Concentration workouts vs non-concentration

[cbk4lyf]

Interesting question.....

So i've asked numerous employees from different workout facilities the question "What works better?...concentration on different muscles every day?....or the same routine everyday? what are the pro's and con's of each"?...

and the response's i've recieved are from one end of the spectrum to the other....anything from "concentration is better for builking, but the same routine is better for toning....."

normally, i would concentrate on different muscles, but for the last 6 months i have been doing the smae routine and the results are almost the same.....any suggestions??....

peace!

[rahim]

doing the same workout everyday doesn't give your muscles enough recovery time, depending on your intensity, or lack of, it may take up to six months for you to be overtraining or it may take a few weeks, but it will happen.

PS there is no such thing as "toning" ;)

[gggunit]

^ excatly .. the only thing I would add to it would be make sure you change your workout even a little.. its called muscle memory.

[1badPT]

Just to clarify your terminology:

Workouts that work all muscle groups are "Full body" workouts and those that concentrate on a particular group of muscles each workout are referred to as "Split" workouts.

Now whats better?

There's no definite answer, some will find better results on a split, while others will find better results on a full body.

Here is a quick comparison of the advantages of each:

Full body:
-each muscle group is getting worked out several times per week (split routines usually only work a particular group once per week)

-workouts tend to be shorter since you can train one group and move to the next group immediately afterwards (no rest needed in between)

-fewer workouts per week (typically 3 per week is enough)

-almost all excercises are compound (freeweight exercises without any assisting devices like preacher benches or machines)

-best to have a workout partner / spotter

Split
-each muscle group gets worked to full failure several times in a workout session (full body workouts tend to have one set per muscle group only)

-you don't feel recovery pain EVERYWHERE (like full body workouts)

-you can use machines / assisting devices

-using a spotter isn't as important

[three.eighteen.]

if youve been doing the same work out for the last 6 months that would explain the lack of improvement, even switching up the order of exercises can help, but if youve been doing full body work outs for the last while, change it into a split schedule and im sure you will see results

[BumpinTalon]

you have to pay a lot of attention to all the little supporting muscles as well... for instance, if you have just been doing regular bench presses you may overwork some of the smaller muscle groups that help. you can keep doing the same routine, but mix it up by using dumbells for whatever you can instead of machines or barbells. that helps get you over plateaus...

[cbk4lyf]

alright koo....

that could explain why after a vigorus workout, i rarely have any recovery pain....and/or any aching muscles....but it does look like there is alot more definition with the way im currently working out on the same muscle parts (obviously)......

[rahim]

that just means you are lowering your body fat %