Full body... might be a good idea.

[mranderson30]

thought I would take a poll on thoughts around a full body workout 3-4 times a week vs segmented body training 5-6 days a week. I'm now 35 years old, trained hard for years... noticed guys at the gym gravitating towards full body workouts and keeping up a solid physique. Workout routines around full body seem to include impact cardio then each muscle group 3 heavy sets moving a workout from 60min to around 90min ... now I am not speaking to bodybuilders but more towards someone like myself who trains to stay fit. 6ft 205, 32w, 10%bf.

thoughts?

btw- I run TRT and blast (cycle grade a few times a year)

 

[Docd187123]

I would be hard pressed to think up of a scenario in which I thought segmented body training to be better or more efficient than full body training and that's taking goals into account also. I vote full body 3-4x a week.

 

[mranderson30]

I would be hard pressed to think up of a scenario in which I thought segmented body training to be better or more efficient than full body training and that's taking goals into account also. I vote full body 3-4x a week.

agreed. for years I've held Mondays to chest, Tuesday to tri's, Wed to shoulders..etc...
I think it's time for a change...

 

[Docd187123]

agreed. for years I've held Mondays to chest, Tuesday to tri's, Wed to shoulders..etc...
I think it's time for a change...

If you stick to segmented training at the very least make chest day another day besides Monday lol. Monday is national chest day and every fool in my gym is tripping over another waiting for the bench press while the person on it is 10min deep into a conversation on his cell phone.

 

[Ozzy619]

agreed. for years I've held Mondays to chest, Tuesday to tri's, Wed to shoulders..etc...
I think it's time for a change...

I agree you need to change it up but a full body workout is just as basic as your routine youre doing now. I would only do full body workouts when I was able to hit the gym 3 days a week. If you do decide to go this route focus on compound lifts. You should always change your routine up on a regular basis. I think a better option would be a push/pull/leg routine.

 

[BIGMESC]

I have been doing a HST version and its working well.
4 days a week full body min 36 hrs between WO so I do sat morning, sunday night, tue and thursday.
For all around fitness its great, my layout is this.
2 sets each lift, 2 weeks 15 reps, 2 weeks 10 reps, 2 weeks 5 reps.
progressive loading based on reps so increase every 2 weeks.
I usually do my lifts in this order.
Abs first or last
Legs curls
Squats
Weighted chins
Deads
BB Rows
Military press
Flat bench press
Incline DB press
Lat raises
Tri extension or weighted dips
Bi curls
Abs if done last

 

[mranderson30]

thanks for the replies- helpful.

 

[Roid Rage]

I've been doing the MWF full-body regime for over a decade, now. I mostly stick to compound lifts like bench-press, shoulder presses, squat, deadlift and barbell rows on those days. And variations of those lifts.

Sometimes on T or Th, I work out the "aesthetic" muscles like abs and biceps. It depends how I feel.

 

[mranderson30]

Roid Rage, are you able to keep body fat low? do you throw in cardio?

 

[Docd187123]

Roid Rage, are you able to keep body fat low? do you throw in cardio?

It's very possible to stay lean while doing full body workouts. It depends on your diet obviously. You don't necessarily need to do cardio but it can help create an energy deficit.

 

[mranderson30]

of course diet is key... good replies all around. thanks.

 

[weighted chinup]

I wouldn't hesitate to choose a full body routine over a typical 5 day split bb'ing routine. Even for guys whose goals are bb'ing oriented.

Higher frequency is an excellent tool for promoting strength adaptions and this is something every lifter who is still getting stronger or is focusing on getting stronger should be taking advantage of.

Also, most full body programs are well programmed and properly periodized so you are probably going to get better results.

Personally I wouldn't train with low frequency unless my strength is at the absolute upper limit of what is attainable, even with AAS. Currently I train using a push/pull/legs/push/pull/legs/rest schedule.

Sometimes I even consider adjusting this to an upper/lower schedule so I can practice my major lifts more frequently and get stronger faster, but P/P/L allows me to get greater total volume / workload per session which I feel at this point in my development is going to be a bigger factor than increased frequency.

