How to create an effective training split? Three-day split for mass, exercise program The best three-day split

Three day split It is no coincidence that it is one of the most common options for a separate training system, as it is optimal for both beginners and advanced athletes. Three workouts per week allow you to thoroughly work out each muscle group and fully recover between workouts. Therefore, a three-day training program is often used for both gaining mass and strength, and for losing weight.

Benefits of a 3-Day Split Training Program

The 3 times a week training program is a bodybuilding classic. Unlike a two-day split, a three-day split allows you to pay more attention to working the muscles of the upper body. Exercising every other day optimally promotes recovery and avoids overworking the body.

Each muscle group is thoroughly worked out once a week, not counting indirect load. This interval between training one muscle group is optimal for muscle recovery and supercompensation. Therefore, by following a three-day training program, you can successfully achieve your goals, be it increasing muscle mass and strength, or losing weight.

There are many options for creating a three-day workout program. The main thing is to correctly distribute muscle groups. As usual, in one workout two muscle groups are worked out - one large and one small muscle group. For example, on Monday we train the leg muscles + shoulders, on Wednesday the pectoral muscles + biceps, and on Friday the back muscles + triceps.

In each workout, heavy basic exercises are always performed first, which involve many large and small muscles, then lighter and isolating exercises. For example, on Monday, a leg and shoulder workout might look like this:

1. Barbell Squat
2. Bench leg press in the simulator
3. Leg extensions on the block
4. Leg curls on a block
5. Standing barbell/dumbbell press
6. Standing Barbell Row

Training days are separated by 1-2 days of complete rest. Each MG is worked out once a week at the peak of supercompensation, when the muscles have fully recovered and become a little larger and stronger. In this case, you can progress the load by slightly increasing the working weight or performing 1-2 more repetitions. However, if at the next workout you feel that you have not yet recovered, then you need to either reduce the volume of the load or increase the rest time between workouts, working each MG every 8-9 days.

Below are several options for three-day training programs for beginners, advanced athletes and a three-day split for girls. These options are not dogma. You can independently replace the exercises, the number of repetitions and approaches, and so on. Any training program can and should be tailored to suit you, based on your body’s recovery abilities.

THREE-DAY MASS SPLIT FOR ADVANCED

WORKOUT 1 (BACK-CHEST)

1. Pull-ups with extra weighing 4x8-12
2. Dumbbell/barbell bench press 4x8-12
3. Bent-over barbell row 3x8-10
4. Dumbbell press at an angle of 3x8-10
5. Bent-over dumbbell row 3x8-10
6. Lying dumbbell flyes 3x8-10

WORKOUT 2 (SHOULDERS, ARMS)

1. Seated barbell/dumbbell press 4x8-12
2. Barbell/dumbbell rows to the chest while standing 4x8-12
3. Close grip bench press 3x8-10
4. Barbell curls 3x8-10
5. French press 3x8-10
6. Hammers with dumbbells 3x8-10

WORKOUT 3 (LEGS, CALVES)

1. Squats 4x8-12
2. Deadlift 4x8-12
3. Leg press 3x8-10
4. Leg curls 3x8-10
5. Standing calf raise 3x12-15
6. Seated calf raise 3x15-20

THREE-DAY SPLIT FOR BEGINNERS

MONDAY (BACK, BICEPS)

1. Deadlift 3x6-8
2. Pull-ups 3x6-12
3. Bent-over barbell/dumbbell row 3x6-12
4. Barbell curls 3x6-12
5. Hammers with dumbbells 3x6-12

WEDNESDAY (CHEST, TRICEPS, ABS)

1. Bench press 3x6-8
2. Incline dumbbell press 3x8-12
3. Dumbbell flyes 3x8-12
4. Dips 3x6-12
5. French press 3x6-12
6. Crunches 3x20-30

FRIDAY (LEGS, SHOULDERS)

