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Split Routines
Usually, when you start a weight lifting routine, you do some type of all-body workout a few times a week. Once you become more advanced, a split routine works best for continued results. Below are a few of many, many possibilities of how to incorporate split routines into your schedule. Of course, cardio still needs to be factored in, but here we are strictly looking at the lifting portion of your schedule.
| OR | OR |
| Monday: | upper | upper, abs | upper, abs | |
| Tuesday: | lower, abs | rest | rest | |
| Wednesday: | rest | lower | lower, abs | |
| Thursday: | upper | upper, abs | rest | |
| Friday: | lower, abs | rest | upper | |
| Saturday: | rest | lower | rest | |
| Sunday: | rest | rest | lower, abs | |
| ....you get the idea | ||||
Tips: Since you don't want to spend too much time lifting in one session, 1-2 exercises, 2-3 sets per body part, are satisfactory.
| : | OR | OR | OR | |
| Monday: | chest, shoulders, tris | chest, back, abs | legs, back | legs, chest, abs |
| Tuesday: | back, bis | shoulders, bis, tris | chest,shoulders | shoulders, tris |
| Wednesday: | legs, abs | legs | bis, tris, abs | back, bis |
| Thursday: | rest | rest | rest | rest |
| Friday: | chest, shoulders, tris | chest, back, abs | legs, back | legs, chest, abs |
| Saturday: | back, bis, abs | shoulders, bis, tris | chest,shoulders | shoulders, tris |
| Sunday: | legs | legs | bis, tris, abs | back, bis |
Tip: Don't do smaller muscles a day or two before larger ones. For example, don't do triceps a day or two before doing chest or you'll be too sore to get in a good chest w'out. Using this split, you aim for doing each body part about once every 4-5 days. Usually 2-4 exercises per body part, 2-4 sets each exercise.
| : |
OR |
OR |
OR |
|
| Monday: | back, bis, abs | legs | chest, quads, abs | quads, hamstrings |
| Tuesday: | chest, tris | rest | shoulders, tris | back, chest, abs |
| Wednesday: | shoulders | back, bis, abs | back, bis, calves | shoulders, calves |
| Thursday: | legs, abs | rest | hamstrings, traps, abs | bis, tris, traps |
| Friday: | rest | chest, shoulders | rest | rest |
| Saturday: | back, bis | tris, abs | chest, shoulders | quads, hamstrings |
| Sunday: | chest, tris, abs | rest | back, quads, abs | back, chest, abs |
| Monday: | shoulders | legs | bis, tris | shoulders, calves |
| Tuesday: | legs | back, bis, abs | hamstings, calves | bis, tris, traps |
| Wednesday: | rest | rest | rest | rest |
Tips: By doing each body part with a lot of rest before doing that body part again (about 3 times in a 2 week period), you can hit each body part very intensely and have plenty of rest time to recover. In this type of split you usually do 3-4 exercises for each body part, 3-4 sets for each exercise.
| OR | OR | OR | ||
| Monday: | back, traps | chest, abs | quads, abs | back, abs |
| Tuesday: | quads, abs | shoulders, traps | hamstrings, traps | bis |
| Wednesday: | chest | tris, calves | chest | chest |
| Thursday: | shoulders | back | back | shoulders |
| Friday: | bis | bis, abs | shoulders | tris, abs |
| Saturday: | hamstrings | quads | bis, tris, abs | quads |
| Sunday: | tris, calves, abs | hamstings | calves, forearms | hamstrings |
Tips: Usually 4-5 exercises, 3-5 sets for each exercise are used in this type of advanced split. Again, be aware of not doing the smaller muscles too closely to doing the bigger complimenting muscle. For example, don't do biceps a day or two before doing back. If you have a lagging body part, throw in an extra session for that body part, where you can, to hit it 2 times per week.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless for mixing up your body parts. As your workouts intensify, you will be using a combination of all of these splits at one time or another. Keep your routines changing so your body won't hit a plateau.