Research on The Best Workout Split for Muscle Strength and Size

Whether you want to start building muscle with the best workout for beginners or take your workout to the next level, finding the best workout split is imperative in maximizing muscle growth. The best routine split can maximize your bench press and every other important lift. The perfect workout split might even end the old argument about whether to have separate shoulder days. In an attempt to determine the workout split that produces the most muscle growth, numerous studies have been conducted. I bring you the best of these and their findings. Hopefully, this will help you to determine what exercise routine would best suit your individual goals. The results might surprise you!

Previous Studies on Training Frequency and Muscle Growth

The Study

Wernbom, Augustsson and Thomee (2007) analysed previous studies to compare the relationship between stimulus frequency and muscle growth. Conclusions were derived from these different studies. 

The Results

Elbow flexors (biceps and forearms) gain 0.18% per day when trained 2 or 3 days a week (no difference between 2 or 3 times a week). Training these muscle groups for 4 times a week resulted in 0.59% growth per day. Another study showed 0.10% growth when trained 4 times a week.

Knee extensors (quads) grew by 0.11% when trained 2-3 times a week. (No difference was seen by increasing from 2 to 3 times a week).

The Conclusion

Since 3 different studies were used to come to these conclusions; different training programs, diets and volumes were used for each. It is hard to draw conclusions from this because there are too many variables that could be responsible for the reported outcomes. The study concludes with the need for further research.

Split Differences for Beginners

Calder, Chilibeck, Webber, and Sale (1994) studied the difference between a split and full workout routine for beginners.

The Study

30 women were divided into three groups. All women were previously untrained to investigate the effects on people who are new to training. One group performed their entire routine in one day, another split their routines and another acted as a control group (they did nothing). There were 10 woman dedicated to each group. Both active groups did the same exercises: 5 sets of 4 upper body exercises (6-10 RM) and 5 sets of 3 lower body exercises (10-12 RM). The test lasted for 20 weeks.

The whole routine group did all these exercises in one day, training twice a week.

The split group did the upper body exercises on one day and their lower exercises on another, training 4 days a week.

Findings

Strength increased (by measurement of one rep max) by 54% in arm curl, 33% in bench press and 21% in leg press for woman who did the whole routine in one day.

Strength increased by 69% in arm curl, 32% in bench press and 22% in leg press for woman who split their routines.

However:

Muscle tissue increased (by measurement of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) by 10% in arm muscle, 3.4% in trunk muscle and 4.9% in leg muscle for woman who did their whole routines in one day. Whole body muscle tissue increased by 4.1% and fat decreased by 1.1%.

Muscle tissue increased by 9% in arm muscle, 2.7% in trunk muscle and 1.7% in leg muscle for woman who split their routines. Whole body muscle tissue increased by 2.6% and fat decreased by 1.3%

The woman who split their training programs therefore gained more strength on average, but not as much muscle tissue increase or fat loss. The differences between these groups were considered minimal and not significant enough to draw accurate conclusions. 

It was officially concluded that split and whole training routines yielded similar results for the first 5 months of training.

Exercise Routine Split Differences for Bodybuilders

www.researchgate.net published a study that was very useful. It stated that no other study researched the differences of workout splits in trained athletes - at least at the time of its publishing. Muscle tissue that is used to physical stimulus (training) is different to muscle that is not trained. It reacts differently to training because of the fact that it has already been stimulated to grow and strengthen; and therefore has changed its function, response, anabolic signalling and protein synthesis (creation of new tissue) as a response to exercise. This study was used to investigate the difference in different training splits in individuals that have already trained. The researches hypothesized (guessed) that the group of subjects that trained for 6 days (3-day split) instead of 4 days (2-day split) would see greater gains in muscle size and strength.

The Participants (Bodybuilders)

10 Male participants were randomly selected. These participants were healthy and responsive, with an average age of 27 years. Participants' age was not above or below this average age by more than 3 years. 5 were to chosen use the one training method, and 5 the other. The allocation process was randomized: no participant could choose which exercise program he would like to follow. According to pre-trial tests, there were no significant lean mass and strength differences between test subjects. Food intake for all participants were planned and offered to individuals by nutritionists throughout the duration of the study. All 10 participants were elite bodybuilders, affiliated with a national bodybuilding federation. They had all been competing for at least 3 years, did not used any steroid for at least 6 months prior to the study, were non-smokers and not drink alcohol. All these bodybuilders needed to all be in their off-season, and be currently training at 6 days a week.

