Setting Up A 4 Day Split.

I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not, so i’m putting it out there for some feed back.

Ok, so I looked at a few 3-4 day splits and most looked like this:

day 1: back, biceps.

day 2: legs

day 3: chest, triceps, shoulders

Now, lets take day 1 for example.

If you are doing a back workout, by the time you are finished with back, your biceps are already pretty tired pending on what exercises you are doing (lets say we was doing seated rows)

Wouldn’t it make more sense to do Back and then maybe triceps? (Or a muscle group that doesn’t fatigue while doing back) So you can train biceps later on in the week with maximum effort.

Thats just my thought on it, and I was considering making up my own 4 day split going off this idea.

Unless you guys think it is total shit, in that case i’d probably do something else.

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not, so i’m putting it out there for some feed back.

Ok, so I looked at a few 3-4 day splits and most looked like this:

day 1: back, biceps.

day 2: legs

day 3: chest, triceps, shoulders

Now, lets take day 1 for example.

If you are doing a back workout, by the time you are finished with back, your biceps are already pretty tired pending on what exercises you are doing (lets say we was doing seated rows)

Wouldn’t it make more sense to do Back and then maybe triceps? (Or a muscle group that doesn’t fatigue while doing back) So you can train biceps later on in the week with maximum effort.[/quote]

yes and no. You in the example above did train Bi’s at a maximum level on the compounds you are finishing them off with the isolation work then giving them a week to heal. With your second example if you go balls out on Bi’s later in the week it just may effect the back workout. Whats more important the Big back or the Little Bi’s.

You can do both either or its all about how much volume etc and how you recover and manage fatigue.

Try it. hell do back day, leg day, chest day, and have an arm day. see how it works for you. Just keep in mind how each day effects the next. Listen to your body.

Phill

Switch it up every 3-4 weeks and vary your sets/reps each time as well. You can stick with the same exercises for a longer period of time before the body adapts.

By switching from chest, triceps shoulders to chest, biceps, calves or from back, biceps, traps to back, triceps and shoulders, you will be able to prioritize different weaknesses and continue to make good gains.

I’ve got almost the same split going. I seem to made some good gains.

The only thing I do different is Days 1 and 3.

Day one.
Chest and Shoulders. No Arms.

Day Three.
Back and Arms.
So I do may back. Bi’s are getting worked. But here’s where I have found my best groove.

After Back, I do Tri’s. By the time I get done with Tri’s my Bi’s are no longer feeling fatigued. Then I work those. The Last set of Tri’s are Pushdowns, superset with bb curls to wake up the bi’s.

I’ve got almost the same split going. I seem to made some good gains.

The only thing I do different is Days 1 and 3.

Day one.
Chest and Shoulders. No Arms.

Day Three.
Back and Arms.
So I do may back. Bi’s are getting worked. But here’s where I have found my best groove.

After Back, I do Tri’s. By the time I get done with Tri’s my Bi’s are no longer feeling fatigued. Then I work those. The Last set of Tri’s are Pushdowns, superset with bb curls to wake up the bi’s.

Since you seem interested in arm emphasis, try these 2 routines. On a 4 day routine I normally do Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri

Arms hit twice a week.

Day 1 - Chest, Bis, (Tris if you want)
Day 2 - Legs
Day 3 - Back (Bis if you want)
Day 4 - Shoulders and Tris

Lower back can go either on day 2 or day 3, need a day of rest in between them. You can reverse day 3 and 4 if you want, do abs whenever.

Arms hit once a week
Day 1 - Chest and Tris
Day 2 - Back and Bis
Day 3 - Legs and Lower Back
Day 4 - Shoulders and Abs

Tris get hit a bit on shoulders but if you just do one pressing motion it is not much. Try out both and see what you like, in my experience people who need to work on their arms do better on the first routine.

I’ve always had better response putting my arms on different days than the big muscles. It allows me to use more weight (than a Push-Pull split):

1 - Chest/Back/Traps
2 - Legs, Abs
3 - Delts/Arms

Lower Back can be done on Day 1 or Day 2.

Depending upon how well they respond, forearms can be done after your heavy pulling exercises on Day 1 (if they need less frequency) or after upper arms on Day 3 (if they respond well to more frequency).

You can break it up more by doing flexor exercises (palms-up wrist curls) after pulling movements and the extensors (reverse wrist curls, reverse curls) with biceps.

4-day version:

1 - Lats, Lower Back, Traps
2 - Chest, Delts, Abs
3 - Legs
4 - Triceps, Biceps, Forearms

monday - Quadriceps, Hamstrings

wednesday - chest, traps, obliques

friday - back, shoulders, abs

sunday - Biceps, Triceps, calves

Came up with something like this. My recovery abilities are really good so this should give maximum workout to each muscle group. With slightly more emphasis on Biceps & Triceps.

Why only train your legs 25% of your training days? Don’t you want to get big and strong? Do full body training every other day with a different emphasis every time. For example:

Full body part: 2 lower body + 1 push + 1 pull exercise.

Day 1: Full body + 1 Back + 1 Bi exercise
Day 2: Full body + 1 Chest + 1 Tri exercise
Day 3: Full body + 1 Leg exercise + 1 Other bodyparts exercise

This way you train (not workout!) your body 3 times a week. Every time slightly different to not get bored but similar enough to really teach your body the movements. Remember how you learned how to ride a bike, how to read and (adults only: how to make love): Do it often but not too often and not to complete exhaustion with variations on a common theme.

[quote]HenkY wrote:
Why only train your legs 25% of your training days? Don’t you want to get big and strong? Do full body training every other day with a different emphasis every time. For example:

Full body part: 2 lower body + 1 push + 1 pull exercise.

Day 1: Full body + 1 Back + 1 Bi exercise
Day 2: Full body + 1 Chest + 1 Tri exercise
Day 3: Full body + 1 Leg exercise + 1 Other bodyparts exercise

This way you train (not workout!) your body 3 times a week. Every time slightly different to not get bored but similar enough to really teach your body the movements. Remember how you learned how to ride a bike, how to read and (adults only: how to make love): Do it often but not too often and not to complete exhaustion with variations on a common theme.[/quote]

I train my legs hard enough to exhaust them for the week…

Plus I need to be going to the gym more than 3 times a week, I get too bored otherwise.

i recommend a 5 day or 6 day cycle everything else is just pointless. so train you legs,bi’s + tri’s + shoulders and chest and back every 5 to 6 days heavy and a lot of sets. that works great for me - everything else is just overtraining and a waste of time

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:

Plus I need to be going to the gym more than 3 times a week, I get too bored otherwise.[/quote]

Yeah I feel the same way. Would it be ok to go to a three day split like you mentioned if I do cardio on the off days? I dont like not going to the gym before work . . .

[quote]jnettl2 wrote:
Goodfellow wrote:

Plus I need to be going to the gym more than 3 times a week, I get too bored otherwise.

Yeah I feel the same way. Would it be ok to go to a three day split like you mentioned if I do cardio on the off days? I dont like not going to the gym before work . . .[/quote]

You to need to find a young woman to take up some of your time. Or hobbies hell both. Play a sport etc. Dont get me wrong I love the gym dont miss sessions but come on.

Gym = my hobby and sort of sport…

Girls… help me?

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
Gym = my hobby and sort of sport…
[/quote]

thats awesome.

[quote]
Girls… help me?[/quote]

OK get out of the gym for a minute and talk to some. Go be active where there are women find one that is active as well, shared interest, good Ice breaker. Best of luck