My New 4-Day Split
October 20, 2009 | Posted by billspaced Alert, or at least long-term, readers of this site will note that I typically advocate a 2-way split, working out 3 times a week. My routine in the past has always looked something like this:
- Legs & Arms
- Chest & Back & Delts
I’d work the first on Monday and Friday, the second on Wednesday. The following week, I’d do the opposite.
I’ve been working out pretty heavy lately, using more sets and lower reps. I’ve also added really heavy partials with high reps (at least 20 per set at the end of a body part’s workout).
It’s been my experience that I’ve often not trained with enough volume because I’m trying to hit 2 or 3 body parts per workout. I’ve devised a new workout routine that allows me the rest I need to recover, the freedom to work a specific body part a second time in a week, and the space to work out more intensely per workout because I’m working fewer body parts per workout.
Here’s my new work out routine:
- Chest & Back, Monday
- Legs, Tuesday
- Delts & Arms, Wednesday
- Rest on Thursday
- Specialize on Friday (hit a lagging body part or something I want to really stress)
This routine allows me to follow my diet more closely, too. As you may remember, I suggest that people follow a nutrition plan pretty heavy on supplements and high protein, moderate carbs, and relatively high fat (for building phases); with the heavy eating, I want to give my body a rest every 4th day. So, Monday through Wednesday, I eat my “normal” heavy diet. Thursday, I pretty much fast.
Friday, I can go nuts on the supplementation while I blast the body part I want to crush.
Saturday and Sunday are pretty normal, except that I eat lighter because I’m not doing any weight training on those days.
In the next post, I’ll tell you about my back-relief supplementation plan. It’s given me the most pain relief I’ve had in years. Literally.
Related posts:
- How I Am Training Now Here’s an update on my training. As you may...
- Cycling One of the most often overlooked training principles is that...
- How To Bulk Up and Get Ripped by Bill Davis Building muscle fast (bulking up) requires really...
- Specialization One of the things that you can do if you...
- 5 Steps to a Bigger, Leaner, More Muscular You If I had to narrow building the body you want...
Categories: Exercise, Nutrition, bodybuilding, hardgainer, rest | 
Tags: 4-day split, building muscle, growth phase | 
28 Comments »
Hey, as I read your post, a few things came to mind. First, how long have you been training? Second, how long do you train each time you’re in the gym? And finally, how many weeks do you train consecutively with a split like the one you just outlined? I asked those because I became concerned about overtraining when I read your split. Not overtraining to your muslces because you only hit them once or twice a week, but overtraining to your nervous and hormonal system. These systems have to recover from a hard work just as your muscles do. They often take longer than a day to recover. So my concern is that you may not be “fully” recovered when you enter the gym again…your entire body may not be. Hit me back, and lets see.
Mitch
Hey Mitch, all great questions, and I understand your concern. Hereare my answers:
I’ve been training since 12. I am 43, so 30+ years of weight training.
I rarely spend more than 30 minutes in the gym. Frequently, I’m in and out in 20-30 minutes. The other night, I got to the gym near closing time and had to get in a workout in 8 minutes. Best workout I’ve had in a long time!
I should have mentioned all this in the post. Duh. This last part is really important. Just as I train 3 days on, 1 day off (followed by 2 off-days on the weekend), I train like this for 3 weeks, then I take 1 week off. I rarely overtrain these days.
Back in my teens and 20s, I always overtrained, so I’m always careful to avoid that at all costs. I work hard, then I rest hard
Thanks for the great comment!
One more thing: That Friday workout may not be heavy. It may be high reps or sets or weights, or something quirky like sandbag training.
One other thing: Of the M,T,W workouts, only one of them will be really intense, employing partials, rest-pause, or negatives (or some other HIT principle).
I really do try to avoid the trauma to the CNS at pretty much all costs. Been there, done that! Plus, I train a lot lighter now than 20 years ago; but I feel the weights a LOT more now than then. Lifting is now a process whereas before getting a heavy weight up was all that mattered.
It is really goodway to the people who already silm or just fat to fit and increase their body style and muscles. but fat people cant do this, they have to loose weight first (can get tips from my blog ( http://www.justforweightloss.com/ ) , then after loose enough weight only they can do this types of exercise, slim people must do these type of exercise.
.-= How to lose weight fast´s last blog ..Home Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly =-.
Great article thanks for posting.
This is really good advice. I teach various aerobics classes (body pump, step, and abs), but on the other days I like to split up my lifting a little differently. It’s really a matter of mixing things up (although I’m going for fitness rather than size) … for instance, after a few months of doing back/chest together, maybe do chest and triceps one day with back and biceps the other for a few months.