The Exercise Programs Used

The study lasted 6 weeks: 4 weeks for training and 2 weeks for testing. 4 sets of each exercise were executed using 6-12 repetitions maximum (RM) for both test groups. These sets were done in a pyramid style, increasing load and decreasing repetitions with each proceeding set. All training sessions were supervised and no other exercise outside of this program was done.

2 Way Exercise Plan (4 Days a Week)

The people in this group trained 4 times a week, doing the same routine (split into 2 sessions) twice.

On Mondays and Thursdays the participants performed following exercises:

• Bench Press
• Incline Dumbbell Fly
• Cable Crossovers
• Barbell Military Press
• Lateral Raises
• Lying Triceps French Presses
• Triceps Push-downs
• Standing Calf Raises
• Seated Calf Raises
• Crunches
• Cable Crunches

On Tuesdays and Fridays the participants performed the following:

• V-Bar Pull-downs
• Bent over Barbell Rows
• Seated Cable Rows
• Arm Curls
• Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curls
• Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curls
• Palm-down Barbell Wrist Curls
• Squats
• Leg Extensions
• Leg Curls
• Oblique Crunches
• Seated Leg Tucks

3 Way Exercise Plan (6 Days a Week)

The people in the group trained 6 times a week, doing the same routine (split into 3 sessions) twice.

On Mondays and Thursdays the participants performed following exercises:

• Bench Press
• Incline Dumbbell Fly
• Cable Crossovers
• Barbell Military Presses
• Lateral Raises
• Lying Triceps French Presses
• Triceps Push-Downs
• Crunches
• Cable Crunches

On Tuesdays and Fridays the participants performed following exercises:

• V-Bar Pull-downs
• Bent over Barbell Rows
• Seated Cable Rows
• Arm Curls
• Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curls
• Palm-up Barbell Wrist Curls
• Palm-down Barbell Wrist Curls

On Wednesdays and Saturdays the participants performed following exercises:

• Squats
• Leg Extensions
• Leg Curls
• Standing Calf Raises
• Seated Calf Raises
• Oblique Crunches
• Seated Leg Tucks

Methods of Measurement

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to determine body composition and 1-rep max bench press tests were used to determine strength differences. A calibrated electronic scale measured body mass.

Results

The results were reported in the table below.

Image from www.researchgate.net

Conclusions by Researchers 

Similar strength and muscle increase resulted from both training programs. The differences were too low to draw any solid conclusion. The researchers' hypothesis was therefore signed off as: refuted. More time needed to be given to the study, since 4 weeks was not long enough to draw any plausible conclusions. Even though there are differences which can be seen in the above table, these were not significant enough to provide sufficient evidence.

What Does This Mean?

This results from the above studies to bring us to a variety of conclusions:

1. The perfect workout split does not exist.
2. A variety of workout splits can be effective. 
3. Other factors should determine which program you follow like train time available, total length of time spent during each session and fitness level.
4. The old saying 'The best program is the one you haven't done' rings true here. Doing something that your body is not used to would lead to muscle confusion and therefore greater stimulus and response.
5. Use the training routine that works best for you.
6. A lot of different training programs can build muscle efficiently. Even high rep training programs can build muscle.
7. A certain split might be best for you right now, but another might be better for you later on.

Click here for an advanced training program that packs on muscle (rather follow this training program if you are a beginner). STAY STRONG!

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Do or Don't: Separate Shoulder days?

Should you have a separate shoulder day dedicated to training shoulders, since they are already being trained on chest and back days? This is often debated among weight lifters, trainers, physiologists and sportsmen alike. Here are the most common arguments raised for both sides. Read on about the benefits and downsides and decide what is best for you.

You should have a separate shoulder day

This is why some say that you should have a separate shoulder day dedicated to training shoulders:

By neglecting shoulders, you are limiting your other lifts

By neglecting to do shoulders on their own, they are dependent on other lifts to be stimulated to grow. An example would be the front shoulders (anterior deltoids) that work with the chest muscles (pectorals) during a bench press, primarily used as a chest exercise. Since shoulders are not trained on their own to be stronger, they might grow at a slower rate than the chest. This means that your bench press will be limited to the amount of weight and volume that your shoulders can handle instead of the weight and volume that your chest can handle, limiting their growth. This can be so for other muscle groups as well like triceps, biceps and back.

