Total Body WO or Split routine??

My stats are 19 years old, 5'9", 140lbs. I have been working out for 4 1/2 years but have been slacking off the past 5 months. I have no been lifting much, mainly cardio, and a few lifting exercises here and there. I downloaded "Total Body Workout" by Mens Health in PDF format that gives you a form to fill out for your weekly workout routine, it helps you create a total body workout that you do three times a week. I used to do a split routine (lift only one muscle group per day 6 days a week). But after doing some reading on here I have found conflicting reports on how often and when you should workout certain body parts.

I am thinking of doing a S-M- Tuesday off- W - T - Friday & Saturday off.

I figure those certain days will give time to rest and fit in with my schedule perfectly so that I do not slack on my routine.

What do you suggest? I doubt a split routine is the best route for me, but you people here will know best.

What days should I lift for what body parts?
I have seen so many different combinations, but I want to make sure I don't fatigue certain parts early in the week that have to be used during compound exercises. I am always sore for at least several days, and now that I am just getting back into it I don't know if I can handle anything other than a one-part-per-day routine. But here is where I get confused:

http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/...iningfreq.html

"This microtrauma may be expected to require you to postpone your next workout until your muscles are back to normal. It is this logic that your average personal trainer will use when he/she tells you to wait, sometimes a full week, before training the same body part again. Recent research however is showing us that putting off your next workout until your muscles have "fully recovered" may not be necessary or even desirable!1,2,3 In a study performed at the University of Alabama4, two groups of subjects performed the same periodized resistance training routine either once per week or three times per week. The results showed that muscle mass increases were greater in the three workout per week group, compared to the one workout per week group. In addition, the strength increases in this group were on average 40% greater! So what does this mean to you? It means the fear of overtraining, which sometimes verges on paranoia, may be preventing you from getting the most gains you can in the gym."

Then I will read other posts of expereinced bodybuilders on here that do not workout the same muscle more than once a week. Help a brotha out here. Thanks.

You are taking that quote from the HST website so obviously it will advocate lifting a muscle group more than once a week...

Frequency is a huge part of THAT program.

It all depends on your preferences/goals. Bigger/bulking I am guessing?

That is going to be more of a matter diet than anything. If you eat a busload...you could basically drag tires around a couple times a week, then flip them a few times and you would grow lol

Tons of choices. Many enjoy splits like traditional BB routines... and thats fine.

Myself, I have done plenty of programs, my personal favs being: HST, DC, 5X5

I pretty much agree with DC for the most part when it comes to bulking. Greatest strength INCREASE = biggest size gain.

However, as I said before DIET will determine whether or not you have a successful bulk(or cut for that matter). If you don't gain at all or the weights don't move up... DONT blame the program, its your diet 99% of the time.

Jake

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Originally Posted by tretch187

You are taking that quote from the HST website so obviously it will advocate lifting a muscle group more than once a week...

Frequency is a huge part of THAT program.

It all depends on your preferences/goals. Bigger/bulking I am guessing?

That is going to be more of a matter diet than anything. If you eat a busload...you could basically drag tires around a couple times a week, then flip them a few times and you would grow lol

Tons of choices. Many enjoy splits like traditional BB routines... and thats fine.

Myself, I have done plenty of programs, my personal favs being: HST, DC, 5X5

I pretty much agree with DC for the most part when it comes to bulking. Greatest strength INCREASE = biggest size gain.

However, as I said before DIET will determine whether or not you have a successful bulk(or cut for that matter). If you don't gain at all or the weights don't move up... DONT blame the program, its your diet 99% of the time.

Jake

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Very well said. I wouldn't personally reccomend training the entire body more then 1x a week, maybe more if you're experienced and your body can take that kind of beating and recoup without issue.

When it comes to one person setting up another trainiing schedule I think it's really hard to gauge. Especially when youo don't see them, you don't know what their progress has been, etc. What I would say is to research what kind of method you think you'd like the most and go with it.

The mens fitness shit is not gonna make you look like a BB. I don't know what your goals are, but, IMO, that workout is shitty if you're looking for growth. Although, diet better be on par, otherwise it won't matte what you do cause you aren't eating enough anyway.

I've worked out for the last year and half with a split routine hitting every body part twice a week. Never gained more than 10 lbs.

when I started eating 4000+ calories (clean eating) daily I gained literally 25 lbs in a matter of 4 months. For the majority of this time I was still overtraining (I have now concluded), but just goes to show how much a good diet will contribute toward your goals.