The Two-Day Training Split: Stepping it Up

The next article in our series on training splits breaks up your whole body workout into two separate sessions, to be repeated twice a week. There are many variations of exercises to include in a two-day split, but the most effective we have found is to train all of your limbs (e.g., biceps, triceps, legs) in one day, and your torso or trunk muscles (e.g., chest, back, shoulders, abs) on another.

A two-day training split steps up the intensity of your workouts. You can now include more exercises per muscle group, which will translate into greater progress towards your fitness goals. Instead of spending a little time on all of your muscle groups, you are able to spend more time on specific muscle groups.

Now, for the workouts:

Workout 1: Limbs

·         Barbell squat – 3  sets of 10-12 reps

·         Dumbbell lunges – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

·         Seated leg curl – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

·         Standing calf raise – 2 sets of 15-20 reps

·         Seated calf raise – 2 sets of 15-20 reps

·         Barbell curl – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

·         Preacher curl – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

·         Seated triceps press – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

·         Triceps pushdown – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Workout 2: Trunk

·         Incline bench press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps

·         Dumbbell flyes – 3 sets of 10-12

·         Lat pulldown – 3 sets of 10-12

·         T-bar row – 3 sets of 8-10

·         Dumbbell shoulder press – 3 sets of 8-10

·         Side lateral raise – 3 sets of 10-12

·         Crunch – 3 sets to failure

·         Hanging leg raise – 3 sets to failure

Note: Rest for 1-2 minutes between each exercise. If you need to take more rest on compound exercises (e.g., squat, bench press) then do so.

If your gym does not have the machines/resources necessary to do these exercises, do NOT simply skip them! Substitute for exercises that you have the equipment for. For example, if you do not have access to a seated leg curl machine, you can opt for lying leg curls, glute ham raises, or (if you really want to crank up the intensity of your workouts) stiff-legged deadlifts. Each of these exercises work your hamstrings!

This training split will challenge you, but stick with it for 2-3 weeks, and then move on to the next workout split in our series! As always, leave comments below to let us know what you think or if you have any questions.

The One-Day Training Split: "Full Body Training"

This is the second article in our series on training splits. You can read the introduction to training splits here. As the name suggests, a one-day training split means you’re training the entire body in each workout. This type of training routine is a great introduction to bodybuilding for beginners or people who have been inactive for a little while.

The main reason for this is that it introduces your nervous system to resistance exercise. It would NOT be appropriate for a beginner to jump into an advanced workout regimen that isolates specific muscle groups each day, and would likely end up in injury. Eventually, you will get there, but for now you need to teach (or remind) your muscles how to contract in response to specific weight-bearing movements. Once you build some functional strength and start improving the mind-muscle connection necessary for proper form on these specific exercises, you will be ready to progress to an intermediate level training split.

The exercises we have selected for this training split are designed to recruit the largest number of muscle fibres in a single exercise. This was done on purpose, because you will only be completing one exercise per muscle group. Otherwise, you would be in the gym all day.



For each exercise, pick a weight that you are not able to do more than 12 repetitions on. You should almost always struggle on the last few repetitions of these exercises. Don’t make it so heavy that you sacrifice form, but aim to be outside of your comfort zone. For exercises such as the barbell bench press, make sure you have a capable spotter to help you out if necessary. For other exercises, such as barbell squats, make sure you set the safety bars appropriately. Remember, training smart is more important than lifting too much weight.

Complete the following workout three times per week, with a minimum of one day of rest in between workout days. Recovery is essential to repair muscle tissue, increase muscle size, and increase strength. This would typically mean working out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and taking the other days of the week and weekend off.

Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Lat pulldown – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Barbell Squat – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Barbell Curl – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Triceps Pushdown – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Standing Calf Raise – 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Bicycle Crunches – 3 sets to failure

Note: Rest up to 2 minutes in between sets for all exercises. This will allow your muscles to recover enough that you won’t need to decrease the amount of weight you lift for each set.

Follow this training split for 2-3 weeks, and then try our next segment, the two-day training split.

Introduction to Training Splits

If you’re new to weightlifting, been out of the game for a while, or are looking for a way to improve your current workout routine, you may need a tune-up lesson on training splits. This article will identify what a training split is, their advantages, and how they can be optimized to achieve your fitness goals.

When personal trainers, fitness magazines, or gym rats mention a training split, they are referring to a strategy for dividing workout sessions according to specific, pre-determined, body regions.

The primary advantage to split routines is that you get bigger results in less time. A full body routine, though often extremely effective, can take two hours to complete. When you are able to focus on specific body parts, you will be able to decrease the amount of time you spend in the gym to less than 60 minutes. Other advantages to split routines are that you can increase the intensity of your workouts (because they are shorter), maintain focus and energy, and reduce the possibility of “overtraining”.

Consider the following tips when designing your own training split:

1.       Prioritize Body Regions

Find your weak points, or the body parts that you feel are lagging behind in strength, and train them earlier in the week. If you can bench press 1.5 times your bodyweight, but can’t do a single chin-up, prioritize exercises that train your back muscles earlier in the week than your chest. Even if you’re training both chest and back in the same workout, perform the back exercise first. Therefore, you can devote more energy and focus to improve strength in weaker body parts.

2.       Work Big to Small

In general, during your workout you should perform exercises that work larger muscle groups before those that isolate smaller muscle groups. Larger muscle groups include quadriceps, chest, and back. Smaller muscle groups include shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, and forearms. The smaller muscles contribute to support heavier lifting movements. If you exhaust them before big lifts, you will reduce the amount of large muscle fibres broken down. This will lead to slower gains where they matter most. For example, if you’re training both chest and triceps in the same day, do your bench presses before triceps extensions.

