zenithfx
Iron
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Upper Lower split with no rest days, why is it optimal for gains and enjoyment?
Introduction:
The idea is simple, you just train full upper body one day, and the next day full lower body, then the next day full upper body etcetera
If you're like me and have no life outside of the gym, and hate rest days because you have nothing to do, you should run this split
How to program U/L:
For the split to be optimal you should be training every muscle each day, so no upper a / upper b bs, just run full upper body, then full lower body.
Example Upper Day:
- Chest fly x2
- Lat pulldown x2
- Lat raise x2
- Tricep ext x2
- T-bar row x2
- Incline bench press x2
- Seated row x2
- Preacher curl x2
- Hammer curl x2
Example Lower Day:
- Leg ext x2
- Hip adductor x2
- Hack squat x2
- Hamstring Curl x2
- Calf Raise x2
- Stiff leg deadlift x2
- Ab Crunch x2
You can interchange excercises for whatever you have in your gym
Train to 0-1 rir (reps in reserve) + rest for 2-3 minutes in-between sets.
Why remove all rest days and train each muscle group every 48h?
1) Training at a higher frequency SHOULD lead to more muscle protein synthesis, since you are giving greater stimulus to muscles via mechanical tension
2) If you are training, eating, sleeping etcetera correctly, fatigue shouldnt be an issue
3) Training every 48 hours IS SUSTAINABLE, studies* show mps (muscle protein synthesis) returns to baseline after only 36h (50% 4h post workout, 109% 24h post workout)
4) You probably have no life and do nothing on rest days...
How to make training everyday sustainable?
- Train correctly: 2 sets of 4-8 reps with 0-1 rir, 2-3 minutes rest. This maximises stimulus for mps, while avoiding surplus volume which will lead to accumulating fatigue
- Eat well, regardless on your goals (cutting/bulking), you should still prioritize carbohydrates, while keeping protein fairly low - likely lower than you think. Id aim for 0.8g protein /lbs bw, 0.3g fats /lbs bw, and fill the rest of your calories with carbs... why are carbs so important? - they are your bodys primary source of energy, and regulate blood sugar levels, and allow you to keep glycogen stores high, regardless on how many calories you eat.
- Pre workout carbs: why are they important? Pre workout carbs (ideally taken 1h - 1h30 before your workout) will spike blood sugar levels as you are taking in large amount of glucose, this is important since low blood glucose causes reliance on gluconeogenisis, which heightens cortisol and amino acid oxidisation (using protein as energy). Its important to note that pre workout carbs will not replenish glycogen stores before your workout, solely spike blood glucose.
- Sleeping: everyone knows sleeping is important... mps is increased during sleep, and growth hormone is released. Furthermore, mps is decreased during the day with poor sleep - by 18%**. Poor sleep will also lead to increased CNS fatigue, and so worse performance in the gym.
What supplements should you take and why?
1) Pre workout:
- caffeine intake decreases rpe (rate of perceived exertion), which allows you to lift heavier in the gym, and also decreases percieved fatigue
- beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine level which buffers h+ ion build up, effectively stops burning sensation in muscles
- citrulline improves bloodflow, helping clear ammonia buildup, delaying fatigue
2) Creatine monohydrate:
- saturates phosphocreatine stores, speeds up ATP regeneration during excercise
3) Magnesium citrate:
- better quality sleep, regulates nervous system pathways
- avoiding muscle cramping magnesium is a factor in muscle contraction and relaxation
Should you be worried about 'CNS FATIGUE' when training everyday?
Short answer - NO
the main factors playing into 'cns fatigue' will be lack of sleep, low motivation and appetite, all of which can be easily avoided, and not effected by training every day. actual peripheral/muscle fatigue has been avoided for the most part through training well, and keeping glycogen stores high.
Steroids?
Using steroids will lead to mps elevation, and so more gains no matter what, but will they be beneficial to this split?
- steroids will block the catabolic effect of cortisol, so speeds up recovery - optimal for this split
- better fatigue resistance on steroids***, can run higher frequency, ie train every day, easier on roids
Just make sure you take them safely pls, something for a different thread
TLDR:
TRAINING EVERYDAY LEADS TO MORE GAINS, AND IS 100% SUSTAINABLE WHEN TRAINING, EATING AND SLEEPING WELL, SO IS OPTIMAL.
