The “Arnold break up” is a 6-day exercise routine created by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Famend for its depth, weightlifters usually hail the “Austrian Oak’s” routine as the final word blueprint for constructing muscle mass.
However what’s the Arnold break up precisely?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of following this legendary exercise plan?
And the way are you aware if it’ll be just right for you?
Get evidence-based solutions to those questions and extra on this article.
What Is the Arnold Break up?
The Arnold break up is a six-day workout routine created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, outlined in his 1985 e-book, The New Encyclopedia of Fashionable Bodybuilding.
Technically, when individuals discuss with the Arnold break up, they’re often speaking about one of many two “primary” coaching routines that Arnold shares—particularly, his “Degree 1” program.
Regardless of being labeled “primary,” this routine will not be for freshmen—many skilled lifters discover it difficult.
The second stage of the fundamental program and the 2 “superior” applications are much more demanding, to the purpose that they’re usually unrealistic for many pure weightlifters.
The Arnold Break up Exercise Routine
The Arnold break up accommodates three separate exercises: chest and again; shoulders, higher arms, and forearms; and thighs (quad and hamstrings), calves, and decrease again.
You repeat these exercises twice weekly for a complete of six coaching classes. Right here’s the fundamental structure:
- Day 1: Chest and back
- Day 2: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
- Day 3: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
- Day 4: Chest and again
- Day 5: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
- Day 6: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
- Day 7: Relaxation
You additionally practice your abs in each exercise.
Now, let’s have a look at the best way to carry out every exercise:
Day #1: Chest and Again
Arnold’s chest day isn’t like most bodybuilding chest exercises. As a substitute of coaching solely the pecs, he favored to coach his chest alongside his again (usually utilizing “supersets”). For him, this was the easiest way to enhance conditioning and maximize “the pump.”
Right here’s the exercise:
- Flat Barbell Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Incline Barbell Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Dumbbell Pullover: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Chin-up: 50 complete reps
- Barbell Row: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Deadlift: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
- Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps
Day #2: Shoulders, Higher Arms, and Forearms
Day 2 of the Arnold break up is a mammoth exercise that trains all three “heads” of the deltoids and your complete arm.
Right here’s the exercise:
- Clear and Press (or Overhead Press): 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Upright Row: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
- Push Press: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
- Barbell Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Dumbbell Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Overhead Triceps Extension: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Wrist Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Reverse Wrist Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Reverse Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps
Day #3: Thighs, Calves, and Decrease Again
Day 3 of the Arnold break up is a rigorous decrease physique exercise specializing in the quads, hamstrings, calves, and decrease again—areas Arnold believed had been crucial for a well-balanced physique.
Right here’s the exercise:
- Squat: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Lunge: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Leg Curl: 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
- Standing Calf Elevate: 5 units of 15 reps
- Stiff-Leg Deadlift: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
- Good Morning: 3 units of 10, 6, and 4 reps (to failure)
- Crunch: 5 units of 25 reps
The Arnold Break up’s Coaching Rules
To maximise your outcomes on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s exercise routine, he recommends following these ideas:
- Progressive Overload: Arnold emphasizes progressive overload (step by step growing the load you elevate over time), which is the primary driver of muscle development. The best technique to implement that is to make use of double progression.
- Coaching to Failure: Arnold advises pushing every set to the purpose the place you can not carry out one other rep with out resting (“failure”). He believes this maximizes muscle fiber stimulation, resulting in higher muscle development.
- Full Vary of Movement: To completely activate each muscle fiber, Arnold recommends performing every train by means of its complete range of motion, from totally stretched to totally contracted.
- High quality of Contraction: Arnold emphasizes the significance of specializing in how effectively you contract your muscular tissues throughout each rep. He suggests beginning with lighter weights that enable exact, managed actions, making certain the goal muscle does many of the work with out assist from surrounding muscular tissues.
- Warming Up: Whereas Arnold considers warming up important for stopping injuries, he doesn’t specify a strict warm-up routine. As a substitute, he suggests common mild barbell or dumbbell workouts for every physique half, adopted by a light-weight set of every train in your exercise earlier than you start your heavier coaching.
- Energy Coaching: In Arnold’s routine, “energy coaching” entails lifting weights close to your one-rep max. He believes energy coaching is essential as a result of it builds “dense” muscle that’s straightforward to maintain, will increase muscle and tendon power, prevents accidents, and builds psychological toughness.
- Relaxation Between Units: Arnold recommends conserving rest intervals between units to a minute or much less. In response to him, quick relaxation intervals will let you get well most of your power whereas making certain your muscle fibers are fatigued sufficient to necessitate development.
Advantages of the Arnold Break up
1. It accommodates a great mixture of compound and isolation workouts.
The Arnold break up primarily contains compound exercises (workouts involving a number of joints and muscular tissues). Specializing in compound workouts is helpful as a result of they will let you practice dozens of muscular tissues concurrently and elevate heavy weights safely, which is generally better for muscle and power achieve.
