Let's settle this. Is a full-body workout 3x a week better for muscle growth, or is the classic bro split (one muscle group per day) still the way to go? What are the pros and cons you've experienced with each?
I'm a big fan of full body. Hitting each muscle group more frequently seems to be better for stimulating protein synthesis. It's also more efficient if you can only train 3-4 days a week.
Bro split for life! It lets you absolutely destroy one muscle group with high volume and intensity. Plus, I find it easier to focus on mind-muscle connection when I'm not rushing through a bunch of exercises.
It really depends on your schedule and recovery. Full body is great for beginners and people with less time. The bro split is good for more advanced lifters who need more volume and can recover from it.
I find a hybrid approach works best, like a Push/Pull/Legs split. It's a good middle ground, allowing for more frequency than a bro split but more volume per session than a full-body routine.
That's a fair point, HealthExplorer. The PPL split is definitely a fantastic compromise!
Full-body 3x a week hits every muscle often, which keeps the growth signals firing steady. I notice better strength gains and overall balance with that setup, plus it saves time. Downside is, heavy sessions can wipe you out if you’re pushing big weights.
Bro split feels great for that crazy pump and you can just murder one muscle group without worrying about the rest, but sometimes recovery drags and progress slows if you’re only hitting a muscle once a week. Honestly, it comes down to what you stick with, consistency beats the “perfect” split every time.
Bro split feels great for that crazy pump and you can just murder one muscle group without worrying about the rest, but sometimes recovery drags and progress slows if you’re only hitting a muscle once a week. Honestly, it comes down to what you stick with, consistency beats the “perfect” split every time.
I’ve run both and honestly they each got their place. Full-body 3x a week was killer for my strength and keeping me lean, felt like I was progressing steady without overthinking it. But man, those sessions were long and draining if I really pushed.
With bro splits, I love the focus. Walking out after chest day with a massive pump just hits different. Downside is, if you miss a day, that muscle group might not get touched for two weeks. For growth, I’d say full-body gave me more consistent gains, but bro split is way more fun when you’re chasing the pump.
With bro splits, I love the focus. Walking out after chest day with a massive pump just hits different. Downside is, if you miss a day, that muscle group might not get touched for two weeks. For growth, I’d say full-body gave me more consistent gains, but bro split is way more fun when you’re chasing the pump.