Effective training splits for hitting body parts 2x a week?

[BCBuilder]

So currently I am running your typical bro split (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, rest, rest, repeat) and I feel like I'm missing out and leaving some progress on the table by not allowing myself to do a muscle group 2X a week.

But then I have conflicting thoughts on if it would do more harm than good to change what my body/central nervous system/mentality are all used to in terms of training. Can anyone weigh in on this? Has anyone gone from bro split to a more agonist/antagonist push and pull type workout? (Back & chest same day, legs, arms and shoulders, rest and repeat?)

I'm currently in a growing phase. No AAS, just a calorie surplus and good sleep. Looking to put on a good amount of tissue before my mid 2022 prep.

 

[BCBuilder]

For more context my current split looks like;

Chest day-
205 3X3 incline bench
225 3X3 bench press

After two compounds I will typically move into isometric/pump work

Incline db press, press a 45 lb plate squeezed between hands as a drop set 3x10+

Unilateral sitting bench press 3x8-12

Cable work, horizontal adduction upwards and downwards to hit upper and lower peck 3x8-12 (6 sets total)

Db flies 3x8-12

Pec deck 3x8-12

Sitting tricep dips machine 3x8-12

I like hitting this much volume per workout but I wonder if it could be hindering me by doing too much, can anyone weigh in?

(My workouts for the rest of my body follows a similar structure/volume. I also include intensity tactics often)

 

[Deleted member 123722]

I used to do compounds first and put isolation last, but I no longer do any barbell movements; sticking only to cables, dumbbells, and machines; 99% of my work is one-arm isolation movements, focusing unilateral work, aside from machine or dumbbell chest press, leg press or modified hacksquat, leg extension and curls, and calve raises.

By eliminating barbell bench, incline bench, dips, dead lifts, squats, and OHSP, etc... I am able to isolate and hit the target muscles hard without the systematic fatigue from the so-called "must-do" mass builders, whose natur demands more energy to execute, more muscles to get involved, aren't necessary for muscle growth, and don't even target the muscle efficiently, since many of these use several pivots and levers, which reduce the load on the muscle you want to hit.

I adopted this from Dough Brignole's methods fomr his book "The Physics of Resistance Exercise," which is blowing up right now. In it he teaches you which exercises are the most biomechanically efficient using physics, and which allow you to maximize muscle stimulus without too much cost and risk of injury that comes with compounds, especially with barbell ones. In other words, you put more effort and energy doing mostly unilateral heavy isolations, since they are designed to truly target the muscle, so you don't waste your energy with heavy compounds that do not target the muscle you want as efficiently, and leave you beat up when you don't need to be. This allows you to get more bang for your buck, because you can fry a muscle without the systemtic fatigue compounds bring, and recover for the next session to hit them again in 4 days.

This is my current split: (each exercise gets 1-2 warm up, and 2 working sets; one failing at 12 reps; the last 6-8)

Back/Chest: (two exercises per group)

Shoulders/ Triceps/Biceps (shoulders three, arms 2 each )

Quads/Hams/Adductors/ Calves (1 exercise per group, finish with leg press; then hit calves 2)

Repeat

Sunday off.

 

[Deleted member 123722]

When you have time, watch these videos and everything this man puts on YouTube Ditch the Barbell Gents

 

[Deleted member 123722]

For more context my current split looks like;

Chest day-
205 3X3 incline bench
225 3X3 bench press

After two compounds I will typically move into isometric/pump work

Incline db press, press a 45 lb plate squeezed between hands as a drop set 3x10+

Unilateral sitting bench press 3x8-12

Cable work, horizontal adduction upwards and downwards to hit upper and lower peck 3x8-12 (6 sets total)

Db flies 3x8-12

Pec deck 3x8-12

Sitting tricep dips machine 3x8-12

I like hitting this much volume per workout but I wonder if it could be hindering me by doing too much, can anyone weigh in?

(My workouts for the rest of my body follows a similar structure/volume. I also include intensity tactics often)

Also, as you allude to, it is better to work antagonists muscles because of something called "reciprocal innervation." SO when yo hit back, your chest is literally not being used and is resting... When you do shoulders chest triceps in one workout, they are all getting fatigued as you go along your workout, because they are constantly being used in most of your movements.

