• Keep up to date with Ausbb via Twitter and Facebook. Please add us!
  • Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

    The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

    Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

Splits, frequency and training level/stage

jj80

Member
I've been reading/watching a few things on the internet and I've heard a few times now that 3xweekly full body workouts are best for the beginner, and once a week work is best for the advanced bodybuilder.

What are peoples thoughts on this?

I'm looking at routines to do next year but I'm not sure if I'm 'ready' for a once a week per bodypart routine - then again my current 2xweekly workout has stalled big time.
 
3 x full body routines for beginners is broscience bullshit. A beginner can train splits no problem. What kills most beginners is far too many isolation exercises and fluff rather than focusing on multi joint / compound exercises.

A beginner could easily do

Chest / Tri / Biceps (benches, dips, chins etc)
Legs / Shoulders (Squats, leg press, hammy curls, OHP, Side dumbells)
Back / Bi's / Calves (Deads. Pull Ups, Rows, Barbell Curl, Stand / Seated calf)

or similar
 
3 x full body routines for beginners is broscience bullshit. A beginner can train splits no problem. What kills most beginners is far too many isolation exercises and fluff rather than focusing on multi joint / compound exercises.

A beginner could easily do

Chest / Tri / Biceps (benches, dips, chins etc)
Legs / Shoulders (Squats, leg press, hammy curls, OHP, Side dumbells)
Back / Bi's / Calves (Deads. Pull Ups, Rows, Barbell Curl, Stand / Seated calf)

or similar

This is much what I've been doing for the last couple of months and it suits me much more than the 3x a week deal..
 
You need to do what you enjoy and what works for you, however I believe any one training should concentrate on doing large compound lifts as their bread and butter, then add some assistance to suit your goals.

Split it how you like.
 
after jumping from routine to routine for years I just do what I enjoy and push myself training everyday and I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
The old frequency vs volume, had me fucked for years.
I like volume training, keeps me coming back for more, so I stick with it.
 
"it is absolutely unclear which criteria one should use for selecting proper intervals between consecutive workouts." (Science and Practice of Strength Training 13)

Although I was looking for a good bodybuilding template that hit the body parts twice a week for 2015
but it's hard without training 6 days a week
maybe I will just train 6 days a week
maybe not
I want to do some strongman stuff and competing in the odd PL, but focus on bodybuilding
so maybe 5/3/1 with a strongman events day on saturday is the ticket
who knows, plenty of time to think
 
i can say i've done seriously training and diet for the last 3 months of PTC template and it has worked wonders, i reckon i almost double my deadlift from start, which was 85 kg max i am almost 160 kg now i think on my strong days i got 150 off last week and wasnt feeling the best.

bench press from 71 kg max to 102.5 30 kg

squats 68 kg to 130.

all in 3-4 months, with a previously reconstructed wrist got 2 screws and long rod, still hurts when exercising but 8-10 fishoils + glucosamine helps.

OHP press and rows i dont work too hard on but made some increase double +

also quited smoking for good, feeling more better about my physique.

kind of almost hitting a plateu now, gonna have to move into something different will have a 7 weeks holiday breaks with some random exercise then march next year get back into some serious bulking and cutting next summer.

i've been reading up on 5/3/1 and also high volumme crossfit type training german and fst7 etc but i think crossfit and high volumme isnt for an average joe, mayb an advance to elite weight lifter and go into that stuff. although i really like the snatch, powersnatch and muscle snatch and sledge pulling. so many options in same boat looking for new template.
 
Last edited:
"it is absolutely unclear which criteria one should use for selecting proper intervals between consecutive workouts." (Science and Practice of Strength Training 13)

Although I was looking for a good bodybuilding template that hit the body parts twice a week for 2015
but it's hard without training 6 days a week
maybe I will just train 6 days a week
maybe not
I want to do some strongman stuff and competing in the odd PL, but focus on bodybuilding
so maybe 5/3/1 with a strongman events day on saturday is the ticket
who knows, plenty of time to think


Cube method for strongman- jacob tibskin
Problem solved
 
The fundamental difference between the 6 day split and a 3 day a week full body workout is the intensity of work and the duration of time.

For a twice a week workout the intensity of work must be much higher and the duration shorter for this to be effective.

Once a week workout based on the above is not productive for 99% of the population due to genetics and work ethic.

A hard, high performance workout, is not only brutal physically, but mentally also.
 
Last edited:
for me frequency is how often you train
volume is number of lifts you're doing. Monthly, weekly, in the session wahtever
increasing frequency will allow you to do more volume- over a week or month
maybe less in each session unless inhuman recovery
 
I've been reading/watching a few things on the internet and I've heard a few times now that 3xweekly full body workouts are best for the beginner, and once a week work is best for the advanced bodybuilder.

What are peoples thoughts on this?

I'm looking at routines to do next year but I'm not sure if I'm 'ready' for a once a week per bodypart routine - then again my current 2xweekly workout has stalled big time.

If in doubt, go to a split. You will never look back. There are plenty of options, start from how many days you can train and build your split and the workouts from there.
 
for me frequency is how often you train
volume is number of lifts you're doing. Monthly, weekly, in the session wahtever
increasing frequency will allow you to do more volume- over a week or month
maybe less in each session unless inhuman recovery
[MENTION=8399]0ni[/MENTION];

"volume is number of lifts you're doing"

You mean lifts as-in Repetitons?
 
[MENTION=8399]0ni[/MENTION];

"volume is number of lifts you're doing"

You mean lifts as-in Repetitons?

Yes, I count number of reps over 50% as my "volume"
I also log total tonnage
This can be used for average intensity
 
If in doubt, go to a split. You will never look back. There are plenty of options, start from how many days you can train and build your split and the workouts from there.

I love my twice a week push/pull/legs split but it's really slowed down for me, I gotta face reality and realise my progress has been shit and change things up. I'm going to try a once a week workout per bodypart one. Hoping MAX-OT delivers results.
 
Top