Splir or full body? What do you like most?

[thomas]

Hey guys!

I want you to hear what do you like more: split or full body routines? Why? How often do you train? How long?

I like full body training mostly: 2-3 times per week. I also love the feeling of a full body circuit training.

Tell me your experiences?

[Bruce Tackett]

I do a full upper body workout 4 times a week. For years I did a split routine because that's what I learned from muscle mags and that was the only thing I knew. Sometime over ten years ago I learned about supersetting - going back and forth between pulling/lifting exercises and pushing exercises, and that's what I've been doing ever since. It makes sense because even if you're only doing pushing exercises, you're still bringing into play muscles used in pulling exercises, so by doing them all in one workout, you've got yourself fully covered. And you're fully pumped to the gills.

I do legs and forearms in between upper body days. I would do upper body 3 days a week and legs and forearms 3 days a week, but every morning that I wake up, my day wouldn't feel right unless I had a morning workout, so I do upper body back-to-back on Sunday and Monday.

[Deleted]

I like full body. I typically do as low as 2 sets per bodypart and up to 5 sets. Sometimes if I take out what I call the fluff, I'll do up to 8 sets per exercise. For 8 sets though it would require minimal exercises and low reps. So dips, pull ups, squats, leg raises. Nothing else. There would then be 3 days of no weight training -- maybe even 4.

If I'm doing two sets only I include direct arm and shoulder work, and it is done every other day.


My workouts are always under an hour. I find I recover better with full body. The problem with splits is your nervous system takes more frequent hammerings and they lead to me feeling overtrained.

[Bob50]

Self resistance exercises for the full body for 40-45 min, 4 or 5 times/week. Plus 7-10 min walking on the stepper. 

[Dave Reslo]

I usually try and arrange things so I can do something every day (if I feel like it) without the previous day really interfering, I guess you could call that a split. It means you can fit in a lot of variety. I'll try and give an example from last year, when I was getting into the highland games:

day 1. Weight for height; farmers walk
2. Jumping squats (mostly assistance for weight for height)
3. Shotput, Hammer throw
4. Weight for distance, pressing (mostly assistance for shotput and hammer)
Repeat

I wouldn't be consistently doing all that but it was roughly how I would arrange things I did.

[Michael]

I'm more flexible than I was in the past. In the past, I have followed every bodybuilding split there is, . Now it depends on what I'm doing. I try to be more intuitive now but with a plan not written in stone. Different times of year I need more cardio/endurance or whatever You want to call it. Other times I feel like doing more strength training or bodybuilding type stuff. I know the only change I can make for my body appearance-wise is to get leaner. So I don't care about getting bigger or overall look. Do I train arms? Yup but the muscular endurance I get from doing it, no matter how many sets or reps, really helps keep muscle fatigue at bay for my jobs.

Knowing my body and recovery ability I do need to make sure I'm not beating myself up. Since I do a decent amount of KB stuff I prefer full-body or an upper/lower body split if I'm doing more intense stuff. Some of Pavel's stuff can be done every day because it's GPP work and less intense where You're not pushing the limits. I'm just having fun with it, I do what I feel but I have planned rest days. I do keep certain same exercises in my sessions. I may change the variation of them but that's what keeps me consistent.

[Silverlooks]

Full body, and a recovery day (at least) afterwards. Optimal for hypertrophy if that's your goal.

[mr potatohead]

Full body, I suppose. I'm not 100% clear on what splits are and don't care anyway.
The amount of intensity you put into an exercise session will determine how long you will require, to recover enough, to do it again. I exercise every day.

I think you are doing what is best for you right now: "I like full body training mostly: 2-3 times per week. I also love the feeling of a full body circuit training."
IMO, you really don't need anything else.

[stormshadow]

At this point full body and some type of exercise everyday. On days I am tired more walking, stretching and rowing machine. Last three months lots of Bullworker too. Have become reacquainted. Like to do isotonics with it now too

[Mr Average]

Whole body.