Difference between 3 day split and full body - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

cad2 · 11-28-2005, 02:00 PM

Naxis I hope you read this you always have great advice. My friend has been doing a three day split for about a month and I have been doing a full body for a couple of months now. We both are having great results, but just what are the differences between the two.

Naxis · 11-28-2005, 04:40 PM

What does the split look like? Typically splits are used for muscle/mass building as it allows for more time to be dedicated to a particular muscle group in the gym, causing more stress and more growth (also due to the longer periods of rest each muscle group is afforded). It's kind of unnecessary for a beginner to start using a split because initially, your body will respond no matter what you do. Full body sessions are good for basic fitness and health goals, fat loss, or just for initial body conditioning before moving onto a more intense program. But both will elicit some results (obviously) regardless of the goal, in the beginning.

cad2 · 11-29-2005, 06:12 AM

Thanks Naxis, Her split is a 3 day back and biceps, legs shoulders, chest triceps. I think she works abs all three days. She is having some great gains, her problem is her lower body like myself she is really firming up. I was doing a three day split before on and off for a few months. I switched over to a full body as I was feeling a bit stiff and bulky. I lowered my weights and did see some nice results. I am just looking to have some nice definition. Not to much mass. Do you think I should stay with my full body or move to a three day split with my lighter weights now.

Naxis · 11-29-2005, 09:53 AM

Since you're not looking to increase muscle, I'd stay with the full body sessions (as long as you have 24-48 hours between workouts). It sounds like yoiu're happy with the amount of muscle you have and just need to lean out a bit to show off the nice muscle tone. Do you do any cardio? Diet will also be important to getting good definition. Out of curiousity, what are your current stats? (height/weight/age)

cad2 · 11-29-2005, 12:29 PM

Yes I do wish to lean out a bit more but not build to much more mass mabie a tiny amount in my upper body. I am 5'5 and about 116 I have always been very thin and have a small frame so I have put on about 6 pounds of muscle in the past year. I do cardio 5 days a week either jog or walk at 4.5 mph I eat very healthy, I am actually shifting to eating a more vegetarian diet but having a hard time with getting the protein I need , I was doing the lower carb diet for a few years and it was just too much meat that my body wasn't digesting properly and I am lactose intolerant so I feel much better eating whole grains, couscous, wild rice lots of veggies and fruit. You are vegetarian aren't you? If you have any advice for me that would be great. So you think I will get a bit more definition staying with what I am doing now?