Workout Split Ideas

[O-Train]

I'll be switching to a different gym soon that is close to where I work. Problem is it's 30 minutes from home so I can only workout on days when I work. My work schedule is 4 days on 2 days off which is making it hard for me to figure this out.

I've been using the standard DC split: Mon, Wed, Fri

Rotating between "A" workouts (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, 2 Back Exercises) and

"B" workouts (Biceps, Forearms, Calves, Hamstrings, Quads)

The only thing I thought of that may work is breaking the days down and working out 4 days on 2 days off. That means I work everything every 10 days (instead of 8) like the DC split.

So it would be: A,B,C,D

Chest/Shoulders/Triceps, 2 Back Exercises, Biceps/Forearms/Calves, Hams/Quads

I figure the workouts could be done in about 30 minutes so I could fit them in before work.

I'm looking for any other ideas you guys may have. Thanks in advance.

[O-Train]

Mods could you move this to the AAS section please. Oh and there are some floaty things and I think it looks infected.

[buildinthaskinnys]

HAHA you slay me! there might be ten times more traffic over there but I dont think anyone would have time to answer your question because they are to busy putting the final touches on their "test is best" or "what do you think of my first time cycle and can I mix tren with deca on it" threads! haha
:beat seriously though

Why not 4 and 2 like you mentioned looks good to me, work it so that the bodypart that is trained the first day is trained the last day that way it has ample time to recover ( that is 2 days ) before the next training session.

[O-Train]

HAHA you slay me! there might be ten times more traffic over there but I dont think anyone would have time to answer your question because they are to busy putting the final touches on their "test is best" or "what do you think of my first time cycle and can I mix tren with deca on it" threads! haha
:beat seriously though

Why not 4 and 2 like you mentioned looks good to me, work it so that the bodypart that is trained the first day is trained the last day that way it has ample time to recover ( that is 2 days ) before the next training session.

Thanks for responding. I think the 4 days on 2 days off will work I would just like to train each bodypart more often. That is a big part of why the DC split works so well. My only concern with 2 days in between (technically 3 days rest) is that I find soreness is usually the worst 2 days after training (especially with legs). Sometimes I need the 4-5 days of rest. Although that only really seems to be true for large muscle groups.

If I decide to do 4 days on 2 days off it means 6 days of rest. I guess that may not be such a bad thing. I could probably get back to more heavy compound lifting, throw deadlifts back in. Gains might be a little slower though. From what I've read it's somewhere between what is considered the standard M/W/F split and the advanced 3 day rotation.

So unless anyone can think up a better split I think I'll do it this way:
(The order things are written in is important)
A: 2 Back Exercises (I set this up different than DC)
B: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
C: Biceps, Forearms, Calves
D: Hamstrings, Quadriceps

I figure this way I'll have at least 72 hours of recovery between back exercises and leg exercises.

I'm actually looking forward to this (not so much getting out of bed earlier), but I'll get to spend more time with my family and have shorter workouts. I know there are a few guys here who have lots of experience with DC and rest pause style training. Feel free to comment or give advice.

[gustavo77]

So you do not want to train on your days off from work?? Cause if training on your days off does not matter, you could try a 2 day on, 1 day off split:

Day 1: Chest, bi
Day 2: Quads, hams, calves
Day 3: off
Day 4: Shouders, tri
Day 5: back
Day 6: off
Day 7: off or repeat day 1..

[O-Train]

So you do not want to train on your days off from work?? Cause if training on your days off does not matter, you could try a 2 day on, 1 day off split:

Day 1: Chest, bi
Day 2: Quads, hams, calves
Day 3: off
Day 4: Shouders, tri
Day 5: back
Day 6: off
Day 7: off or repeat day 1..

No, it wouldn't make sense for me to train when I don't work. The gym is near work and I would spend as much time in the car as I would in the gym. If I could I would stick to the regular Mon/Wed/Fri split.

That looks like a good split Gus. Have you ever tried DC training or something similar? I was skeptical at first and I did modify the program but I like low volume training a lot.

