Full Body vs. Split Routine

Exercising will improve your overall health. Moving from a sedentary lifestyle in which you do very little activity to a lifestyle in which you engage in even just moderate activity will go a very long way in giving you some real health benefits such as lower blood pressure, increased muscle mass and a lower body fat percentage. Tweaking your exercise routine can help you even further. There are plenty of strength training routines you can choose, the two main ones being: 1) full body or 2) split routine.

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Difference Between Full Body and Split Routines

A full body routine is one in which every muscle of the body is targeted in one session while a split routine is one in which the muscles are divided into groups and each session targets a different area of the body.

Full Body Routine

A full body routine will target all muscle groups every session. With these routines, you'll be going to the gym less and you spend less time in there each session. A full body routine is good for beginners and those looking to lose weight.

Since a full body routine hits every muscle group everyday, you should only be doing these 2 times per week when you first start up and moving up to 3 times per week after you get used to the routine. Here's a sample full body workout for beginners:

Start with 2 sets per exercise at 6-12 repetitions per set for the first 3-4 weeks. Once you start getting stronger and more comfortable with the exercises, increase the number of exercises per muscle to 2-4, sets to 3-4 per exercise and keep your repetitions at 6-12 per set. Keep a workout log with all the weights and exercises you use to make it easier to track your progress. This will help motivate and push you to increase your weights and strength each week.

Split Routine

A split routine is one that focuses on 1-2 muscle groups per session and hits the entire body in the course of about a week. A split routine requires you to go to the gym more and spend a longer period of time there. This type of routine is best for intermediate - advanced gym goers who are trying to gain muscle mass. Here are two sample split routines:

Workout 1:

• day 1: chest and triceps
• day 2: rest day
• day 3: legs
• day 4: rest day
• day 5: back and biceps
• day 6: shoulders and abs
• day 7: rest day

Workout 2:

• day 1: chest
• day 2: legs
• day 3: rest day
• day 4: back
• day 5: shoulders and abs
• day 6: arms - biceps and triceps
• day 7: rest day

Initially, pick 2-3 exercises per muscle group and do 2-3 sets per exercise at 6-12 repetitions per set. After 3-4 weeks, move up to 3-4 exercises per muscle group, 3-4 sets per exercise at 6-12 repetitions per set.

Which one works better?

Both of these workout routines will produce results. A split routine will work better if you're trying to gain weight and put on muscle. It gives each muscle group more attention and more rest. A full body routine will burn more calories and help you lose weight while still building a moderate amount of muscle. Remember that these are just generalizations. It's still possible to gain muscle with a full body workout and to burn fat with a split routine.

Change Your Routine

Regardless of the routine you choose, over time, your body will get used to the exercises you do. This can cause an exercise plateau in which your strength remains the same rather than increasing. You need to recognize this and solve the problem by picking new exercises every 4-8 weeks (differs person to person). Keeping a workout journal will help you spot these plateaus quicker.

The End

Increasing your physical activity level is a positive for your overall health no matter how you go about doing it. Both full body routines and split routines will help you reach your fitness goals. If you need more help creating a routine (with exercises, sets and repetitions) that will help you reach your goals, visit http://shtrainer.com.

Get a personalized free workout routine.