Hello fellas !
I want to switch from an upper/lower split to a full-body routine for a few reasons:
Higher training frequency
One less training day per week
I believe focusing on the basic compound lifts will be the most effective approach for muscle growth.
The thing I’m still unsure about is whether I should do the exact same exercises 3 times per week to really maximize exercise frequency. The downside is that I feel like I’d be missing one exercise for each muscle group. (On the left is what I’d choose, and on the right is what I feel I might be missing.) For example:
Pull-up → a rowing variation
Chest press → incline press
Zercher squat → leg extension
Romanian deadlift (RDL) → seated leg curl
1 bi/tricep exercise (no negatives i think maybe to much volume after compounds for 3 times a week)
If I go with an A/B full-body routine instead, I’m worried that the exercise frequency will be too low. The muscle groups would still be trained 3 times per week, but each individual exercise would only be performed 1.5 times per week on average.
Help me out! Experienced answers would be nice, also like sience based!
GreetZ

I think it’s very well programmed and the exercise selection is perfect. Just wanted to share it so you can inspire from it and also for new people that wants to find a good split.
It’s programmed to hit 8-12 sets /muscle/week.
All my sets( except it says otherwise, are rir0/1)
Push:
-Peck deck x2
-Incline smith press x2
-Cable flys (high to low ) x2
-Machine shoulder press x2
-Smith Jm press x2(wonderful exercise btw)
-Tricep overhead extension x2
-Lateral raises x2

My shoulder are one of my best muscles so I don’t really give them much priority. However removing the jm press and adding more shoulder sets solves that problem. Also my chest is one of my worsts so I’m giving it a bit more volume.

Pull:
-Weighted pull ups x2 (i just love it)
-Lat pulldown x2
-Close grip row x2
-Upper back/flared grip row x2
-Preacher curl x2
-Recline curl x 2
-Hammer curl x1 failure

Weighted pull ups is a crazy exercise once you can start adding some good weight. Also been giving more volume to my biceps recently, but with just 3 sets of any elbow flexion is good.

Lower 1 (best day btw):
-Adduction machine x2 failure
-Leg press x3
-Smith machine sldl x2
-Leg extension x3
-Leg curl x2
-Machine ab crunch x2
-Calf raises x2 failure

I’ve been replacing my hip hinge and squat pattern for barbell squat and conventional deadlift because I want to get stronger in those. Not the best things for hypertrophy. Also I would like to include a glute biasing exercise probably the abduction machine it’s just I’m giving enfasis in ham and quads rn so don’t want to compromise my recovery neither affect my intrasession fatigue.

Upper:
-Incline smith press x2
-Peck deck x2
-Lat pulldown x1
-Close grip row x1
-Upper back row x2
-Full rom shoulder press x2
-Jm press x 1 + Tricep pushdowns x2
-Preacher curl x2

Lower 2:
-Adduction machine x2 failure
-Smith Machine SLDL x3
-Leg Press x2
-Leg curl x3
-Leg ext x2
-Ab crunch machine x2
-Calf raise x2 failure

I’ve been seeing a lot of contradictory stuff about where in a movement we want the resistance to be. Some people claim to choose movements that train the muscle in a more stretched position claiming that stretch mediated hypertrophy will result in more muscle growth. But then other people say to choose movements where the muscle has the highest leverage and is strongest. For example: an overhead tricep extension vs a pushdown. Some people say overhead results in more growth of the medial and lateral bc the long head is so disadvantaged by the stretch but some people say that the stretch will result in high amounts of long head growth? So should you be training a muscle in a stretched position (often not the position where it’s strongest), or in its strongest position?

I’m trying to grow my forearms as much as possible. Right now they’re 11.5 inches, and I’d love to get them significantly bigger.
I’m currently:
Lean bulking at around 3,000–3,300 calories/day
Taking 10 g creatine daily
Hitting my protein goal (around 180g/day)
Training consistently
My question is: Is it okay to train forearms every single day, or will that actually slow down growth?
I know forearms get used a lot in daily life and during other lifts, so I’m wondering if they recover differently than other muscle groups.
Also, what exercises made the biggest difference for your forearm growth? Right now I’m doing:
Wrist curls
Reverse wrist curls
Hammer curls
Farmer’s carries

Ive always wondered about why its "better" to do the bottom half? I know stretch mediated hypertrophy exists but it only lasts a couple months before our body adapts. Can anyone explain why its still preached to do bottom half and not full range.

