the full 20 minutes... but outside I run much faster and can usually only do 15 minutes before I want to die!

This week I have done a full body split...

where I do all upper body one day and then all lower body the next day...

Thanks :)

[smuggie]

Would you mind posting the details of the workouts you did this week?

[mark]

I was doing a 3 day split w/ cardio each day.....

abs, biceps, back/shoulders, calves

abs,triceps,quads, hamstrings

abs, glutes, inner thigs/outer thighs

Please clarify...is that the entire week's work, or are you doing three days on/one day off?



This week I have done a full body split...

where I do all upper body one day and then all lower body the next day...

Thanks :)

That's more of the beginnings of an upper/lower split, not full body. When we say full body, that means you work the entire body in one day. Again... is that the entire week's work?

[cmberman1987]

You'll be FAR better off with either a full body program or an upper/lower program. They're just far more efficient.



Efficiency :love0001:

[ark]

[QUOTE=mark]Please clarify...is that the entire week's work, or are you doing three days on/one day off?

I usually can make it to the gym 3 - 4 times a week. That is how I rotate my workouts.. in that order.

[cmberman1987]

In my opinion, I think it would be more effective for you to make the switch to full-body--especially if you're only hitting the gym about 3 times a week. I mean, it just seems a full-body split would be more sensical than a funkily divided one in which I would constantly have to wrack my brain to keep on top of.

Just my two cents, though.

[Robben]

I was doing a 3 day split w/ cardio each day.....

abs, biceps, back/shoulders, calves

abs,triceps,quads, hamstrings

abs, glutes, inner thigs/outer thighs

I have cut my steady state cardio to 3 days a week for 20 minutes... I have added HIIT one day at 15 minutes... this week I made it to 17!! If I do it on a treadmill, I can make the full 20 minutes... but outside I run much faster and can usually only do 15 minutes before I want to die!

This week I have done a full body split...

where I do all upper body one day and then all lower body the next day...

Thanks :)

What's the fitness goal...? What would you like to see yourself do...? How far do you want to go with it...? If your doing workouts just for the enjoyment of it and want to make solid gains then I would simply go with a full body kinda workout...

Most - "not all" - people who do a split type of workout are not disciplined enough to hang in there long enough to see meaningful results. Or 9 times out of 10 they put something together without much thought and it causes them problems and they then find that their interest in lifting has gone southward...

[ark]

Well, until recently... I've concentrated mostly on cardio. I've always lifted weights, but didn't really care to gain muscle. I just wanted to maintain what I had... but as I've aged, I've really started to notice that I'm losing too much muscle. So now, I would love to gain a little muscle. I want to look fit.. not just thin. I would also love to have the six pack look!!! My abs aren't as strong as I thought they were.... I've lost a little body fat and the muscles are coming out like they used to... back in the day!!! Thanks for your help :)

[smuggie]

In my opinion, I think it would be more effective for you to make the switch to full-body--especially if you're only hitting the gym about 3 times a week. I mean, it just seems a full-body split would be more sensical than a funkily divided one in which I would constantly have to wrack my brain to keep on top of.

Just my two cents, though.
I've done a four-day split on a three-day a week basis on several occasions and I never had any problems keeping track of things.