Personal trainers like Tim Dewhurst see this all the time: clients knock on their door to find a fitness routine that they can adapt as a lifestyle after a list of short-lived attempts. A significant reason why people toss workouts they try to adapt consistently out the window is not finding the right fitness fit. Everyone’s health and wellness journey differs in some way, which is why one type of workout might work excellently for one person and fail miserably for another. Dewhurst believes an effective place to start when figuring out what exercise regimens best fit an individual’s lifestyle and fitness goals is deciphering if one’s body and mind best flow with a full-body lifting workout or “splits” weight lifting.
Full-Body Workout
A full-body lifting workout consists of working out both the upper and lower body within the same day. Usually, full-body lifting workouts are better suited for individuals with busy daily schedules. When someone is very limited in the amount of time they can commit to exercise, balance and efficiency play a huge role in staying in shape. Full-body workouts train the entire body as if it were one muscle, contributing to a well-balanced body as a result.
A quick way to build cardio, flexibility, and strength when a day only grants a twenty- or thirty-minute exercise commitment is through full-body lifting workouts. A full-body workout’s flash burst of intensity can often lead to burning more calories during a sweat session. However, if a person cannot handle the heat of a full-body workout, the high-intensity level can consequence in fitness burnout.
To conclude, full-body workouts are a productive long-term fit for those with packed agendas who enjoy an intense workout and cardio to relieve stress.
Split Workout
“Splits” weight lifting, also known as training split or body part split, differs most drastically from full-body workouts due to scheduling. Rather than targeting the entire body in one day, split exercises focus on working particular muscle groups on specific days rather than all at once on the same day.
An example of a split workout week for someone who exercises four times a week might look like this:
Day 1: Train Legs and Glutes
Day 2: Train Back and Chest
Day 3: Train Core
Day 4: Train Arms and Shoulders
Rather than treating the entire body as a single muscle, split workout plans are designed to separate and train each muscle group independently.
For people who can spend a little more time in the gym and want to maximize efforts to grow muscles, split workouts are the way to go. This workout schedule allows a person to partake in fewer rest days due to not working all of the body’s muscle groups in one day. Full-body workouts require more off days for muscle recovery. However, the downside to the training split is the commitment to the consistency it needs to reach fitness goals. Since this exercise process requires more days in the gym, like four to six days, skipping a workout day can end in a loss of effectiveness.
About Tim Dewhurst
Tim Dewhurst, Sydney, Australia-based personal trainer, is passionate about helping his clients reach their goals and maintain healthy lifestyles. Tim works with all fitness levels and has helped numerous individuals reignite their motivation to work out. He specializes in strength and cardio training, marathon training, and stretching to improve strength and mobility. Tim Dewhurst wants to help every client create a realistic and sustainable regimen that meets each individual’s unique needs.
