What's Better for Athletes: Full Body Workout or Split Body Workout?

There’s always a debate about whether full body workouts are more benefical than split body one.

However, fitness routines aren’t a 'one-size fits all'. They differ from person-to-person based on their goal, activity level, ability to lift weights, gym-going frequency, and other factors.

Considering the same, it has been found out that those who lift weights 2-3 times a week, a full body workout is suitable. Meanwhile, split body workouts are more appropriate for individuals who lift 5-6 times a week.

However, athletes usually train more than four times a week, and not everyone builds muscle. An athlete's training split also depends on the type of sport they’re into.

For example, a runner will focus on speed, agility, power, and flexibility. Meanwhile, a powerlifter will focus on strength, mass, volume, and intensity.

It’s not ideal for both athletes to follow the same routine, as their respective sports demand very different physiques.

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Is Full Body Workout a Better Choice Than Split Body Workout?

An athlete who wants to focus on power, agility, and speed, it’s better to focus on a full body workout. That's because athletes who focus on these elements usually have another sport such as cricket, tennis, football, or something else to focus on.

As such, they will be at the gym to lift 2-3 times a week and focus on a full body workout. That can help them with muscle activation and forcing their muscle fibers to become stronger and thicker.

On other days, or even on the same day, these athletes could be training for their respective sports. Therefore, they cannot deplete all their energy at the gym every day and have no fuel left for practice.

Meanwhile, a powerlifter’s playground is the gym. They will be at the gym every day and train for powerlifting. So they focus on split body workouts. That allows them to focus on one muscle group properly and use their energy to build that one.

As they lift more than five times a week, they can work on each muscle group with at least 20 sets every week.

Therefore, it’s not easy to call one of full body workout or split body workout as the best for athletes. Moreover, athletes are also individuals and have their preferences and requirements at the gym.

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Bottom Line

You cannot determine what's best between a full body or split body workout based on a handful of individuals. When you take everyone into account, it’s absolutely important to understand that every person or athlete prefers a different style of training.

In fact, sometimes athletes prefer a mixture of full body and split body workouts. So, it's difficult to pick one and call it the best.

Some may have benefitted from a traditional diet of all three macronutrients; others may benefit from a keto diet, some from intermittent fasting etc.

The fitness industry is replete with variations, even in exercises, so it’s never a 'one-size fits all' situation.