I always wonder how many new lifters visits site like this and get nervous or confused. There’s so much GREAT information out there that it can be overwhelming. If only newbies knew that just getting into a gym is more than enough for the first 6 months I bet we’d all be so much fitter.
When do you decide to do super-sets as opposed to maximum weight with less repetitions and does one way or the other act as a buffer to support your dieting habits better?
@UFC picks I subscribe to the bodybuilding principle called “instinctive training.” I go with the flow, using the signals my body gives me prior to my workouts. I know, it sounds wishy washy.
But I’ve honed this “instinct” over 30 years now. Here’s the general rule: I don’t go “heavy” for a given body part or exercise more than once per week, unless I’m in VERY specialized training.
I may go “intense” twice a week per body part or exercise, but I won’t go high on weight and low on reps more than once a week.
Hope this helps.
.-= Bill´s last blog ..Rowing =-.
LOVE UR ARTICLES. HAD NEVER HEARD OF A SPLIT BEFORE…….EVEN THO MY GUT INSTINCT TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO TO DO THIS!! I AM 67 NOW AND HAVE BEEN WORKING OUT SINCE MY EARLY 40S. I HAVE 2 KNEE REPLACEMENTS AND BROKE A HIP LAST FEB[ NOT EXERCISING AT THE TIME] I COULD NOT WALK IF I DIDNT EXERCISE. I LIVE BY MYSELF,DO EVERYTHING FOR MYSELF AND PROUD OF IT.
Interesting post, would love to try your routine in the future, thanks for sharing!
This is really good advice. I teach various aerobics classes (body pump, step, and abs), but on the other days I like to split up my lifting a little differently.
Sounds like an effective way to shape up. I’ll surely be trying this in the days to come.
Interesting post, would love to try your routine in the future, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this great article. I will personally try this one. Keep up the good work.
.-= OweEng2´s last blog ..Vea Television – Watch Tv On PC Spanish Edition. =-.
This looks like a good website
There’s a n awesome resource that I’ve been checking out for a couple of weeks now, it’s got loads of free help and advice and instructs you how to lose weight the right way, without dieting. I shed 7 pounds in four weeks by doing as they advised.thanks…
I prefer doing full body workouts (weights plus cardio intervals) instead of concentrating on certain body parts each day. What are your thoughts on that?
@burn belly If it works for you, then I’d say do it, by all means! I split because I find it very difficult to do full-body workouts. I just run out of gas plus the workouts take too long. I’m of the mind that anything over 45 minutes is counter productive — for me.
But if you’re getting results doing what you’re doing, then keep on doing it.
Thanks for sharing this great article. I will personally try this one. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the sharing. This is great article. Now i am just looking forward your next topic.
.-= gain muscle´s last blog ..body building – arnold schwarzenegger – biceps training =-.
thanks for the sharing, this is a good advice for me. because i always fail in trying things other method that more complicated. i hope i can success with this tips. thanks
.-= Sewa Apartemen Murah ´s last blog ..Rumah dijual di Jakarta Pusat =-.
I have been trying to do some abs every other day, but I forget. I am running or doing some sort of exercise about every day. I’ve just finished university for the year and I was sooo lazy during the semester, I did no exercise. I need to get up and going again.
It’s hard to make it all work. That’s why we need reminders.
Good article. The specialization idea is something I’ve never heard of before. But I don’t agree with the fasting on Thursday. But your current routine is a lot better than your first one!
Nice split, but don’t you think that chest and back in the same training are pretty much, especially if you’re going heavy as you said? What do you think about mixing and matching Monday and Wednesday, for example:
Chest + Delts
Back + Arms
Nice decision about the split. As a matter of fact I used to do almost exactly the same training like the one you decided to change, and it does not allow nearly enough exercise volume as muscles require.
@Powerlifting Academy Yours works, too. I really like the feeling I get when I train chest and back in the same workout. I don’t do a lot of sets, so the intensity I employ by going heavy doesn’t totally poop me out.
It’s a personal thing.
.-= billspaced´s last blog ..High Intensity Training (HIT): Maximizing the Muscle! =-.
This is great motivation for me as part of my new years resolution to get fit. In your spare time do you watch tv? I have fuonf some great pc to tv software
http://watchlivetv-online.com
Nice one, Kat! I won't tag your comments as SPAM just yet…
.-= billspaced´s last blog ..Ways To Get Stronger =-.