# Which muscle groups do you work together?



## anewguy (Aug 12, 2014)

Specifically, I'd like to do chest and shoulders on the same day and am wondering of advantages/disadvantages.  

I used to do the typical chest/tris then back/bis then shoulders/legs (We'll call this option 1).... Then I started doing the chest/back gig, arms separately and then legs followed by another separate day of shoulders (option 2).  Sorry if this is hard to comprehend, been a long morning.

So far, I really like option #2 more because my arms and shoulders are getting huge... Also, that could be partly because of the cyp and var.  But my problem is that doing back and chest is too much for me.  I like to demolish my chest and my back lifts suffer when I do them on the same day.  I certainly notice a synergy from working the opposing muscle groups, it's just that I don't want to neglect my back.  I feel that back and legs are 2 of the most overlooked and/or under worked muscle groups.

I know that training any muscle hard and correctly will accomplish what you want but what splits work best for you guys?


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## Pinkbear (Aug 12, 2014)

I was doing chest/shoulders for a little
I find it much better then back/chest 

I can't mix 2 heavy muscle together
But you can do shoulders and chest same day cuz there are many exercises that hit chest and shoulders


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## CptFKNplanet (Aug 12, 2014)

I think it's really all goal dependent, and more so... what works for you. The only groups I train together (directly) right now are bi's/tri's and delts/traps. Reason being, if I were to train chest/shoulders like you're saying my OHP suffers after all the pressing for chest so I do them on different days. I like to start with my heavy barbell lift each day and do them in a powerlifting fashion as far as periodization and rep scheme goes. All my other lifts are done higher rep without any real periodization. My schedule also allows me to train 5 days/week so I do the ol' squat/bench/DL/press/arms split. 

If it's more about just taxing the muscle for you, then I don't see an issue with grouping. I think it really only matters when you want to give a certain lift as much energy as you can in order to progress in bar weight. I.e. I'm more concerned with my barbell bench progressing than say my dumbbell bench and I want to come into my OHP fresh so I do it on a different day. Hopefully that makes sense. I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable guys here will have better explanations.


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## bronco (Aug 12, 2014)

Shoulders/ bi's and back/tri's are the only muscles i work in the same workout. I dont like two push or two pulls together


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## Mind2muscle (Aug 12, 2014)

Chest/tris, back/bis, shoulders, legs….4 day split.  I know this is standard/old school but it works for me.  I can't see how its possible to tax two major muscle groups in one workout.


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## Get Some (Aug 12, 2014)

As long as you mix things up every 4 weeks or so then you should be fine. I personally like to work out shoulders on their own separate day. There are so many exercises I feel I need to complete and more than just one muscle is being worked. You have to ensure you are hitting the front, rear, and side delts, as well as traps. I sometimes lift calves on shoulder day because I don't work them on days I do "legs"...

I much prefer to do biceps with back and triceps with chest... again, not 2 big muscles together. The biceps and triceps only get accessory work if I'm truly bulking


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## TriniJuice (Aug 12, 2014)

I used 2 do
Shoulders/Legs
Back/Tri's
Chest/Bi's

Those felt like the most synergistic combo...


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## Get Some (Aug 12, 2014)

TriniJuice said:


> I used 2 do
> Shoulders/Legs
> Back/Tri's
> Chest/Bi's
> ...



I do that sometimes but I feel like my tri's are so exhausted from smashing chest the day or 2 prior that I can't get a proper workout out of them. I can bridge shoulders and even legs between the two major muscle workouts but I hit everything so hard when I'm bulking that I'm still very sore 2-3 days later


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## Tren4Life (Aug 12, 2014)

I train all the muscle groups in my workouts as follows 

Muscle group squats-mon
Muscle group bench press-wed
Muscle group dead lift -fri


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## anewguy (Aug 12, 2014)

Get Some said:


> I do that sometimes but I feel like my tri's are so exhausted from smashing chest the day or 2 prior that I can't get a proper workout out of them. I can bridge shoulders and even legs between the two major muscle workouts but I hit everything so hard when I'm bulking that I'm still very sore 2-3 days later



Ever heard of anabolic steroids?