1. Squats 3x6-8
2. Leg press 3x8-12
3. Calf raise 3x12-15
4. Seated barbell/dumbbell press 3x8-12
5. Barbell row to the chin 3x8-12
6. Dumbbell swings to the sides 3x10-12

THREE-DAY SPLIT FOR GIRLS

Men's and women's training, as a rule, have several fundamental differences. Firstly, most men want to increase muscle mass and strength, while girls dream of losing weight, pumping up their butt, making their stomach flat, removing their sides, and so on. That is, girls pay special attention to working on the so-called “problem areas.” Consequently, training for girls will be less intense and consist mainly of exercises on the most problematic areas of the body, such as the hips and buttocks, and the abdomen. In addition, after strength training, you can add 20 minutes of cardio or do cardio training on a separate day, if possible, of course.

MONDAY (LEGS and BUTTOCKS, PRESS)

1. Squats 3x12-15
2. Deadlift on straight legs 3x12-15
3. Lunges with dumbbells 3x12-15
4. Leg curls 3x12-15
5. Incline crunches 3-4x20-25

WEDNESDAY (CHEST, TRICEPS)

1. Push-ups 3 max.
2. Incline dumbbell press 3x12-15
3. Lying dumbbell flyes 3x12-15
4. Extension of arms with a dumbbell from behind the head 3x12-15
5. Arm extensions on the block down 3x12-15

FRIDAY (BACK, SHOULDERS)

1. Pull-down of the upper block behind the head 3x12-15
2. Bent-over dumbbell row 3x12-15
3. Hyperextension 3x12-15
4. Seated dumbbell press 3x12-15
5. Lifting dumbbells through the sides 3x12-15

NOTES FOR THE PROGRAM

You should switch to a three-day split after a full-body training program or a two-day split. However, it is quite common for beginners to jump straight into the 3-day beginner split. The main thing is not to overdo it with the load to avoid overtraining.

At the initial stage, it is enough to perform 2-3 approaches with small weights of 10-15 repetitions in order to establish the correct technique for performing the exercises and gradually prepare the muscles for working with large working weights.

When working on mass, trained athletes need to perform exercises with large working weights (75-80% of the maximum), 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Rest between sets depends on your goals. When working on mass and strength, rest between approaches and exercises for 2-3 minutes. To lose weight, rest between approaches should be reduced to 30-60 seconds. Rest no more than 2 minutes between exercises.

- this is one of the most common training schemes, which allows you to group muscle groups in such a way that the athlete has time to train each muscle in one circle, and at the same time, so that they have time to reach the moment of supercompensation. It goes without saying that for this it is necessary to group muscle groups correctly within each workout. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to follow two important rules: train one large and one small muscle group in one workout, and also combine muscle groups in such a way that these muscles are antagonists. The most common option is to combine chest and biceps, back and triceps, and legs with shoulders.

The advantages of such an organization of a three-day split are obvious! First, the two principles listed above are respected. During the first workout, the athlete pumps the chest and biceps; the chest is a large pushing muscle group, and the biceps is a small and pulling muscle group. The back is also a large muscle group, but, unlike the chest, it pulls, and the triceps is small and pushes. The legs are generally the largest muscle group in the human body, and the shoulders only engage the leg muscles in the military press or other standing presses. At the same time, the shoulders are the largest small muscle group, and training the legs stimulates the release of hormones, so training the shoulders with the legs is most effective. It is also important to note that the large muscle group should always be trained at the beginning of the workout, and the small muscle group at the end.

Benefits of a 3-Day Split

Enough rest – this advantage lies in the fact that enough time passes between training large muscle groups, at least one week, which is enough for both beginners and more experienced athletes. More experienced athletes can use microperiodization, dividing workouts into light, medium and heavy. Thus, the athlete will be able to develop different muscle qualities of large muscle groups, as well as achieve the moment of supercompensation before each workout. But this does not mean that the chest should be trained in the same way as the legs. Most likely, leg workouts will have to be divided into light, medium and heavy, and chest workouts into light and heavy. But, in order to accurately determine the required time to achieve supercompensation of different muscle groups, the athlete must keep a training diary. Beginner athletes can simply train, following the principle of load progression.

