Training Splits Do Not Matter
What?
Look around on the internet and you will find a plethora of information about training routines and systems - some free, some not so free - such as PHAT, PHUL, 5x5, Wendler’s 5/3/1, Westside for Barbell, MadCow’s, Starting Strength, or tried and tested routines such as push/pull/legs, full body, upper/lower, bro split and push/pull. there is a lot of information with many people claiming they have the ‘only’ or ‘true’ answer.
This is at best confusing and at worst contradictory given that any routine will work. Seriously, any training routine or system will work if you approach them in the right way, by which I mean there are three overarching factors to consider when looking at a training split and whether it will ‘work’:
Progressive overload: Increasing the work done, over time, in terms of either volume or intensity.
Volume (the total work done as measured by weight x sets x reps) and generally has an inverse relationship with intensity (difficulty of exercise performed as measured as a percentage of your one rep maximum).
Both intensity or volume focused routines will develop both muscle mass and strength, however they can be used for specific purposes: for focusing on strength work use higher intensity and for focusing on muscle mass work use higher volume. Fat loss and aesthetics is combination of diet and cardio.
High intensity tends to use increased weight with lower (1 - 5) reps whereas high volume tends to use lower weight with increased (8 - 15) reps. The middle ground of 5 - 8 reps is generally accepted as being a good middle ground between strength and muscle mass.
Exercise selection is important here. Compound movements are more effective (as they allow you to lift more weight and therefore recruit more muscle fibres) than isolation exercises; barbells or dumbbell variations of barbell exercises are the way to go.
Consistency: Training in a regular and organised way which establishes continuity, enables progress and manages injury.
Progressive overload can be achieved no matter how often you train although frequency plays a part here too. Generally speaking, higher volume (muscle building) routines will require 4 - 6 days, working each muscle group/movement at least twice, a week; higher intensity (strength) routines will require 2 - 4 days, working each muscle group/movement as little as once, a week. There are ways you can combine both intensity and volume training 3 or 4 times a week.
Varied and complementary exercise selection enables progressive overload and assists in injury prevention. Ensure you have a balance of pushing, pulling, squatting and hinge pattern movements.
The concept of periodisation should be considered here, that is the adjustments between volume and intensity on either a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Combining both intensity and volume keeps training interesting and reduces plateaus.
Lifestyle: Your capability to manage time to train alongside your capacity to recover, considering all other factors, e.g. work, stress, diet, sleep.
Recovery and diet are where progress is made and maintained; you cannot out-train a bad diet and stress or poor sleeping habits will restrict your ability to recover.
We all have commitments and restrictions on our time, be it children, work or the commute, stress, availability of a gym/workout space. Putting aside time for training that will be adhered to will enable progressive overload and consistency.
Getting stronger and/or gaining muscle mass and/or becoming fitter and/or losing weight is hard work and requires consistent and dedicated effort. You actually need to put in the time, sweat, work and likely tears to make any sort of progress.
So What?
By combining these three factors we can see that the specific routine itself does not matter as long as the routine fits in with your lifestyle allowing for consistency in training and enables progressive overload. Strength can be gained and muscle can be built in as little as two days a week all the way up to a six day or even a double split routine. The specific layout of your routine in terms of how you group the exercises or muscle groups you work should be a purely personal choice. Do not let all the information out there distract you from these three simple factors to consider - if your routine incorporates them then you will be just fine.
Searching for the ‘perfect’ routine is a pointless task that will only lead to frustration and further confusion, mainly because it does not exist. However, there are plenty of routines and systems to use which will be perfect for you based on
Over the next few posts I will talk about setting up your own training routine and sharing some routines should you want to get some ideas for yourself as well as thoughts on exercise selection.
