hey guys,
just wanted your opinion on split routines vs full body in terms of gaining mass. which have you found to be more effective? i just read Thib’s article “the beast rants, you learn” and it made me question my training. any advice you can give would be great.
As an athlete in college, we did full body 3x/week. Just the big lifts, squats or deads, incline or flat bench, and some form of cleans (usually hangs). We did 5x5’s and I definately got a lot stronger doing this.
Nowadays (many years later) I much prefer the split routine. I have seen better mass gains, my strength is still improving, and I look forward to each workout because it changes day to day (and month to month). For asthetic purposes, my vote is for the bodybuilding split routines.
Fullbody Routine ~ Strength & Performance ~ HANDS DOWN!
Split Routine ~ Physique & Asthetics ~ HANDS DOWN!
Although I did 45 years of various split routines, full body thrice weekly now gets me where I want to be most efficiently. Every one has many differing factors that will impact the best method for them to use. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
[quote]Go heavy fool wrote:
Fullbody Routine ~ Strength & Performance ~ HANDS DOWN!
Split Routine ~ Physique & Asthetics ~ HANDS DOWN![/quote]
As much as it pains me–agreed.
Though, and I’m sure he meant it this way as well, that doesn’t mean that some people may get much stronger doing a split and visa-versa. But in genral terms I would agree.
Full Body
-“Hated IT”
In Living Color
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Full Body
-“Hated IT”
In Living Color[/quote]
splits offer you no functional strength. They just make you–lumpy all over. If I knew where you lived, I’d snatch your damn purse!
[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Full Body
-“Hated IT”
In Living Color
splits offer you no functional strength. They just make you–lumpy all over. If I knew where you lived, I’d snatch your damn purse![/quote]
Don’t get mad. We all know you like that ‘full body’ work.
[quote]sasquatch wrote:
splits offer you no functional strength. They just make you–lumpy all over. If I knew where you lived, I’d snatch your damn purse![/quote]
I’m not sure if you were serious, so if not, don’t take this personally.
Disclaimer: I feel like I am about to be sandwiched between two 270+ lb very large men…
Why do you say splits offer no functional strength? I do a 5 day split routine, but always include squats, deads, lunges, bench, pullups, push press, etc. depending on the day and add isolation movements after the bigger lifts.
There are people I’m not in a position to argue with who have gotten great results with full body routines, but I have a tough time seeing myself working anything hard enough if I had to spread my energy over my whole body in one workout. Even with just a few big movements. Especially several times a week.
I’ve never tried it (except when I first started out and wasn’t going that hard) so I’m not knocking it. I may one day, who knows. I just can’t get it between my ears comfortably at this point.
As far as compound and smaller movements, I’ve always used both. I see them as complementing one another if done right, which is probably different for different people. Personally I don’t find the “camps” mentality useful. I find myself incorportating principles from a bunch of different sources into my routines as well as a bit of my own.
The articles are very useful and I hope they keep em comin, but I think some guys are shortchanging themselves with the bandwagon jumping sometimes.
–Tiribulus->
[quote]Modi wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
splits offer you no functional strength. They just make you–lumpy all over. If I knew where you lived, I’d snatch your damn purse!
I’m not sure if you were serious, so if not, don’t take this personally.
Disclaimer: I feel like I am about to be sandwiched between two 270+ lb very large men…
Why do you say splits offer no functional strength? I do a 5 day split routine, but always include squats, deads, lunges, bench, pullups, push press, etc. depending on the day and add isolation movements after the bigger lifts.[/quote]
At least gain some basis in pop culture as in Living Color isn’t exactly an underground reference.
If you don’t know the regulars on this board, take some time and read so that you know when someone is joking. sasquatch isn’t exactly new here.
This is why I was hounded by some newbie to the forum because he actually thought I weigh 145lbs because I made a weak joke about it.
[quote]Modi wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
splits offer you no functional strength. They just make you–lumpy all over. If I knew where you lived, I’d snatch your damn purse!
I’m not sure if you were serious, so if not, don’t take this personally.
Disclaimer: I feel like I am about to be sandwiched between two 270+ lb very large men…
Why do you say splits offer no functional strength? I do a 5 day split routine, but always include squats, deads, lunges, bench, pullups, push press, etc. depending on the day and add isolation movements after the bigger lifts.[/quote]
sorry for the confusion. This goes back several post–years.
X like to do concentration curls for his arms–and I like to deadlift:)
It is something that both of us have stated all along. The hysteria for the full body workout has left many thinking that only bb’ers do any isos. And then their contention is that bb’ers have big muscles but are not functional.
145–Good Lord that was funny.
But I certainly agree with Trib as well. Just like we very rarely fall into a body type or political party…I would not allow myself to fall into any ‘camp’ mentality. Total body has its place. Splits have theirs. I’ve been in this game a long time. The last 12 or so pretty seriously, but I did lift through my 20s. I grew up on splits and all the guys I lifted with did as well. And let me tell you–I grew up with Garry Frank. Ring any bells. BEAST. So you can make generalizations now, but some awfully strong guys never touched a total body workout.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
At least gain some basis in pop culture as in Living Color isn’t exactly an underground reference.
If you don’t know the regulars on this board, take some time and read so that you know when someone is joking. sasquatch isn’t exactly new here.
[/quote]
Professor,
1)Sorry for the post. I did suspect there was a joke I wasn’t getting. I never really watched much in Living Color.
2)I did post a disclaimer there.
3)I have read many of your posts as well as those of Sasquatch, and respect both of your knowledge bases. Obviously I can’t go back and read ALL 13000 of your posts, so please bear with me.
[quote]sasquatch wrote:
sorry for the confusion. This goes back several post–years.
X like to do concentration curls for his arms–and I like to deadlift:)
It is something that both of us have stated all along. The hysteria for the full body workout has left many thinking that only bb’ers do any isos. And then their contention is that bb’ers have big muscles but are not functional.
[/quote]
Thanks for clearing that up. I do appreciate sarcasm as much as a dry sense of humor, I just missed it, that’s all.