Not having a shoulder day could cause injury

Similar to the point above, by not training shoulders on their own they won't be as strong as the other muscles. This means that they will probably get injured during lifts where other muscles are capable of handling weight that the shoulders aren't able to. Using the bench press example again, when the chest muscles can lift a heavy weight but the shoulder muscles can't stabilize the movement properly, injury can occur within the shoulder joint.

Shoulder size won't be in proportion

Just like calves that need to be worked separately to have legs that look in proportion, shoulders need to be worked separately to have the best looking upper body. By ignoring this muscle group (or by stimulating it indirectly only), it is not given the chance it deserves to grow in proportion to the rest of the body.

You should not have a separate shoulder day

Already convinced you should have a separate shoulder day? Take a look at the other side of the argument before you decide for yourself:

Overuse: Working the shoulder too much can cause injury

Overuse is one of the most common causes of shoulder injury. They are already used during almost all compound exercises like the bench press, dumbbell fly, dip, pull up and the dead lift; and during many isolated exercises like elbow extension and contraction exercises. Overuse can not only damage the shoulder joint directly, but indirectly as well because constant, strenuous use of the shoulder muscle will make it weaker. Weaker shoulder joints will therefore not be able to support their joint counterparts, leading to further injury.

When are shoulders supposed to rest?

The bench press (which does stimulate the shoulder muscle) works the shoulder really well already. Most chest exercises work the front shoulders and most back exercises work the back shoulders (posterior deltoids). Since shoulders are already being worked twice per typical program cycle (on chest days and on back days), they are not getting enough time to rest and fully recover if they are being worked again in isolation, when the chest and back muscles are resting. If other muscle groups are only being stimulated once a week, for example, and shoulders are being worked more than once, then the rest they get to recover will be a fraction of the other muscle groups. Without sufficient rest, they will not be able to grow and strengthen the best they could and will inevitably lead to weakness and injury.

They get enough stimulation

Shoulders don't need a day dedicated to them because they get all the stimulation they need from other exercises like chest and back movements, as discussed in the previous points above.

So should you have a separate shoulder day or not?

The answer to this question varies from person to person. Some people need an extra shoulder day because their shoulders are not getting enough stimulation from other exercises that involve them. On the other hand, some people do not need to dedicate a day specifically for shoulders because they are already being stimulated enough. The genetic makeup of everybody is different. Some people are chest dominant during the bench press (meaning that their chest does most of the work), whilst others are shoulder dominant (their shoulders take on most of the work). A dedicated shoulder day will help some to get further towards their physical goals, but will limit others. It depends greatly on your body type, genetics and training style.

The best way to figure out whether or not you should have a separate shoulder day is through trial and error. Try adding a shoulder day and see how your body feels. Try subtracting it and see how that feels (you will definitely see the difference and know what is best for you). For example, I have found that not having a separate shoulder day, but isolating front shoulders after chest exercises on chest day and isolating back shoulders after back exercises on back day works best for me. STAY STRONG!

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Beginner and Standard Muscle Gaining Training Programs

2 Different training programs you can use to grow muscle. It is good to alternate between programs when you plateau or every 3-6 months for muscle confusion to keep growing muscle at a faster rate.

1. Beginner's Warm-Up Program

This workout program is great for beginners who haven't lifted weights before. It is lighter and has a lower intensity that 'wakes up' the major muscle groups and preps the body for harder programs that can follow it. It can also be used as a high-rep program to recover joints and ligaments after workout programs that have put a lot of strain on them (low reps), or to strengthen joints before heavier workout routines. Muscle growth is achieved here by working muscles more frequently, but less concentrated.

Day 1: Lower Body:

Exercise 1: Squats (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 2: Knee Extensions (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 3: Hamstring Curls (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 4: Calf Raises (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 5: Weight Crunches (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 6: Weighted Incline Back Extensions (3 sets of 20)

Day 2: Upper Body

Exercise 1; Bench Press (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 2: Dips (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 3: Pull Ups (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 4: Barbell Curls (3 sets of 20)

Exercise 5: Dumbbell Side Bends (3 sets of 20)

Tips:

• Each exercise is performed with 3 sets of 20. The weight used is the same with each set. For example, when you perform barbell curls, use a 20 kg barbell for all sets.
• If you are just starting a weight training program, follow a day 1, rest day, day 2, rest day, day 1 pattern until you are able to alternate between day 1 and day 2 without taking rests in between days (6 days a week = 3xDay.1 and 3xDay.2 per week).
• If you can perform 20 reps in all three sets, then increase the weight. Work until you can do 20 reps of each set before increasing the weight again.

