Check out the best science based workout split to maximise muscle growth, as selected by Jeremy Ethier.
Splitting out a workout routine into different muscle groups or body parts is a popular approach in bodybuilding and strength training for promoting muscle hypertrophy (growth). This approach is commonly referred to as a “split routine.” There are several reasons why splitting out workouts can be a good idea for hypertrophy:
- Focus and Intensity: Splitting workouts allows you to focus on specific muscle groups during each session. This concentrated effort can lead to greater intensity and effort in targeting those muscles, which can be crucial for stimulating muscle growth.
- Recovery: By working different muscle groups on different days, you give each muscle group more time to recover before training them again. This is especially important because muscle growth occurs during the recovery phase, not while you’re actually lifting weights. Splitting your routine helps prevent overtraining and allows for adequate recovery.
- Volume: Muscle hypertrophy is often driven by the total volume (sets x reps x weight) of work you do for a particular muscle group. Splitting your routine enables you to perform more sets and exercises for each muscle group without overloading your body in a single session.
- Specificity: You can tailor your exercises and intensity to the specific muscle groups you’re targeting, which can lead to more effective muscle stimulation. This can be particularly useful for lagging muscle groups that need extra attention.
- Variety: Splitting workouts allows you to incorporate a variety of exercises and techniques, which can help prevent plateaus and keep your workouts interesting and engaging.
- Time Efficiency: As you become more advanced, your workouts might become longer due to increased volume. Splitting the routine ensures that you’re not spending an excessive amount of time in the gym during each session.
- Joint Health: Working the same muscle groups on consecutive days can increase the strain on joints, tendons, and ligaments. Splitting your routine helps mitigate this strain by allowing for proper recovery.
- Mental Focus: By focusing on specific muscle groups during each session, you can mentally prepare and engage more effectively with the workout, potentially leading to better results.
It’s worth noting that the effectiveness of split routines can vary depending on factors such as individual goals, training experience, genetics, and recovery capacity. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and some people might still see excellent results with full-body or other types of routines. It’s important to listen to your body, monitor your progress, and adjust your training approach accordingly. If you’re new to training or considering changing your routine, consulting with a fitness professional can provide personalized guidance based on your specific needs and goals.
The Best Science Based Workout Split to Maximise Muscle Growth
As Ethier explains, “one of the biggest decisions you have to make when starting out in the gym is choosing what workout split (or “training split”) you’re going to use. Or in other words, simply figuring out how you’re going to group your exercises throughout the week. And although there isn’t one “best workout split” for everyone, certain muscle building splits have their advantages.”
“For example, we know that training a muscle at least 2x/week is superior to 1x/week. This automatically makes the common bro split inferior to other higher muscle training frequency workout splits. Training splits like the upper lower split, full body workout splits (“total body workouts”), and the push pull legs workout split train each muscle 2x/week whereas the bro split does not. This not only helps better optimize protein synthesis but also enables you to get more quality sets done since your workout volume is spread out over multiple workouts.”
The Best Science Based Workout Split to Maximise Muscle Growth
“But which of these splits should you choose for mass? Well, it depends on your training experience. The best workout split for beginners looking to put on mass is likely a 3 day workout split with full body workouts. This is because you can train the compound lifts frequently and master them very quickly without causing too much muscle damage.”
The Best Science Based Workout Split to Maximise Muscle Growth
“Then, as you gain experience and need more volume to progress, you can switch to a 4 day workout split (such as the upper/lower split) to help spread out your volume better throughout the week. And then, as you progress even more, switching to a 5 day workout split or a 6 day workout split (push pull legs for example) would be wise to keep your workouts from being excessively long and fatiguing. However, despite what research says, it’s important to keep in mind that workout volume and consistency are the more important factors. So choose the workout split that you enjoy the most and best fits your schedule – as that’s going to be the best option for you!”
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