Split workouts focus on different muscle groups on different days to allow for rest and recovery. Upper/lower and push/pull are common splits. It saves time and can lead to faster muscle gain. Critics argue it limits overall fitness.
A split workout is a type of exercise routine in which a certain set of muscles worked on the first day rests on the second day, while a different set of muscles is worked. On the third day, the original set of muscles can be reworked. The idea behind a split workout is to keep the training program going steadily while allowing certain muscles enough rest to return to work later in the week. Critics of split training argue that it does not allow the exerciser to excel beyond a certain point of fitness, while supporters argue that training allows the body to recover more effectively, and allows the athlete isolate certain muscle groups for development.
The most common split workouts are upper/lower splits, in which your upper body muscles are worked on one day, and your lower body muscles are worked the next day. There are other split workouts, such as push/pull drills, where the drills that require the athlete to push are done on the first day, and the drills that require the pull are done on the next training day. An example of an upper/lower split workout looks like this:
Day one: chest, back, biceps and shoulders.
Day two: quads, hamstrings, calves and abs
Day three: rest day
Day four: chest, back, biceps and shoulders.
Day Five: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, and Abs
Day six and seven: rest days
Each day he focuses on a set of muscles that usually work together. While working the chest, for example, he or she may end up working the biceps and shoulders as a secondary exercise. The same goes for exercises that work the biceps: the chest and shoulders can end up being used during the exercise. Split training is essentially the opposite of full body training, in which one would work all muscle groups in one workout, then repeat the workout again on a later training day.
Other advantages of the split training routine include saving time. A typical split workout will take approximately 45 minutes in the gym, usually spent lifting weights. A full-body workout can take up to two hours to complete, so a split workout may work much better for people with busy schedules that don’t allow them to spend a lot of time in the gym every day. Split workouts are also typically higher intensity workouts since less time is spent in the gym, which means muscle mass can be gained more quickly than it can during a full body workout.
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