 

[BCBuilder]

This is my current split: (each exercise gets 1-2 warm up, and 2 working sets; one failing at 12 reps; the last 6-8)

Back/Chest: (two exercises per group)

Shoulders/ Triceps/Biceps (shoulders three, arms 2 each )

Quads/Hams/Adductors/ Calves (1 exercise per group, finish with leg press; then hit calves 2)

That's basically what I'm thinking I would like to do for my training. I think today I will do arms and shoulders together and just start. I will check those videos out after work, thanks for your tips

Very interesting concept to drop bar bell movements, but I understand the thinking behind it. I think I will give it a try as I typically prefer my pump/unilateral isometric work anyways

 

[Deleted member 123722]

That's basically what I'm thinking I would like to do for my training. I think today I will do arms and shoulders together and just start. I will check those videos out after work, thanks for your tips

Very interesting concept to drop bar bell movements, but I understand the thinking behind it. I think I will give it a try as I typically prefer my pump/unilateral isometric work anyways

The barbell keeps your hand "locked" in place which doesn't allow you to truly complete full range of motion for the muscles actual strength curve...this is why it is much superior to do dumbbell bench presses than barbell, for example.

Well the reason you do is because that is what really hits the muscle better...but we were all trained to do the big three because much of bodybuilding exercises came from strength training. But with all these injuries and beat up joints, people are getting smarter. I highly recommend Doug's book; it is an eye-opener.

 

[Canknucklehead]

I have had good success with DOGGCRAPP

 

[God’sBeastEngland]

So currently I am running your typical bro split (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, rest, rest, repeat) and I feel like I'm missing out and leaving some progress on the table by not allowing myself to do a muscle group 2X a week.

But then I have conflicting thoughts on if it would do more harm than good to change what my body/central nervous system/mentality are all used to in terms of training. Can anyone weigh in on this? Has anyone gone from bro split to a more agonist/antagonist push and pull type workout? (Back & chest same day, legs, arms and shoulders, rest and repeat?)

I'm currently in a growing phase. No AAS, just a calorie surplus and good sleep. Looking to put on a good amount of tissue before my mid 2022 prep.

Just a suggestion.
warmup sets before work sets
Day1
Incline Press 1x work set to fail then 1xdrop set
Flat bench bar/dbell 1x work set
1x drop set
Dips 1x work set fail
Negatives until no control
Wide grip chins 1x fail
Barbell row 1x work set
Drop set x1
Deadlift/or whatever you choose 1 workset
Drop set x1

Day 2
Stand front press work set 1x fail
1xdrop set
Lateral raise work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Rear delt raise work set 1x
1x drop set
Bar shrug 1x work set
1x drop set
Bis bar curl work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Close grip pull-up/dbell curl work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Tri pushdown work set 1x fail
1x drop
dbell/bar 45d angle seat tri ext work set x1
1x drop set

Day 3
Squat 1x work set fail
2x drop set
Leg press 1x workset fail
1x drop set
Stiff leg deadlift work set 1x fail
2x drop set
Lying leg curl 1x work set fail
1x drop set
Stand calve raise 1x work set fail
2x drop set
seat calve raise 1x work set fail
1x drop set

Day 4 Rest

Day 5 as day 1
Day 6 as day 2
Day 7 as day 3
Day 4 Rest
Repeat

Warmups not including in suggested routine example.

 

[Driada Medical]

At the moment, I do bench press and block pull on my back in one day and this does not interfere with progress in any way. I do these three times a week, which allows me to gain more training volume in a week.

The synthesis of muscle protein lasts about 72 hours, so I think that you can train a muscle group 2-3 times a week. The main thing is that your tendons and central nervous system have time to recover, but for this, weight periodization is important. Try experimenting, on one muscle group, for example, on the biceps.

 

[BCBuilder]

Just a suggestion.
warmup sets before work sets
Day1
Incline Press 1x work set to fail then 1xdrop set
Flat bench bar/dbell 1x work set
1x drop set
Dips 1x work set fail
Negatives until no control
Wide grip chins 1x fail
Barbell row 1x work set
Drop set x1
Deadlift/or whatever you choose 1 workset
Drop set x1

Day 2
Stand front press work set 1x fail
1xdrop set
Lateral raise work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Rear delt raise work set 1x
1x drop set
Bar shrug 1x work set
1x drop set
Bis bar curl work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Close grip pull-up/dbell curl work set 1x fail
1x drop set
Tri pushdown work set 1x fail
1x drop
dbell/bar 45d angle seat tri ext work set x1
1x drop set

Day 3
Squat 1x work set fail
2x drop set
Leg press 1x workset fail
1x drop set
Stiff leg deadlift work set 1x fail
2x drop set
Lying leg curl 1x work set fail
1x drop set
Stand calve raise 1x work set fail
2x drop set
seat calve raise 1x work set fail
1x drop set

Day 4 Rest

Day 5 as day 1
Day 6 as day 2
Day 7 as day 3
Day 4 Rest
Repeat

Warmups not including in suggested routine example.