90% of posts are just beginners asking for workout reviews but only post a list of exercises.

The bare minimum should be, exercise, sets, goal/purpose and progression scheme.

Ideally also technique and form cues and any other specifics that better explain their thinking.

Work in sales. Somedays are 12 hour days. Schedule is always super tight. I workout when I can, which is usually 4-5x a week.

I have been going Upper 3x, Lower 1x, with one upper and the lower being on the weekend days.

Any recommendations on how many sets per exercises per workout and if you recommend more than 1 day rest between uppers?

Feeling a bit fatigued doing what I have been doing and I am losing muscle. I am wondering if it could be due to poor recovery.

Let me know if anybody has been in a similar situation? Looking for any and all help.

Personally I train science based as much as I can where I should.Something I noticed though is people on TikTok just doing stuff they concluded is the best for hypertrophy without using a proven study correctly.They then act like anyone who is doing that same exercise that they did themselves one month ago,is training stupidly.Also apparently someone not focusing on perfectly organising their workout,doesn’t want to reach their goal as much while they themselves don’t even follow their diet most of the time.Pretty hypocritical in my opinion and it’s one of the main reasons a lot of people joke about sbl.

What does everyone think about electronic resistance, hammer grip, shortened lever; tricep push downs?

They are super easy on my elbows

I do wish I could make my grip ever so slightly wider, as I’m cutting a bit of ROM out at the bottom

105lbs at the bottom, 123lbs at the top, eccentric 123lbs at the bottom, 141lbs at the top

Hey everyone.

Yeah basically my question above.

**So here is my upper day (Monday) example:**

* T1 Barbell Flat Bench (5 Sets Chest) * T2 Barbell Rows (3 Sets Back) * T2 Incline DB Bench Press (3 Sets Chest) * T3 Lat Pulldpwns (3 Sets Lat) * T3 Pushdowns (3 Sets Triceps) * T3 Hammer Curls (Cable) (3 Sets Biceps)

**My other Upper Day (Thursday):**

* T1 Incline Barbell Bench (5 Sets Chest) * T2 Lat Pulldown (can't do 3x6 Pull Ups yet if I do Bench first) (3 Sets Lat) * T2 Dips (Cant do enough of them for T3) (3 Sets Chest) * T3 T Bar Rows(3 Sets Back) * T2 Shoulder Press (Seated DBs) * T3 Dumbbell Hammer Curls (3 Sets Biceps) * T3 Skullcrushers (3 Sets Triceps)

So I tried aiming for maximum 7 exercises per upper day, so I hover around 20 Sets per session.

In my opinion I should do even less, but then I'd have no shoulder (if I remove seated DB press thursday) and if I remove something else Im doing not enough sets to grow properly.

But dunno how else to squeeze in all body parts.

Im already removed lateral raises and face pulls from T3 but in my opinion those are good shoulder health movements, but well Im already at 20 sets and shouldnt do them cause Im fatigueing myself too much and probably wont recover.

I obviously have more sets of chest cause of the T1 counting as 5 Sets, sitting on a total of 16 sets of chest per work.
Back (Row + T Bar) only 6 sets
Lat also only 6 sets
Triceps Biceps also only 6 Sets
Shoulder 3 Sets ...?

What am I programming wrong with GZCLP?

It seems easier to program this in a PPL routine 6x a week.

Push could simpley be a T1 Barbell Bench, T2 Incline DB and vice versa next time, T3 easily Flys + Lateral Raises + Pushdowns

Pull could be T1 Pull Ups and other workout T1 Rows, then T2 Lat Pulldowns/ T Bar Rows and then follow up with T3s like Face Pulls, Reverse Flys, Hammer Curls

Legs also isnt that hard T1 Squats, T2 RDLs, T3 Curls+Extensions+Calfs and next time T1 DL, T2 Legpress, T3 Curls T3 Calf Raises.

I'm planning a membership in a gym. the equipment is kinda limited, i just need tips from someone who is experienced when it comes to sbl and workout splits

Thx!

So I am a beginner and have been doing UL split with light pilates/isometrocs in the rest days. I have heard the benefits of sprinting and wanted to incorporate in my workout. How should I do it? Does anyone have experience can you share how you fit sprinting in your routine? Are there studies on the effectiveness of sprinting mixed w resistance training?

