Whether you are a gym rat or working out at home, you can find an exercise regimen that suits you and will help meet your health and fitness goals. Nevertheless, most fitness experts agree that structuring your exercise routine will help you get the most out of it. Both a full-body workout and a split one provide the structure you need.
Full Body Workout
A full-body workout is an exercise regimen that targets all muscle groups within one session. Because all muscle groups are affected during a session, your body needs longer periods to recover after a full-body workout. Recovery allows you to see progress.
The beauty of a full-body workout is that it can be done at home, as well as tailored according to your fitness needs and goals. It also has several other benefits.
● Time commitment. If you have a tight schedule, a full-body workout will. These workouts require less time, and you can easily schedule your activities around the workout session and recovery time.
● Convenience. You can work out anywhere you want. For example, if you go for boxing, you can set it up in your home in different ways.
● Weight loss. Full-body workouts have more weight loss benefits as opposed to split workouts. They also help you build muscle mass, making you look leaner.
● Increased recovery. Full-body workout routines have longer rest days in between to allow recovery.
● Ideal for beginners. Workout beginners need more time to learn techniques and develop a routine, and full-body exercises are a great place to start.
● Benefits the heart. A full-body workout not only makes you stronger but also allows for more heart circulation through cardio.
● Customizable. Full-body exercises are simple, and you can easily customize them according to your schedule and experience.
There are different types of full-body workouts you can incorporate into your routine.
● HIIT. High-intensity training exercises are short, intense exercises with recovery periods in between. They usually last between 10 and 30 minutes and burn more calories during and after the exercises.
● HIRT. High-intensity resistance training refers to strength training exercises using weights or resistance bands with a focus on building strength and muscle.
● Weightlifting. Weight lifting or weight training is a form of exercise that involves using resistance bands and free weights, like dumbbells and kettlebells.
● Bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight exercises involve movements that use your body as a form of weight.
Split Workout
A split workout is an exercise regimen focused on specific muscle groups in one session over five or six days. Since only one muscle group is targeted, your body does not need time to recover, allowing mass muscle gains. If you already work out throughout the week, split workouts will work well for you.
A split workout is classified as follows.
● Muscle groups. As mentioned, split workouts dedicate a day to a specific muscle group to build muscle mass and strength.
● Pushing and pulling. Push-pull training programs work through alternates of pull and push exercises. Usually, there is no rest between the exercise sets.
● Body sections. Split exercises can target either the upper body or lower body by doing two or three sets that focus on each section a day with recovery in between.
Split exercises have several benefits.
● Best for athletes. Even though split exercises can be time-consuming, they work well for individuals like athletes with specific performance or strength goals.
● Built-in recovery. Because split workout exercises focus on one area, you have enough time to recover before you touch on that area again. This enables you to exercise several times a week without the fear that you will exhaust the same muscles.
● Less fatigue. A well-planned split workout gives your body time to breathe, reducing overall fatigue.
● Targeted. A split workout allows you to hit every muscle group over a while.
Certain factors affect your split workouts.
● Your time. Split workouts require more time in a session and days. It can take 1 to 2 hours a session to hit your targeted muscle groups and 5 to 6 days a week to reach your goals.
● Experience. Split workouts require you to know some techniques before starting.
● Goals. You can choose various split workouts according to your goals if you aim for a certain number of reps or train movement in some muscle groups.
Unfortunately, a split workout can overload or overwork one specific muscle group, and exercise routines should leave time for recovery.
In Summary
There is no perfect routine. Each will have its pros and cons. Both routines allow progressive overload, which allows you to gradually increase weights, reps, and sets over time.
You will need to evaluate your fitness level, goals, and time investment. The best thing to do is try them both and see what works out for you. Above all, safety should be paramount. You can plan your workouts smarter to avoid overtraining, which can lead to several injuries and ultimately stagnate your progress.
