What are Workout Splits and How to Plan Your Training

Achieving your fitness goals often can require more than just showing up at the gym; it involves strategic planning and structuring your workouts for maximum effectiveness. One powerful approach is incorporating workout splits into your routine.

Workout splits involve dividing your training sessions to target specific muscle groups on different days, allowing for proper recovery and focused effort. The team at Vim + Vigor Fitness knows this can be a bit of a confusing topic, so we'll explore the concept of workout splits, their benefits, and how to plan your training for optimal results.

If you’ve ever heard a friend in the gym say something like “It’s chest day”, they are talking about a workout split!

What are Workout Splits?

A workout split is a fancy way of describing what muscle groups you’ll be training on any given day. Instead of attempting to train your entire body in a single session, you strategically split the workload across multiple days. This approach is commonly used by bodybuilders, powerlifters, and fitness enthusiasts alike.

There are several common workout split variations, including:

• Full-body splits: Training all major muscle groups in each session, typically 3 times per week.
• Upper/lower splits: Dividing workouts into separate upper-body and lower-body days.
• Push/pull splits: Separating exercises into "push" movements (e.g., chest, shoulders, triceps) and "pull" movements (e.g., back, hamstrings, biceps).
• Body part splits: Dedicating specific days to target individual muscle groups (e.g., chest day, leg day, arm day).
  
  

For example, if you were doing a push/pull split and you wanted to train five days a week, your workout plan might look like this:

Monday: Bench Press, Squats, “push” accessory movements

Tuesday: Deadlift, Rows, “pull” accessory movements.

Thursday: Shoulder Press, Leg Press, “push” accessory movements

Friday: Sumo Deadlift, Lat Pull downs, “pull” accessory movements.

Saturday/Sunday: Cardio or playing sports.

In this example, Monday and Thursday are days that are dedicated to “push” movements, while Tuesday and Friday are spend on “pull” movements. Then, because you want to train a fifth day, that day could easily be cardio, more accessories, or getting out and enjoying an intense hike.

Benefits of Workout Splits

The biggest benefit of having a planned workout split is that you simply have a plan. You will walk into Vim + Vigor knowing what your workout looks like each day. On top of that, incorporating workout splits into your training routine offers several advantages:

1. Improved recovery and muscle growth: By allowing adequate rest between sessions targeting the same muscle groups, you promote better recovery and growth.
2. Better focus and intensity: Splitting your workouts enables you to devote more focused effort and intensity to the targeted muscle groups without being fatigued from previous exercises.
3. Increased training volume and variety: Splitting workouts allows for greater training volume and variety, as you can incorporate more exercises and target each muscle group more comprehensively.
4. Injury prevention: By giving overworked muscles a chance to rest and recover, you reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
   
   

How to Plan Your Training

Planning an effective training routine with workout splits begins with clearly defining your fitness goals. Whether you're aiming for strength gains, muscle hypertrophy (growth), endurance, or a combination, your goals will influence the type of workout split you choose.

Evaluate the amount of time you can realistically commit to training each week, as this will determine the optimal number of workout days and the structure of your split.

Once you've established your goals and available training frequency, select a workout split that aligns with these factors. This can also be a good way to freshen up a workout routine that has gotten stale or isn't quite as motivating as it used to be.

If general fitness and muscular endurance are your priorities, a 3-day full-body split could be an effective approach combined with a few days of cycling, cardio, or classes.

For those focused on muscle building (hypertrophy), a 4-day upper/lower or push/pull split may be more suitable. Strength and power development often benefit from a body part split with higher volume.

Regardless of the specific split you choose, incorporating progressive overload is crucial for continuous progress. This means gradually increasing the intensity, volume, or weight over time to challenge your muscles and promote adaptation.

Additionally, plan for periodization by varying your training splits periodically. This could involve switching between different split routines or incorporating de-load weeks to allow for recovery and prevent plateaus.

Customizing Your Workout Split

Customizing your own personal plan can be quite challenging if you’ve never done it before. Taking the step towards planning your training out can be a game-changer for your goals though.

If you want some help in building a plan customized for your goals, here at Vim + Vigor Fitness, our certified personal trainers are ready to guide you in creating a personalized workout split tailored to your unique needs and aspirations.