# Dropping from 4 day to 3 day split?



## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

Just wondering what people's views are on this. At the moment i'm really wanting to get more cardio in to aid in losing bf, and also just to help improve general fitness. Lifting 4 days a week, i find it hard to find time for much extra cardio...

So im thinking of cutting from a 4 day split, to a 3 day. I think i have a problem psycologically as i just feel that i'm going to be losing out by only lifting 3 days, and in conclusion lose muscle/strength etc etc as my body is used to the 4 days! I think i just need some clarity on this, that it's all going to be ok 

As it will be 3 days, i will hopefully up the time in the gym by 10 mins or so just so i feel like i'm getting enough intensity/time in.

Thinking along the lines of.....

Shoulders / Chest

Back / Bi's / Hams

Quads / calves / tri's

And fit in abs on cardio days...

Or do i go for a full body routine....hmmmmmmmm

Desicions!


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

i train a 3 day split doing

Monday - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Wednesday - Legs

Friday - Back/Biceps/Traps and rear delts

has certainly improved the look, size and depth to my physique....


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

PScarb said:


> i train a 3 day split doing
> 
> Monday - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
> 
> ...


I'm liking that response 

Thanks pscarb!


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

i do a four day split...

1 - calves

2 - quads/hams

3 & 4 - rotate between shoulders and traps, chest and bis, back and bis

not quite what your asking but it is less overall training and less upper body training, i havent lost any strength or size since doing this for the last 3-4 month!

i took this approach as i am also doing martial arts 2 times per week and i walk my dog twice a day so i found i was over training.


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

That's actually quite interesting, Something like that could be a possibility, as only having calves one day, could leave plenty of time for any extra cardio etc..

Cheers mate


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## yannyboy (Jun 20, 2009)

Everyone has there own theories on what works. Personally myself, I find splitting the body as much as possible, gives me more chance to hit the bodypart as intensly as possible. Also I find my workout intensity dropped after about 60 minutes.

Currently doing a 6 day split, chest, biceps/forearms, quads/hamstrings, shoulders/traps, triceps/calves, back/rear delts.

I must add I don't do any other physical activities apart from cardio but that is only when I am dieting. I have been following this split for about 3 months and it has been very effective, although I must say I have been on AAS's the whole time because I permanantly blast/cruise. It might be too much for natural trainers.

I did follow the push/pull/legs a while back but this current routine is far more effective for myself.


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

Big_Idiot said:


> That's actually quite interesting, Something like that could be a possibility, as only having calves one day, could leave plenty of time for any extra cardio etc..
> 
> Cheers mate


yeah i train my calves directly after a karate session so im only in the gym 30 mins max!

i obviously have my legs prioritised in this routine as this is where i need the improvements right now, so if your not wanting to focus on a specific area, you could just rotate all bodyparts over the 2-3 days


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## ronnie cutler (Dec 29, 2009)

Is it possible to separate your cardio and weights?

For instance, I went to the gym this morning and did 45mins cardio, then I went straight from work and did my Monday full body workout.

When I have to combine these I find I cannot put the full effort in that I want to. Either I find myself pacing weights or blown away before I can really start cardio!

Plus there are weight training sessions which can be cardio training in themselves - using HIIT compound moves.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

hows you prioritising youre calves going lee?

big idiot i reckon theres more chance of you getting results on a 3 day split than a four.

get some progress doing that and then try more if you really have too..

its not just the routine its how you interpret it.


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

its quads ive been prioritising mate, calves are just on their own day so im not doing them on same day as quads... im not doing anything specific for calves to push them drastically... just hitting them hard! i dont think ill ever have big calves... but respectable ones are there!

ive had some bad probs with my knees - mainly alignment and tendon issues... some of the advice i had earlier in the year just made the situation worse, so i seem to have found a groove where the quads are responding and i can train intensely again without too much pain!


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

TheCrazyCal said:


> hows you prioritising youre calves going lee?
> 
> big idiot i reckon theres more chance of you getting results on a 3 day split than a four.
> 
> ...


Thanks Cal, i think i'm going to really enjoy training hard 3 days a week. I think it will allow me to push harder in lifts as i will have more recovery on a weekly basis.


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I think a 3 day split is good enough, especially if you are natural. If intensity is high enough you will adequately stimulate growth and need the time to recover.

I seldom see people mention the nervous system, it needs rest just as much as the muscles do but unlike the muscles the nervous system doesn't get sore so you don't realise it needs a rest.

An overworked nervous system can be one of the many reasons people don't make gains.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

youre right  ive never mentioned the CNS, but that is why i always say that its not good to train when you still ache even if youre training a different bodypart.

youre bodies still recovering.

thats also precisely why altho i never realised it that i suggest the problems with most people progress is down to training and rest rather than at the bottom of a tub of protein(albeit loverly tasting lol)

get all your factors in place and you`ll see a genuine change in your bod from a decent powder.


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

Started the 3 day split this week, i have a good feeling about it.

Yea i hear you both about the CNS, it's much harder to tell if your over working it, and its likely most people are. I see natural, intermediate trainee's who lift hard like 5 days a week....way too much imo!!

