Most bodybuilding magazines can confuse inexperienced young athletes who are trying to make their training program. For example, in a magazine you find an article about the program to build the huge pectoral muscles, and you certainly want to have it, but other magazine advice to try supersets for back and chest and it also sounds tempting.
Journal articles only make us confused by guiding us in an infinite set of different directions. One guy advises train triceps after back, another to train biceps with triceps and the third insists on work on triceps after chest and shoulders. Who is right?
Well, they are all right. If we discard all unnecessary and take into consideration the basics principles then remain – Train all your muscles and they will be big. Of course with condition that you have adequate diet. But the food – this is a topic for another article.
To give the right direction for beginners, and maybe to experienced athletes who want to experience a new and effective training program, let’s have a look at the method of composing split, in which each muscle group from trapezoids to the calf muscles, gets intense and effective workout.
The basic idea of this method is very simple – the body should be divided into parts, provide a direct load on each part of the body, build big and strong muscles, and feel like a winner. So let’s see how it can be realized.
Eleven groups of muscle
For beginning, we will distinguish three main categories based on muscle size – large, medium and small. Muscles that as a result from the training will take up the most space on your body will be called large and so on.
Maybe it’s not the most scientific division, but for our purposes it is suitable. Depending on the number of workouts per week, every training will be performed one or more groups.
Large: Back, chest, quads
Average: hamstrings, shoulders, triceps, biceps
Small: Abs, trapeze, forearm, calf muscles
The term “small” does not mean that these parts do not require serious attention. Training the abdominal muscles is necessary in terms of the development of strength, enhance functionality and improve appearance. So do not discriminate against the name “small muscles”.
On the one hand, it is a question of distribution of time and effort – work on forearms does not require such training volume and intensity of training as the quadriceps. But on the other hand, many people train the “small” muscles group, or too rarely, or not sufficiently diligent, or even ignore them.
Somebody could argue that the back muscles still need to be split into several groups. But if we select additional groups, such as “upper division”, “lats” and “lower part”, we will split for the thirteen parts of the body, and this is already too much. In addition, if you are performing at least one kind exercise wit barbell to belt and the upper block or pull ups, it is already sufficiently work through all the muscles of the back.
So here are some examples of training programs drawn up in accordance with our principle.
3 workouts per week
Option one:
Day 1: back, trapeze, biceps, forearms
Day 2: chest, shoulders, triceps, abs
Day 3: quads, hamstrings, calf muscles
This is a basic split. It is simple and quite effective. Do you think you are too experienced for such basic programs? It was the favorite “Mr. Olympia” Frank Zane triple split.
Option Two:
Day 1: quads, chest, calves, abs
Day 2: back, hamstrings, trapeze
Day 3: shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearms
This split allows you to work separately on quadriceps and hamstrings. Many people need to train legs harder, whether they want it or not, so it’s a good split option.
It is convenient to train back and hamstrings in one day as the deadlift and its variations are working on both of these muscle groups. Quadriceps and chest training can also be combined, because squats even with heavy weights have a minimal impact on the heavy bench press.
4 workouts per week
Option one:
Day 1: back, hamstrings, trapeze
Day 2: chest, triceps, abs
Day 3: quadriceps, calf muscles
Day 4: shoulders, biceps, forearms
On the first day you will have to work with heavy traction, so do not forget to eat well before exercise. Workout on biceps and forearm will be done on the fourth day, when they are fresh and full of energy. Who would not like to work hard on biceps?!
Option Two:
Day 1: quads, hamstrings
Day 2: back, forearm, abs
Day 3: chest, shoulders, trapeze
Day 4: triceps, biceps, calf muscles
Do not miss training on calf muscles after hands muscles workout!
5 workouts a week
Option one:
Day 1: Back, trapeze
Day 2: chest, biceps, forearms
Day 3: quadriceps, abs
Day 4: shoulders, triceps
Day 5: hamstrings, calf muscles
Option Two:
Day 1: quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles
Day 2: back, trapeze
Day 3: chest, abs
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: triceps, biceps, forearms
This is another time-tested split – legs, back, chest, shoulders and arms. Muscles are arranged in sequence from larger to smaller.
