Which is better?

[mab413]

Hi everyone, this my first post.
My question is it better to do tri's and bi's on the same day? I currently do chest and tri's on the same day and back and bi's together. Is there any benefit? I am a beginner and workout 4-5 times a week.

[dyslexic]

There is a book of set rules. You must follow them to the "T"... if you don't, you will never be able to build any muscle whatsoever.

I just can't find the book right now.


I think you are supposed to do Tri's with calves.


I could be wrong.

[tbombz]

doesnt really matter-so long as you work em out.

i think thats whats dyslexic was trying to tell you



or you could always try splitting up your arm workout into two seperate workouts. one for your right bicep&tricep and one for your left.

[benchmstr]

it doesnt matter...just use intensity, weight, and do it right.....most guys at the gym lack intensity and never improve....dont be afraid to throw up, and pass out...

bench

[dyslexic]

If you get to the gym and you see a bunch of dudes passed out in their own vomit, just step over them and continue on with your workout-- chances are the squat rack will be free'd up for a bit...



Just don't do your curls in it... lest they wake up and catch you.

[benchmstr]

If you get to the gym and you see a bunch of dudes passed out in their own vomit, just step over them and continue on with your workout-- chances are the squat rack will be free'd up for a bit...



Just don't do your curls in it... lest they wake up and catch you.

^^^^
truth...

bench

[claymore]

Hi everyone, this my first post.
My question is it better to do tri's and bi's on the same day? I currently do chest and tri's on the same day and back and bi's together. Is there any benefit? I am a beginner and workout 4-5 times a week.

Doesn't matter

[ronbrgundy]

Hi everyone, this my first post.
My question is it better to do tri's and bi's on the same day? I currently do chest and tri's on the same day and back and bi's together. Is there any benefit? I am a beginner and workout 4-5 times a week.

I've done both these splits im sure half the board has done both splits before.  This is my personal opinion; it is just my personal opinion.  The right answer is to do what works for you and your body. 

I do back/bi's and chest/tri's split when coming back from a break from lifting, or would recommend for a beginner.  I have seen so many people injured or read about injuries lately.  My workout buddy just strained his bicep tendon.  I talked to a guy in the gym tonight who had catastrophic rotator cuff tear.. i forget what tendon name he threw out but he was a powerlifter and tore it the whole way and required surgery. Such a tear (complete not partial tear of the tendon) is not as typical in bodybuilding but in powerlifting or skiing etc it does happen.   I personally have torn my rotator cuff never had surgery and can't go as big as I otherwise would be able to. 

So you ask me what split to do.  Me personally if you are new to bodybuilding or coming back after a break, do biceps/back and triceps/chest.  Focus on form and build up intensity from there.  I would do this for 4-6 months then change the split.  Everyone has their own opinions.  I think it takes about a year of progressive weight training for tendons to really get ready to do hard lifts.  Thats only if you have been on top of your s.. eating right, resting, lifting with intensity.  Then if you want to f around and show off with 1 reppers every other week your chances of being injured are much less than if you have only been lifting 1-6 months. 

This is a split I would switch to after 6 months:

Chest
Back
Shoulders
Legs
Bi's/Tris
OFF

But as a new guy.. you don't want that split right now.  You would be selling yourself short.  Me personally I might would even do a split like this until I plateaued:

Chest/Triceps
Back/Biceps
Shoulders/Legs
OFF

And of course as a new guy the idea that you are going to lift 6 days a week is just the stuff of dreams.. you'll be in there 5 days at best thats just how life goes when you are new until you catch the bug and then its like your new home you just want to set up shop there and live there and you love the sounds the smells the people everything. 

[coltrane]

I like tris/bis on the same day for two reasons:


1.  More blood flow THAT day to the region, and
2.  I feel that I hit them again (just indirectly) when i train chest and back.  You use a lot of tri on chest exercises and bicep on back exercises.

[jpm101]

Congrats on you first post.

If your a true beginner, than you would be wise to limit workout days to 3 times a week. With the main movements compound exercises. Try keeping workout time to around an hour.  Avoid any machine type exercises for the first 3 months or so. Free weights are first choice. Please have squats in your training protocol.

