Training Splits: What you need to know!
Tags: Health, Training, Exercise, Fitness, Workout

Your Training “Split” is the way you organize your workouts on a weekly basis. This is usually done following the calendar 7-Day week but could be adjusted for more than 7 days. The way you organize your training allows you to maximize your results and your recovery. The study of organizing training programs is known as periodization. This is a complicated and exhausting topic. What has been shown is that there is no “perfect” way. Consistency, hard work, and intelligent training is what works. Creating a training program for your body and the logistics of your life will lead to long-term success and maximize the results you see from working out.

I am going to go over three common ways to organize your training week. One method is not better than the other. Each split has pros and potential cons.

Bro Splits

The most common split I see in the average gym-goer or “gen pop” is a bro split. With this split, each day is organized by the muscles that are going to be trained for that day.

Sample 6-Day Bro Split

Bro splits are great for maximizing hypertrophy or muscle building. By breaking each training session into body parts you are able to train frequently because the working muscles will get ample rest before the next training session. A bro split does not work well for those who are not able to train as frequently. This split is frequently used by competitive bodybuilders. This type of split is focused on building muscle. If you want to work on other qualities such as speed, strength, mobility, or competitive weightlifting this split will not be optimal.

2. Upper-Lower Split

In an upper-lower split, upper and lower body workouts are alternated. This is a great way to maximize muscle gains but still allows for other qualities to be trained. I have personally found this split effective for myself and for the athletes I have worked with. An upper-lower split is usually done four days per week.

Sample Upper-Lower Split

In a four-day upper-lower split each day can have different areas of focus. For example, on Monday you could do a heavy upper body strength workout with lower reps and on Thursday do a lighter workout focusing on higher reps or on speed. The same can be done with the lower body. This split can maximize results in the short and long term. Four days per week is a good number to be effective but not have to spend too much time in the gym. There are not any real negatives to this type of split.

3. Total Body Split

In a total body split the entire body is worked on each day. This is typically done for two to three days per week. This type of split works well for athletes and the average gym-goer. Total body splits are usually centered around compound movements with less accessory work.

Sample Total Body Split

I have seen many people see tremendous results from a total-body training program. This works well for those who want to do other activities outside of the gym. This type of split would most likely not be effective for strength athletes. However, for team sports athletes this split is terrific. Another benefit of this split is longevity. Three days per week is enough to be effective but still allow for ample recovery between workouts and between weeks.

Those are three of the most common splits. As I mentioned above what matters most is being consistent, training hard, and training smart. You can also combine or rotate splits to find what works best for you. I think you see the theme, find what works best for you!