If you’re looking to add some serious muscle mass, you might want to consider incorporating the Arnold split into your workout routine. Named after the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger, this workout split was designed to help people build maximum muscle in a short period of time.

The Bottom Line

Whether you want to admit it or not, we all want to have a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The man was built like a machine, with muscles upon muscles upon muscles. So, how did he do it? What kind of workout split did he use to achieve such results?

 

As it turns out, Arnold’s workout split was pretty simple. He would focus on one muscle group per day, making sure to hit all major muscle groups over the course of a week. For example, Monday might be chest day, Tuesday could be back day, Wednesday could be legs day, and so on. This split allowed him to really focus on each muscle group and help bring them up to his incredibly high standards.

 

The Basics of the Arnold Split 

It is a 4-day workout split that revolves around targeting specific muscle groups on different days. Here’s a quick rundown of what the split looks like:

Day 1: Chest and triceps

Day 2: Back and biceps

Day 3: Rest Day

Day 4: Shoulders, traps, and calves

Day 5: Legs

Day 6: Rest Day

Day 7: Repeat cycle

As you can see, you’ll be working out almost every day of the week when following this workout split. However, you’ll also be getting plenty of rest days in between workouts, which is important for both proper recovery and avoiding burnout.

Arnold Split
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Arnold Split: Breakdown

For the chest, the split focuses on a Flat barbell bench press, Incline barbell bench press and dumbbell fly’s, and Dumbbell pullovers.

Pertaining to the biceps, the split focuses on barbell curls, seated incline dumbbell curls, and concentration curls.

Focusing on triceps, the exercises center around the close grip bench press, barbell skull-crushers, and one arm overhead dumbbell extension.

Finally, pivoting to the forearms, the wrist curl variations are the optimal exercises.

Moving to the Legs and calves which can be targeted with squats and front squats, deadlifts, good mornings, lunges, leg extensions, and leg curls. Finishing off with standing and seated calf raise.

Back aims to focus on wide grip chin-ups, two of the following: bent-over rows, dumbbell rows, and T-bar rows.

Lastly, the shoulder exercises chosen are rear delt fly’s, dumbbell presses, and front raise. Lateral raises and upright rows are great to pair with these main exercises as well.

 

 

Workout Planner

How to incorporate the Arnold Split into your Workout Routine 

If you’re interested in trying out the Arnold split, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Firstly, this type of workout split is best suited for those who have at least a few months of lifting experience under their belts. Those new to lifting, will likely see better results by following a more traditional workout routine before trying something as advanced as the Arnold split.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that this workout split is not for the faint of heart. The workouts are intense and require a lot of dedication and discipline. If you’re not willing to put in the work, you won’t see results. Finally, make sure to listen to your body and give yourself plenty of rest when needed. Overworking your muscles will only lead to injuries down the road.

 

Final Thoughts

 Overall, the Arnold split is a great way to build muscle if you’re willing to put in the work. Just make sure that you have some lifting experience under your belt before trying it out and listen to your body to avoid overexerting yourself. With dedication and discipline, you’ll be on your way to achieving your dream physique in no time!

 

 

To learn more, visit Train Fitness.

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