What’s the most effective workout split? Many guys who start their lifting journey ask this question. In fact, this is a question that’s still debatable even among lifting professionals. In this article you’re going to find out more about this topic, explaining what is the most effective workout split based on various factors. This way, when you head to this gym, you will have a workout in mind. By this time you should have learned that you shouldn’t head to the first machine you see in the gym and start pushing out crazy reps, without really knowing what you’re doing. This will unlikely bring any (or desired) results.
When you’re looking to build muscle and strength, burn fat, or enhance your endurance, you need to know the best course of action for achieving your goals. You should know what you’re aiming for and how to reach it. To achieve your goals, you need the best workout split.
The best workout split will divide up your workout across the week. It can be split by body region, specific body part, movement, or even by lift. Many bodybuilders and gym rats will formulate their own bro splits, tailored for them and their goals, optimizing the results through a focused approach in the gym. Having this said, instead of just wishing and dreaming for huge gains and fat loss, you can follow a tried and tested workout split that will set you on the right path to achieve it all.
So, you should try to create the best personalized workout split for your goals. You need to take into consideration several things such as:
- Your body and fitness goal
- Training level
- Rest time/recovery needs
- Weak spots
- How much time you can dedicate
- Age
Why Is The Workout Split Important?
When you have certain goals in your mind, creating the best workout split is essential for working towards something specific. For example, it is quite obvious that training for running a marathon looks completely different from training for bench pressing as much as possible. Not only that, but you should know how to train properly for your particular goal. I mean, going to the gym and starting working out shouldn’t be a guesswork, but rather a carefully planned strategy.
Creating a bro split that will align with your goals will help you stay on track and make sure you get the best results out of every workout session. Especially when you take into consideration the time you dedicate to your routine. There’s no need to take our word for it. Many studies prove that competitive bodybuilders will achieve their goals when they find and follow the best workout split to build muscle for their goals.
That’s because it is very important to find your own pathway to succeeding in bodybuilding. We’re all different, with different goals, weak spots, responses to particular exercises, and so on. That’s why it is essential to have a regime. Any bodybuilder will tell you that. You should find your own optimal recovery time, time to work out, types of movements, and so on. Stick to your own program and that will lead to success. With an ultimate workout split, you will work muscles according to your goals, then, you’d have the right time to recover, so you could hit the next session hard. The best workout split will result in maximum muscle gains, as it usually means working smarter, not harder. On the other hand, if you absent-mindedly hit the gym without preparation, you’re just likely wasting your time and effort.
Find The Best Workout Split For You
The key thing here is knowing what you’re trying to achieve. As soon as you know what your goals are, you can start creating the bro split program that will work for you. You should consider the amount of time you can dedicate here. In case you are unable to dedicate several days a week to the gym, you need to switch up your workout split to suit your schedule.
Besides, you should take into consideration the starting ability. I mean, maybe you’re an athlete, or you could be a complete bodybuilding rookie – it all matters. Absolute beginners should keep their workouts a bit lighter in the beginning, otherwise they are exposed to overtraining and injuries. Then later, as you progress, you can start pushing muscles to their limits.
But as said, there are also other things to consider. Your age, gender, starting weight, and so on. Not to mention that you should consider your weaknesses too. Assumingly – you’re well aware you have an underdeveloped muscle group. Then you should work it out more often than others. Or, if you’re suffering from back pains, it may be smart to avoid the exercises that place more stress on that area. If you are overweight, you may need to first focus on movements that will help you get rid of that fat. In short, as said, there are many things to consider.
How To Organize The Best Workout Split?
Simply put, your workout split is focused on your end goal. For those who look to improve their endurance, their workout split is going to be different from those that focus on aesthetic improvements. Usually, bodybuilding workout splits are organized into three main workout splits:
- Body part workout splits
- An upper and lower workout split
- A push pull legs routine split
Body Part Workout Splits
During a body part workout split, you usually train one to three body parts per training session, one to three times a week. Some bodybuilders consider this combination the best workout split because it allows you to train muscles more often. This can help lead to muscle growth. Moreover, you can focus on each muscle group, offering the time they need to properly work them.
According to studies, this type of workout split results in most hypertrophy if compared to other types of training styles. Another study suggests that hitting a muscle twice a week will increase overall body composition and muscle thickness.
When it comes to bodybuilding goals, the main goal is to have a symmetrical physique with full muscle development. In short, the goal is to build as much muscle (and as fast) as possible, all over the body. No bodybuilder would love to have an underdeveloped part, so they usually pair certain muscles together. Usually, those that work together, such as the chest with the triceps, and back with the biceps. Therefore, legs and shoulders are paired together. When it comes to midsection (core) it is a type of muscle that you can work every workout session.
You can train this way three times a week, or six times a week, hitting each muscle once or twice per week, respectively. Of course, you can train six times a week as a professional, and give each muscle group 72 hours of rest.
Advantages:
- Easy to focus on each muscle group
- Full recovery time
- Less fatigue as you don’t work multiple muscles
Disadvantages:
- You can’t really miss a session (especially if you want to work each muscle group twice weekly)
- You either work three times a week (which can be not enough) or six times a week (which can be too much)
The Upper and Lower Body Workout Split
The upper and lower body workout split is one of the best splits out there for those who are new to bodybuilding or for those who are tight on time. This workout split does focus on gaining strength and muscle, but it is also going to help a lot with fat loss, as it will help prioritize the basics and it does help cut fat.
