Split Training or Full Body Workout - Which is Better?

A client recently asked whether full body resistance training performed 3 days per week would achieve the same results as split training (training one body part per session, working out several days per week).

Here's advice from Cathy Savage, competitive fitness trainer and former body builder and professional dancer:

Yes! Full body workouts are beneficial to the body in two ways: They allow for greater energy expenditure per workout, and they allow for more adequate recovery from your workout. On the other hand, resistance training six days per week with double hits to each body part is sure to lead to overtraining. This kind of frequency can stunt the gains you’re making in the gym.

The best kind of workout should be a summation of the time spent in the gym and the subsequent recovery time. Poor recovery will produce few results – as though you didn’t go to the gym at all. Continuously pounding your body, trying to will it into submission, does not work. It’s when you rest that you grow muscle (or lose weight, depending on your goal).

Exercising three to four times per week, hitting the whole body every time, allows you to work each individual muscle group with greater frequency while burning a good amount of calories in the process. Whether your aim is to build or lean out, full body training can definitely supply the same amount of punch that your split training workout provided you before. Try mixing up your rep ranges each time you lift to maximize your potential in the gym. And follow up each workout with a healthy, well-balanced meal. You’ll be well on your way to seeing results in no time!