The scheme is suitable for athletes of different levels – the mechanism of this advantage of a three-day split has already been described above. Here I would like to say in more detail about what these differences are associated with. The fact is that as muscle mass increases, muscles begin to recover more slowly, which is logical; the larger the muscle, the more time it needs to recover. The need for muscle recovery lies in the fact that bodybuilding involves constantly increasing the load from training to training, since this is the only way to force the body to hypertrophy muscle fibers. If the load does not increase, then the body will have no need to increase muscle volume. And in order for an athlete to be able to increase weight on the barbell, he needs to train at the moment of supercompensation. Remember, if you manage to progress the load, this will mean that the scheme is working. There are no working schemes, just each training program has its place and time, and you should change the training program only when it no longer allows you to progress further!

Small muscle groups are trained twice a week – this occurs due to the grouping of muscle groups mentioned above during the split. The fact is that when an athlete trains the chest, the triceps also receive a load, and when training the back, the athlete also trains the biceps. Moreover, since during training of large muscle groups the biceps and triceps receive an indirect load, this creates a microperiodization effect. Large muscle groups are trained once a week, which is suitable for inexperienced athletes who do not yet know how to train different muscle qualities, alternating light and heavy training. But because of this, the training scheme is less flexible, resulting in a number of disadvantages.

Disadvantages of a three-day split

Does not require specialization – this drawback is associated with a limited number of training sessions, as a result of which the athlete cannot devote a day to working out any one muscle group. It goes without saying that the muscles will respond much better to the load if the athlete deliberately works on it throughout the entire workout. This is primarily due to the limited resources of the body, both in terms of nutrients and the endocrine system. Of course, the body will primarily restore large muscle groups, in fact, that’s why it’s better to train the shoulders with the legs, because the shoulders are the largest small muscle group, but if you train the biceps with the legs, then there may simply not be enough resources for it. But in the case when the athlete is already experienced, there may not be enough resources for small muscle groups, so their training is usually allocated to a separate training day.

No room for deadlifts – this problem is due to the fact that back training is divided into two components: training the long muscles and training the latissimus dorsi muscles. Training both muscles at the same time is ineffective. Or rather, the only acceptable way is joint training, during which the deadlift is performed at the very end. But the deadlift is one of the most multi-joint exercises, so there is simply no strength left for it. If you train the long muscles at the beginning of the workout, then during the training of the latissimus muscles the spine will receive too much load, since the tired long muscles will not be able to take on enough load. In addition, in any case, you need to set aside a separate day for such complex training.

Alternative 3-Day Split Options

Option one – during this version of the training split, the athlete combines training of the chest and triceps, back and biceps, leaving only the training of legs and shoulders from the basic version. The point of such a training program is to focus on working only large muscle groups, while small muscles are only “finished off” at the end of the workout with an isolating exercise. The advantage is that the athlete uses all resources only on large muscles, which allows for good progress in overall muscle mass, but the disadvantage is that the arms may begin to lag behind.

Second option - This is a version of a three-day split focusing on the hands. In this case, the athlete combines training of the legs and chest, back and shoulders and sets aside a separate training day for working out the arms. The advantage of this program is that all resources are directed to the development of the upper body, since during training of the legs and chest the athlete trains the legs only to support and stimulate the endocrine system. Thus, this program helps to progress in the bench press, and due to the fact that the athlete devotes separate training to the arms, the arms also gain good volume. It makes sense to use this scheme only if the athlete has already gained good overall muscle mass, but the downside is that little time is devoted to the legs.

Third option involves grouping chest training with shoulders, legs with biceps and back with triceps. Again, the best progress in this scheme is the bench press, which requires sacrificing the shoulders, and, if the athlete intensively trains the legs, then the biceps. On the other hand, this allows you to actively train your legs, supporting your biceps, and helps your deltoids recover better for each subsequent chest workout, because when you train your shoulders with legs, then by the next pectoral workout, the anterior deltoids may interfere with your progress in the bench press. However, this scheme does not have many visible advantages, but it is suitable for those who have poor chest feeling and want to push their legs.

