Chest & Back Training Splits For Intermediate Bodybuilders


They sure don't build bodybuilders today like they did back in the good ol' days, do they? Remember when Arnold and Franco ruled the roost? The physiques were artistic and they flowed. The bodybuilders were strong, but also nimble. These were the days before bodybuilders simply got too big. In these training days, bodybuilders utilized a body part training protocol not seen very often these days. They combined chest and back training onto the same day. Today's elite bodybuilders (and most intermediates as well) follow a training split which places chest on day one of the training split, and back on day two. This is the S.O.P, or standard operating procedure, for most trainers, due to the indoctrination they receive from the pro's DVDs and just about every magazine article they've ever read on training splits. But it doesn't have to be this way!



A level of synergy can be achieved when the bodybuilder trains his chest and back together. The muscle groups connect at the serratus and they tie the entire upper body together. Some movements, such as pullovers and parallel bar dips, actually stimulate both the back and chest muscles at the same time. When you are able to engorge both groups with blood, your shirt will never fit the same again. It is the ultimate in full upper torso pumps!

Is there a battle of the compound movements when training in this manner? You bet there is! Most people start back day with a movement such as deadlifts, chins or rows. And most people begin their chest training with incline or flat benching. When you're combining the two, you have to make a decision as to which movement will receive your attention first. Most people would select chest, as it is the trophy muscle group. However, the muscles of the back are bigger, which means they would normally receive preference in a standard training protocol. It's a decision you have to make for yourself. Most trainers choose to alternate focus and start with each body part every other week.

When training in this manner, you also have to decide if you will spend 45 minutes on back, then 45 minutes on chest? Or will you be combining the two, using super-sets to challenge both muscle groups simultaneously. A set of bench presses, followed by a set of deadlifts will lead to a great deal of stimulation throughout the entire body. However, this kind of training does prevent you from performing at maximum capacity on either movement.

Shoulder training should be taken into consideration when training in this manner. Do you train chest and back one day, and then shoulders and traps the following day? Wouldn't it make more sense to place a rest day, or perhaps a leg training session, on that next day? Would it be wise to allow the shoulders and back at least 48 hours of recovery time from the incredibly tough routine?

Combining chest and back training leads to a lot of questions. Answering them is part of the journey you are taking to reaching your physical potential!

Here is my raining routine for exemple ,I used to do chest and back on the same day. I'd superset them like this :


-Bench press folowed by Bent over row
-Incline Dumbbell press folowed by Lat pulldowns
-Dips folowed by Dumbbell bent over row or close-grip pulldown

-Dumbbell pullover (works for both chest and back)

0 comments:

Post a Comment