Wondering why?

[jboatown]

Hmmm...I've been doing this same split for about a year and half with no problems and steady gains...

(M-Off (cardio), T-Chest/Tris, W-Off (cardio), T-Back/Bis, and Fri-Shoulders/Legs, Sat-Off, Sun-Off)

For some reason, something kinda strange happened after my chest/tricep workout... My upper back and anterior deltoids are sore! Never has happened before, always just chest the next day. I try hard to pay attention to my form, so I'm blaming that as the culprit? Not really sure to be honest.

Does this mean I shouldn't train back or shoulders this week?? I'm nervous that this could lead to over training.

Appreciate any insight,

Thanks guys.

[hvactech]

the term over training is used loosely, you will not over train! depending on how sore you feel you should be fine....

[jboatown]

the term over training is used loosely, you will not over train! depending on how sore you feel you should be fine....

Thanks, appreciate it!

[kingk0ng]

Hmmm...I've been doing this same split for about a year and half with no problems and steady gains...

(M-Off (cardio), T-Chest/Tris, W-Off (cardio), T-Back/Bis, and Fri-Shoulders/Legs, Sat-Off, Sun-Off)

For some reason, something kinda strange happened after my chest/tricep workout... My upper back and anterior deltoids are sore! Never has happened before, always just chest the next day. I try hard to pay attention to my form, so I'm blaming that as the culprit? Not really sure to be honest.

Does this mean I shouldn't train back or shoulders this week?? I'm nervous that this could lead to over training.

Appreciate any insight,

Thanks guys.

Overtraining is not a problem. Believe me, overtraining is something that 80% of the lifting community doesn't have to worry about. Accumulated fatigue over long periods (months) causes overtraining. Overtraining refers entirely to the CNS.

While I don't personally agree with your set up, I think it lacks in frequency and probably has too much volume, your split wouldn't cause you to overtrain.

[jboatown]

Overtraining is not a problem. Believe me, overtraining is something that 80% of the lifting community doesn't have to worry about. Accumulated fatigue over long periods (months) causes overtraining. Overtraining refers entirely to the CNS.

While I don't personally agree with your set up, I think it lacks in frequency and probably has too much volume, your split wouldn't cause you to overtrain.

Thanks for the reply. Can you please elaborate more on my split lacking in frequency and having too much volume? Appreciate it.

[kingk0ng]

Thanks for the reply. Can you please elaborate more on my split lacking in frequency and having too much volume? Appreciate it.

There's two methods of routine setup. One is called a "full body routine" and the other is a "split". The exception to this is the upper/lower split, which is really a full body routine and IMO the best way to train.

Anyway, with a split. Lets say your goal is 9 sets of volume for the chest. Most people would do lets say bench press, incline press and dumbell flies. 3 sets of each. After this workout, they'd go a whole weak without training the "chest", then do 9 sets again in 7 days.

With a full body program, you spread out the 9 sets over a 7 day period. Instead of doing different exercises, you'd focus on development of the best exercise for that particular muscle group - in this case, bench press. You'd do 3 sets of benching on Monday, 3 sets on Wednesday, then 3 sets on Friday...or you could only train it twice a week with two movements and get 12 total sets over 2 days.

You could even do it like this.

Monday- Flat bench
Wednesday- Incline bench
Friday- Weighted Dips

Full body is better because it allows you more opportunity for progression. If you can progress every workout, wouldn't it make more sense to progress twice per week rather than once per week?

Full body routines also trains the body better as a whole, meaning it places greater demand on the overall body resulting in a better anabolic response from the endocrine system in a single session...not to mention you are teaching your body to recuperate faster by training it more frequently.

Another advantage is, muscle is built on progression. The more exercises you have, the harder it becomes to progress on those exercises. If you put the desired intensity in on the bench press, then you're going to be too fatigued to hit a personal record on inclines and flies directly afterwards. This means the other two movements are going to get cheated of progression.

Those are just a few reasons why full body training is better.

You should train your body with movements and not according to muscle groups.

[BaDgErFaN]

^^^ Good advice right there!

[jboatown]

King Kong, tried to send you a PM, but couldn't. I'm a bit confused on how exactly this split is better for me? You said my body would produce a stronger anabolic response? Am I still able to do cardio 8 hours later in the day (What I was doing previously..usually a 2 mile walk with my 1 year old male yellow lab)

[supraseed48]

Another advantage is, is built on progression. The more exercises you have, the harder it becomes to progress on those exercises. If you put the desired intensity in on the bench press, then you're going to be too fatigued to hit a personal record on inclines and flies directly afterwards. This means the other two movements are going to get cheated of progression.

What about just alternating the volume excercise you start with on that w/o each week. To me 3 sets of bench would barely give hytrophy unless I did 25 reps per set. I have to progress weight gradually when training or I end up tearing up joints. Not enough of a span in 3 sets for me to get to the kind of weight I need for growth. If I did 8-10X3 I still feel I have 3/4 tank of gas to burn. Especially when my diet is on.

I will have to say your theory behind the full body split has me really intrigued. You could be on to something. Is this the way you train? If so do could you share some results?