I’ve already introduced the idea of “splitting” your routine in a previous post (see article entitled:
splitting your workout routine). Now I’ll get a little more specific: I’d like to talk about the
three day split.
As the name implies, you are splitting your training into three separate workouts and presumably training three times a week. I’ve been training this way for the better part of 20 years.
Here are some advantages to the 3-day split:
*It works well with a weekly schedule. For example, you could make Monday-Wednesday-Friday your training days.
*It is a good balance of training time and recovery time.
*It allows plenty of non-lifting days for other types of training (cardiovascular, sports, martial arts, etc).
*It doesn’t require you to live in the gym—just three times a week, about an hour each session.
*Since there are only three training days, it is easier to adjust if you have schedule problems. Let’s say you can’t train on Friday. No problem—you just make up for it on Saturday.
Are there any disadvantages? Maybe:
*You can probably train a muscle twice a week (or every five days). So you might reach your genetic potential (strength and size) faster on a 4-day split.
*For those interested in leanness, the extra weightlifting session of a 4-day split would help burn more calories.
Keep a few more things in mind:
1. Everyone responds a little differently to training, so you’ll have to find what works for you.
2. Different training goals require different adjustments. This article is primarily for beginners/intermediate lifters.
3. As far as I’m concerned, adding another training session to my week would not have made
that much difference (in either my body or my life). Maybe I would have made gains a little more quickly, but (as I keep saying) I’ve had other stuff to be concerned with besides the gym. In other words, it’s kind of a cost-benefit analysis. Let’s say I’d be five pounds heavier or bench press ten more pounds if I spent an extra day in the gym. Well, that’s really not worth it for me. That may not be “hard core” enough for you, but it works for me.
OK, let me give you some ideas on designing a 3-day split. I’m not going to give you a specific routine as much as a general template:
Option #1: Legs, Push, Pull (not necessarily in that order).
On a M-W-F schedule, it would look like this:
Monday: Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curls, etc.
Wednesday: Bench Press, Incline Press, Nose Breakers, Dumbbell Flyes, Etc.
Friday: DeadLift, Barbell Rows, Face Pulls, etc.
You could do abdominal and calf work on about any day. Just be sure to give yourself enough recovery time.
Another way to look at this split would be focusing on one of the “big 3” powerlifting movements each workout (Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift) and building each routine around this movement.
Option #2: Lower Body, Upper Body, "Supplemental" Workout
I’m currently following this kind of routine. Here’s how it works:
My first workout is legs (squats, Romanian deadlift, one-legged leg press, etc).
My second workout is upper body (bench press, face pulls, dumbbell fly, etc).
The third workout is a little different. I often hit upper and lower body on the third workout, but with less intensity. I do two sets of light bench press. I’ do some leg work, like leg press or front squats—but not quite as intense as my first leg workout (less weight and a slightly higher rep range).
Finally, I’ll work anything I don’t think I’ve done enough of in the first two workouts (maybe some extra calf and abdominal work, for example).
With this option, the third workout is the opportunity to train any muscle group you think is lagging or needs extra work. You could even do a whole body routine on your third workout.
I’ll try to make a post with a more specific routines (exercises, sets/reps, etc), but hopefully this gives you an idea. You could tweak any of these routines in a way that works for you.
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