A three-day split can be used to build muscle mass and during cutting. It is most effective to use this training scheme for the growth of muscle mass, since during drying it is worth paying special attention to preserving muscles, for which you should train in a strength style so that the body simply cannot afford to burn the muscle fibers it needs so much. As for gaining muscle mass, in this case you should definitely use a bodybuilder's diet, which will help create a calorie surplus, which is the main condition for anabolism. Remember, protein, vitamins, frequent meals - all this is important, but these are details that only work when there is an excess of nutrients in the body, using which the body synthesizes new muscle tissue!

The key to a properly organized workout is the use of basic exercises, training time and rest between sets. Thus, the athlete should use as many basic exercises as possible in his training split and use isolation exercises only as the third or fourth exercise when the basic exercises are no longer enough. It is necessary to rest between sets for 40-60 seconds, since this type of training best stimulates hypertrophy of muscle fibers. In addition, a bodybuilder’s training must be voluminous and last no longer than 40-50 minutes, so a bodybuilder cannot afford a long rest!

Three-day split scheme

Basic option – chest and biceps, back and triceps, legs and shoulders
Chest and biceps
Bench Press – 4 sets of 10 reps
Incline Press – 4 sets of 12 reps

Split translated from English means “to divide.” The essence of split training is that at one time you do not work all the muscles of the body, but only 1-2 or 3 zones. That is, you train muscle groups separately throughout the week. For example, on the first day - biceps and back, on the second - legs, abs and shoulders, on the third - chest and triceps. Other grouping options are also possible.

Who is the split suitable for?

Split training involves detailed work on each part of the body and is designed for advanced athletes. For a beginner, it will simply be too difficult to work on one or two body parts for 30-40 minutes.

For girls who have recently started visiting the gym, a circuit training program is better suited. After a few months, the body will adapt to the stress and it will be possible to move to the next level. Training based on the principle of separating muscle groups requires sufficient preparation and the ability to perform basic exercises.

Split is not suitable for those who often have to skip workouts and are not ready to work out according to a specific schedule. Discipline and strict adherence to frequency are important here.

Regardless of your level of preparation and schedule, you need to choose a specific training program individually. It's better to spend some time experimenting and finding what really suits you. You can try the circuit principle of classes and try a split. This way you will decide which training method is right for you.

Many people find it difficult to choose a training system for themselves. If difficulties arise, you can contact a coach who develops programs for girls. It is quite possible that you will like the program with split elements the most.

Nutritional Features

When split training, as with any other, it is necessary to follow the principles of a healthy diet and use healthy foods as a source of energy. Of course, under the influence of the load, the muscles will become stronger, regardless of your nutrition. But excessive consumption of sweet, fried and fast food will make these changes insignificant and poorly noticeable.

The nutrition program is adjusted depending on the goals of the training, as well as the time of training. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to be especially careful. In this case, it is necessary to reduce the caloric content of the diet and maintain the correct proportions of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Compliance with the principles of proper nutrition is especially important for girls, as their body accumulates fat deposits faster and takes longer to build muscle tissue. A proper nutrition program and regular exercise help adjust your metabolism and set your body up for the desired changes.

We must not forget the importance of water. On training days, your rate increases. If you usually drink 2 liters of water per day, you will need approximately 2.5 liters during exercise.

Frequency of classes

For most girls, going to the gym 3 times a week is enough. The program is designed so that training days alternate with rest. If desired, on rest days you can do swimming, yoga or cardio exercises.

If you can’t structure your week so that there is rest between classes, you can do 2 days in a row, but then one workout should be more difficult and the other easier. Also, you should not do split training 3 days in a row. This load is too serious and is only suitable for professional athletes.

