Is creating a workout plan beneficial?

If you are familiar with the workout community, then I am sure you have heard the term workout split, or a workout plan. Gymgoers will use a strict workout plan/split in order to get the best results in the gym by consistently hitting muscle groups on specific days. For example, a workout split may be…

Monday – Glutes and quads

Tuesday – Hamstrings and calves

Wednesday – Back and Biceps (Pull)

Thursday – Chest and Triceps (Push)

Friday – Abs and Cardio 

Saturday – Active Rest Day (which can consist of stretching and lighter movements such as walking to keep the body moving. This day should be very easy on your body)

Sunday – REST

There are many different variations of a workout split that one may follow, let’s take a look at some of these different splits, and what their pros and cons of them can be. 

Pros

A workout split allows for you to have a more intense workout of a specific body area because it allows for extra days to recover before working that muscle group again. If you are going to the gym for about an hour to two a day, you are able to spend that time intensely working on one muscle group allowing for more weight and reps. Full-body workouts do not necessarily allow for intense working of one muscle group. A workout split is ideal to give your muscles ample recovery time so you are able to workout your muscles intensely the next time you work that muscle group.

Cons

Although there are tremendous benefits to having a workout split, there can also be many downsides as well. First of all, you need to be extremely consistent when it comes to training in a split. If you miss one workout or miss a day at the gym, your split is messed up and everything gets pushed back. Another downside of having a split workout is that certain muscle groups may recover quicker than others. Everyone’s body is different and if you see that you tend to miss workouts due to soreness felt in those muscle groups, then maybe a split is not for you. Patience is also key when training in a split. As eager as you may be to hit Back+Biceps, in order to perfect the workout split, it is essential to strictly stick to the muscle groups that are supposed to be worked that day.

Workout splits can be a very useful tool used, in order to stay consistent and to see the best results while in a gym setting. It can allow you to utilize your time to the best of your abilities while having a specific purpose everyday that you step into a gym setting. It can also be a very challenging thing to keep up with and to stay consistent with. A workout split allows for only specific days off, or else the split will begin to be pushed back and fall apart. Do you think a workout split would be beneficial to you?