Two day split has been the more tradition split for those transitioning from the full body routine for the first time. Essentially, the body is split in two workouts. The most common variation has been to recommend working half the body Monday and Thursday, along with doing the other half on Tuesday and Friday. Rest on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
This split split basically groups opposing torso muscles. The other variation is the push/pull grouping. Both is good and I alternate between the two every 3 to 4 months.
For a lot of people, this routine works. With 45 minute to an hour workouts, the total consumed time is still under 5 hours per week. Specific muscle groups get between 72 and 96 hours of rest between workouts and that is great for recovery. And it begans to add variety, which is always a good thing.
No wonder, this 4 day split has been around so long. It has stood the test of time for many people.
The specifics of the workouts can vary. I think the following is a good variation, but feel to modify – or completely ignore – for your needs.
Monday and Thursday
Warm-up
- Run in place – 10 minutes
- Push ups – 3 or 4 minutes into running in place, drop and do 20 to 30 pushups
- Deep knee bends – 7 to 8 minutes into running in place, stop and do 20 to 30 deep knee bends
Routine
- Wide grip chin ups – Not too wide, grab the bar with shoulder width grip, and then move your hands out about 6 inches on both sides. Pull as high as you can. The objective is to touch you chest to the bar. That ends arching your back and actually trying to push your chest up while pulling yourself up. Tough and hard.
- Bent over rows – You can alternate between 3 different rows every workout – barbell, dumbbell, and T-bar. All three hit like areas but from a little different angle. Rotating the three keeps you fresh.
- Dumbbell pullover – Done crossway to a bench. The key there is to drop your hips as you lower the dumbbell to get the stretch versus dropping the dumbbell all the way on the other side. In fact, when you upper arms get to about your ear level, stop. Any lower and you could injure your shoulders.
- Incline dumbbell press – My favorite chest exercise, make sure you do it on a low incline, say 30 degrees.
- Flat bench flyes – I see a lot of guys who do it in a weird pressing movement. Back in the day, someone told me to pretend I was hugging a tree.
- Standing alternating dumbbell curls – Pretty basic, just remember to supinate during the movement.
- Lying Tricep Extensions – Either done with an EZ bar or with dumbbells. Barbells are tough on your wrist, which makes it tough on the elbows, which makes it tough on the shoulders and why bother with all that. Use EZ bar or dumbbells
- Superset wrist curls with reverse wrist curls – Either with barbells or dumbbells. Go with barbells, easier to change weights. Unless you are in a gym, in which case, just grab two sets of either.
Cool-down
- Light stretching – 30 second, light stretch of all body parts, nothing hard, just gentle pull to loosen up the muscles.
Sets/Repetitions
- For chins, do 3 sets of max reps, BUT your objective should be to chin at least 30 reps with as many sets as it takes. When you can do 15 reps in one set, add 10lb with weight belt
- For rows and incline press, do 4 sets pyramiding from 15 reps to last set of maximum poundage for 6 to 8 reps.
- All other exercises, do 3 sets pyramiding to max effort of 6 to 8 reps on last set.
- Except dumbbell pullover, do 3 sets of 12, increase weight but keep reps at 12.
- Except superset for wrist, do 3 supersets of 15, increase weight but keep reps at 15.
Tuesday and Friday
Warm-up and Cool-down the same
Routine
- Full Squats – No secret this is my number one exercise. Read more here.
- Lunges – No secret this is my second favorite exercise. Read more here.
- Stiff legged dead lifts – This rounds it out. Read more here.
- Leg curls – Dead lifts are great but lack the contraction that leg curls offer.
- Seated press – Alternate between smith machine presses and dumbbell presses.
- Standing lateral raises – Some like to go really heavy. But heavy always mean at the top position, your thumb is higher than your pinkie which means more frontal delts than side delts. You hit the frontal delts with the presses, so let’s use this to hit your side delts. Bow your back, bend your elbows and pretend you are pouring a pitcher of water as you raise your arms. At the top position your pinkie is higher than your thumb. Yes, lighten the load.
- Standing Calf Raises – Pretty simple. Do 3 sets of 30, 20, and everything you got for 12 reps.
- Abs – Superset crunches with reverse crunches. Do 3 sets of 20 to 25 reps. Catch your breathe between supersets if you must, but rest no more than 30 seconds.
Sets/Repetitions
- For full squats, do 5 sets, pyramiding from 20 reps to last set of maximum effort for 6 to 8 reps.
- For dead lifts, do 4 sets with first set a warm-up at 20 reps, then 3 more sets of 12, increase weight but keep reps at 12.
- For lunges, do 3 sets of 15 reps, increasing weight on each set, but keep reps at 15 (no lower than 10)
- For seated press, do 4 sets pyramiding from 15 reps to 6- 8 reps on last set
- All other exercises, do 3 sets pyramiding to max effort of 6 to 8 reps on last set.
General Notes
- Keep notes, if this is too much, rest an extra. Work out 2 days, rest 2 days, and repeat.
- Some exercise, you pyramid the weights but keep the reps the same. Reason being, pryamiding down to 6 or 8 reps on some exercises like lunges would be potentially dangerous. Keep the reps high and adjust weight accordingly.
- In general, your maximum effort must always be on the last set. Or rather whatever set you go to failure is your last set. If failure is on second set, you are done, move on. But use the 2 or 3 sets to warm-up the muscles and then go to failure.
- After a year, regardless of whether you work out at a gym or at home, with all the equipment or not; you should have enough experience to substitute or be creative.
