Arnold Split: Workout Routine, Benefits, and Drawbacks

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

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

But what’s the Arnold cut up precisely?

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

And how 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 Split?

The Arnold cut up is a six-day exercise routine created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, outlined in his 1985 e book, The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. 

Technically, when folks check with the Arnold cut up, they’re normally speaking about one of many two “fundamental” coaching routines that Arnold shares—particularly, his “Level 1” program.

Despite being labeled “fundamental,” this routine will not be for novices—many skilled lifters discover it difficult. 

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

The Arnold Split Workout Routine

• 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: Rest

You additionally prepare your abs in each exercise.

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

Day #1: Chest and Back

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

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 whole 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, Upper Arms, and Forearms

• Clean and Press (or Overhead Press): 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise: 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
• Close-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 Lower Back

• 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 Raise:  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 Split’s Training Principles

• Progressive Overload: Arnold emphasizes progressive overload (progressively growing the load you carry over time), which is the first driver of muscle progress. The best strategy to implement that is to make use of double development.
• Training to Failure: Arnold advises pushing every set to the purpose the place you can’t carry out one other rep with out resting (“failure”). He believes this maximizes muscle fiber stimulation, resulting in larger muscle progress.
• Full Range of Motion: To totally activate each muscle fiber, Arnold recommends performing every train by way of its complete vary of movement, from totally stretched to totally contracted.
• 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 permit exact, managed actions, making certain the goal muscle does many of the work with out assist from surrounding muscular tissues.
• Warming Up: While Arnold considers warming up important for stopping accidents, he doesn’t specify a strict warm-up routine. Instead, he suggests common 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.
• Power Training: In Arnold’s routine, “energy coaching” includes lifting weights close to your one-rep max. He believes energy coaching is vital as a result of it builds “dense” muscle that’s simple to keep, will increase muscle and tendon power, prevents accidents, and builds psychological toughness.
• Rest Between Sets: Arnold recommends conserving relaxation intervals between units to a minute or much less. According to him, brief relaxation intervals can help you recuperate most of your power whereas making certain your muscle fibers are fatigued sufficient to necessitate progress.

Benefits of the Arnold Split

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

The Arnold cut up primarily includes compound workout routines (workout routines involving a number of joints and muscular tissues). Focusing on compound workout routines is useful as a result of they can help you prepare dozens of muscular tissues concurrently and carry heavy weights safely, which is mostly higher for muscle and power acquire.

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

They additionally can help you prepare by way of totally different ranges of movement, which probably produces extra full progress than solely doing compound workout routines. 

2. It emphasizes progressive overload. 

Many bodybuilding packages make minor facets of muscle progress 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 progress. 

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

3. It trains every physique half twice weekly. 

Many bodybuilding exercise splits arrange exercises by physique half—they prepare your chest on at some point, your again on the following, your shoulders the day after, and so forth.

This normally means you prepare every physique half simply as soon as per week, which analysis exhibits isn’t as efficient as coaching your muscular tissues extra ceaselessly. 

On the opposite hand, the Arnold cut up trains every muscle group a minimum of twice per week, which is usually higher for muscle-building functions. 

Drawbacks of the Arnold Split

1. It’s time-consuming.

2. It isn’t appropriate for novices.

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

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

3. Some of the rules aren’t backed by science. 

While these strategies could also be efficient in some eventualities, analysis exhibits coaching shy of failure, taking loads of relaxation, and doing brief however enough warm-ups are superior for gaining muscle and power. 

Who Should Follow the Arnold Split?

The Arnold cut up is best 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 a minimum of a yr and your weight loss program and sleep are on level, you in all probability shouldn’t try the Arnold cut up. 

FAQ #1: Is the Arnold cut up good for progress?

Yes, the Arnold cut up will be extremely efficient for muscle progress for some folks. Specifically, it really works effectively for intermediate or superior weightlifters (folks with a minimum of 12 months of constant coaching below their belt) who’ve loads of time to coach, are to eat sufficient energy and protein, and get loads of relaxation. 

However, a much less intense coaching routine is probably going extra becoming in the event you don’t meet these standards. 

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

FAQ #2: Arnold Split vs. PPL: Which is best?

The 6-day PPL and Arnold splits share so much in widespread: They contain coaching six days per week, prepare every physique half a minimum of twice weekly, emphasize compound weightlifting and progressive overload, and so on. Thus, selecting the best routine for you largely will depend on your preferences. 

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

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

Another choice is to observe a hybrid routine that features parts of PPL and the Arnold cut up, sometimes called “PPL x Arnold cut up” routines. 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: Rest

PPL x Arnold cut up routines have develop into widespread lately, primarily as a result of folks on Reddit and bodybuilding boards tout them as the proper mixture of bodybuilding and strength-focused coaching (“powerbuilding”).

While PPL x Arnold cut 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 in the event you don’t have your weight loss program 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 cut up?

To gas your coaching whereas following the Arnold cut up, it’s smart to observe a bulking weight loss program (eat in a calorie surplus) and eat loads of protein.

To be taught precisely what number of energy and how a lot protein you’d must get outcomes on the Arnold cut up, take the Legion Diet Quiz.