Building a lesson

Any workout can be broken down into components. This is a warm-up, a working part and a post-workout cool-down. Also below is an example of a three-day split program.

Warm-up

Even if you train one or two zones, you need to warm up your whole body before exercise. Warm up for 5-7 minutes. You can work out on a cardio machine or perform a standard joint warm-up, which many remember from school physical education lessons (circular rotations with arms and legs, head turns, mill, squats, etc.).

Main part

To begin with, here are the general principles of doing the exercises.

• To tone muscles and maintain shape for each part of the body, it is enough to do 3-4 exercises of 12-15 repetitions in 3 sets. Choose a medium weight to feel the load. Rest between sets is 40–60 seconds, and between exercises – 1.5 minutes.
• For girls who are working on body definition and losing weight, it is recommended to work with small weights with a higher number of repetitions (15–20, in some exercises can be increased to 20–25). In this case, the pace should be kept slightly above average, and the rest between exercises should be reduced if possible.
• When working on mass, on the contrary, you need to increase the working weight to close to the maximum (for beginners to slightly above average), reducing the number of repetitions to 8–12. You should rest 60–90 seconds between sets and 2.5 minutes when changing exercises.

Whatever your training goals, proper technique plays a huge role. Improper execution of movements is not only ineffective, but also dangerous, especially when working with weights.

The cycle phase is important in girls’ training. At the beginning of the month, you can increase the load, try new exercises and devote more time to aerobic exercise. In the second half of the cycle, it is worth giving the body a rest from intense exercise and, if you feel unwell, reduce weight or reduce repetitions.

Example program

The following program is provided as an example. You can make changes to it in accordance with your individual characteristics - work schedule, favorite exercises and level of training.

Day 1: legs/buttocks and abs

1. Squats with a barbell or bodybar (for beginners). Wide stance of the legs, toes pointing diagonally.
2. Lunges with dumbbells.
3. Romanian style deadlift (Romanian deadlift).
4. Calf raises in a machine or with dumbbells.
5. Hanging leg raises for abs. Perform as many repetitions per set as you can.
6. Twisting the body on an incline bench.
7. Plank. Try to increase the time spent in the plank pose from 30 seconds to 2 minutes per approach.

Day 2: back and biceps

1. Pull-ups. If you can’t do a single pull-up, use negative reps. That is, you rise to the top point by standing on a pedestal or bench, and from there you slowly lower your body using the muscles of your back and arms. Do as many repetitions as you can.
2. Pull of the upper block behind the head.
3. Barbell row to the stomach.
4. Row a dumbbell to the waist with each hand alternately. We count the number of repetitions and approaches for each hand.
5. Hyperextension.
6. Curling arms with dumbbells for biceps.

Day 3: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders

1. Push-ups with wide arms. If you cannot perform the required number of times, simplify the exercise by standing on your knees.
2. Dumbbell bench press.
3. Dumbbell raises.
4. Standing overhead dumbbell press.
5. Standing dumbbell lateral raises
6. Reverse push-ups.
7. Extension of arms for triceps in a block simulator.

Finishing the session and stretching

For girls who want a toned and slender body, final stretching is very important. It helps relax muscles and calm breathing. Skipping stretches will lead to severe muscle pain the next day. If you sabotage stretching regularly, the muscles will become stiff and the likelihood of injury will increase. You can use a short yoga routine or classic stretching movements.

Focus on the muscles you worked on, but don't forget about the rest of your body. Your session also involved a lot of stabilizer muscles. You need a comprehensive stretching program that you can repeat after each session.

On average, each split workout takes from 30–40 minutes to an hour. The duration depends on how long you rested between reps and exercises.

Split is ideal for those girls for whom circuit training is not enough to get the desired results. The program can be compiled independently or with the help of a trainer. Due to the fact that only certain muscle groups are worked out in one session, the workout will not take much time and will be very intense.