I like it, I'm currently with a coach and he has me on a better workout plan than my bro split, but I will keep this in my back pocket... never too many techniques to have in your arsenal right? I like the partials and drops.

 

[God’sBeastEngland]

Awesome. Good luck with the coaching.
It was just an example like it states.
Theory behind the 2 x exercises 1x set per muscle group is that you can go all out not holding back brief brutal is you only have the single working set to absolute failure followed by the drop. Then work the same body part every 4th day or so.
Less volume more frequency enough rest and time to recover.
Plus you could change the workout I.e say barbell flat bench barbell incline bench and dips one chest workout,
Then incline barbell bench dips then Dumbell flat bench.
Good luck.

 

[BCBuilder]

Awesome. Good luck with the coaching.
It was just an example like it states.
Theory behind the 2 x exercises 1x set per muscle group is that you can go all out not holding back brief brutal is you only have the single working set to absolute failure followed by the drop. Then work the same body part every 4th day or so.
Less volume more frequency enough rest and time to recover.
Plus you could change the workout I.e say barbell flat bench barbell incline bench and dips one chest workout,
Then incline barbell bench dips then Dumbell flat bench.
Good luck.

Cheers, I'm all for sharing knowledge with training and otherwise, that's why we're here after all!

 

[God’sBeastEngland]

Cheers, I'm all for sharing knowledge with training and otherwise, that's why we're here after all!

Absolutely. Your welcome

 

[GreyScale36]

So currently I am running your typical bro split (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, rest, rest, repeat) and I feel like I'm missing out and leaving some progress on the table by not allowing myself to do a muscle group 2X a week.

But then I have conflicting thoughts on if it would do more harm than good to change what my body/central nervous system/mentality are all used to in terms of training. Can anyone weigh in on this? Has anyone gone from bro split to a more agonist/antagonist push and pull type workout? (Back & chest same day, legs, arms and shoulders, rest and repeat?)

I'm currently in a growing phase. No AAS, just a calorie surplus and good sleep. Looking to put on a good amount of tissue before my mid 2022 prep.

Personally, I train each body-part twice per week implementing only 2 movements for each muscle in a 'Rest-Pause Super-Set' style for 3 rounds [first movement ancillary, second movement compound in that very order] with an 8 deep breath break between rounds.

Monday & Thursday is torso day with Tuesday & Friday being limbs day, I find this split helps with giving me adequate rest between muscle groups, before I can train them again with decent effort. This split, along with the low volume, might not be for everyone, however, I'm not concerned about hitting numbers on the bar or hitting a certain number of reps, as long as I'm able to complete each set/round with maximum effort placed on the target muscle. . .I just train to technical failure until I feel a secondary muscle group edge its way into the movement, then that's my cue to stop.

If you're looking to train each body-part twice per week, maybe you can look into this split & give this a go, each body-part gets adequate rest for you to put a decent amount of effort when your next session rolls round.

 

[tdm209]

bro split worked best for me as a natural

 

[laclark89]

I like it, I'm currently with a coach and he has me on a better workout plan than my bro split, but I will keep this in my back pocket... never too many techniques to have in your arsenal right? I like the partials and drops.

I prefer ppl by far but I'm contemplating on a dc dog crap training style lately , typical bro split for me personally is only for good for maintenance purposes.

What dose ur coach have u doing if you dont mind me asking?

Since I'm a carpenter by trade I prefer to saying things like i add them to my tool bag or tool belt instead of pocket or arsenal, lol.

 

[buck]

I prefer ppl by far but I'm contemplating on a dc dog crap training style lately , typical bro split for me personally is only for good for maintenance purposes.

What dose ur coach have u doing if you dont mind me asking?

Since I'm a carpenter by trade I prefer to saying things like i add them to my tool bag or tool belt instead of pocket or arsenal, lol.

After 2 years i would think he would have decided on a split by now.