What's the best split schedule for maximizing strength gains on cycle?

[Burntoutn3rd]

I don't really isolate specific muscle groups on workout days. I run total upper body/lower body for long stretches in the gym 4 days a week rather than individual muscle groups 6-7 times a week. I'm in the gym about 2.5 hours each day not including getting ready/post workout stuff.

Example-
Monday upper body strength (6x4 sets at 85% 1rm)
Tuesday lower body strength
Weds rest
Thurs upper strength/hypertrophy blend (5x6 sets at 75% 1rm)
Friday lower strength/hypertrophy blend
Rest Saturday and Sunday.

I still get plenty of movement on rest days, I walk at least 5 miles every day regardless.

In my head, by giving my body more rest time and working.put all muscle groups would offer better tissue synthesis.

I've been questioning this though lately. Am I getting the absolute most development possible this way?

Again, I'm focused on strength and speed a bit.more than size.

 

[EXCELLENTMENTALHEALTH]

The more you put in, the more you'll get out. It's hard for a beginner lifter to just go ham 6x a week for 2 hours (pushing hard, not just dicking around on their phone between sets but actually hitting it).

Just keep increasing your workout. Every workout should be tougher than your last - more weight, more reps, more sets. If you can manage to do this without burning yourself out, you'll do fine.

4x a week is fine. 5x is better. 6 even better. Twice a day better than that. I don't know what your schedule and time constraints are, so it's up to you on how to balance all of this.

I think people talk about rest and deload a lot of time in a way because they're just looking for an excuse to be lazy. If you trained biceps 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, they're gonna be way bigger than someone doing some sort of 'adequate rest 2x a week' thing.

Obviously it'd take time to get to that point without burning yourself out and being in pain so, just gotta scale it up to that point comfortably.

At the same time, I do believe you should schedule moderate exercise and deloads pre-emptively before you hit the point of 'I've been working out crazy hard for 2 months straight and now I gotta take a week off'. Personally every ~3 weeks I just go a little lighter for 3 days to keep my momentum.

 

[PlanetFatness]

I don't really isolate specific muscle groups on workout days. I run total upper body/lower body for long stretches in the gym 4 days a week rather than individual muscle groups 6-7 times a week. I'm in the gym about 2.5 hours each day not including getting ready/post workout stuff.

Example-
Monday upper body strength (6x4 sets at 85% 1rm)
Tuesday lower body strength
Weds rest
Thurs upper strength/hypertrophy blend (5x6 sets at 75% 1rm)
Friday lower strength/hypertrophy blend
Rest Saturday and Sunday.

I still get plenty of movement on rest days, I walk at least 5 miles every day regardless.

In my head, by giving my body more rest time and working.put all muscle groups would offer better tissue synthesis.

I've been questioning this though lately. Am I getting the absolute most development possible this way?

Again, I'm focused on strength and speed a bit.more than size.

Where are your glutes? I focus on glutes more than anything else. Tight glutes are a must for me.

 

[bobx]

4x a week is fine. 5x is better. 6 even better. Twice a day better than that. I don't know what your schedule and time constraints are, so it's up to you on how to balance all of this.

def not ur stuck in the 70s

 

[Burntoutn3rd]

Where are your glutes? I focus on glutes more than anything else. Tight glutes are a must for me.

Lmao, lower body. I hit them plenty hard being you largest muscle group.

The more you put in, the more you'll get out. It's hard for a beginner lifter to just go ham 6x a week for 2 hours (pushing hard, not just dicking around on their phone between sets but actually hitting it).

By no means a beginner, haha. I fell into this schedule years ago after trying different kinds. I got better growth from this than I did 6 days a week. Totally gassing yourself stunts possible growth in my experience.

I've just been questioning lately if I could push more out of it.

Putting this in perspective, I push to the point I can't do a single more lift/situp etc and have a hell of a time walking the rest of the day/standing up from seated. Every workout day is to failure, minimal rest between sets, and I keep my heart rate at 115-120+ the entire time, hence why I've focused on solid rest. It would be impossible to go 6 days a week at the intensity I am now.

 

[EXCELLENTMENTALHEALTH]

I'm more of a fan of smaller workouts 6x a week, than bigger 4x a week. But with that 6x base, you can slowly increase each of those workouts so eventually your current 6x is more intense than what your 4x would've been a few months ago.

Everyone has their own time constraints and such, I don't really think there's a wrong answer here. As long as every workout you're pushing it and adding more and more.

The more you put in, the more you get out. It has to be progressive so you don't burn yourself out, but as long as you keep consistent and increasing, you'll get results.

 

[PenguinPiss]

I've just been questioning lately if I could push more out of it.

You're probably way more experienced than I am, but from what you're describing maybe you want to look into the Westside Barbell conjugate system. I'm not close to running a program like that, I have a lot of "base" to add (strength-and-GPP-wise), personally but I've been reading up. If you have really good technique on the big compound lifts, it may suit you.

If you haven't seen it, here is a sample. If you have, sorry for the overlap.

WSBB Books - Special Strength Development For All Sports

After four years of meticulous data compilation, research, and writing, Louie Simmons presents Special Strength Development for All Sports. This book is a culmination of over 40 years of Simmons' groundbreaking work and experimentation within his renowned gym, Westside Barbell, which serves as hi...

www.westside-barbell.com

 

[Burntoutn3rd]

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WSBB Books - Special Strength Development For All Sports

After four years of meticulous data compilation, research, and writing, Louie Simmons presents Special Strength Development for All Sports. This book is a culmination of over 40 years of Simmons' groundbreaking work and experimentation within his renowned gym, Westside Barbell, which serves as hi...

www.westside-barbell.com

This is right up my alley, thank you. I guess in my own way I've come to something close to this. Even in my off days in still doing 30 minutes of serious calisthenics (Pushups, situps, pullups, bodyweight lunges/squats) then power walking everywhere. I live in a really dense university area, I really don't have to drive for anything in town and I appreciate the exercise and sun.

I do need to work a bit more on speed/agility though, I need to get back into using sleds and stuff again.