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## Azog (Aug 12, 2014)

I REALLY like shoulders and chest together. For me personally, my shoulders were over powering everything else. A whole day committed to them was unnecessary. That said, I think even if you don't have epic shoulder genetics, chest and shoulders work great together. Just completely smash your chest first. That should pretty well take care of your front delts. After chest, I usually focus almost entirely on my side and rear delts. These parts don't get hit too much in chest and need a little focused work after chest is through. I hit chest and shoulders twice a week. My chest and shoulders have continued to grow very well with this method. Don't ask me about traps...I don't ever train them even if explicitly instructed to on my program. My fuggin' traps grow on their own accord and are threatening to conquer my entire neck choking me to death in the process.


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## coltmc4545 (Aug 13, 2014)

I train my right front delt and my right forearm every night at about 11 pm since I got married.


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## losieloos (Aug 13, 2014)

Chest and arms


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## Maijah (Aug 13, 2014)

Mon-chest
Tue- back
Wed-bi/tris
Thurs-shoulders
Fri- off
Sat-legs/core
Sun-off
I have been doing this split for a few months now and it works well for me. I also can't do chest/back in the same day. I never have enough time


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## stonetag (Aug 13, 2014)

Maijah said:


> Mon-chest
> Tue- back
> Wed-bi/tris
> Thurs-shoulders
> ...


Been doing the same for months and believe in it, but then I will change up in the winter to shorter, heavier, two muscle group workouts.


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## over9cc (Aug 13, 2014)

depending on your training style you could try to include more frequency if you haven't tried it yet.

my split- push- pull - off - chest/tri - back/bi - shoulder/legs - off

you hit every muscle group twice a week. don't try todo alot of volume on your push/pull days because you'll be in the gym for 3h.

this program would suit a training for size more than strength.


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## Kembro (Aug 13, 2014)

Chest/Back 
Shoulders/Traps
Biceps/Triceps

WHEELS!


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## bugman (Nov 20, 2014)

Maijah said:


> Mon-chest
> Tue- back
> Wed-bi/tris
> Thurs-shoulders
> ...



This is the perfect split for our schedule.  Started it yesterday after reading this thread.  Thanks for the advice.


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## whitelml (Nov 20, 2014)

pull-deadlift/back 
push-bench/shoulders
off
legs-squat/core
off


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## Zombie Killer (Dec 17, 2014)

Push Pull off Legs off repeat. I allternate exercises depending on how i feel. But mostly do all my heavy compounds for each muscle group and then isolations.


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## Beefcake (Dec 17, 2014)

I would say to be specific. 

Sun--back consisting of lat pulldowns, seated barbell pushups, upright rows or shoulder press, seated cable reverse crossovers, reverse fly's on machine, dumbell shrugs, dumbell front raises and side raises.

Mon--chest-flat bench, incline, dumbell press, bench fly's, cable fly's, bicept rope, bicept handle, bicept curl bar, bicept machine. 

Tues--Leg extensions, curls, press, calf raises, tricept pushdowns, extensions.
Wed--Back repeat
Thur--Chest repeat
Fri/Sat--Off.

Sundays are 1 hr 1/2 workout b/c I have more time available.  Back days seem to take longer than other days plus I'm focusing on back now.


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## shenky (Dec 17, 2014)

Beefcake said:


> I would say to be specific.
> 
> Sun--back consisting of lat pulldowns, seated barbell pushups, upright rows or shoulder press, seated cable reverse crossovers, reverse fly's on machine, dumbell shrugs, dumbell front raises and side raises.
> 
> ...



I think unless you are on gear, you are short changing yourself hypertrophy by doing body parts more than once a week, with the exception of legs, perhaps.


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## Beefcake (Dec 17, 2014)

I love doing bicepts, so I do them often to get a pump, maybe three times a week until failure.  I've found that I get tired quick on some back exercises so I try to hit some, like shrugs a couple times a week, 70 lb dumbells for 2-3 sets of 10.  I love being sore in my back and arms!!!  Now legs, well I have chicken legs and should probably up those to twice a week, but right now I have a pulled calf muscle so I'm taking it easy.


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## {'Calcul08'} (Jan 19, 2015)

Chest + triceps (3-4 different exercises tops)
Back + biceps (same as above)
Legs
shoulders

Rinse and repeat. There's also days when I add cardio and abs.


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## KevinH78 (Jan 21, 2015)

Mine goes like this:

tri's/shoulders
back/biceps
legs/core
chest


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jan 21, 2015)

I work dick and forearms together... (Sometimes I like to go for the ambidextrous hat trick if I'm feeling adventurous that night)

Other than that I work lifts as opposed to body parts. Not that I don't think you can't make progress lifting body parts, I just think it more efficient way to train considering my time constraints and goals (strength not size).


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