Bodybuilding magazines can be confusing for young, inexperienced athletes trying to create a training program on their own. Let's say one magazine has an article about a program for building huge pectoral muscles and you, of course, want to have pumped up chest, but another magazine invites you to try killer supersets for the back and chest and that also sounds tempting.

Over and over again, magazine articles push you in an endless number of different directions, and it just gets confusing. This guy recommends training the triceps after the back, this guy recommends training the triceps with the biceps, and the third insists on working the triceps after the chest and shoulders. Which one is right?

Well, they're all right. If you discard all the unnecessary things and turn to the basics, there is only one main principle left - train all your muscles and they will become bigger. Of course, provided that you eat right. But nutrition is a topic for a separate article.

To give the right direction to beginners and perhaps more experienced athletes who want to try a new and effective training program, let's look at a split method in which each muscle group, from the trapezius to the calves, gets an intense and effective workout.

The main idea of ​​this method is extremely simple - conditionally divide the body into parts, provide direct load on each part of the body, build large muscles, become stronger, and feel like a winner. So let's see how all this can be accomplished.

Eleven muscle groups

This may not be the most scientific division, but for our purposes it is suitable. Depending on the number of workouts per week, one or more groups will be worked out at each lesson.

Large: Back, chest, quadriceps
Average: Hamstrings, shoulders, triceps, biceps
Small: Abdominals, trapezius, forearms, calf muscles

The term "small" does not mean that these body parts do not require serious attention. Abdominal training is absolutely essential in terms of developing strength, increasing functionality and improving appearance. So you shouldn’t be biased towards the name “small muscles”.

On the one hand, this is a matter of distributing time and effort - working on the forearms does not require the same training volume and intensity as training the quadriceps. But on the other hand, many people train the muscles of the “small” group either too rarely, or not diligently enough, or completely ignore them.

It could be argued that the back muscles need to be divided into several more groups. But if we add additional groups, such as “upper,” “lats,” and “lower,” we end up with a split for thirteen body parts, which is overkill. In addition, if you perform at least one type of row to the waist and a vertical row of the upper block or pull-ups, then you are already sufficiently working all the back muscles.
So, here are some examples of training programs compiled according to our principle.

3 workouts per week

This is a basic split. It is simple and quite effective. Think you're too experienced for basic programs like this? This was the favorite split of three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane.

Option two:
Day 1: quads, chest, calves, abs
Day 2: back, hamstrings, trapezius
Day 3: shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearms

This split allows you to work your quadriceps and hamstrings separately. Many people need to train their legs heavier whether they want to or not, so this is a good split option.
It is convenient to train the back and hamstrings on the same day, since the deadlift and its variations work both of these muscle groups. Quad and chest training can also be combined, as squats, even with heavy weights, have minimal impact on a heavy bench press.

4 workouts per week

You'll be doing some heavy lifting on the first day, so be sure to eat well before your workout. The biceps and forearms are worked on the fourth day, when they are fresh and full of strength. Who doesn't love the opportunity to really work on their biceps?!

Option two:
Day 1: quadriceps, hamstrings
Day 2: back, forearms, abs
Day 3: Chest, Shoulders, Traps
Day 4: triceps, biceps, calves

Don't skip calf training after working on your arm muscles!

5 workouts per week

The second day of the program is dedicated to “beach” muscles. This is one of the side benefits of splitting leg work into two sessions. Have a day of bench presses and curls!

Option two:
Day 1: quadriceps, hamstrings, calves
Day 2: back, trapezius
Day 3: chest, abs
Day 4: Shoulders
Day 5: Triceps, Biceps, Forearms

This is another time-tested split - legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms. The muscles are arranged in sequence from larger to smaller.

6 workouts per week

There's nothing wrong with going to the gym six times a week. However, most people don't necessarily need to train this way, as doing more doesn't guarantee better results.

However, if you are incorrigibly “hooked” on training, then remember that a large number of hard workouts without appropriate nutrition and pharmacological support is a waste of time and effort. If there was such a thing as an “advanced training split for advanced athletes only,” this is what it looks like.

