Arnold Split: Workout Routine, Benefits, and Drawbacks

The “Arnold break up” is a 6-day exercise routine created by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Famend for its depth, weightlifters usually hail the “Austrian Oak’s” routine as the final word blueprint for constructing muscle mass.

However what’s the Arnold break up precisely?

What are the advantages and downsides of following this legendary exercise plan?

And the way are you aware if it’ll be just right for you?

Get evidence-based solutions to those questions and extra on this article.

What Is the Arnold Cut up?

The Arnold break up is a six-day exercise routine created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, outlined in his 1985 guide, The New Encyclopedia of Trendy Bodybuilding. 

Technically, when individuals consult with the Arnold break up, they’re often speaking about one of many two “fundamental” coaching routines that Arnold shares—particularly, his “Stage 1” program.

Regardless of being labeled “fundamental,” this routine isn’t for newbies—many skilled lifters discover it difficult. 

The second degree of the essential program and the 2 “superior” packages are much more demanding, to the purpose that they’re usually unrealistic for many pure weightlifters.

The Arnold Cut up Exercise Routine

The Arnold break up comprises three separate exercises: chest and again; shoulders, higher arms, and forearms; and thighs (quad and hamstrings), calves, and decrease again.

You repeat these exercises twice weekly for a complete of six coaching classes. Right here’s the essential format:

Day 1: Chest and again
Day 2: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
Day 3: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
Day 4: Chest and again
Day 5: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
Day 6: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
Day 7: Relaxation

You additionally practice your abs in each exercise.

Now, let’s take a look at the way to carry out every exercise:

Day #1: Chest and Again

Arnold’s chest day isn’t like most bodybuilding chest exercises. As a substitute of coaching solely the pecs, he appreciated to coach his chest alongside his again (usually utilizing “supersets”). For him, this was one of the simplest ways to enhance conditioning and maximize “the pump.”

Right here’s the exercise:

Flat Barbell Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Dumbbell Pullover: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Chin-up: 50 complete reps
Barbell Row: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Deadlift: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps

Day #2: Shoulders, Higher Arms, and Forearms

Day 2 of the Arnold break up is a mammoth exercise that trains all three “heads” of the deltoids and your complete arm.

Right here’s the exercise:

Clear and Press (or Overhead Press): 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Dumbbell Aspect Lateral Increase: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Upright Row:  3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
Push Press:  3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
Barbell Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Dumbbell Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Shut-Grip Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Overhead Triceps Extension: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Wrist Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Reverse Wrist Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Reverse Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps

Day #3: Thighs, Calves, and Decrease Again

Day 3 of the Arnold break up is a rigorous decrease physique exercise specializing in the quads, hamstrings, calves, and decrease again—areas Arnold believed have been crucial for a well-balanced physique.

Right here’s the exercise:

Squat: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Lunge: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Leg Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
Standing Calf Increase:  5 units of 15 reps
Stiff-Leg Deadlift: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
Good Morning: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps

The Arnold Cut up’s Coaching Rules

To maximise your outcomes on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s exercise routine, he recommends following these rules:

Progressive Overload: Arnold emphasizes progressive overload (progressively growing the burden you raise over time), which is the first driver of muscle development. The simplest strategy to implement that is to make use of double development.
Coaching to Failure: Arnold advises pushing every set to the purpose the place you can not carry out one other rep with out resting (“failure”). He believes this maximizes muscle fiber stimulation, resulting in higher muscle development.
Full Vary of Movement: To completely activate each muscle fiber, Arnold recommends performing every train via its total vary of movement, from totally stretched to completely contracted.
High quality of Contraction: Arnold emphasizes the significance of specializing in how effectively you contract your muscular tissues throughout each rep. He suggests beginning with lighter weights that enable exact, managed actions, guaranteeing the goal muscle does many of the work with out assist from surrounding muscular tissues.
Warming Up: Whereas Arnold considers warming up important for stopping accidents, he doesn’t specify a strict warm-up routine. As a substitute, he suggests normal gentle barbell or dumbbell workout routines for every physique half, adopted by a lightweight set of every train in your exercise earlier than you start your heavier coaching.
Energy Coaching: In Arnold’s routine, “energy coaching” includes lifting weights close to your one-rep max. He believes energy coaching is necessary as a result of it builds “dense” muscle that’s straightforward to keep, will increase muscle and tendon energy, prevents accidents, and builds psychological toughness.
Relaxation Between Units: Arnold recommends preserving relaxation durations between units to a minute or much less. In keeping with him, brief relaxation durations help you get better most of your energy whereas guaranteeing your muscle fibers are fatigued sufficient to necessitate development.

Advantages of the Arnold Cut up

1. It comprises an excellent mixture of compound and isolation workout routines.

The Arnold break up primarily contains compound workout routines (workout routines involving a number of joints and muscular tissues). Specializing in compound workout routines is helpful as a result of they help you practice dozens of muscular tissues concurrently and raise heavy weights safely, which is usually higher for muscle and energy achieve.

The Arnold break up additionally comprises an inexpensive quantity of isolation workout routines (workout routines involving only one joint and muscle). Including isolation workout routines to your exercise routine is wise as a result of they help you proceed coaching a muscle when it’s now not sensible to take action with a compound train. 

