Deciding Between a Full Body Training and a Split Routine

By Gym Staff | August 21, 2016

Having to choose between a split routine and a full body workout can be difficult for many people. But before we talk about the pros and cons of each one, let’s make sure we’re on the same page here. Basically, we refer to a full body workout as something that exercises your whole body whereas a split routine is a workout that focuses on a specific group of muscles in each session.

Pros of a Full Body Training

When you opt for a full body workout, you’ll be able to build a well balanced physique because you’ll hit all muscle groups in a single session. In addition, when you go with this option, it won’t be such a big deal if you miss a session because you have already workout out all the parts of your body. You also get maximum calorie burn so they get to lose more fat.

Cons of a Full Body Training

But there are also some issues with a full body workout. Let’s start with one’s inability to hit a specific group of muscles. If you’re trying to just develop your legs, you won’t be able to do so intensely because you’ll only end up having a longer recovery time. You may also suffer from overtraining if you don’t structure your workouts correctly. So, if you’re planning to work out more than thrice a week, you need to change your patterns to avoid getting injured or burning out.

Pros of Split Routine Workouts

One of the benefits of going with a split routine is that it’s great for shaping your body. You get more control over which muscle group to target so you can get the physique you desire. It’s also more manageable compared to a full body routine because you’re only focusing on 1-3 muscle groups at a time. And when you want to switch your workouts to avoid getting bored, you can do so easily as well.

Cons of Split Routine Workouts

The main problem with split training is that you burn less calories which means if you’re trying to lose weight, it may not be the smartest option for you. You could also have imbalances in your body strength and muscle especially if you aren’t able to workout consistently or if you don’t have a well structured program to begin with. You could end up with arms that are nearly as large as your calves (Johnny Bravo?). Finally, you can’t afford to skip a workout because if you do, you’ll have to wait many days before you can work on the same muscle group again.

So Which One is the Best Choice?

At the end of the day, the choice really depends on your specific objectives/goals and what you like doing. Everyone is different and what may work for one person may not necessarily work for another.

You need to keep in mind that it’s very possible to effectively build stronger and bigger muscle with both kinds of workouts and you can also burn calories with them. However, personally, full body workouts tend to be more suitable for majority of people who aim to develop strong and lean muscles that looks well proportioned.

A full body workout is great for cardio fanatics so if you like to run, jog or cycle but you dislike doing strength training, you can benefit more from doing just a couple of full body workouts each week. If you’re a newbie to working out, it’s also best to start with full body training because it’s gentler on the muscles.

But if you already have a good physique to begin with, and you only want to develop certain parts of your body (such as your abs) then doing a split routine is ideal. This is especially true if you have limited time to workout. We know of many split training programs that are only half an hour in duration so this may be a more realistic solution for you if you’re too busy to dedicated an hour or two of your time several times a week on your workouts.

Bodybuilders and fitness models seem to prefer doing a split routine so they can develop their bodies even more. Advanced weight lifters who go to gyms such as Anytime Fitness also stick with splits especially if they have been lifting for a long time or they go to the gym regularly.

So before you create your own exercise program, decide first whether to go with full body workouts or do split routines. If you’re a beginner, you can start with the former and then as you get leaner and more accustomed to exercising, you can then start doing training splits.