Rules

#2 . If you are training your back on the same day as your biceps and/or forearms, then you can use wrist straps for the last 1-2 heaviest sets of back exercises. They will help reduce forearm muscle fatigue during back exercises, allowing you to perform arm exercises with greater intensity.

#3 The hamstrings should be worked with a variation of leg curls and deadlifts. To reduce the load on your lower back, you can first fatigue your hamstrings with leg curls on the machine and only then begin deadlifting.

#4 . When training your abdominals, try to focus on each of the abdominal functions—torso flexion, torso rotation, and resistance to torso flexion and rotation—either in one session or over the course of a week.

#5 . Depending on which muscle groups you train in one session, try to avoid overstraining the accessory muscles. So, if you're training your chest, shoulders, and triceps, and you do five variations of chest presses and then three variations of shoulder presses, don't be surprised if your triceps are too fatigued to do an isolated workout.

It is worth noting that when using the direct load method, it is necessary to concentrate maximum attention on the working muscles and ensure that in each repetition the target muscle is working predominantly.

When, what, in what volume, with what intensity and frequency?

You train each body part once a week. This is another time-tested method that leads to sustainable progress. Training a muscle group once a week is enough for growth if you train consistently and regularly. More frequent practice is an alternative that deserves research and experimentation over several months.
By loading a muscle group once a week, we give it a week's break before the next workout. So, the intensity of each session should be high. If you have enough experience, you can use techniques to increase intensity, such as rest-pause or negative reps in the last sets. You can also resort to increasing your overall training volume so that your muscles actually need a week off to recover.

If you're a new bodybuilder, you need to put your all into every rep and learn to overcome the urge to make it easy on yourself. Still, we do not recommend that beginners train to the point of muscle failure.

Rest days should be added to the program as needed, depending on how intensely the primary and secondary muscles were worked during the week. That is, you should not train a muscle that received an indirect load the day before. What does this mean? Try doing a heavy biceps and forearms workout before your back and traps workout and see how the second session goes!

We won't go into detail about the number of repetitions and sets, since the volume of training depends on your specific goals more than on any other factor. That is why the volume of training for bodybuilders, powerlifters and triathletes is by no means the same. Choose a rep range that suits your training goal. Since we're talking about bodybuilding, most of your sets will be 6-8, 8-10, or 10-12 reps. However, using fewer reps with heavier weights infrequently will help develop overall strength and this will pay dividends in the future.
A higher number of repetitions is also an acceptable option for infrequent use, both as a final set to “finish off” a muscle, and to conduct a recovery workout on a muscle that has not been rested enough to work on it intensively.

Finally

The exercises collected in this split system are perhaps one of the most effective, and indeed they are simply the best, especially for those who want to build muscle mass. It's no surprise that many serious bodybuilders use them as the basis for their endurance training. They really work. Ok, enough water, let's get to the point.

There are many different variations of 4-day workouts (I'll describe some of them in this article), but there are two key factors: The modifications or variations of exercises you choose are not particularly important here, the main thing is different. You need to be lifting weights at least 4 days a week, and working a specific muscle group each day. Got it? Now we can continue.

Why 4-day split training is better than all other systems

If your main goal is to build muscle mass, it makes sense to take into account one decisive factor in your training - the intensity of your approaches. When I say intensity, I'm talking about the optimal level of stress your muscles are subjected to during a single training session. Their endurance and your capabilities increase significantly, compared to more intense training that allows you to pump only certain muscles, which takes place once a week. Therefore, I recommend choosing a 4-day weight split. And generally speaking...

Four sessions a day (weekly) is the most optimal pace for such loads

Split training allows you to concentrate on working on one muscle group during one session, for example, pumping up your legs. This will also give your muscles the opportunity to fully rest, bounce back and even grow, i.e., be well prepared for the next session, and this is the most important component for building muscle. Another important point is the increase in muscle mass. If you lose sight of this, you will very soon overdo it, stop noticing the results of your work, and as a result - regression in everything, both in strength and in muscle growth. But don't go crazy, everything is much simpler than it seems. Let's continue...