*https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/h95-038
**https://researchexperts.utmb.edu/en...leep-deprivation-on-skeletal-muscle-protein-/
***https://www.physio-pedia.com/The_in...teroids_on_physiologic_processes_and_exercise
Introduction:
The idea is simple, you just train full upper body one day, and the next day full lower body, then the next day full upper body etcetera
If you're like me and have no life outside of the gym, and hate rest days because you have nothing to do, you should run this split
How to program U/L:
For the split to be optimal you should be training every muscle each day, so no upper a / upper b bs, just run full upper body, then full lower body.
Example Upper Day:
- Chest fly x2
- Lat pulldown x2
- Lat raise x2
- Tricep ext x2
- T-bar row x2
- Incline bench press x2
- Seated row x2
- Preacher curl x2
- Hammer curl x2
Example Lower Day:
- Leg ext x2
- Hip adductor x2
- Hack squat x2
- Hamstring Curl x2
- Calf Raise x2
- Stiff leg deadlift x2
- Ab Crunch x2
You can interchange excercises for whatever you have in your gym
Train to 0-1 rir (reps in reserve) + rest for 2-3 minutes in-between sets.
Why remove all rest days and train each muscle group every 48h?
1) Training at a higher frequency SHOULD lead to more muscle protein synthesis, since you are giving greater stimulus to muscles via mechanical tension
2) If you are training, eating, sleeping etcetera correctly, fatigue shouldnt be an issue
3) Training every 48 hours IS SUSTAINABLE, studies* show mps (muscle protein synthesis) returns to baseline after only 36h (50% 4h post workout, 109% 24h post workout)
4) You probably have no life and do nothing on rest days...
How to make training everyday sustainable?
- Train correctly: 2 sets of 4-8 reps with 0-1 rir, 2-3 minutes rest. This maximises stimulus for mps, while avoiding surplus volume which will lead to accumulating fatigue
- Eat well, regardless on your goals (cutting/bulking), you should still prioritize carbohydrates, while keeping protein fairly low - likely lower than you think. Id aim for 0.8g protein /lbs bw, 0.3g fats /lbs bw, and fill the rest of your calories with carbs... why are carbs so important? - they are your bodys primary source of energy, and regulate blood sugar levels, and allow you to keep glycogen stores high, regardless on how many calories you eat.
- Pre workout carbs: why are they important? Pre workout carbs (ideally taken 1h - 1h30 before your workout) will spike blood sugar levels as you are taking in large amount of glucose, this is important since low blood glucose causes reliance on gluconeogenisis, which heightens cortisol and amino acid oxidisation (using protein as energy). Its important to note that pre workout carbs will not replenish glycogen stores before your workout, solely spike blood glucose.
- Sleeping: everyone knows sleeping is important... mps is increased during sleep, and growth hormone is released. Furthermore, mps is decreased during the day with poor sleep - by 18%**. Poor sleep will also lead to increased CNS fatigue, and so worse performance in the gym.
What supplements should you take and why?
1) Pre workout:
- caffeine intake decreases rpe (rate of perceived exertion), which allows you to lift heavier in the gym, and also decreases percieved fatigue
- beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine level which buffers h+ ion build up, effectively stops burning sensation in muscles
- citrulline improves bloodflow, helping clear ammonia buildup, delaying fatigue
2) Creatine monohydrate:
- saturates phosphocreatine stores, speeds up ATP regeneration during excercise
3) Magnesium citrate:
- better quality sleep, regulates nervous system pathways
- avoiding muscle cramping magnesium is a factor in muscle contraction and relaxation
Should you be worried about 'CNS FATIGUE' when training everyday?
Short answer - NO
the main factors playing into 'cns fatigue' will be lack of sleep, low motivation and appetite, all of which can be easily avoided, and not effected by training every day. actual peripheral/muscle fatigue has been avoided for the most part through training well, and keeping glycogen stores high.
Steroids?
Using steroids will lead to mps elevation, and so more gains no matter what, but will they be beneficial to this split?
- steroids will block the catabolic effect of cortisol, so speeds up recovery - optimal for this split
- better fatigue resistance on steroids***, can run higher frequency, ie train every day, easier on roids
Just make sure you take them safely pls, something for a different thread
TLDR:
TRAINING EVERYDAY LEADS TO MORE GAINS, AND IS 100% SUSTAINABLE WHEN TRAINING, EATING AND SLEEPING WELL, SO IS OPTIMAL.
*https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/h95-038
**https://researchexperts.utmb.edu/en...leep-deprivation-on-skeletal-muscle-protein-/
***https://www.physio-pedia.com/The_in...teroids_on_physiologic_processes_and_exercise
