Are full body workouts better?

Full body workouts have several advantages, particularly when it comes to hitting muscle groups more frequently and achieving a systemic muscle-building effect.

Here are some key benefits discussed by Sal Di Stefano on various episodes of the Mind Pump Podcast:

1. Increased Frequency and Volume Distribution: Dividing the total volume across multiple sessions allows you to hit each muscle group more often. For example, instead of doing all sets for shoulders in one session, you can split it across three sessions, keeping the protein synthesis signal elevated throughout the week 1 2.

2. Systemic Anabolic Effect: Besides building the muscle you're targeting, full-body workouts also stimulate a broader systemic anabolic response, benefiting the entire body. This can be especially useful for overall muscle growth and strength 1 3.

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     Effective Full Body Workouts

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     Full Body Benefits

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     Full Body Workouts

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     Full Body Benefits

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     Full Body Benefits

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     Full Body Benefits

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     Full Body Flexibility

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3. Practicality and Consistency: Full body workouts help ensure that you're less likely to skip sessions, as each workout involves all major muscle groups. This is more practical, especially for those who might miss specific body part days in split routines 4 5.

4. Effective Exercise Selection: When you're performing full-body workouts, you're more likely to choose the most effective and compound exercises like squats and presses. This is because you don’t fatigue out specific muscles as you might in a split routine, which often leads to less effective isolation exercises 3 6.

5. Flexibility and Appropriate Intensity: Full body routines naturally encourage appropriate intensity and offer flexibility. They can be adapted based on changing schedules or specific needs, making them suitable for a wide range of individuals, including those with demanding jobs such as first responders 7.

Overall, full-body workouts provide a well-rounded approach to building muscle and strength, ensuring better consistency, systemic growth, and use of effective exercises. For most people, including those with busy schedules, this method can offer superior overall gains compared to split routines.