2. Standard 5-Day Split

The standard 5- day routine is most commonly used in weight training. This routine is a great program to move onto after the beginner's warm-up program above. Instead of splitting workouts into 2 days, the 5-day split separates workout days into 5 major muscle groups and supporting muscles. Each muscle group is focused on and worked harder in this program, but is also given a longer time to recover before being stimulated again.

Day 1: Chest and Triceps

Chest

Exercise 1: Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (4x12)

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Bench Press (3x8)

Exercise 3: Close-Grip Bench Press (3x8)

Exercise 4: Dumbbell Flies (3x10)

Note: exercise 1 and 2 use dumbbells because barbells can often be hard to get a hold of during rush hours at the gym. If you are more comfortable using barbells for these exercises, that is OK.

Triceps

Exercise 1: Tricep Dips (3x20)

Exercise 2: Skull Crushes (3x12)

Exercise 3: Pull Downs (3x12) 

Day 2: Back and Biceps

Back

Exercise 1: Pull Ups (3x20)

Exercise 2: One Arm Row (3x8)

Exercise 3: Bent Over Rows (2x12)

Exercise 4: Low Row (2x10)

Exercise 5: Chin Ups (Machine) (3x8)

Biceps

Exercise 1: Barbell Curls (3x8)

Exercise 2: Hammer Curls (3x8)

Exercise 3: Incline Curls (3x12)

Exercise 4: Concentration Curls (3x8)

Day 3: Core

Lower Back

Exercise 1: Stiff Legged Dead Lifts (3x20)

Overall Core

Exercise 1: Weighted Planks (3x2 minutes)

Exercise 2: Cable Wood Choppers (3x20)

Ads

Exercise 1: Weighted Crunches (3x20)

Exercise 2: Bicycle (3x20)

Exercise 3: Captain's Chair

Obliques

Exercise 1: Side Planks (3x 2 minutes)

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Side Bends

Note: When doing weighted planks, build up until you can hold each set for 2 minutes, and then increase the weight by putting a plate on your lower back, increasing the weight of the plate as you get stronger.

Note: For cable wood choppers, swing the cable from the top handle down to use more of your core. Swinging from the bottom up will use shoulders.

Note: For bicycle, increase weight by holding a dumbbell behind your head.

Day 4: Shoulders and Forearms

Shoulders

Exercise 1: Machine Shoulder Press (3x15)

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Lateral Raises (4x8)

Exercise 3: Dumbbell Reverse Flies (3x8)

Exercise 4: Dumbbell Military Press (3x8)

Exercise 5: Upright Rows (2x12)

Forearms

Exercise 1: Reverse Dumbbell Wrist Curls (4x20)

Exercise 2: Barbell Wrist Curls (4x20)

Note: With forearms, the first exercise has palms facing down and the second exercise has palms facing upwards to target different parts of the forearms

Day 5: Legs

Upper Legs

Exercise 1: Squats (10, 8, 6, 6, 4)

Exercise 2: Knee Extension (3x12)

Exercise 3: Hamstring Curls (3x12)

Calves

Exercise 1: Standing Calve Raises (4x15)

Exercise 2: Seated Calve Raises (4x15)

Note: with squats, the reps should decrease as the leg muscles start to fail. Once you can do the amount of reps specified in the 5 sets above, increase the weight.

Tips:

• Even though this is a 5-day split, it can still be done 6 times a week. For example, week 1 can have day 1-5 Monday-Friday and day 1 again on Saturday, so that week 2 starts with day 2 on Monday
• If you miss out on a workout, don't skip that day's muscle group. For example, if you missed Core on Wednesday, do them on Thursday when you are back in the gym instead of moving over to Shoulders and Forearms. This way, every muscle group is stimulated a day later than usual, instead of one muscle group missing an entire week of training.

For an advanced training program, called the GARRY bodybuilding workout program, click here.

The beginners program is a great introduction to weight training for beginners and helps strengthen the joints and tendons. The standard 5-day split is a great workout program to use regularly. It is also beneficial to alternate between the standard 5-day split and other weight training programs to keep muscles on their toes, growing as much as possible to adapt to new stimulus. STAY STRONG!