3.       Include Rest Days

Your muscles repair and grow when they’re at rest, not when you’re in the gym. Therefore, it is extremely important to include rest days in your training split. Generally, rest days are incorporated mid-way through the week, and at least once on the weekends. This way, you avoid training the same body region on consecutive days, which could lead to overtraining. Additionally, to optimize muscle repair, you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day. Make sure to have at least two days a week when you’re not inside a gym, and maintain a regular sleep schedule to maximize results.

4.       Maintain Workout Intensity

Higher intensity means greater workout efficiency and improved muscle breakdown, which will both contribute to faster results. Generally, you should keep the rest time in between sets less than 1 minute, and the rest time in between different exercises less than 2 minutes. This way, you maintain a higher heart rate, and minimize the amount of time you spend in the gym. Do NOT stop your workouts to socialize. Focus on your training, and it will show. Save the chit chat for the locker room.

5.       Redesign Every 4-6 Weeks

The human body incredible at adapting to various stressors. This is a fantastic trait when you get the flu, but isn’t good when you’re trying to improve strength and fitness. If you consistently train the same way for a long period of time, you may begin to plateau. This means, you will notice slower gains in strength and weight loss/muscle gain (depending on your goal). As a rule of thumb, you should switch up your training split at least every 4-6 weeks. This can be as simple as changing around the order of your weekly workouts, or as complex as changing from a two-day split to a four-day split.

There are a huge number of variations for training splits, and certain ones are more effective at certain points in your training progression. For example, professional bodybuilders will often train only one muscle group each workout, and may workout up to three times per day. Obviously, this is not necessary, or recommended, for beginners. The best way to utilize training splits is to adjust them according to your fitness level. Increase the intensity and number of exercises for each specific muscle group as you become stronger and fitter. Simple as that.

In the coming weeks, we will provide examples of training splits for you to follow. Stay tuned!

Workout Plans: Legs 2

As many of you already know, the legs are comprised of four major muscle groups; quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This workout involves exercises that target each of these muscle groups to maximize your muscle building and thus calorie burning potential.

Try this workout in sequence, to exhaust your quadriceps, then hamstrings and glutes, and finally your calves. Keep rest periods in between sets below 1 minute.

Quadriceps

Barbell Squats

• 2 warmup sets of 8-12 reps
• 3 working sets of 8 reps

Leg Extensions

• 1 warmup set of 20 reps
• 3 working sets of 10-15 reps

Hamstrings

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

• 2 warmup sets of 8-12 reps
• 3 working sets of 6-8 reps

Lying Leg Curls

• 1 warmup set of 10-15 reps
• 3 working sets of 8-12 reps

Glutes

Leg Press (feet wide and high on platform)

• 4 working sets of 12-15 reps

Calves

Calf extension on leg press

• 4 working sets of 15-20 reps

Standing Calf Raises

• 3 working sets of 15 reps (weighted)
• 2 sets of 30 (bodyweight)

Have fun with this one. As we've said before, if you feel slight nausea or struggle to walk out of the gym, that means you're doing it right. Do this workout once a week and you'll get stronger, more defined legs in no time!

Workout Plans: Arms 2

Who wants tickets to the gun show? According to Ron Burgundy, handing these out is the only way to bag a classy lady. Although we may not completely agree, it can’t hurt to have well developed triceps, biceps, and forearms, right? This workout will tone and build lean muscle mass onto your arms.

"1001, 1002, 1003,..." - a bit higher than conventional rep ranges

Warm up:

·         5 minutes on stationary bike, treadmill, or jump rope

Incline Dumbbell Curls

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Preacher Curls

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Barbell 21’s

·         3 sets

o   There are 3 steps to barbell 21’s:

1.       Start at bottom of range of motion, and come halfway up 7 times

2.       Start mid-way, and lift to the top of the range of motion without moving your upper arms, 7 times

3.       7 full reps

Lying Barbell Tricep Extensions (“Skullcrushers”)

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Cable Tricep Rope Pushdown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

superset with…

Overhead Cable Tricep Rope Extension

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Tricep Dips

·         3 sets to failure

Minimize rest time to 60-90 seconds in between sets, and 2 minutes in between exercises. As always, have a protein shake immediately post-workout to optimize protein synthesis. Good luck, have fun, and let us know what you think!

Workout Plans: Back 2

This workout is designed to fatigue every single muscle fiber in your back. It starts with exercises that work the upper back, and gradually moves downwards.

Try to increase the weight with each set, while maintaining perfect form. Keep the rest time in between sets to about 40-60 seconds.

Straight Arm Pulldown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

·         1 drop set – get 8-12 reps on the first set, reduce by 20% and go to failure 3 times

Bent Barbell Row

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

·         1 drop set – get 8-12 reps on the first set, reduce by 20% and go to failure 3 times

One Arm Dumbbell Row

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Deadlift

·         4 sets of 6-10 reps

Hyperextension

·         3 sets of 15 slow reps, 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down

·         Add weight if you find this is too easy

This is another tough workout, but if you stick with it, you will stimulate new growth throughout your back, which will contribute to your overall physique.

Good luck, have fun, and let us know how it goes by commenting on this board or on facebook or twitter! If you like this workout, subscribe to our emails and you'll get updates/workouts directly to your inbox.