# Weightlifting - Split Upper-Body Workout?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 25, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741 "2003-09-25T13:50:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741/1 "2003-09-25T13:50:11Z")
I’m to the point now with my upper-body lifting routine that I need to split the workout into two parts. If I try to do my entire upper-body in a single workout (with, say, 8+ sets of various lifts for a given muscle group) I run out of steam half way into the workout.
So, I’d like to get some feedback as to the best way to “split” the workout, and which muscle groups I should do one day, and which remaining ones I should do the next.
Yesterday, for example, I decided to do chest and back, so I did 4 sets of bench, 4 sets of incline bench, and 3 sets of wide flys. Then I did 3 sets of bent-over rows, 4 sets of seated rows, and 4 sets of pull-downs. All sets were 8-10 reps, heavy as I could handle while still getting good form and all of that.
Today, I was going to do bi’s, tri’s, and shoulders.
Is this a good split approach?
Thanks…
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### Author:  [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741/2 "2003-09-25T14:03:03Z")
The routine I was recomended and find comfortable is:
Day 1- Chest and Tris
Day 2- Back and Bis
Day 3- Legs and Shoulders
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### Author:  [@tkeana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tkeana)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741/3 "2003-09-25T14:05:40Z")
Because I’ve found that many Dopers want to hear your credentials before taking you seriously, let me say that I’m an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and ACE and AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and I used to own my own gym.
With that out of the say, let’s talk fitness. The most commonsense way to split your upper body routine is to do the pushing exercises one day and pulling the next; you will effectively be working chest, shoulder and triceps one day, back and biceps the next. You want to avoid strenuously working the same muscle group two consecutive days–48 hours is the suggested time for tissue healing.
Here’s a sample workout:
Chest:
bench presses
incline DB presses
flyes
cable crossovers
Shoulders:
overhead (military) presses
front presses
lateral raises
upright rows
Triceps:
cable pushdowns
lying tricep extensions
DAY 2
Back:
Wide Lat pulldowns
Lat pulldowns to front
seated rows
bent-over reverse flyes
Biceps:
straight bar curls
dumbbell hammer curls
All your pressing exercises involve triceps. All the pulling ones involve the biceps. In this way, you will blast several body parts in one workout without taxing others, leaving them fresh for the following day.
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### Author:  [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741/4 "2003-09-25T14:06:53Z")
Ya, I could do that too. I will need to switch over to doing leg lifting work pretty soon once the snow starts to fall and the mtn. biking is not an option. The 3-day rotation looks pretty cool.
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### Author:  [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weightlifting-split-upper-body-workout/203741/5 "2003-09-25T14:14:47Z")
I used to do this:
Day 1- chest, tris, shoulders
Day 2- legs
Day 3- back, bis
Day 4- rest
now I do:
Day 1- chest, bis
Day 2- legs
Day 3- back
Day 4- rest
Day 5- shoulders, tris
I like my current routine much better than my old one. It gives me much more time to concentrate on each muscle group. I’m not a fan of doing chest and back in the same work-out; it takes too much effort to work out two major muscle groups together.