So many new guy's to BB'ing crash and burn by attempting too much, too soon.  That would included unrealistic splits. A logical split would be triceps with pushing exercises (bench, inclines, overhead presses, etc). Biceps with pulling exercises (rows, chins, cleans, etc.) Some BB'ers find that doing triceps with pulls or biceps with presses works the best.Something like an SS effect. Use your own judgment and see what works for you. Illogical split: a day for arms training only. Or shoulder training for that matter. Good Luck.

[coltrane]

Congrats on you first post.

If your a true beginner, than you would be wise to limit workout days to 3 times a week. With the main movements compound exercises. Try keeping workout time to around an hour.  Avoid any machine type exercises for the first 3 months or so. Free weights are first choice. Please have squats in your training protocol.

So many new guy's to BB'ing crash and burn by attempting too much, too soon.  That would included unrealistic splits. A logical split would be triceps with pushing exercises (bench, inclines, overhead presses, etc). Biceps with pulling exercises (rows, chins, cleans, etc.) Some BB'ers find that doing triceps with pulls or biceps with presses works the best.Something like an SS effect. Use your own judgment and see what works for you. Illogical split: a day for arms training only. Or shoulder training for that matter. Good Luck.

How is this illogical?  Most do arms together on the same day.   It's funny how you say "use your judgment and see what works for you" then state that doing both in the same workout is illogical.  

I do biceps and triceps the same day because i'm too tired to adequately hit tris after chest and bis after back.  Same thing with shoulders.  It makes for too long of workouts too.

And all your advice is coming from one who even admits they don't train arms at all.

[jpm101]

Actually, many times before, I said that my arms seem to develop very well without any direct work. Also my calves & delts do. Though calves probably more from football. I have not done any arm work on purpose or accident in years. Ethnic curse I guess.
 
It's up to your own personal judgment. If that is flawed it would not matter if it may seem logical or illogical to anyone else. It's your decision, it's your judgment call. None of my business, just offering personal views on training, do what you want. If you wish to waste a whole training day on arm work, than props to you. Some BB'ers do, most do not. Though they might on short term special arm programs. But never on a regular training bases.

If your too tired from a back or chest workout,  to handle maybe 2 exercises of 2 to 3 sets each of direct bicep/tricep work, than those back and chest workouts may need readjusting. If doing 12 to 18 sets, of 8-12 rep or spend 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the gym on one muscle group(s), than you may be doing physical labor rather than smart training. First clue,"I'm too tired". Good Luck.

[coltrane]

I train naturally.

That being said, i don't feel as though a few sets for any body part is ever the right approach.  I truly believe that to make natural gains, you need to annihilate a body part, then let it rest until the following week.  Hitting each bodypart once a week.

Pros are not natural, obviously.  They can get by on a few sets of triceps after they're chest workout.  But natty's cannot.  You won't spark the kind of growth necessary. 

I guess the creator of the thread needs to address whether he is training natural or not.

[Montague]

Hi everyone, this my first post.
My question is it better to do tri's and bi's on the same day? I currently do chest and tri's on the same day and back and bi's together. Is there any benefit? I am a beginner and workout 4-5 times a week.

I’ve trained – and continue to train – arms both ways.
I change up my splits every few months.

The nice thing about something such as training tri’s after chest is that triceps are a major ancillary muscle for pressing.
By the end of the chest portion of your workout, your tri’s have already gotten a good bit of stimulation and won’t need much more to finish them off.

Same goes for training biceps after back.

The advantage to training bi’s & tri’s on their own day is that I can hit them in more ways and from more angles with a variety of exercises. You can also devote more time & emphasis to certain areas if so desired.
Some degree of variety in training is always good.

Finally, doing a push/pull combo (like chest & bi’s) would mean the biceps will be pretty fresh when you start that part of the workout, so you should be able to use more volume to stimulate them.

Really, each method has it’s own advantages, and it’s wise to try all of them.

[mab413]

Thanks for all of the replies. I guess I will change things up every once in a while and try different routines when I hit a wall.