Any bodybuilders out there do full body workouts, all i see is splits

[StellaArtois]

Does anyone have pics of old or new bodybuilders who did/do full body workouts. Every where you look "beginner full body" and the split is considered advanced. Why does a full body workout have to be beginner, I feel like when I do split I lose strength. I go hard three days a week lifting good weight on a full body except i vary my rep scheme on each of those three days from low, med, to high and of course the weight to go along with each rep scheme.

Is it that difficult to look good aesthetically on a full body workout. I love doing compound movements and then just finish of with some light isolation at the end.

[bulls**t]

Does anyone have pics of old or new bodybuilders who did/do full body workouts. Every where you look "beginner full body" and the split is considered advanced. Why does a full body workout have to be beginner, I feel like when I do split I lose strength. I go hard three days a week lifting good weight on a full body except i vary my rep scheme on each of those three days from low, med, to high and of course the weight to go along with each rep scheme.

Is it that difficult to look good aesthetically on a full body workout. I love doing compound movements and then just finish of with some light isolation at the end.

I do something similar to you. It's good to train like an athlete.

[suncloud]

full body workouts are great for functional strength and to build a foundation. full body isn't going to give you lats, or calves, etc. that's why we move on to "splits"

you can look aesthetically good doing total body workouts, but you'll never have a huge bicep peak.

[UKStrength]

full body workouts are great for functional strength and to build a foundation. full body isn't going to give you lats, or calves, etc. that's why we move on to "splits"

you can look aesthetically good doing total body workouts, but you'll never have a huge bicep peak.

Agreed

They're also good for burning more calories overall per workout if you keep the rest times short and the volume high (typically the 'bigger' movements are used e.g. squats, deadlifts, cleans, pullups, dips, etc.).

Therefore they are really useful during phases of training when muscle growth is likely to be minimal but fat loss is a priority (cutting), but probably inefficient when it comes to specifically targetting muscle groups.

[jcp2]

If you want to check out a good workout for strenght and hypertrophy, that is not a "bodybuilding split" check out "dual factor training" by Matt Reynolds. Just google it.

[MM11]

I have been lifting for about 5 years now, i moved FROM a split to a full body work out. I get great results from this personally. Not as much in size gains (Still some) but strength, speed, and stamina. 2 days on 1 off whole body is what I do an EXAMPLE:

Day 1
Bench (flat)
Squat
Military press
Bent over rows
(2 biceps workouts)
(1 triceps workout)
end push ups and crunches

Day 2
Power clean and press
Good mornings (or deads)
Incline Bench
Shoulder supersets exercise
Lat pull downs
Wide cable rows (more for rear shoulders)
(2 triceps workouts)
(1 Biceps workouts)
Pull ups
Crunches
*cavs every day (cardio in mornings on their own schedule)
*if there is a muscle you want to focus more on, move its exercise to #1 for the day.
i use this in rugby season or just when ever, i bulk with it, cut with it. as for reps i try a 6 of 6 range. or 6 sets of pyramid reps. (8,5,2,1,3,10-15)

[StellaArtois]

full body workouts are great for functional strength and to build a foundation. full body isn't going to give you lats, or calves, etc. that's why we move on to "splits"

you can look aesthetically good doing total body workouts, but you'll never have a huge bicep peak.

so in order to have wider lats and bigger bicep peak i need to do a split...

[jcp2]

so in order to have wider lats and bigger bicep peak i need to do a split...

Absolutely not.

[mixedup]

so in order to have wider lats and bigger bicep peak i need to do a split...

No you can get wider lats and bigger biceps peaks on a full body work out however you wont' get the maxium. It depends on your goals. if you looking for maxium growth.

Like Arms on a split of biceps most people have around 4 exercercises with 3-4 sets. So thats 12-16 sets for biceps alone on a full body workout you just can get 16 sets in per body part. I know I couldn't do my regular 16-20 sets for chest than try to work legs I think that's why most people go to a split

[StellaArtois]

No you can get wider lats and bigger biceps peaks on a full body work out however you wont' get the maxium. It depends on your goals. if you looking for maxium growth.

Like Arms on a split of biceps most people have around 4 exercercises with 3-4 sets. So thats 12-16 sets for biceps alone on a full body workout you just can get 16 sets in per body part. I know I couldn't do my regular 16-20 sets for chest than try to work legs I think that's why most people go to a split

Right, im only getting 9 direct sets for biceps and 9 for triceps, 3 sets for each after my workout 3x a week

[suncloud]

so in order to have wider lats and bigger bicep peak i need to do a split...

well, consider that total body workouts are compound movements. usually for back, this is by doing deads and pullups. biceps are completely neglected doing total body (usually), but are used as secondary muscles.

some people can get biceps from pullups, some people can get lats from pullups. most of us need a bit more stimulation to the target muscle than one exercise - 2-3 exercises to hit the muscle from another angle, etc.

now if you're starting out you'll gain muscle all over doing total body. if you're an advanced lifter though, not so much.

splits are used to target multiple muscle heads of target muscles that total body misses, like rear triceps.

starting out, i tried the conventional 5 day split, and had very little gains - went from 126 to 135. changing to total body propelled me into the 170's. from there, i went back to a 5 day split when my gains slowed down. total body has its place, and i would never disagree with that. it is very difficult to use as an advanced lifter though, unless you're doing total body + supplemental work for the muscles that are unused during training.