I am natural at the moment, until Jan/Feb time when it will be time to penetrate my muscle with some chemicals once again  Whilst on cycle i may jump up to a 4-5 day training split!


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## fishfingers (Feb 27, 2009)

When i first started training, i was training 4-5 times a week, and i made progress. But that was beginners progress and anything that i did would have worked. After a while though i hit a plateau and wasnt growing. I started training just 3 days a week, and i have done ever since and have grown in soze and strength. Im natural and i think any more than this and id be knackered and overtrain, especially as i get some cardio in most days with walking the dog and recently started hill sprints.

If i was to go on gear id be tempted to do a 4 day split but im happy to see how far i can get naturally first.


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

fishfingers said:


> When i first started training, i was training 4-5 times a week, and i made progress. But that was beginners progress and anything that i did would have worked. After a while though i hit a plateau and wasnt growing. I started training just 3 days a week, and i have done ever since and have grown in soze and strength. Im natural and i think any more than this and id be knackered and overtrain, especially as i get some cardio in most days with walking the dog and recently started hill sprints.
> 
> If i was to go on gear id be tempted to do a 4 day split but im happy to see how far i can get naturally first.


Nice one mate, how long have you been training naturally? I was training about 3.5 years natually before trying my first cycle at 21 (yes young). Im only 22 now, but i wish i had not bothered with gear yet and waited a few more years.

It's just literally everyone i know who trains are on gear, i had done ~6 months research before starting though, and half the s**t i got was fake!

I've only done 2 short cycles though (8 & 7 weeks, in a 2 year period) so at least im not an abusive idiot 

Do you think you'll ever turn to the 'dark side' fish fingers?


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## fishfingers (Feb 27, 2009)

Big_Idiot said:


> Nice one mate, how long have you been training naturally? I was training about 3.5 years natually before trying my first cycle at 21 (yes young). Im only 22 now, but i wish i had not bothered with gear yet and waited a few more years.
> 
> It's just literally everyone i know who trains are on gear, i had done ~6 months research before starting though, and half the s**t i got was fake!
> 
> ...


Im about the same age then, currently 21 and turn 22 in March. Ive been training since i was about 17/18 and remained natural up until now. I think at our age test levels are through the roof anyway, so with a decent diet and lifting programme we will grow. Nearly all of my mates or on gear or growth and i must admit i find it hard not to get drawn into it all. I am interested in it all and respect it as part of the iron game, and im i most likely will go on it eventually. But for now im happy to change things up when i hit a plateau rather than start juicing.


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## Big_Idiot1466867997 (Aug 27, 2010)

Yea definately agree mate,

The tempting thing is seeing how much strength, drive, focus, and extra mass they can achieve! That being said, no matter what your on.......no diet, no change.


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

does being on gear really make it easier on the CNS? in theory your putting more stress on your body as its working harder? its having to deal with chemicals its not used to, its performing "better" your bodyweight increases and each time you train as yuo can train harder the stress level increases!

yes you can recover quicker... BUT if your not giving enough time to recover in my opinion the actual stress your putting your body under is more whilst taking steroids than when natural!

the stress on the CNS is a massive factor... i never get enough sleep through the week due to work and other commitments and i know this is definitely a factor in slowing my gains!


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

thats why i bang on about the rest factor lee.

nobody seems to treat rest as importantly as training and the much worshipped diet

factor.

big idiot fingers is one of the biggest and youngest natural dudes i know of.


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## yannyboy (Jun 20, 2009)

Yes, but Cal, do you think some people use this rest theory to not train as much or as hard as they should?


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

i dont know anyone who undertrains on less training days.

i work my fcuking arse off when i train to the point where i ache for days.

week in week out...

personally i dont think you could train as hard as i do 6x a week.

you only have 100% effort for a workout or a week..

you can only dilute it so much..

ive made linear progress since ive been training less except for the 2 year period before and after my fusion.

ive been training for 6 months in reality since my op and i`m back on it.

i`ll even go as far as saying i`m expecting big things from myself now i`m as close to 100% as i`m gonna get.

i could win the classic class on 2 days a week training and still get humoured :wink:


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## yannyboy (Jun 20, 2009)

Yes but my point was not everybody is going to train as hard as you.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

thats what i teach my clients to do.

thats what i attempt to show newbies here..

its usually not what they wanna hear tho.

however i still think most people who train try too hard with no planning.

i tried my hardest for 3 years and got nowhere.

and then i trained even harder and upped cardio lol...

ripped skeletons dont look good.


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## LeeB (Oct 5, 2011)

i think most people dont understand what hard training is and dont actually have any idea how much it hurts!


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

i think its incredibly hard to gauge intensity tho which is why i use poundage cycling to know precisely where i am :wink:


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## fishfingers (Feb 27, 2009)

LeeB said:


> i think most people dont understand what hard training is and dont actually have any idea how much it hurts!


I think everyone 'thinks' they train hard, heck i think i train hard. But looking around the gym i think everyone has their own idea of what hard is. I know i out 100% into every session i have, and i come away feeling totally ****ed, but feeling awesome and know im going to be aching for a few days. Im not going to train with the intensity that a guy on gear can train, so i think every one is different. You get out of it what you out in.


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