From 5 day split to 3 day split

Laharl9999

Laharl9999

New member
I just started lifting in the last year. For the last 6 months I've been doing a 5 day split. With this split I work each body part once per week. I've felt for a while that I'm leaving too much time for recovery and that my schedule could be more efficient by incorporating more body parts per day. For the past 2 weeks I've started doing Push/Pull/Legs, a 3 day split. I have lowered my volume of sets. I now do about 5 sets of my core lift for each body part then 3 sets of 2 or 3 more exercises per body part.

Since I've started this regimen my core lifts have gone down slightly. Also, I'm more fatigued by the end of my workout meaning some muscles are hit with less intensity. For example, on Push day I do chest, triceps then delts, in that order. My delts and triceps don't get hit as hard as when they had their own day.

My question is, will the frequency of workouts and more constant hypertrophy make up for less volume and intensity per body part?
 
There is going to be a ton of opinions here. That is normal. But in my opinion doing a 5 to 6 day split would be more effective. Hitting body parts multiple times a week in different ways each session.
 
Laharl9999 said:
I just started lifting in the last year. For the last 6 months I've been doing a 5 day split. With this split I work each body part once per week. I've felt for a while that I'm leaving too much time for recovery and that my schedule could be more efficient by incorporating more body parts per day. For the past 2 weeks I've started doing Push/Pull/Legs, a 3 day split. I have lowered my volume of sets. I now do about 5 sets of my core lift for each body part then 3 sets of 2 or 3 more exercises per body part.

Since I've started this regimen my core lifts have gone down slightly. Also, I'm more fatigued by the end of my workout meaning some muscles are hit with less intensity. For example, on Push day I do chest, triceps then delts, in that order. My delts and triceps don't get hit as hard as when they had their own day.

My question is, will the frequency of workouts and more constant hypertrophy make up for less volume and intensity per body part?
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Are you natural?
 
How many days in a row are you doing? Your split seems fine. Don't do more then 3 days straight if you don't have to. I would do delts before tris though. Remember chest and delta are working your tri too.
 
But to answer your post. No heavy weight won't yield the same growth at lower reps for lost people. It takes 6 or more reps for good growth.
 
Laharl9999 said:
I'm currently on week 1 of a 6 week andro cycle. Was natty before.
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Was going to suggest full body 3x per week concentrating on main compound lifts if you were natural but as you are not now then your split seems fine I am sure you will soon adjust to your current set up
 
Laharl9999 said:
I'm currently on week 1 of a 6 week andro cycle. Was natty before.
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Then you should see results regardless.

IMO... Going "on" is an odd time to decrease your training volume, you should be capable of more.

I vote you switch to a higher volume program, 4+ days/week, and maybe deload after
 
I guess I was thinking the increased frequency of workouts would more than make up for the lesser volume. Technically my workouts are much more taxing now as I'm working 3 muscle groups per day as opposed to the 5 day split when it was 1 muscle group per day. I decreased the volume by about 4-6 sets per muscle group. During the 5 day split I was doing about 12-14 working sets for chest, now I do about 8-10 sets. But now I'm also doing triceps and delts on the same day as chest, so my overall volume is higher leading me to being much more taxed.

I would like to keep the same volume with the 3 day split that I used with the 5 day split, but I don't know if I can do it. I'm practically puking by the time I'm done with my workouts lately, and I'm worthless once I get home for the night. During the 3 day split I would be completely taxed after 12-14 sets of chest and I wouldn't be able to give full intensity to triceps and delts. I was considering going back to the 5 day split so I can devote full intensity to each muscle group. I think a 4 day split might be a good medium. Maybe if things are going well I'll go back to 3 day further along in my cycle.
 
As far as a deload, that's not something I've done before. I just googled it. So I would take a week or so and lift light with high volume? Or maybe just for a day or two?
 
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