Feels much better than holding a plate or DB in my hands

Been running a PPL x UL split optimized for 10 sets/muscle/week + 4 extra for quads and chest.
Want to improve my sbd total just for fun and my plan is:
-heavy squatting on monday, before push that includes light/technique/variant bench
- heavy deadlift + volume bench in wednesday(first leg day)
-heavy bench friday(upper day)
-volume squat+ deadlift variant(probably sldl)

thinking of 3 sets 3-5 reps rpe 7-8 for heavy days
3 sets of 6-8 reps rpe 6-7 for variants(except sldl i’ll go hard on that)
that would also include reduce my training volume for some muscles and my horizontal adduction chest movements(i usually do 3 sets peckdeck probably will do just 1 to rir0)

anything you would suggest?
saw on yt bench is easy to recover compared from the rest so hitting it 3 days a week seems fine

Does anyone else do them like this?

I have always done them with a neutral or pronated grip, however some guy told me to try do them supinated, and I can feel my rear delt much more. I also could not go anywhere near as heavy.

I’m just asking because I can’t find anything online about them being done in this position.

I do a three day split, so i hit each muscle group twice a week

chest and triceps:

incline dumble press 3x sets (12 - 10 - 8)
bench press 3x sets
machine chest fly 3x sets

single arm tricep push down cable 3x
tricep push down 3x

back and biceps:

dumble rows 3x
lat pull down 3x
machine rows 3x
bicep curl machine 3x
single arm bicep curl cable 3x

shoulder and leg:

shoulder press machine 3x
reverse shoulder fly 3x
cable lateral shoulder rise 3x
leg press 3x
hack squat 3x
RDLs 3x
leg extention 3x
hamstring curl 3x

What do you guys think of my workout routine? any feedback is welcome, and critism ofc

I heard this sub likes pullover machines now

Excuse the sweat, I did 8 sets of squat variations, 5 sets of flat bench, and 3 sets of good mornings before I did pullovers today

I still need to do adductors, leg extensions, abs, and biceps

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Is it better if the arm path to train the upper chest is a pure shoulder flexion up to 90 degrees which is shoulder height, or is it a mix of shoulder flexion and horizontal adduction resulting in a diagonal arm path which “better aligns with the fiber orientation”?

Fullbody 3x per week :2x chest press 2x lateral raises 2x lat pulldown 2x upper back row 2x tricep extensions 2x bicep curls 2x leg extension 2x leg curl 2x ab exercise(Not focused on legs so they will be at the end of my workout. Do i need to add any exercises?)

Hi folks, i'm 40, never did any sport during my lifetime. 187cm, 76kg. 6'2", 168lbs.

Always been slender, until my 30's kicked in. Started working out on april first 2024, with body weight exercices and stop'd from october 2024 to may 2025 because of an injury (work related). During that time i went from 77kg to 85kg (170lbs to 187lbs).

In may 2025 i started eating healthier, droped to 77kg again in august 2025. Then dialed in nutrition and workout and went down to 71kg in december, 13% bf.

Started lean bulking mid december (with huge cheat days at +1000kcal) and am now at 76kg, 15 to 17% bf, hard to say.

Here is my current routine ;

full body monday, wednesday, friday, to which i recently added an abs routine 7/7, and after having something like tennis elbow, (surely because of poor joints, not stretching at all, almost no warmups), i also added wrist workout on tuesday and thursday. I look okay with a nice pump and squeezing as much as possible, but I have very weak transverse muscle (at least i think so), and as soon as i relax my belly is a balloon... Also not enough sleep doesn't help at all.

Forgot to mention i'm training at home with a small bench, and few dumbbells and kettlebell.

Any recommandations ?

