Training full body or splitting your workouts - What is more efficient?

We mentioned how the perfect workout split can help you get better results in your fitness journey. Being no strangers to gyms or workouts, we know that some people prefer splitting their workouts according to muscle groups or body parts, and some would train full body every time. But which one is better? Let’s have a look at how each training type works.

Full Body Training

Full body training is where you perform a set of compound lifts that target the entire body. This is evident in many workout programs that emphasize on lifts like the bench press, squat, deadlift and overhead presses. The rep range may be anywhere from 8-15 reps if the goal is to build strength and sets depend on the program type. For people who train calisthenics, performing push ups, pull ups, squats and other advanced exercises that target the total body might be beneficial.

A full body training routine suits us if time is a constraint or you would rather train completely for a lower number of days. It focuses on functional full body movement and helps build strength.

Body Part Split Training

You may have noticed some trainers advice on training upper body or lower body separately. Some may even go to the extent of training specific muscle groups in one day and spread it throughout the week. An example would be training chest and triceps on one day, back and biceps the next day, and so on. This is a more common approach in a sport like bodybuilding where aesthetics matter and focusing on a specific muscle group or body part completely may result in more definition. However, it is not the preferred form of training, if building strength is your goal.

So how do you figure out which type of training would suit you best? It boils down to one single factor:

Goals

Goals are the single, most important factor that can make or break your fitness journey. Before starting your workout, go through a mental checklist of what you wish to accomplish. If looks are the least of your concerns and you want to pack on more strength, go for a full body workout under the guidance of a well programmed training plan. If you wish to achieve trophy winning biceps, then focus on training each and every muscle group in your body and spare no effort.

Looks and Strength?

You may be wondering why can’t you have both? The answer is, you can. Compound exercises train several muscles at once. So once you are done with the heavy lifts, do one set of isolating your favorite muscle group to get  more definition. This is ideal for beginners, and as you progress, you can increase the number of isolating exercises or number of sets. 

In the end, it boils down to what you want. A compound exercise program is best, if you are stuck under a time limit. However, if you can spare the time and effort for achieving your dream body, go for a split program that is guaranteed to get you results. Either way, you should remember that every workout you start leads  you to be a much better version of before.