Debate: best splits/routines

[Mike G]

After reading another post I was wondering what everyone thought was the "best" routine/split. I know that everyone is different and reacts differently, just curious what everyone thought. Some think full body, others think three day split, four day split, ect..... Personally, for hypertrophy I would have to go with HST (hypertrophy specific training). Lets hear 'em

[AdmiralDan]

you answered the question in your post. whatever works best for you

[KingJustin]

What is the goal? To acheive the highest LBM, assuming diet is perfect given your current routine? What about bringing up weak points? Specialization?

There's generally a lot more than 1 goal, and so to say "best" is vague. Specific parameters are important.

At any rate, the answer is going to be that we don't know. It may be helpful, if you define best, to ask what everyone feels like has worked "best" for them.

[Max-Mex]

you answered the question in your post. whatever works best for you

:withstupi

[fixationdarknes]

For me, personally, I am liking the legs/push/pull (3x/week) routine that I am on right now. I'm making gains and am satisfied with them so far (just hope to keep gaining).

But yeah, everyone reacts differently.

[IZich]

For me, personally, I am liking the legs/push/pull (3x/week) routine that I am on right now. I'm making gains and am satisfied with them so far (just hope to keep gaining).

But yeah, everyone reacts differently.

i am likewise on the legs/push/pull routine, with a few of my own personal tweaks. Fixation, i'm curious to the specifics of your routine. Care to share?

[fixationdarknes]

i am likewise on the legs/push/pull routine, with a few of my own personal tweaks. Fixation, i'm curious to the specifics of your routine. Care to share?

Sure, here it is.

~~Monday (Legs)
-ATF Squats
-Calf Raises
-SLDL
-DB Lunges
~~Wednesday (Chest)
-BB Flat Bench Press (alt. Incline)
-DB Incline Bench Press (alt. Flat)
-DB Chest Fly
-Dips
~~Friday (Back)
-Deadlifts
-Chinups
-BB Rows
-BB Shrugs

I do Cardio on Tues/Thurs, and sometimes Sat. I also work abs 1-2x a week, train forearms directly once a week, and sometimes train biceps directly once a week. Oh, and I also work out my neck 2x a week.

Also, I was thinking about adding in some DB Lateral Raises on Chest day to finish off the delts. And also thinking of adding Cleans/Snatches to Chest day, making it more of a Hip/Chest day. What do you think, IZich?

[Mike G]

you answered the question in your post. whatever works best for you

What I was wondering was what has worked best for you. Sorry I didn't make it clear enough for everyone.

[Max-Mex]

Read his journal. Read all the journals. Sorry to be blunt, but the answers are all there: In the Journals.

[Mike G]

Read his journal. Read all the journals. Sorry to be blunt, but the answers are all there: In the Journals.

Not necessarily. Journals can be new routines that people are trying. They can be a lot of different things. What I wanted to know was what split people liked the best, thought worked best for them, whatever they defined as best. Didn't think I would have to narrow it done to best routine for bulking, cutting, maintaining, the food you were eating, sleep and everything else. I wanted to get some ideas on what routines worked for others, not because I need a routine, because I was curious. I have read a lot of threads where people said another lifter should be doing this routine and then another response claiming a different routine was better. I thought if some of the advanced lifters could post some routines that had worked for them it would help the newer guys find one that works for them instead of having to keep asking for help. There are a lot of threads that are related to split and I thought it would be a lot easier for someone to look at one thread instead of having to look through the journals. Like I said before, I know there isn't a best routine and everyone responds differently, just wanted to know what has worked for others. Maybe someone has a sick split and doesn't have a journal, they could post it here.

[KingJustin]

I doubt anybody's got any really exceptional split. I train for size and strength together, so I usually do semi-powerlifting routines, but I've put on good weight over the past 2.5 years (I'm about 210/~9% and was 140/~10% when I started). I like my Westside splits the best, but here's a list of routines I've tried and my thoughts (using memory and my journal):

I. Push/Pull/Speed (running)/Rest, Repeat
..Lots of exercises done both push/pull (legs were on pull, abs on push) days ... mainly to failure.
-I felt like this split was a bit too frequent, even as a beginner given how hard I was hitting my muscles. I would not always improve week to week. Bad routine overall.

II. WBB #1
I did this during lacrosse season and so I wasn't expecting a ton. Over the course of about 4 months my bench went up around 10 lbs and everything else was pretty similar percentage-wise.

III. Add 50 lbs to your bench
I liked this program and I think I did it at an ideal time. I only ended up adding about 25 lbs to my bench, but over 2 months that's still pretty good. I put on a good amount of weight all over by working on progression. If I didn't get sick midway through it would have been even better.


IV. HST
I did this routine while getting in shape for cross country. It was really boring, but I'd say it is a solid routine. I didn't lose any size and I cut some fat off while drastically improving cardiovascularly. Good routine, but not real magic.


V.
Saturdays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays:
Bench x 3
Rows x 3
Military x 3
Curls x 3
(Around 80% of Maxes with medium-high reps)
Sunday:
Light Power Cleans
Hamstring Curls

This was done during cross country season. I should have deadlifted, but squats were too rough on my knees. I kept my strength up in the lifts that I did here, but everything else dropped drastically. Probably a dumb routine.


VI. Westside
I love this routine. I usually add 20lbs to my bench every 2 months, enjoy working out and end up improving in size and strength in everything throughout my body.

VII. Kyle's Russian Bench
Good for adding strength and to an extent size in areas worked by bench/incline/power cleans/squats, but neglects back a bit too much. I added 30 lbs both times I did this. I think it's a very good routine.

VIII. Push/Pull/Legs
I did this when I found myself pressed for time and having a hard time getting in my workouts to start college. I was really dissapointed by this routine, and part of it was my diet/drinking/eating and the routine being boring in general. I lost a whole lot of strength and size and didn't get very cut. My least favorite.

IX. ABBH
This got me back on track. I got close to back where I was, stayed pretty lean and bulked up a bunch. Great routine.

So that's what I've done so far. I guess I haven't done a 4-5 day bodybuilder split, but both times I did once a week exercises it wasn't very successful strength-wise or sizeways (mainly because my strength wasn't increasing).

Some stuff I'd like to look into trying ..
5x5, DC Method (I used some of his stuff in the past to great success), 8 weeks to a record bench (looks really promising) and just general periodization-strength training.

Right now I'm just about to go back to Westside until August or later, though. I'm trying to bulk to 225 and then stay there and lean out. After I've got a really well-proportioned, lean body I will probably start the periodization stuff for awhile.

[Mike G]

I doubt anybody's got any really exceptional split. I train for size and strength together, so I usually do semi-powerlifting routines, but I've put on good weight over the past 2.5 years (I'm about 210/~9% and was 140/~10% when I started). I like my Westside splits the best, but here's a list of routines I've tried and my thoughts (using memory and my journal):

.......

thank you, that was exactly what I was looking for. Lots of splits with some opinions on how they worked. I have done 5x5 for my bench routine and loved it. Made some big gains. I also loved the 50 bench workout and gained over 50. Thanks again.

[Maki Riddington]

Full body workout or twice a week workouts like upper/lower.

[AKraut]

I was doing a 5-day split for over a year but I was a newbie so it was working great. Now that I have limited time with work/classes I've adopted a 3-day powerlifting split and I'm getting stronger week by week, I only spend 60 minutes at the gym total and I'm resting more than ever.

[ZebraShu]

full body (2 workouts in a day) twice a week


I think this is the best for fat gain issues (my halfbaked theory), is that you are not constantly bulking.. You stuff yourself the workout day and the day after, then eat at maintence other times