Are Full Body Workouts Best For Building Muscle?

Novice, intermediate and advanced weightlifters should follow different training routines for optimal results and exercise safety. Weightlifting experience dictates which muscle-building workout schedule is best for you. Understanding full body workouts and split routines allows you to make the best program choices for muscle growth.

Muscle Growth

Microscopic muscle fibers are naturally damaged during resistance training. Worked fibers require adequate rest and protein in order to repair and grow larger. The cycle of breakdown and repair results in larger, stronger muscles over time. You can schedule your workouts to promote optimal breakdown and repair cycles.

Full Body Workouts

The National Strength and Conditioning Association suggests full body workouts for people who have never trained or who have not trained for two or more years. Full body resistance training workouts allow you to focus on proper form and allow important neurological adaptations to occur. A full body resistance training program provides noticeable muscle gains after six weeks. Do your full body workout two or three days a week.

Upper/Lower Body Split Schedule

If you have up to one year of lifting experience, an upper/lower body split routine is appropriate. An upper/lower body split requires you to lift weights four times a week, alternating between lower body workouts and upper body workouts. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, split routines provide increased training volume per muscle and promote muscle growth.

Muscle Group Split Schedule

A muscle group split routine is best for advanced lifters with up to two years of weightlifting experience. Muscle group split routines work one to three small muscle groups per session, four to six days per week. This further increases training volume and maximizes muscle gain through breakdown and repair.

Considerations

Novice lifters will gain muscle with full body workouts. Attempting a split schedule with poor form and inadequate baseline experience promotes injury. Novice lifters should build muscle with full body workouts and then maximize muscle gains with split routines as their experience increases. Experienced weightlifters can use full body workouts to maintain current muscle mass. Consult your doctor before starting any new workout routine.