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The Garry Bodybuilding Workout Program: The Most Intense Muscle Building Program Ever

This is the most intense workout that I have ever tried out myself. Due to its high intensity, this program is not recommended for people are just starting out or who are relatively new to training. These people should start off with these programs instead. Newcomers should start off with the first program to get their bodies into the idea of breaking down and rebuilding muscle. Once you are ready, you can progress to the second program in the above link, which is similar to what most bodybuilders do.

The Garry workout program was supposedly designed for advanced bodybuilders whose muscles are already used to intense training. It is used to boost muscle growth and blast through a plateau for a limited period of 2 months for accelerated muscle growth. The high intensity of this program lends itself to the fact that it can't be sustained for too long. Since you are working till failure on every set, for many sets, it takes a toll on your nerves and central nervous system.

Since this is a great shocking technique, muscle growth is boosted through this period as the body tries to adapt to the extreme stimulus. As a result of the strain it places on the joints, energy systems and metabolic system, the program should only be followed for a very short time before switching back to normal training.

You should only do this program when on your bulking phase. Restricting calories on a program of this intensity could lead to muscle breakdown. Make sure that you are getting enough calories from a good bulking diet (click here to build your own).

How the program works

The program incorporates German volume training (high reps, high sets), limited recovery time per set and repeatedly forcing muscles to failure, driving them to complete exhaustion with each workout. The goal of this program is to enforce rapid hypertrophy by shocking the body into accelerated growth. This takes its toll on the central nervous system as well as the metabolic system over time, which is why it is advised that beginners, people with injuries or other medical conditions and people who have already overtrained do not try this type of program. The body starts showing a negative response (over-training) if the program is followed for longer than 2 months.

Program rules

The program runs for 6 days a week

The program is in a 6-day split, focusing on one muscle group per day. All major muscle groups are worked in the program, but through only one exercise. The only rest day is day 7. You need to follow the program fully, not cutting out a single day.

Perform only one exercise per day

Do only one exercise per day, excluding a warm up and cool down. This is shown below. You can only add warm-up and cool-down exercises but do not stress the body more than what is described below. I would personally recommend a cardio-style warm-up and an exercise-specific warm-up, depending on the exercise for that day. Don't do any other weighted exercises as a warm up and make sure that your muscles aren't fatigued at all before the exercise. The point is to exert the most out of the muscle in the shortest amount of time. 

Resist the temptation to do any isolate or additional exercises. Try this out for a few weeks and you will see that the exercises here are more than enough for growth.

  Perform every set till failure

You need to work until complete failure with every set. Forced reps are allowed. I did mine until I couldn't move the weight at all. If you can do another rep, you're not done.

You must follow the prescribed times

Every set has a resting period of exactly 30 seconds before the next one, with the exception of squats and dead lifts having 1 minute rest intervals. Do not rest longer or shorter than this between sets. This maximizes short-term fatigue.

Keep doing more sets until failure until you cannot perform a single full rep 

This blasts your muscles and will test your muscular endurance, but keep on performing sets of the exercise until you cannot do a proper repetition with the right form. As you can see below, it might take a loooot of sets before you fail to do a single rep.

The program

Day 1: Squats
(60 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 15-7-6-4-4-4-4-2-1)

Day 2: Standing Calve Raises
(30 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 15-15-15-14-14-1-1-1-10-9-8-5-5-5-3-2-2-2-2-1) 

Day 3: Russian Twists
(30 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 20-20-20-18-16-14-10-7-7-7-6-5-4-2-2-2-1-1-1)

Day 4: Deadlifts
(60 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 12-11-10-10-10-9-8-7-6-6-5-5-5-5-4-2-1-1)

Day 5: Dumbbell Bench Press
(30 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 12-10-8-6-4-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1)

Day 6: Pull Ups
(30 second rest in between sets) (Until failure) (E.g. 25-25-25-23-20-19-27-17-14-12-11-9-6-5-4-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-1)

Day 7: Rest

Additional notes

• Use dumbbells for the bench press exercise because the intensity of this program could easily get a bar stuck on your chest.
• The workout goes very quickly (It took me less than half of my usual workout routine to complete).
• I struggled to do the squats till failure. On most occasions I ended up resting for longer in the middle of my sets.
• My calves exploded on this routine. I use this kind of principle for my calves often because of that.

Give this program a try and tell us about your experience in the comments below. STAY STRONG!

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