 

[hotdog23]

I wouldn't hesitate to choose a full body routine over a typical 5 day split bb'ing routine. Even for guys whose goals are bb'ing oriented.

Higher frequency is an excellent tool for promoting strength adaptions and this is something every lifter who is still getting stronger or is focusing on getting stronger should be taking advantage of.

Also, most full body programs are well programmed and properly periodized so you are probably going to get better results.

Personally I wouldn't train with low frequency unless my strength is at the absolute upper limit of what is attainable, even with AAS. Currently I train using a push/pull/legs/push/pull/legs/rest schedule.

Sometimes I even consider adjusting this to an upper/lower schedule so I can practice my major lifts more frequently and get stronger faster, but P/P/L allows me to get greater total volume / workload per session which I feel at this point in my development is going to be a bigger factor than increased frequency.

Hard to get away from that ppl lol

OP I did a couple HST cycles and enjoyed it. Worth looking into. Biggest thing I took away is the role of strategic deconditioning. Due to some shoulder instability I am really limited in strength gains for my upper body, but by use of SD, I can create a program that can give me 10 weeks of growth, at which point I SD again. Exercise selection is key but pretty easy IMO

Quad dominate- squat
Hip dominate- RDL
High push- OHP/incline
Low push- dips
Back width-pulldowns
Thickness- rows

Three working sets of each eod. Add 2.5-5 lbs a workout.

If u want aesthetics add curls and lateral raises

 

[Kinikuman]

If you stick to segmented training at the very least make chest day another day besides Monday lol. Monday is national chest day and every fool in my gym is tripping over another waiting for the bench press while the person on it is 10min deep into a conversation on his cell phone.

This is why I have made Monday my squat day as long as I have been going to a commercial gym. A very long time. It also means when there are a lot of guys standing around taking 10 minutes between sets of deads or squats that can spot me on chest day.

 

[Roid Rage]

Roid Rage, are you able to keep body fat low? do you throw in cardio?

Well, right now my body fat is a bit high. I can feel that I have a six-pack, but I can't see it because it's covered in fat. I would attribute my higher body fat to a high fat - fast food - crappy diet, though. I have had low body in the past, when I've been more disciplined with my diet. Also, I haven't been doing much cardio lately.

In the past, I've thrown in some cardio - mostly just because I like running on the treadmill. The only time I really can't do cardio is after squatting or deadlifting because my legs are to tired.

 

[dnoyez]

Check out c.s Sloan his routines opened my eyes to fullbody workouts.

 

[Northern Nutrition]

I would be hard pressed to think up of a scenario in which I thought segmented body training to be better or more efficient than full body training and that's taking goals into account also. I vote full body 3-4x a week.

Totally agree with this (imagine that, eh Doc? lol) I have used Bill Philip's (Body for LIfe) foundation for developing my own full body workout and its has produced some interesting results. But the best part of this idea is the amount of time spent in the gym..its literally in half AND im targeting all muscles 4 times per week. That's a win win in my book.

I should include that i dont run this program all the time. I tend to switch up depending on the time i have and whats currently going on in my life, work, and family. There are times when i have prolonged down time and enjoy taking my time during workouts and chilling out. But imho, you cant beat the full body workout, particularly in this fast paced world we live in.

 

[ruckin]

In my opinion, full body 3-4 times each week gives you the potential to maximize your results no matter what your specific goals are. I only do full body workouts and you could not pay me to switch to anything else.

 

[hotdog23]

There is also the interesting idea that the level if growth factors produced by taxing every muscle group vs one can have a positive impact on gains - especially for the natty

Idk if it deserves any merit but it is always cited by full body proponents

 

[weighted chinup]

There is also the interesting idea that the level if growth factors produced by taxing every muscle group vs one can have a positive impact on gains - especially for the natty

Idk if it deserves any merit but it is always cited by full body proponents

I've heard about this as well, but I would guess that whatever impact this would have would be fairly small in comparison to the many other ways higher frequency benefits lifters.

I do agree with you though, I don't think drug free lifters should train with low frequency routines, it's simply not as efficient to go so long without training something again.

In many cases it's counter productive;