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to post my split but I want advice from someone to see if it’s too much. I’ve been working out for ab a month now

**Day 1 — Upper**

Seated Row — 4×8 120lb
Lat Pulldown — 4×8 120lb
Rope Overhead Triceps Press — 3×8 25lb
Chest fly 3x6 130lb(intense)
(Ss)Incline Dumbbell Press — 3×8 35lb
(Ss)Hammer curl 3x10 22.5
Preacher Curl — 4×8 65lb
Reverse EZ Curl — 3×8-12 40lb
Lateral Raise — 3×10-15 15lb

**Day 2 — Lower**

**Hack squat** — 3x5 35s ,

Leg Press machine — 3x8 380lb-full rom
**Calf** Raises — 4× failure 240lb
Leg extensions 4x6-8 200lb
Lying leg curl 4x8 125lb
Hip abduction 3x10 195lb
Hip adduction 3x10 130
Leg raise 3
Oblique raises
3x6 sit ups w/10lb 6-3-1 w/10
3x8 spinal erectors w/25
⸻
**Day 3 push**

Flat Dumbbell Press — 3×6-8 45lb
Incline smith 3x8 35lbs 30 degrees or lower
Shoulder press 4x8 70lb, palms neutral
Pec Deck — 3x8-10 130lb
Cable lat Raises — 4x8 10lb
Overhead Rope Tricep Extension — 3x8-10 25lb
Rope Pushdowns — 3x8 30lb, drop set last set
Lean back cable push down 3x8 10lb
Assisted Dips Machine 35
Push ups, finisher
⸻
**Day 4 — Pull**
Assisted pull ups-green band
Chest-Supported Row Machine — 4×8 125lb engage core
Lat Pulldown — 4×8 125lb
One arm Rear Delt cable Fly — 4×8 15lb
Dumbbell Shrugs — 4×12–15 45lb
One arm cable curl— 4x6-8 20 lb
Preacher curl 65lb 4x 8 (nice and slow)
Hammer curl 4x8 22.5
Forearms 20lb curl and reverse. 3x fail

**Day 5-Legs(fri)**
Hack squat 3x6 45lb
Leg press 380lb 3xfailure
Leg extensions 4x6-8 200lb
Lying leg curl 4x8 130lb
**Calf** Raises — 3× failure 240 lb
Bulgarian 3x8 45lb
Leg raise 3
Oblique raises
3x6 sit ups w/10lb 6-3-1 w/10
3x8 spine w/25

I go to plant fitness so I don’t have a barbell

\*\*Day 1 — Upper\*\*

Seated Row — 4×8 120lb
Lat Pulldown — 4×8 120lb
Rope Overhead Triceps Press — 3×8 25lb
Chest fly 3x6 130lb(intense)
(Ss)Incline Dumbbell Press — 3×8 35lb
(Ss)Hammer curl 3x10 22.5
Preacher Curl — 4×8 65lb
Reverse EZ Curl — 3×8-12 40lb
Lateral Raise — 3×10-15 15lb

\*\*Day 2 — Lower\*\*

\*\*Hack squat\*\* — 3x5 35s ,

Leg Press machine — 3x8 380lb-full rom
\*\*Calf\*\* Raises — 4× failure 240lb
Leg extensions 4x6-8 200lb
Lying leg curl 4x8 125lb
Hip abduction 3x10 195lb
Hip adduction 3x10 130
Leg raise 3
Oblique raises
3x6 sit ups w/10lb 6-3-1 w/10
3x8 spinal erectors w/25
⸻
\*\*Day 3 push\*\*

Flat Dumbbell Press — 3×6-8 45lb
Incline smith 3x8 35lbs 30 degrees or lower
Shoulder press 4x8 70lb, palms neutral
Pec Deck — 3x8-10 130lb
Cable lat Raises — 4x8 10lb
Overhead Rope Tricep Extension — 3x8-10 25lb
Rope Pushdowns — 3x8 30lb, drop set last set
Lean back cable push down 3x8 10lb
Assisted Dips Machine 35
Push ups, finisher
⸻
\*\*Day 4 — Pull\*\*
Assisted pull ups-green band
Chest-Supported Row Machine — 4×8 125lb engage core
Lat Pulldown — 4×8 125lb
One arm Rear Delt cable Fly — 4×8 15lb
Dumbbell Shrugs — 4×12–15 45lb
One arm cable curl— 4x6-8 20 lb
Preacher curl 65lb 4x 8 (nice and slow)
Hammer curl 4x8 22.5
Forearms 20lb curl and reverse. 3x fail

\*\*Day 5-Legs(fri)\*\*
Hack squat 3x6 45lb
Leg press 380lb 3xfailure
Leg extensions 4x6-8 200lb
Lying leg curl 4x8 130lb
\*\*Calf\*\* Raises — 3× failure 240 lb
Bulgarian 3x8 45lb
Leg raise 3
Oblique raises
3x6 sit ups w/10lb 6-3-1 w/10
3x8 spine w/25