What splits do pro bodybuilders use?
Bro split is one of the most widely used bodybuilding routines in gyms all over the world. It is a type of split training that works major body parts over the course of a week. Each day is devoted to a specific muscle group that you want to build.
The push/pull/legs split is probably the most efficient workout split there is because all related muscle groups are trained together in the same workout. This means that you get the maximum overlap of movements within the same workout, and the muscle groups being trained get an overall benefit from this overlap.
The pros are that following a Bro Split can allow you to easily focus on one major muscle group at a time and ensure that you hit each muscle group with adequate volume in each week. Oftentimes people will overlook some muscle groups like shoulders which can require a significant amount of volume to grow.
- Upper/Lower/Upper/Lower.
- Whole body/Upper/Lower.
- Push + quads/Pull + hams/Push + quads/Pull + hams.
- Chest + biceps/Legs/Back + triceps/Delts + rear delts and traps.
The Arnold split is a six-day workout split in which you train the chest and back, shoulders and arms, and legs twice per week. It's a muscle-building program that's designed to help you increase muscle mass and improve your physique. Because of its high amount of volume, it's only for advanced lifters.
Jay Cutler trains 5 days per week using a traditional bodybuilding bro split. He trains each muscle group on its own separate training day using a ton of volume. For some body parts like shoulders Jay will perform 6-8 exercises per workout!
A “bro split” refers to any workout routine (or “split”) that trains different body parts (or muscle groups) on different days. For instance, training arms one day, chest another, shoulders another, and so on.
A bro split can be an effective method to follow if muscle hypertrophy is your primary goal (see below). While it's simple and operates off old ways of thinking, it still works! This is especially true for new lifters who just need any loading scheme to grow.
I suggest most lifters choose a 4-5 day workout split when cutting. My go-to splits are either a 4-day (upper, lower, upper, lower) split or a 5-day split that has a lifter training most muscle groups at least twice per week.
A push/pull/legs can be beneficial for powerlifting, the bro split can be better for bodybuilders, but the upper/lower body split can be good for maximizing strength and hypertrophy.
Should I do bro split or full body?
The Bro Split requires hitting every training session each week, while the Full Body split allows for more flexibility and rest. Put simply, if you're only training your shoulders once a week and you miss that workout, it's a big deal.
Bro Splits Do Build Muscle
Many bodybuilders will often hit the gym six days a week, sometimes twice a day, simply because that's the only way to fit in all the training they need to stimulate hypertrophy.
Even though Schwarzenegger is still very active by most people's standards, his current regime isn't a patch on how the former Mr. Olympia used to train — as a competitive bodybuilder, he would lift weights for five hours a day, he said.
Arnold advises doing 8-12 reps for the upper-body muscles and 12-16 for the lower-body muscles. This is due to the fact that the lower-body muscles can withstand fatigue slightly better than the upper body, so they can handle the higher rep range.
Training tips
Despite the intensity of his leg training, Arnold usually kept his rest periods between sets short—no more than one minute.
Chris Bumstead trains 6 days per week using a traditional bodybuilding bro split. He trains one major muscle group each workout, such as his chest, back, or quads.
Rest days are important, but too much recovery in between training sessions could limit your muscle gains. A rest period of 24-72 hours for a muscle group could be sufficient depending on the training volume, and training an area three days per week versus one may produce more strength and muscle.
Yes, chest and biceps can be trained together in a single workout safely and effectively. While many will train their full upper body or have days dedicated to just chest or biceps, combining chest and biceps on the same day can help you maximize training efficiency. It also allows you to follow many push-pull splits.
Each muscle group should be trained 2 to 3 days per week with at least 48 hours separating the same muscle group. For example, if you worked out your legs on Monday, you'd have to wait until at least Wednesday before working out those muscles again.
The Bro Split focuses each workout on a particular muscle or group, rotating each muscle each day, while a PPL split (Push, Pull, Lower), divides your workouts by the function of your upper body muscles (whether they are used to push or to pull), and your lower body (legs and glutes).
What is the best workout split for men?
- Day 1: push — chest, shoulders, triceps.
- Day 2: pull — back, biceps, forearms.
- Day 3: legs — quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves.
- Day 4: push — chest, shoulders, triceps.
- Day 5: pull — back, biceps, forearms.
- Day 6: legs — quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves.
- Day 7: rest.
As long as you're using an appropriate volume and intensity in your workouts and maintaining a moderate calorie deficit, you probably won't have any trouble recovering from your workouts, and thus don't need to change anything while cutting. In fact, you may even be able to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
Yes, you can gain muscle while cutting. However, it may be more complicated than if you were maintaining your weight, trying to lose fat, or trying to gain muscle individually. Regardless, focus on eating a healthy diet and getting enough protein. You will be able to support your fat loss and muscle-building goals.
Arnold 1-10 Method
After warming up, load a weight so heavy you can only perform one rep with it. After you perform that one rep, take just enough weight off to perform two reps. Continue dropping just enough weight to add one more rep until you're up to 10 reps.
For people who need concrete evidence that Arnold was strong, take a look at some training numbers the Austrian Oak himself mentioned in his Blueprint training program: Squat: 545 pounds. Bench Press: 500 pounds. Deadlift: 710 pounds.
"I get out of bed, have my coffee and read the newspaper, then I immediately go on a bike ride to Gold's Gym, have my workout, and then ride my bike to get some breakfast. At that point, my mind is clear, the hard part is over, and I can focus on work for the rest of the day."
It is probably also the reason bros prefer bro splits: they feel like they work better and because they experience this amount of soreness, they also think they can't train with higher frequencies. Bros typically base everything they do on how they feel and then rationalize with pseudoscience AKA broscience.
The Full Body split will serve more general health and fitness in the long run, while the PPL split will better serve more specific strength and growth goals. As we explained in our first point, the Full Body split is great for beginners and those pressed for time.
Benefits of an upper lower split
Upper Lower training is great for maximizing strength gains—as well as muscle mass gains (hypertrophy)—as splitting sessions into upper and lower body-focused ones allows both for more training and recovery, because your upper body rests as your lower body is working and vice versa.
As a result body part splits, often called bro splits, are being positioned as out-dated and ineffective for natural lifters. Nothing could be further from the truth. Body part splits work. In fact, the vast majority of natural bodybuilders and figure competitors train each body part only once per week.
Are Bro splits good for hypertrophy?
A bro split can be an effective method to follow if muscle hypertrophy is your primary goal (see below). While it's simple and operates off old ways of thinking, it still works! This is especially true for new lifters who just need any loading scheme to grow.
While full-body workouts have a wide range of benefits, a split workout regimen may be the best choice if your goal is to increase mass. Because a split workout allows for increased intensity, volume, and recovery time for each muscle group, it is more conducive to building muscle mass.
The split jerk will help build more shoulder strength, stability from your core, and improve overall mobility in your wrist and shoulders. From the clean into the jerk, you are actively recruiting nearly every muscle in your body.