Upper Body Workout Splits: Pros and Cons of Different Approaches

Upper body workout splits have been a staple in strength training, catering to individuals who aim to build muscle mass, improve strength, or enhance overall fitness.

These routines focus on dividing upper body training into specific muscle groups or movement patterns, offering flexibility and customisation based on individual goals.

However, different approaches to upper body splits come with distinct benefits and drawbacks. This article explores the most popular types of upper body workout splits, backed by scientific evidence, and evaluates their pros and cons.

What Are Upper Body Workout Splits?

Upper body workout splits refer to training strategies that focus on dividing upper body exercises into specific sessions, targeting certain muscle groups or movement patterns. For instance, these splits might isolate pushing and pulling movements or group muscles like the chest, shoulders, and triceps in one session and the back and biceps in another.

The primary goal is to maximise efficiency, manage recovery, and achieve specific training objectives such as hypertrophy, strength, or endurance.

Types of Upper Body Workout Splits

Several approaches exist for structuring upper body splits. Common types include:

1. Push-Pull Splits
2. Muscle Group Splits
3. Full Upper Body Workouts
4. Movement Pattern-Based Splits

Each of these splits has unique advantages and challenges, which we will analyse in detail.

Push-Pull Splits

Push-pull splits are among the most widely used methods in resistance training. In this split, “push” workouts focus on muscles responsible for pushing movements, such as the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

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“Pull” workouts, on the other hand, target pulling muscles, including the back and biceps.

Pros of Push-Pull Splits

1. Balanced Muscle Engagement: Push-pull splits ensure all major upper body muscle groups are trained equally, reducing the risk of muscular imbalances (Gentil et al., 2017).
2. Efficient Recovery: By alternating between push and pull days, specific muscle groups have adequate recovery time before being trained again.
3. Versatility: Suitable for beginners and advanced trainees, this split can accommodate a wide range of goals, from hypertrophy to strength development.
4. Joint Health: Balancing pushing and pulling exercises promotes joint stability and reduces the risk of overuse injuries (Schoenfeld et al., 2015).

Cons of Push-Pull Splits

1. Time Commitment: Push-pull splits often require more frequent training days to cover the entire upper body effectively.
2. Potential Overlap: Some compound exercises, such as the bench press or barbell row, may engage muscles from both groups, leading to overlap and fatigue.

Muscle Group Splits

Muscle group splits dedicate each workout session to specific muscle groups, such as chest and triceps, back and biceps, or shoulders. This traditional bodybuilding approach aims to maximise focus on individual muscles during each session.

Pros of Muscle Group Splits

1. High Volume Per Muscle Group: By concentrating on fewer muscles, you can perform a higher volume of exercises, which is beneficial for hypertrophy (Krieger, 2010).
2. Specialisation: Ideal for bodybuilders or individuals looking to address weak points in specific muscle groups.
3. Recovery Optimisation: Allows for extended recovery periods for each muscle group, reducing the likelihood of overtraining.

Cons of Muscle Group Splits

1. Increased Training Days: Covering all upper body muscle groups may require several sessions per week, which might not be feasible for individuals with limited time.
2. Reduced Frequency Per Muscle Group: Lower training frequency can hinder hypertrophy and strength gains compared to higher-frequency training (Grgic et al., 2018).

Full Upper Body Workouts

Full upper body workouts involve training all major upper body muscles in a single session. This approach is commonly used by individuals who train fewer days per week.

Pros of Full Upper Body Workouts

1. Time Efficiency: Allows for fewer training days per week while still covering all upper body muscles.
2. High Training Frequency: Regular stimulation of muscles can enhance hypertrophy and strength (Schoenfeld et al., 2019).
3. Simplicity: Reduces the need for complex programming, making it accessible to beginners.

Cons of Full Upper Body Workouts

1. Fatigue Accumulation: Training multiple muscle groups in a single session can lead to fatigue, potentially compromising performance and recovery.
2. Limited Volume Per Muscle: Dividing time and energy across all upper body muscles may limit the volume achieved for each muscle group, reducing hypertrophy potential.
3. Requires Careful Exercise Selection: Balancing compound and isolation exercises is critical to ensure all muscles are adequately targeted.

Movement Pattern-Based Splits

Movement pattern-based splits organise workouts around functional movement patterns such as horizontal pushing, vertical pushing, horizontal pulling, and vertical pulling. This method is gaining popularity for its focus on movement efficiency and athletic performance.

Pros of Movement Pattern-Based Splits

1. Functional Strength: Enhances real-world strength and performance by training movements rather than isolated muscles (Boyle, 2020).
2. Joint Health and Stability: Encourages balanced development of muscles around joints, reducing injury risk.
3. Flexibility: Can be tailored to specific goals such as strength, hypertrophy, or endurance.

Cons of Movement Pattern-Based Splits

1. Complexity: Requires a solid understanding of biomechanics and exercise programming.
2. Overlapping Muscle Activation: Similar to push-pull splits, some exercises may engage multiple patterns, leading to fatigue.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Upper Body Split

When deciding which upper body split to adopt, several factors should be considered:

Training Goals

Individuals aiming for hypertrophy may benefit from muscle group splits due to their high volume, while those focused on strength might prefer movement pattern-based splits.

Training Frequency

Push-pull splits or full upper body workouts may be more suitable for individuals training fewer days per week, as they allow for comprehensive coverage of muscles in a limited timeframe.

Recovery Capacity

Recovery varies among individuals based on factors like age, nutrition, and sleep. Splits with adequate rest days between sessions are ideal for those with limited recovery capacity.

Experience Level

Beginners may find full upper body workouts or push-pull splits simpler and more effective, while advanced trainees can explore specialised splits like muscle group or movement pattern-based approaches.

Conclusion

Upper body workout splits offer a structured approach to training that can cater to diverse fitness goals. Push-pull splits provide balance and versatility, muscle group splits maximise hypertrophy potential, full upper body workouts ensure time efficiency, and movement pattern-based splits promote functional strength.

The ideal split depends on individual goals, schedule, and recovery capacity. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach, trainees can optimise their training outcomes.

References

Boyle, M. (2020). New Functional Training for Sports. Human Kinetics. Gentil, P., Fisher, J., & Steele, J. (2017). “A Review of the Acute Effects and Long-Term Adaptations of Resistance Training Variables on Muscle Hypertrophy.” Sports Medicine, 47(6), 1095-1110.

Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Orazem, J., & Sabol, F. (2018). “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1207-1220.

Krieger, J. W. (2010). “Single vs. Multiple Sets of Resistance Exercise for Muscle Hypertrophy: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(4), 1150-1159.

Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2015). “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine, 46(12), 1689-1697.

Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2019). “Hypertrophic Effects of Concentric vs. Eccentric Muscle Actions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(10), 2579-2595.

Key Takeaways

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