6 workouts per week
Day 1: back, forearm
Day 2: chest, abs
Day 3: quads
Day 4: shoulders, trapeze
Day 5: hamstrings, calf muscles
Day 6: triceps, biceps
There is nothing wrong in visiting the gym six times a week. However, for most people are not necessarily to train so, as the greater number of workouts does not guarantee the best results.
However, if you are incorrigibly “addicted” to the training, Goldenmuscles.com assure you that a large number of hard training without proper nutrition and pharmacological support – this is a waste of time and effort.
Some simple rules
The following rules will help you get the maximum benefit from the training.
# 1. Each forearm workout should include bending arms at the elbows on top of the grip or Neutral Grip, which involve in work hand flexor, located below the elbow and Wrist Curl, in which wrist flexors are active.
There is no need to perform special exercises for the wrist extensors (such as Reverse Wrist Curls) as these muscles are actively involved in straight and Neutral Grip Curls at the elbows.
All this is done to save time and energy. If your wrist flexors require additional load after a few sets of Reverse Wrist Curls or Straight-Bar Cable Curl, then it is your choose. But if you pay so much attention to forearms, then all the other muscles of your body should already be very well developed.
# 2. If you train the back in the same day with biceps and / or forearms, whereas in the last 1-2 the most difficult approaches for the back, you can use straps. They will help reduce forearm muscle fatigue during exercise for the back, which will allow performing arm exercises with greater intensity.
# 3. Workout on hamstring should contain Leg Curls and Deadlifts. To reduce the load on the lower back, you can pre-weary hamstring with Leg Curls on the simulator, and only then proceed to the Deadlift.
# 4. Training abs, try to pay attention to each of the functions of the abdominal muscles – bending body, rotation of the body, as well as resistance to bending and rotation of the body – either within the same training, or within one week.
# 5. Depending on exactly what muscle groups you train within one workout, try to avoid over-loading auxiliary muscles. That is, if you exercise chest, shoulders and triceps, and you perform five varieties Bench Chess Press, and then three types of Bench Press for the shoulders, then do not be surprised if your triceps will be too tired for an isolated performing.
It is worth noting that, by applying the method of direct load, maximum attention should focus on the working muscles and ensure that in each rep worked mainly target muscle.
When, what, how many, with what intensity and frequency?
For beginning, you must be sure that you choose the right exercises.
For example, if you do not feel lats working during the Pull-ups, so in your case, it’s the wrong exercise for the back. If after Squats a few days you feel pain in the buttocks and hamstrings, not in quadriceps, then in case your goal is front thighs muscle development it’s the wrong exercise for you.
PowdersvillePost.com recommends training each body part once a week. This is another time-tested method that leads to sustainable progress. Train each muscle group once a week is sufficient for growth if you exercise regularly and consistently. More frequent sessions – this is an alternative that deserves research and experimental use for several months.
Loading muscle group once a week, we give it a week break before the next workout. So, the intensity of training should be high. If you have enough experience, you can use technology to increase the intensity, such as rest-pause or negative reps in last approaches.
Days of rest should be introduced in a program as needed, depending on how intensively were performed main and auxiliary muscles during the week. That is, it is not necessary to train the muscles that received indirect load a day earlier. What is meant here? Try doing a hard workout for biceps and forearms before training on the back and a trapeze, and you will see how the second training will be held!
Goldenmuscles.com will not go into details regarding the number of reps and approaches, as the amount of training depends on your specific goals more than any other factor. Since we are talking about bodybuilding, most of your approaches will consist of 6-8, 8-10 or 10-12 reps. However, infrequent use of fewer reps with heavy weights will help to develop overall strength and it will bring its result in the future.
At last
Bodybuilding is plain and uncomplicated, if you do it right. Just do not change the training program every month. It may seem that setting long-term goals in our days is irrelevant, but it allows composing a more effective training program instead of regularly change something in it.
Try to train using one of the above splits within a few months andGoldenmuscles.com assure you an impressive overall progress. When you begin regularly to train each muscles of the body, they have no other way than to growth.