[buildinthaskinnys]

My post is all screwed up what Im trying to say is do this. Train one group once at then beginning and then once at the end then rotate

for example

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday/Saturday
Chest/back Quads/Hams Abs/Calves Chest/Back Rest/Rest

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday/Friday
Quads/Hams Abs/Calves Chest/Back Quads/Hams Rest/Rest

This works out as you can see, that you are training every muscle group once every 2-4 days maybe this is overtraining, maybe it isnt. I think it all depends on the volume you are using.

[O-Train]

My post is all screwed up what Im trying to say is do this. Train one group once at then beginning and then once at the end then rotate

for example

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday/Saturday
Chest/back Quads/Hams Abs/Calves Chest/Back Rest/Rest

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday/Friday
Quads/Hams Abs/Calves Chest/Back Quads/Hams Rest/Rest

This works out as you can see, that you are training every muscle group once every 2-4 days maybe this is overtraining, maybe it isnt. I think it all depends on the volume you are using.

No worries. I knew exactly what you were trying to say. The only issue I would have is shown by your second rotation through where you have Sunday Quads/Hams and then again on Wednesday. The training I do is very low volume but if I have a good leg workout I would still be sore on Wednesday. It's kinda weird that only 2-3 working sets for both quads and hamstrings (combined) make me sore sometimes for 3 days but that's what seems to happen. Doesn't take much for me when I go balls out.

[buildinthaskinnys]

Im gonna argue with you on the basis that its possible that muscle soreness might not be related to its recovery.

[O-Train]

Im gonna argue with you on the basis that its possible that muscle soreness might not be related to its recovery.

What do you mean exactly? A sore muscle can be fully recovered? What would the muscle soreness be related to?

[buildinthaskinnys]

Well from what I have been reading lately, I am starting to believe that soreness in many cases isnt related to muscle damage and neither is it a good indicator of a good work out, everyone knows about lactic acid, but one thing I just learned of was the role of calcium on muscle contractions, but more specifically afterwards, I am not typing this out verbatum per se but my book states that calcium ions begin to accumulate during contractions and then cause the release of protease this will cause further muscle fiber breakdown, this can cause soreness as the deposits of broken down fiber material collect and because the body basically starts to clean itself out by releasing stress proteins that kind of protect itself. So my theory is that by training a soremuscle when the cause is due to the buildup of the aforementioned calcium ions you will be doing the muscle good because the influx of fresh blood being pumped through will help clean out the shit so to speak.

[waderow]

any thing lagging? like arms? shoulders?

[O-Train]

Well from what I have been reading lately, I am starting to believe that soreness in many cases isnt related to muscle damage and neither is it a good indicator of a good work out, everyone knows about lactic acid, but one thing I just learned of was the role of calcium on muscle contractions, but more specifically afterwards, I am not typing this out verbatum per se but my book states that calcium ions begin to accumulate during contractions and then cause the release of protease this will cause further muscle fiber breakdown, this can cause soreness as the deposits of broken down fiber material collect and because the body basically starts to clean itself out by releasing stress proteins that kind of protect itself. So my theory is that by training a soremuscle when the cause is due to the buildup of the aforementioned calcium ions you will be doing the muscle good because the influx of fresh blood being pumped through will help clean out the shit so to speak.

So if I'm understanding correctly some of the soreness is a result of weightlifting but not directly a product of it. As in the soreness does not directly result from muscle fiber damage due to lifting. Interesting.

What I think I'm going to do (which I already should be) is make sure I get in a good warm up before each workout. I'll need to especially before legs because I won't be as warmed up in the morning. Also won't have the smaller muscle groups being worked before quads/hams to get my blood pumping.

Picked up an exercise bike recently so I think I will start using that at night and add in extra stretching to try and stimulate blood flow to the muscles that were previously worked. Once I get a feel for recovery time I may be able to rotate in a muscle group 2x in a 4 day period like you suggested. Thanks for your input.

[O-Train]

any thing lagging? like arms? shoulders?

Lots of areas I need to improve on. Ive been bringing up my calves and hamstrings but they still need work. Vastus Medialis (inner quad muscle) needs work. Lower part of my lats, and need more width in my lats also. And chest, definitely chest. Shoulders could probably use some work too.

Definitely still a work in progress.