In addition they help you practice via totally different ranges of movement, which doubtless produces extra full development than solely doing compound workout routines. 

2. It emphasizes progressive overload. 

Many bodybuilding packages make minor points of muscle development the main focus of your coaching. For instance, they encourage you to coach your muscular tissues till they’re swollen, pumped, and sore regardless of proof that these aren’t obligatory for muscle development. 

In distinction, the Arnold break up prioritizes getting progressively stronger over time, which is paramount for gaining muscle and energy. In different phrases, the Arnold break up highlights what actually issues relating to constructing muscle. 

3. It trains every physique half twice weekly. 

Many bodybuilding exercise splits set up exercises by physique half—they practice your chest on sooner or later, your again on the subsequent, your shoulders the day after, and so forth.

This often means you practice every physique half simply as soon as per week, which analysis reveals isn’t as efficient as coaching your muscular tissues extra regularly. 

Then again, the Arnold break up trains every muscle group not less than twice per week, which is usually higher for muscle-building functions. 

Drawbacks of the Arnold Cut up

1. It’s time-consuming.

The Arnold break up has you coaching 6 days per week, and every exercise is prolonged, comprising between 7 and 11 workout routines.

When your exercise routine requires such a big time dedication, it may be difficult to take care of, particularly if in case you have restricted time for coaching.

2. It isn’t appropriate for newbies.

The quantity (variety of units) and frequency (variety of weekly exercises) within the Arnold break up are pointless for newbies; doing fewer units much less usually will doubtless yield higher outcomes.

Arnold additionally advocates superior coaching strategies in his guide—drop units, damaging reps, compelled reps, and so forth—which add a layer of complexity that’s pointless and probably complicated for novices. 

3. A number of the rules aren’t backed by science. 

Sure points of the Arnold break up, comparable to coaching to failure, brief relaxation durations, and in depth warm-ups, lack scientific help.

Whereas these strategies could also be efficient in some situations, analysis reveals coaching shy of failure, taking loads of relaxation, and doing brief however ample warm-ups are superior for gaining muscle and energy. 

Who Ought to Comply with the Arnold Cut up?

Many individuals see footage of Arnold posing in his prime and assume the Arnold break up will assist them obtain an identical physique. Working example:

It’s wise to mood these expectations, although.

Novices gained’t get good outcomes from the Arnold break up—the amount, depth, and frequency are too excessive and can doubtless result in burnout fairly than progress. 

The Arnold break up is healthier suited to intermediate or superior weightlifters with loads of time to coach and no restoration points. In different phrases, except you’ve been coaching for not less than a yr and your weight loss plan and sleep are on level, you in all probability shouldn’t try the Arnold break up. 

FAQ #1: Is the Arnold break up good for development?

Sure, the Arnold break up could be extremely efficient for muscle development for some individuals. Particularly, it really works effectively for intermediate or superior weightlifters (individuals with not less than 12 months of constant coaching underneath their belt) who’ve loads of time to coach, are consuming sufficient energy and protein, and get loads of relaxation. 

Nevertheless, a much less intense coaching routine is probably going extra becoming if you happen to don’t meet these standards. 

[Read More: The 12 Best Science-Based Strength Training Programs for Gaining Muscle and Strength]

FAQ #2: Arnold Cut up vs. PPL: Which is healthier?

The 6-day PPL and Arnold splits share so much in widespread: They contain coaching six days per week, practice every physique half not less than twice weekly, emphasize compound weightlifting and progressive overload, and so forth. Thus, choosing the proper routine for you principally will depend on your preferences. 

The Arnold break up includes coaching your giant higher physique muscle teams (chest and again), smaller higher physique muscular tissues (shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms), and legs in separate exercises. If this method works for you, select the Arnold break up.

If, then again, you like to prepare your coaching into “pushing,” “pulling,” and decrease physique workout routines, PPL is probably going higher, 

Another choice is to comply with a hybrid routine that features components of PPL and the Arnold break up, also known as “PPL x Arnold break up” routines. Right here’s how this may look:

Day 1: Chest and again
Day 2: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
Day 3: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
Day 4: Push
Day 5: Pull
Day 6: Legs
Day 7: Relaxation

PPL x Arnold break up routines have grow to be common in recent times, primarily as a result of individuals on Reddit and bodybuilding boards tout them as the right mixture of bodybuilding and strength-focused coaching (“powerbuilding”).

Whereas PPL x Arnold break up routines can work, they’ve the identical points because the common 6-day PPL and Arnold splits: they require a big time funding, and if you happen to don’t have your weight loss plan and restoration dialed in, they’re overkill for most individuals. 

[Read More: The Ultimate Guide to the Push Pull Legs Workout Routine]

FAQ #3: How a lot must you eat whereas following the Arnold break up?

To gasoline your coaching whereas following the Arnold break up, it’s wise to comply with a bulking weight loss plan (eat in a calorie surplus) and eat loads of protein.

To study precisely what number of energy and the way a lot protein you’d must get outcomes on the Arnold break up, take the Legion Weight loss plan Quiz.