Full Body Workout vs Focused Workout

[ten8]

Full Body Workout vs Focused Workout - WHICH IS BETTER AND WHY????????

I am currently doing a "Full Body Workout" 3 days a week:
Ab Wheel 1 set of 60
Bench Presses 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Shoulder Presses 3 sets of 10
Chest Fly 3 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Rows 3 sets of 10
Curls 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Step-ups 3 sets of 10
Squats 3 sets of 10

I do the entire routine above on M, W, F. I do cardio on TU, TH, SA.

I have noticed a lot of people are doing a more "Focused" workouts where they may only workout a certain region of muscles one day a week but they do more sets. Example:

Monday:
Ab Wheel 1 set of 60
Chest Fly 6 sets of 10
Dumbell Shoulder Presses 6 sets of 10
Dumbell Lateral Raises 6 sets of 10

Weds:
Ab Wheel 1 set of 60
Bench Presses 6 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Triceps Extensions 6 sets of 10
Curls 6 sets of 10

Friday:
Ab Wheel 1 set of 60
Dumbell Step-ups 6 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Rows 6 sets of 10
Squats 6 sets of 10

So which routine is better "Full Body" or "Focused" or does it really matter? Also, any suggestions of additions, deletions, or changes to either of the workouts appreciated.

A lot of these excersizes I am referring to are listed at http://www.muscletech.com/TRAINING/DUMBELL_WORKOUT/All_Dumbell_Workout.shtml

 

[Backlash]

You can do either, as long as you focus on progressively adding weight to your exercises. However, I think both of the workouts you listed have too much volume. If you're doing a full body workout, you should only do 1-2 sets for each exercise so your body has time to recover and your muscles can grow. And I don't know anyone who does 6 sets of 10 for multiple exercises, even on "focused" days.

 

[borg4902]

Your forgetting many muscles. Stick to one muscle group per day.

 

[Tony104104]

The "full body workouts" usually work well for beginners or people who just want to stay inshape(This is just my opnion ofcourse)...

I really think it all comes down to what your goals are....Then from there you can pick out a certian training schedule....

 

[theoak01]

I like a three or four day split with different parts worked each day, but if I miss a workout I will combine the major body parts together in the next workout, for example wed I did quads/chest(best workout I ever had btw)

 

[Debaser]

Full-body workouts are generally more productive than splits (I wouldn't split the body into any more than 2 separate days, upper and lower), because you can work more frequently. You're doing way too much volume though.

Look into HST

 

[Synpax]

I do splits because that way you can spend 2 hrs a day in a gym nearly every day and not overtrain. The perfect split:

1 - Chest/Tri/Abs/Forarms
2 - Legs/Shoulders
3 - Back/Bicep/Abs/Forarms

 

[ten8]

A couple of you have mentioned I am doing too much volume. I would like to gain some more mass anyway so would it make more sense to lower the reps to 6 and increase the weight?

 

[Debaser]

2 hrs a day in a gym nearly every day and not overtrain.

If that were true I suspect you have Ronnie Coleman-like genetics. So what are your stats and are you natural or enhanced?

 

[Tweakle]

thats a horrible workout plan dude.

if you want to try fullbody do

Squat, Chin, Bench alternated with Deadlift, Shoulder press and row and maybe a few assistance moves. I have mixed feelings about fullbody workouts

 

[louden_swain]

I like and use the half body approach.

You can work half of the body in one day, the work the other half on another. . .you can get away with training a bodypart twice a week if you use this approach.

 

[Synpax]

debaser - my genetics are quiet inferior and uninhanced. That's just how long it tames me to walk across the street to the gym, change, to my .5 mile run warmup, do my routine including loading plates, etc., do my .5 mile run cooldown, take a shower, and get dressed again, and then walk back across the street to my office.

Today I did (back/bicep/forarm/ab day)-
weighted chinups - 4 sets of 10
deadlifts - 4 sets of 8
back lat - 3 sets of 8
barbell curls - 3 sets of 8
cable rows - 3 sets of 8
hammer curls - 3 sets of 8
80 inclined crunches

it took me 2 hours 10 minutes total. I skipped the forarm time because the deadlifts took more time than usual.

 

[Debaser]

Doesn't seem like it would be working too well. But I could be wrong, how much do you squat, bench, deadlift, and what are your stats?

 

[nadr7891]

i've been using the OST method i found here at EF for about three weeks now and i love it:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=241130

i've always done a 4 or 5 day split, very focused to each muscle group, but this method is very differrent. you squat twice a week, deadlift twice, it's very lower body oriented. great for putting on/retaining mass, and i've noticed that lower back, abs, hips, general trunk area is hardening up like never before. i'll probably do it for another 3-4 weeks and then go back to the split and see if my gains have been jumpstarted.

Nadr

 

[rbrown]

each approach has its value. I think the split routine probably works better for a bodybuilder. I think the full body approach works better for strongman and powerlifting--although with powerlifting you can do upper and lower.

I typically think about my workouts more in terms of style of workout rather than body parts. As a strongman competitor, I think it is important to have absolute strength, explosive power, mass, conditioning, endurance, ect. (i.e. the full package).

To help me reach these goals, I try to get in four different types of workouts per week; usually working full body each workout. This is what we are planning for the next few weeks.

Sat - strongman event training (uses a lot of things; not so much absolute strength), plus some cardio

Sun - speed bench, explosive high pulls, rack pulls heavy, lats, abs, calves, cardio

Tues - speed squats w/ bands, front squats, max bench exercise, calves, abs, cardio

Thurs - power snatches, overhead press, stones

 

[joshdubya]

i think if you are trying to bulk up, definatley split it up. if your goal was to get leaner i find an all body workout every second day helps strip fat (providing that there is high reps and very little rest between excercises. alternating between upper and lower body helps prevent fatigue) and then just light cardio on "days off". 1 full day off a week is important and changing your routine every 4 to 6 weeks

 

[ramnares]

Full Body Workout vs Focused Workout - WHICH IS BETTER AND WHY????????

I am currently doing a "Full Body Workout" 3 days a week:
Ab Wheel 1 set of 60
Bench Presses 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Shoulder Presses 3 sets of 10
Chest Fly 3 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10
One-Arm Dumbell Rows 3 sets of 10
Curls 3 sets of 10
Dumbell Step-ups 3 sets of 10
Squats 3 sets of 10

Well I think in order to develop your muscles more directly you need to do workouts that focus on each muscle in addition to doing the core workouts :bench, squat, and dead-lift.
I really think you should switch to a focused workout, a more traditional schedule such as
Mon : Chest/Tri
Tue: Back/Bi
Wed: Leg/Shoulder

 

[kx250rider]

Holy bump of ancient thread, Batman!