Several options for four-day split training and their advantages and disadvantages

1. 4 days of intense work 3 days of rest

The principle is to train 4 days in a row, then do 3 days of fasting and repeat all over again. You may think that if you train 4 days in a row, this will lead to overheating of your muscles, but this is not so. You have nothing to worry about, because... Every day you give load only to certain muscle groups. On other days, you simply do not do exercises that involve already “pumped up areas,” but this does not mean that on these days you can do nothing at all. In fact, you can, or rather should, pay attention to exercises that strengthen the cardiovascular system, for example, walking briskly, swimming, playing team sports, and even doing simple and short-term cardio, etc. - here are great options for the weekend. It would be good to get physical activity every day.

The real benefit of choosing this option is that after the intense strength and resistance training, you actually get 3 days to fully relax (in a sense) or work on cardio.

2. 2 days of intense training, 1 day of fasting, 2 days of training, 2 days of fasting

This is the second correct option for effective exercises. The undoubted advantage of this technique is the absence of stress throughout the day, which will allow you to recover and perform the next lesson more intensively. This is an excellent load for the average bodybuilder. More experienced athletes prefer split systems according to the 4-day load, 3-day rest scheme or even the 5/2 scheme. (This topic deserves its own article, keep an eye out for it).

3. Training on any day other than Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

This split program is chosen for a bodybuilder for whom sport is more of a hobby. It certainly works, but you need to strictly follow a schedule according to which you should have four days off each week, you need to try to exercise several days in a row, otherwise you will be faced with the fact that you will form a habit of regular physical activity no more than 3 times a week. That's why I don't recommend this method for those who are really serious about doing a 4-day split training program.

Okay, now that we have found out the obvious advantages of these activities, and we know what to do and what not to do- it's time for a more detailed analysis of what a good four-day training program for gaining muscle mass should look like. In this program, the number of approaches mainly changes, the number of repetitions is a kind of constant, in each exercise there will be a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12.

Mass training program 4 times a week

Monday: chest and triceps

• Bench press: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Trapezius exercises: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Back swings through emphasis on bent arms: 4 sets, repetitions - as far as possible
• Triceps extensions (cable arm extensions, cable arm extensions): 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Triceps extensions (cable arm extension, curved plank): 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Arm extensions with a curved barbell from behind the head: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps

Tuesday: Back and biceps

• Wide grip pull-ups: 4 sets (until exhaustion)
• Deadlifts with straight legs (deathlift): 4 sets of 5-8 reps
• Vertical row: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Deadlift: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell curl: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Close grip pull-ups: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Wednesday: Shoulders and abs

• Standing press (military press): 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Shoulder press with dumbbells: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Lateral raises: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Front raises: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Squats: 4 sets, number of reps depends on your capabilities
• Abdominal exercises: 4 sets, number of repetitions depends on your capabilities
• Plank: 4 sets, number of repetitions depends on your capabilities

Thursday: Legs and abdominal muscles

• Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Leg press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Leg curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Calf raises (seated): 4 sets, number of reps depends on your capabilities
• Calf Raise (standing): 4 sets, number of reps depends on your capabilities
• Ab crunches with a ball: 4 sets, the number of repetitions depends on your capabilities
• Leg raises: 3-4 sets, number of repetitions depends on your capabilities
• Scissors: 3-4 sets the number of repetitions depends on your capabilities

Friday

Saturday: Rest, light cardio exercise

Sunday: Rest, light cardio exercise

Stretching: Stretch before and after your workout. Before lifting the barbell, stretching should be active, and after power loads, more static.

I will write a detailed article on stretching soon. Stay tuned.

Rest between sets: Make sure that the relaxation between subsequent stages does not last more than 2 minutes, but less than 30 seconds. Listen to your inner voice to know when to start the next set. Know the difference between muscle pain and mild fatigue.