By Joe Selvaggio, CPT

Divide and Conquer

Time to split? Generally, our workouts focus on the entire body to increase stability, speed, strength, and endurance. This week, however, many of you have been working on the first half of a split routine. There are several benefits to incorporating split routines into your workouts.

First, the body does not like to change and it will adapt to almost any stress placed upon it. Occasionally, the body must be "shocked" into changing and growing. The best way to shock the system is to change the variables in your workout.

The split system is one method to create body change and assist in reshaping the body, increasing fat loss and gaining lean muscle mass! Just as the name implies, the split system calls for working on different body parts on different days. Split systems come in all shapes and sizes.

For example, a two-day split routine might consist of working Chest/Triceps/Shoulders on Monday and Legs/Back/Biceps on Thursday. A five-day split routine may involve working Chest on Monday; Legs on Tuesday; Back on Wednesday; Shoulders on Thursday and Arms on Friday.

Another benefit of using the split system is that more attention is given to specific muscle groups. Instead of working a body part with just one exercise you are able to work the muscle group with several movements. A chest routine using the Bench Press, Incline Press, and Dumb Bell Flys is one example. I recommend at most a five-day split routine leaving two-days to rest. Keep in mind that the body needs rest in order to grow!

Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time. -Lou Brock

Change can happen for you too!