Strength training is an essential part of any weekly workout program. Priority should be given to aerobic exercise first, followed by strength training, before participants pursue other forms of exercise such as stretching. At our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics strength training is an essential part of each patient’s recovery from disease, injury, or surgery.
A common question we receive in our practice is what is the best split of breaking up strength training exercises. This is understandable because there are numerous ways to break up strength training each week including days dedicated to either upper or lower body training, pushing or pulling exercises, or coupled muscle groups such as chest and triceps. Previous research showed conflicting results due to the lack of control over training volume including weight lifted, repetitions, and sets of each exercise. A recent summary of the evidence was published on which split is most effective.
Ramos-Campo and colleagues published their findings on the strength and muscle growth benefits of either a split or total body strength training program (J Strength Conditioning Res. 2024). Authors included 14 studies of close to 400 participants to determine the differences between a split body or total body workout each week. Importantly, authors controlled the volume of each workout each week to draw more accurate conclusions. Authors noted no differences in strength gains or muscle growth IF total volume of exercise was similar between either a split body or total body workout. In short, if a participant meets the reps and sets needed for change each week it doesn’t matter how you split it up based on individual preferences for days or time in the gym.
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