HOW TO BUILD YOUR WORKOUT SPLIT

Wether you're a newbie in the gym, an intermediate, or someone who's advanced, building a new workout split can always be tricky. In this article, we give you a simplified 5-step plan on how to build a workout split aligned with YOUR GOALS, YOUR SCHEDULE, and YOUR FITNESS LEVEL.

STEP 1 : Determine your fitness level and the importance you attach to training

• Is this your first time training? If the answer is yes, we suggest you hire a coach or ask for help from someone you know after you're done reading this article. 
• Are you someone who trains from time to time, but has never really taken it too seriously?
• Have you been training for a certain sport and now are switching to a different style of workouts?
• Are you a true gym rat who's been training for 1+ year and who feels like they need a challenge?

STEP 2 : Establish your goals and priorities clearly

• Do you want to lose fat (go on a cut)?
• Do you want to focus on gaining muscle (go on a bulk)?
• Do you want to lose fat and gain muslce simultaneously (body recomposition)?
• Do you want to overall better your health?
• Do you want to focus on a certain muscle group?
• Do you want to gain cardio and/or endurance?
• Do you want to work on your weaknesses?

Note that you can mix more than one goal! Try sticking to 2 goals maximum, or else the program might not be that efficient.

STEP 3 : Determine the amount of days/week you will train AND the amount of time you have per session

Be realistic. You can also add an optional training day, meaning your week would be complete if you miss it, but it would be a great addition.

If you're a beginner, we suggest you start with 3 1-hour or less sessions per week. Make sure you take at least 1 rest day per week.

STEP 4 : Build your split by incorporating your goals and priorities in the amount of days/time you can train per week 

Option 1 : Have a weekly split

• A weekly split means you attach a day of the week to a specific session. (i.e. Monday = push, Wednesday = pull, Friday = legs)

Option 2 : Have a X-day split

• A X-day split means you build a split according to your goals, and THEN implement it on the amount of days/week you can train. (i.e. your split is push/pull/legs* but you want to train 4x per week. Monday = push, Tuesday = pull, Thursday = legs, Friday = push. The next week would be : Monday = pull, Tuesday = Legs, Thursday = push, Friday = pull, and so on.)

*Push = chest, shoulders and triceps (exercises where you PUSH the weight away from your body). Pull = back and biceps (exercises where you PULL the weight to your body)

STEP 5 : Adjust

Was your split planification too ambitious? Was it too easy?

Don't be afraid to make the 1-2 first weeks of your split a "trial" and to adjust anything that needs to!

CONCRETE SPLIT EXAMPLE 

The following is a concrete example of my (@leamfit_) workout split, according to my personal goals.

Step 1 : Determine your fitness level and the importance you attach to training

I would say I'm an intermediate/advanced gym girl. I've been training for 3+ years and working out is really important to me.

STEP 2 : Establish your goals and priorities clearly

At the moment, my goals are to : 

• Get better at running (both speed and endurance), I'm training for a 10k race ; 
• Maintain or cut down my body fat percentage ; 
• Build my glutes and back

STEP 3 : Determine the amount of days/week you will train AND the amount of time you have per session

• Between 4-6 days per week, including 2x runs
• About 1.5 hours per session (except runs)

STEP 4 : Build your split by incorporating your goals and priorities in the amount of days/time you can train per week

I have a weekly split, but sometimes days will vary. However, I try to always have my 5 workouts done.

• Monday : easy/tempo run (5k or more)
• Tuesday : full upper body
• Wednesday : full legs
• Thursday : rest
• Friday : interval run OR sprints and abs
• Saturday : active rest
• Sunday : glutes and back

Overview

This article was meant for you to have a simple step-by-step method on how to efficiently build your own workout split. However, if you have specific needs or conditions, we suggest you consult a coach or professional to help you.

Have fun creating your very own split and don't be scared to make some modifications along the way!