THere’s something incredibly satisfying about the idea of focusing a workout on one area of your body and wearing it down until you feel that sweet, sweet burn.
Perhaps that’s one reason why split workouts — where you focus on different areas of your body or muscle groups on different days — are so popular, especially in the age of the fitness influencer, he says Laura Girard, CPTNASM certified personal trainer and founder of online fitness studio Energy Academy.
It’s easier to create clickable content during “leg day,” for example, than with a more balanced full-body workout, Girard says. And, “the fitness industry loves to glamorize pain,” says Girard, and these split workouts often lead to more muscle soreness than full-body workouts with their more concentrated efforts.
But there are some major benefits to split training: There’s more potential for hypertrophy and muscle growth, and more time to spend thoroughly challenging each muscle group. But full-body workouts also come with their own lifestyle and physiological perks, like efficiency.
This begs the question: Which training option is right for you? We dive into everything you need to know about full-body vs. segment workouts so you can make the best decision for your fitness.
Full body workouts
Benefits
The best workout for you is the one you actually do and it fits your schedule. For many busy people, full-body workouts make more sense for efficiency reasons.
“Full-body workouts allow you to train multiple muscle groups in a single session, often using compound movements that engage multiple muscles at once,” he says. Stephen Ranellone, CSCS, FRCms, FMSexercise specialist at Hospital of Special Surgery. “This can be very effective, especially if you can only work out once or twice a week. These sessions can also increase caloric expenditure, which is beneficial for fat loss and improved fitness.”
Unlike split workouts, where it’s usually necessary to rest between sets, full-body workouts allow you to switch to a new muscle group instead of taking a break, Girard points out—a win for both efficiency and to build stamina.
Full-body workouts can also be more stimulating for your mind, according to Annie Ho, CPTcertified personal trainer and exercise specialist. They can be safer for people with orthopedic problems or injuries. “Moving the whole body promotes better movement mechanics and stability,” he says.
There’s also the benefit of hitting all your major muscle groups multiple times per week, assuming you can fit in more than one full-body workout (as opposed to a split routine, when you can only hit each area once per week ).
The best workout for you is the one you actually do and it fits your schedule.
Disadvantages
Because full-body workouts challenge so many muscle groups, they often require some serious recovery, says Ranellone. He recommends taking 24 to 48 hours after a full-body session to avoid overtraining and fatigue. This also means you can only do so many full-body sessions in a week (Ho suggests capping them off at three, at least to start), unlike the split routine where you can hit legs on one day and upper body the next.
Another limitation of full-body workouts: You won’t be able to achieve the same volume per muscle group as you would in a split routine, Ranellone says. Translation; It will be difficult to gain hypertrophy, which means that if you have specific goals related to building muscle, full body workouts probably won’t be enough for you.
Split workouts
Benefits
If you want to build strength and/or muscle and have the time to devote to it, a split routine may be for you. “One advantage of focusing on one muscle group per workout is that it allows for a higher volume of sets and reps, which is beneficial for hypertrophy and strength development,” says Ranellone. “You can spend more time targeting the muscle from different angles, enhancing your ability to challenge and stimulate it effectively.”
You can also recover faster from a split workout, considering that it will only be one area of your body that is fatigued. “Say you’re sore from leg day, the next day you can hit your arms and shoulders,” Ho says.
There’s also the sheer satisfaction of that leg-day feeling, says Girard. “For some people, knowing they’re going to show up to the gym and it’s just legs, they’re going to feel that satisfaction factor, which is huge in terms of adherence,” she says. “That will be a huge motivation.”
“If you’re in so much pain that it interferes with your lifestyle, what are you training for?” —Laura Girard, CPT
Disadvantages
Hitting all your muscle groups (back, arms, chest, core, legs, etc.) in a true split training routine requires a series of sessions that just might not make sense for your schedule or lifestyle . And while hamstring soreness from leg day won’t necessarily prevent you from doing arm day tomorrow, chances are those hamstrings will be very, very sore from the single work (so you’ll probably be able to work them only once a week or so).
“If you’re kicking your feet hard enough to make progress, it can interfere with your other daily activities,” says Girard. “If you go to the gym and then it hurts to sit on the toilet for a week, it won’t be as appealing to show up again. If you’re in so much pain that it’s getting in the way of your life, what are you training for?’
Split workouts can also start to feel repetitive and maybe even boring, with so much time spent doing the same exercises for the same muscles, says Ho. And, a poorly designed split routine can lead to muscle imbalances, with some groups overworked and others neglected, he says.
Total Body vs. Split Training: The Bottom Line
Ranellone recommends taking your time, experience level and goals into consideration when deciding whether full-body or split workouts are best for you.
If you’re a beginner or only have time to work out one or two days a week, opt for full-body sessions. If you are more experienced, have more time to exercise or are hoping to build muscle, split sessions may be a better fit.
And remember: You don’t have to do all or nothing for one or the other. Mixing some full-body sessions and some split sessions into your routine can give you access to the benefits of both, as long as you schedule enough recovery.
“Don’t overthink it,” says Girard. “It’s not that deep, and whatever sounds most appealing will be what you do, so start there. And then if it doesn’t work for you, don’t be afraid to change it.”