[StellaArtois]

well, consider that total body workouts are compound movements. usually for back, this is by doing deads and pullups. biceps are completely neglected doing total body (usually), but are used as secondary muscles.

some people can get biceps from pullups, some people can get lats from pullups. most of us need a bit more stimulation to the target muscle than one exercise - 2-3 exercises to hit the muscle from another angle, etc.

now if you're starting out you'll gain muscle all over doing total body. if you're an advanced lifter though, not so much.

splits are used to target multiple muscle heads of target muscles that total body misses, like rear triceps.

starting out, i tried the conventional 5 day split, and had very little gains - went from 126 to 135. changing to total body propelled me into the 170's. from there, i went back to a 5 day split when my gains slowed down. total body has its place, and i would never disagree with that. it is very difficult to use as an advanced lifter though, unless you're doing total body + supplemental work for the muscles that are unused during training.

I see, i guess my follow up question would be based on the following stats what am i considered to be an intermediate/advanced lifter and should switch to splits..i've always done full body workout, i've switched to split for maybe 2 or 3 weeks here and there and i hated waiting so long to workout another body part, and felt as if my lifts decline on them:

stats:
5'11'' 205lbs
max (using free weight barbell)-
bench: 275x3
BB row (yates): 235x3
Seated Military Press: 205x3
Deadlift: 300lbs
Squat: 300lbs
although i have stopped doing heavy DL and Sqt due to recurring injury.

[suncloud]

i also hate waiting to rework a muscle. the exception is my legs, which take 4 days to recover from anything. anyways, my split is

M - chest/tri's/front and mid delts (machine and barbell)
T - back/bi's/rear delts (machine and barbell)
W - legs
Th - chest/tri's/front and mid delts (dumbell)
F - back/bi's/rear delts (dumbell)

or you can do total body workouts. i'm not an athlete, nor do i ever intend on being one. if you're sports oriented, total body workouts may suit you better.

my old total body workout you can find at : The Ectomorph Workout

anyways, take everything i say with a grain of salt - just because i respond better to something doesn't mean you will.

[mixedup]

I see, i guess my follow up question would be based on the following stats what am i considered to be an intermediate/advanced lifter and should switch to splits..i've always done full body workout, i've switched to split for maybe 2 or 3 weeks here and there and i hated waiting so long to workout another body part, and felt as if my lifts decline on them:

stats:
5'11'' 205lbs
max (using free weight barbell)-
bench: 275x3
BB row (yates): 235x3
Seated Military Press: 205x3
Deadlift: 300lbs
Squat: 300lbs
although i have stopped doing heavy DL and Sqt due to recurring injury.

i don't like to judge catergories etc but I do a 5 day split and to give you an idea

Your bench max is 131% your body weight
my last chest work out i did 3x5 with 150% of your bw

seated military press is your 100% your body weight
my last shoulder day I did 4x8 96% my body weight.

So i'm lifting a considerable amount more weight than you and for me my body parts need a full 7 days. I think with your lifts if you move to a split you'll see a good jump in the amount of weight you can lift. Remember growth comes during rest not training

[chedu]

What about something like DC training?

For instance,

BB press
Military press
Dips
Chins
DL

That looks like a fullbody workout to me

Next day, bis-forearms-lower body, will come into play some heavy squatting, that can be considered as a "fullbody" exercise.

[kwyckemynd00]

If you're not doing everything in a day, it's not a full body workout. LOL. However, you don't have to do a single bodypart per day to call it a split either. I personally like multi-bodypart splits. I like to do (essentially) upper-pushing, upper-pulling, lower body --> 3 day split. However, I do personally believe that full body workouts are not good for size development. Certain muscles just don't seem to recover fast enough.

It's all about the food anyway. As long as you're not over training (i.e. not giving your body enough time to repair damage between workouts) then if you're not gaining it's b/c your diet sucks.

[StellaArtois]

If you're not doing everything in a day, it's not a full body workout. LOL. However, you don't have to do a single bodypart per day to call it a split either. I personally like multi-bodypart splits. I like to do (essentially) upper-pushing, upper-pulling, lower body --> 3 day split. However, I do personally believe that full body workouts are not good for size development. Certain muscles just don't seem to recover fast enough.

It's all about the food anyway. As long as you're not over training (i.e. not giving your body enough time to repair damage between workouts) then if you're not gaining it's b/c your diet sucks.

well im not completely recovered in a full body on my next workout but its not as bad as if i did 13 sets for chest in one day, you do split chest among 3 days

[hardknock]

Right, im only getting 9 direct sets for biceps and 9 for triceps, 3 sets for each after my workout 3x a week

If you are doing heavy rows and heavy cgbp, which goes hand in hand with a full body route, then there can be no need for 18 sets for arms...that is just insane

[StellaArtois]

If you are doing heavy rows and heavy cgbp, which goes hand in hand with a full body route, then there can be no need for 18 sets for arms...that is just insane

here is my full body i posted in another thread
Monday: 5x5
Chest - bench press
Back - BB Yates Rows
Shoulders - Military press
Triceps - Weighted dips (these will be 3x10)
Biceps - Weighted Chin ups (these will be 3x10)
Legs- squats

Wednesday: 4x8
Chest - bench press
Back - weighted pullups
Shoulders - Military press
Triceps - Kickbacks (these will be 3x10)
Biceps - curls (these will be 3x10)
Legs- deadlifts

Friday: 3x12
Chest - bench press
Back - Machine rows
Shoulders - military press
Triceps - CG Bench Press (these will be 3x10)
Biceps - DB Curls (these will be 3x10)
Legs- squats

[hardknock]

You wouldn't get an accurate answer just from stats. It would depend on where you peak.

Once your WO quits giving you results then it's time to switch it up. Who knows, you may reach 315 (bench) with your current scheme or add 60lbs to your dead but no one can say when it will stop and you switch.