The Best Workout Split for MAXIMUM Muscle Gains – ATHLEAN-X™

by YouTube Team

Whether you are following a total body workout split or a bro split (or any variation of) you are going to want to watch this video. Find out the best workout split for building maximum muscle gains and overall performance. There is a key message that you will not want to miss when it comes to answering this question truthfully and without relying on simple studies to do so.

When we talk about workout splits we are referring to the way that you break up your training over a period of time. Generally, this is the amount of workouts that it takes to complete one cycle of training and that ensures that you are hitting all of the areas you are attempting to target in your workouts. One of the most popular ways to split up workouts right now is actually one of the oldest in the books, and that is total body training.

This refers to performing three total body workouts per week, generally on a Monday, Wednesday and a Friday with the remainder of the days either being reserved for conditioning or rest. The benefits to this type of training are the higher focus on compound lifts that are designed to hit maximum muscle in each lift as well as the increased time for recovery.

Additionally, as science would indicate, hitting a muscle (even with a lower daily volume) more frequently in a training cycle is one of the most effective ways to make it grow. This would mean that if you were once following a more traditional bro split where you trained say chest just once per week with twelve to sixteen sets you would now be doing it as four to five sets per day over the three days in the week.

The restimulation of the chest every 48 hours is sufficient to increase muscle protein synthesis without waiting too long to hit the muscle again (as would happen with a bro split – or at least a poorly planned one). Does that mean that bro splits don’t work? Not at all. In fact, this is one of those instances of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Nobody could argue that the single muscle group per day routine has been effective for some. Maybe not as much as total body training, but there are many instances of it working well, and quite well to be exact.

How can that be? How can something that is somehow proven by science to be inferior actually produce results that in some cases are superior? That is because the real best way to split your workout for maximum gains is to switch what you are doing when you can honestly answer that you have stopped making gains in either strength, size or both. Just because something is supposed to be the best doesn’t mean that it is best for you at this time. Changing your split may reveal to you that certain muscle groups of yours are more responsive on a different training cycle.

The best you could do at that point is take the observations that you have made and use them to adapt your workout plan to idealize the volume and frequency that your body responds to the best. This video is meant to open your eyes to that possibility. If you are looking to change your current workout split and want to be sure you are putting the latest science into your workouts to make sure you get it right, head to the link below to pick the program best suited to your goals.

For more videos on how to split up your workouts and the best workout splits for strength and muscle size, be sure to subscribe to the link below.

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27 comments

ATHLEAN-X™ December 20, 2018 - 6:51 pm

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hanzgunther November 19, 2021 - 5:11 pm

I wouldn’t be caught dead with Antonio Brown in a gym. I’ve heard he skeets

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Yash Mishra November 21, 2021 - 10:26 am

Working out kill your gains

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Fisnik Ukeperaj November 21, 2021 - 6:43 pm

when Jeff git a personal trainer,he taught the trainer

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MJL November 24, 2021 - 11:44 am

Someone please explain me what jeff is explaining 🙄

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Antonio Lima November 24, 2021 - 9:35 pm

well i cant workout on sunday so could anyone tell me a good workout plan? cuz i love to workout and i normally workout everything every day of the week. but ik that i cant do that cuz my body wont grow any more
pls help

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Messi November 25, 2021 - 2:33 pm

Can i workout split 3 days a week

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Dam miT November 28, 2021 - 3:00 pm

This is a great video. I followed the bro split chest/biceps , legs, back / triceps, legs shoulders / traps, rest. … got great gains, great strength and gave it all in the gym evrrytime I went. ( used just protein and creatine). Pre workout … raw beet juice.

I eventually capped out and things where stagnant. Stopped listening to others and started changing how I did things. Man those workouts were insane so was the strength. This video truly highlights the importance of a good workout setup.

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Michael Shadrick November 28, 2021 - 10:30 pm

started working out 2 months ago and made my own routine based on what i like i got
M:Legs
T:Back
W:Core (including chest)
T:Arms (shoulders, triceps and biceps)
F:Legs
S: Usually do a lot of cardio and work out chest more
S: Do more cardio and i'll try to make my grip strength stronger so i could do cool pullup bar stuff

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Jacob Seymour November 30, 2021 - 12:36 am

What's a bro split?

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Matthew Beck December 2, 2021 - 7:45 pm

This is always a treat to have a better understanding of what you should think about

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the RICHNESS December 4, 2021 - 7:57 am

Carla Dunlap trained one part per day

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Krish Kadalgikar December 6, 2021 - 2:28 pm

Next: not watching athlean-x is killing your gains

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Naomi Fleming December 16, 2021 - 12:19 am

Once again you've made a confusing subject really easy to understand and implement. Thank you.

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Kris B. December 19, 2021 - 8:08 pm

All this time ive just been doing curls while doing the splits i thought that was a split workout.

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anindito yoga December 21, 2021 - 7:45 am

So which the best program?

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Shelly Rae December 27, 2021 - 8:05 pm

What about TBx3 days week and 2 days of HITT in between?

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tomgreer December 28, 2021 - 11:32 pm

What about upper/ lower body split
With abs twice a week aswell

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Trek World Racing December 30, 2021 - 9:16 pm

The best workout for maximum gains period is actually motivating yourself in the first place to find a gym and put in the effort, sooner than get bogged down with conflicting videos telling you "dont do this, dont do that, you must do this" and then loosing any confidence you had just mustered up. Just get off your arse and push f@ckin weights!

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كرم الصحفي January 1, 2022 - 9:20 am

Chest and triceps
Back and biceps
Rest
Legs and biceps
Shoulder and triceps
Rest
Rest
🔁

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Bad Mother Fucker January 1, 2022 - 2:24 pm

BEST FUCKİNG FİTNESS YOUTUBER!

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J P January 1, 2022 - 6:52 pm

Imo the main issue is thinking in weekdays..

Day 1: Chest & Tri
Day 2: Back & Bi
Day 3: Legs
Day 4: shoulders & forearms
Day 5: Rest
Repeat

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Obsessivefanboy January 3, 2022 - 2:24 pm

What about a 4 day upper lower split? I haven't seen any videos from you on that.

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William Smith January 3, 2022 - 3:40 pm

Best exercise. Sit down on the only chest fly machine scrolling through social media. Use a weight light enough where you can hit 30 reps but only do 3 sets of 10. 7 minutes rest between sets. Leave your water bottle at the machine while giving people workout advice at the paper towel machine. Do this on Mon, Wed, and Fri. Monday Chest/Triceps, Wed Triceps and Chest, Fri Chest AND Tri's. Optional legs on Friday (only leg extension).

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Axel Fernández January 4, 2022 - 8:13 am

In my own experience I’ve found out that the PPL split has worked the best for me. I tried the full body three times a week and I felt I had to be in the gym for too long to train each muscle properly and the results weren’t the best

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Fett Mane III January 4, 2022 - 9:22 pm

wtf is push and pull

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The embodiment channel January 5, 2022 - 9:35 am

All the pros don't talk about practical lifestyle factors. Like how easy it is to get to the gym, your work, if you are a party monster etc.

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