The name of this workout split says it all – you basically work your entire upper body one workout session, then the entire lower body the next session. Rest one day, then again, work your upper body and the next day – the lower body. This means you have four workout sessions a week and three rest days. May also push to six workout sessions a week and one rest day, but this leaves no time to rest, that’s why it makes more sense to go for a body part workout split if you try to workout six times a week.
Instead, going for four workout sessions a week will provide enough rest and recovery, perfectly dividing your time across your upper and lower body. You will hit each muscle group twice a week, and you will train more muscles per workout. That’s why you will need to be more selective about the exercises you choose. It is because, during an upper body workout split, you will target all – chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders! That’s why you can’t have 4 to 5 exercises for your chest (for example), alone, but only 1 to 2 moves per body part! Having this said, you will need to focus on compound movements that will engage more than just one muscle so you can maximize the muscle growth and fat loss effects from your workout sessions.
Advantages:
- You get to hit each muscle group twice a week
- You will be able to gradually increase the main lifts
- Each muscle group has enough recovery time
Disadvantages:
- You may need to spend more time in the gym. Although it can be helpful to reduce the workout session time if you only focus on a few compound movements per session.
- Each muscle doesn’t get the same volume per workout as it could be getting.
Push Pull Legs Workout Split
The push pull legs are an awesome workout split around. In fact, many consider it to be among the best, so you’ll find it very popular. It is because this type of workout split will allow each muscle group to get the rest it needs to ensure that there’s not too much time between each session. It includes:
- Pushing muscles – chest, shoulder, and triceps
- Pulling muscles – back, traps, and biceps
- Legs – glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.
As you can understand, you will have a push workout, a pull workout, and a leg workout. If you’re unsure what you should go for when it comes to the best workout split to build muscle, the push pull legs routine is a great option. It helps maximize muscle growth and strength gains, as you are able to hit each muscle twice a week with enough time for them to recover.
Advantages:
- Focuses on training specific muscles
- A lot of recovery time
Disadvantages:
- You need to spend quite a good time in the gym each workout session
- Requires quite a lot of equipment each workout session
- You don’t really have room to modify the routine to hit weak spots
The Best 5 Day Workout Split
There are a lot of bro split variations that you can choose from, and one of them is the 5-day workout split. It is different from the rest that will only work your muscles 3-4 times a week, or six times a week. As you can see, each workout split comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, if you’re among those who are looking for a best 5 day workout split focusing on strength gains and building muscle mass, then this could be the right option for you.
There are various ways in which you do it, but most commonly, the five day workout split will provide a lot of recovery time as you only work each muscle once a week. Some may say that once a week is not enough, but others suggest that it could still be extremely helpful. Why? Because you focus on each muscle group individually, hitting it much harder than with any other workout split.
One awesome example of a 5 day workout split is Monday: chest, Tuesday: back, Wednesday: shoulders, Thursday: arms, Friday: legs. Saturday and Sunday rest.
Advantages:
- You get your weekend off
- Huge volume per muscle group
- The clear definition between body regions each day
- Very easy to move around your schedule
- A lot of recovery time
- Can focus on each muscle group as you please
Disadvantages:
- You only get to work for each muscle group once a week which may not be enough
- Training to complete failure in each muscle group can sometimes open you up for injuries
PHUL Workout Split
PHUL stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower. This is a four day workout split split that focuses on power and hypertrophy for those who want to get both big and strong. Also, as you may have realized, it focuses on the upper and then on the lower body. This means that you have four workout days, two of them focusing on pure strength training, and two of them focusing on pure muscle building (hypertrophy).
One work: upper power, then lower power the next day. Rest one day. Then upper hypertrophy, and then the next day: lower hypertrophy. Rest two more days. This means that you don’t really focus on each muscle so much, but the amount of reps, sets, and types of exercises greatly vary between each workout session. That’s why it helps enhance strength and pack on serious muscle.
Iron Daddy Helps Get The Best Out Of Your Workout Split
It is crucial for you to work your best workout split to hit your goals. However, it is also important to have a backup plan. For example, if you head into the gym ready to push your legs to the limits, but you find that each rack is busy. Try heavy lunges then, for example. Having your plan ready is crucial, but a backup plan can help.
Not only that, but have a backup plan in terms of your lifestyle too. For example, you have the best workout split to suit your end goal, time commitment, and so on, but the results do not seem to come. At least, not as much as you’d love to. That’s when you may check Iron Daddy.
As you can see, at Iron-Daddy.to you won’t only find a lot of helpful information through these blog posts, but you can also buy a lot of performance enhancing drugs that are going to help support your body goals. We have quality products that will build lean muscle and cut through fat fast like you never did before. Also, you would save a lot of money when doing business with us.
Iron-Daddy.to is here to help you support your physique and performance enhancement goals in many different ways. The popular bodybuilding steroids are made to support your workout splits for maximum gains. Have a great diet and follow your workout split, and we can create personalized cycle advice. This way, you make sure to achieve your goals in no time!
