If after a long time of regular training (at least 2 years), in which you went through beginner and intermediate training routines, you see that you are not making progress, even though adhering to the basic rules (proper nutrition and recovery), you probably should consider going to the next advancement level. Let us call it a beginner advanced routine.
As representatives of intermediate level, you worked out 4 times a week, training each muscle group twice a week. After some time your muscles adapted to the stimulation and did not show traces of further growth. This means that the time has come to go to the next level, that is, to increase the intensity of workouts by increasing the number of exercises for each group of muscles. What you need to do is add one exercise for each muscle group. In this way you will “attack” your muscles comprehensively, and stimulate them better. Remember that as you increase the number of exercises for each muscle group and, consequently, the number of series, your workouts will take more time, which may lead to fatigue or overtraining. You surely want to avoid this!
In such case, you have no option but to increase the number of workouts. A three-day split will be the best solution here.
How to elaborate an effective 3-day system?
All workouts should be similar in terms of content, effort and time, meaning that the duration of all sessions should be similar and that you should feel equally exhausted after each. Remember not to train synergistic (ancillary) muscles during the same session or on the day preceding the workout for the main muscle group. For instance, what you should avoid is working on your biceps on Monday and on your back on Tuesday, as the majority of intense back exercises involve the biceps and if you tire it out the day before, it will probably not manage to recover until the day after, as a result of which you will have to cut down on the weights when training your back, preventing the optimum growth of your muscles.
When arranging a beginner split, pay attention to the order in which you exercise individual muscle groups during each session. Always start your workout with the biggest muscle parts of the upper body: the blood is pumped easier downwards than upwards.
Examples of workouts:
Workout A
BACK, CHEST
- Front Lat Pull Down, 3×8-10
- Bent Over Dumbbell Raise, 3×8-10
- Seated Cable Row, 3×8-10
- Deadlift, 3×10-12
—
- Incline Bench Barbell Press, 3×8-10
- Incline Bench Dumbbell Press, 3×8-10
- Dumbbell Flys, 3×10-12
Workout B
SHOULDERS, ARMS
- Seated Dumbbell Press 3×8-10
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Standing, 3×10-12
- Bent Over Dumbbell Raise, 3×12-15
—
- Alternating dumbbell front raise (standing), 4×15-12
- EZ Bar Preacher Curl, 3×15
—
- Lying EZ Bar French Press, 4×12-18
- Standing Cable Horizontal Triceps Extension, 3×12-10
- 45 Degree Leg Presses, 3×10-12
- Deep Squats, 3×10-12
- Walking Lunges, 3×12-15
- Leg Curl, 3×10-12
- Stiff Leg Deadlift, 3×10-12
Workout C
THIGHS, CALVES, ABDOMEN
- Toe Stands (standing), 3×15-20
- Toe Stands (seated), 3×15-20
- Kneeling Cable Crunches, 3×20-25
- Parallel Bar Bent Leg Raise, 3×20-25
Depending on your recovery capability, you can perform the workout described above in one of the following systems: 2 training days with one day off, 3 days ON with one day OFF or 6 consecutive days of training and one day off.
