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Half body program

Half body program

 

In bodybuilding, there are a multitude of different programs. These different programs enable everyone to train according to their body goals, but also according to their level. It's very common for beginners to work the whole body in a single training session, repeated every other day: the full body. Pro levels, on the other hand, will work a single group per session, and some will do two sessions a day - the split routine.

Benefits of the half-body program

There are intermediate programs such as the half body. This bodybuilding program divides the body in two, with one session often focusing on the upper body, and the next on the lower. This training system enables you to work the whole body in two sessions, repeated twice a week.

The half-body allows beginners to take their training to the next level and continue to focus on core and mass exercises. Few muscle-isolating movements are used in this type of bodybuilding training, as the aim is to build raw mass.

It's not uncommon to incorporate a rest day between two half-body training cycles, to rest the body and send "calm" messages to the muscles. For example, a high workout, a low workout, a rest day and then the next cycle.

Example of a 4-day half-body program

I'm going to give you an example of a half-body program. Of course, this is only an example, and you'll need to modify the exercises to suit your own bodybuilding needs and preferences. Each half-body session will be preceded by a 10-minute warm-up on the bike or rowing machine, and will end with 10 minutes of stretching to facilitate recovery

Day 1: Upper body exercises

Training for mass gain or muscle definition.

  • Chest: bench press / incline press with barbell: 5x 15 to 8 reps
  • Back: pull-ups / barbell rowing: 5x 15 to 10 reps
  • Shoulders: Neck press / lateral raises: 5 x 12 reps
  • Biceps and triceps: curl bar / high pulley triceps extension: 4 x 12 reps
  • Abdos and lumbar: crunch / lumbar extension: 5 x 20 reps

Day 2: Lower body exercises

Curl, squat and leg extension training for the lower body and weight gain.

  • Quadriceps: Leg extension / squat: for leg extension, work in pyramidal pattern 15, 12,10, 8, 8 reps. For the squat, work in pyramidal pattern 12, 10, 8, 6, 6 reps
  • Ischios: leg curl recumbent / deadlift straight leg: leg curl recumbent: 5 x 12 reps / deadlift 15, 12, 10 10 reps
  • Calves: standing heel raise / seated heel raise: 4x to burn

Work sets (squat, curl and others) are mostly pyramidal. The number of repetitions decreases as the load increases. When the number of repetitions remains unchanged, the load must nevertheless evolve. The aim is to maximise congestion in the area being worked. Impeccable technique is essential to maximizing muscle stimulation and avoiding injury, especially in squats and curls. Each workout is followed by a 10-minute stretching session.

Repeat sessions Day 1 and Day 2 to complete four days of training per week.

This type of split has been used by many bodybuilders in their early years of training, as it allows the whole body to be trained over two days, stimulating the muscles more regularly than a split routine where each group is worked once a week. Some of the world's best-known bodybuilders have used this program at some point in their lives, and they've all taken their training to the next level. But this is how they built the foundations of their bodies and muscles. Two well-known examples are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dorian Yates, both of whom went on to become Mr Olympia.

Author Alexandre CARPENTIER

Bodybuilding Champion N.A.C 2012

Alexandre shares his experience of bodybuilding with MegaGear blog readers

 
Posted in: Strength programmes