The Arnold break up additionally accommodates an inexpensive quantity of isolation exercises (workouts involving only one joint and muscle). Including isolation workouts to your exercise routine is smart as a result of they will let you proceed coaching a muscle when it’s now not sensible to take action with a compound train.
Additionally they will let you practice by means of totally different ranges of movement, which possible produces extra full development than solely doing compound workouts.
2. It emphasizes progressive overload.
Many bodybuilding programs make minor features of muscle development the main focus of your coaching. For instance, they encourage you to coach your muscular tissues till they’re swollen, pumped, and sore regardless of proof that these aren’t needed for muscle development.
In distinction, the Arnold break up prioritizes getting progressively stronger over time, which is paramount for gaining muscle and power. In different phrases, the Arnold break up highlights what actually issues with regards to constructing muscle.
3. It trains every physique half twice weekly.
Many bodybuilding exercise splits arrange exercises by body part—they practice your chest on someday, your again on the following, your shoulders the day after, and so forth.
This often means you practice every physique half simply as soon as per week, which research shows isn’t as efficient as coaching your muscular tissues extra steadily.
Alternatively, the Arnold break up trains every muscle group at the very least twice per week, which is often higher for muscle-building functions.
Drawbacks of the Arnold Break up
1. It’s time-consuming.
The Arnold break up has you coaching 6 days per week, and every exercise is prolonged, comprising between 7 and 11 workouts.
When your exercise routine requires such a major time dedication, it may be difficult to take care of, particularly when you’ve got restricted time for coaching.
2. It isn’t appropriate for freshmen.
The volume (variety of units) and frequency (variety of weekly exercises) within the Arnold break up are pointless for beginners; doing fewer units much less usually will possible yield better results.
Arnold additionally advocates superior coaching strategies in his e-book—drop units, adverse reps, pressured reps, and so forth—which add a layer of complexity that’s pointless and doubtlessly complicated for novices.
3. Among the ideas aren’t backed by science.
Sure features of the Arnold break up, corresponding to coaching to failure, quick relaxation intervals, and intensive warm-ups, lack scientific assist.
Whereas these strategies could also be efficient in some eventualities, analysis exhibits training shy of failure, taking loads of relaxation, and doing quick however sufficient warm-ups are superior for gaining muscle and power.
Who Ought to Comply with the Arnold Break up?
Many individuals see footage of Arnold posing in his prime and assume the Arnold break up will assist them obtain an analogous physique. Living proof:
It’s smart to mood these expectations, although.
Freshmen gained’t get good outcomes from the Arnold break up—the amount, depth, and frequency are too excessive and can possible result in burnout slightly than progress.
The Arnold break up is healthier suited to intermediate or superior weightlifters with loads of time to coach and no restoration points. In different phrases, except you’ve been coaching for at the very least a 12 months and your diet and sleep are on level, you most likely shouldn’t try the Arnold break up.
FAQ #1: Is the Arnold break up good for development?
Sure, the Arnold break up will be extremely efficient for muscle development for some individuals. Particularly, it really works effectively for intermediate or superior weightlifters (individuals with at the very least 12 months of constant coaching below their belt) who’ve loads of time to coach, are consuming sufficient calories and protein, and get loads of relaxation.
Nevertheless, a much less intense coaching routine is probably going extra becoming in the event you don’t meet these standards.
[Read More: The 12 Best Science-Based Strength Training Programs for Gaining Muscle and Strength]
FAQ #2: Arnold Break up vs. PPL: Which is healthier?
The 6-day PPL and Arnold splits share quite a bit in widespread: They contain coaching six days per week, practice every physique half at the very least twice weekly, emphasize compound weightlifting and progressive overload, and so forth. Thus, selecting the best routine for you principally is dependent upon your preferences.
The Arnold break up entails coaching your massive higher physique muscle teams (chest and again), smaller higher physique muscular tissues (shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms), and legs in separate exercises. If this strategy works for you, select the Arnold break up.
If, alternatively, you like to prepare your coaching into “pushing,” “pulling,” and decrease physique workouts, PPL is probably going higher,
Another choice is to comply with a hybrid routine that features parts of PPL and the Arnold break up, also known as “PPL x Arnold break up” routines. Right here’s how this may look:
- Day 1: Chest and again
- Day 2: Shoulders, higher arms, and forearms
- Day 3: Thighs, calves, and decrease again
- Day 4: Push
- Day 5: Pull
- Day 6: Legs
- Day 7: Relaxation
PPL x Arnold break up routines have turn into well-liked in recent times, primarily as a result of individuals on Reddit and bodybuilding boards tout them as the right mixture of bodybuilding and strength-focused coaching (“powerbuilding”).
Whereas PPL x Arnold break up routines can work, they’ve the identical points because the common 6-day PPL and Arnold splits: they require a major time funding, and in the event you don’t have your weight loss program and restoration dialed in, they’re overkill for most individuals.
[Read More: The Ultimate Guide to the Push Pull Legs Workout Routine]
FAQ #3: How a lot do you have to eat whereas following the Arnold break up?
To gas your coaching whereas following the Arnold break up, it’s smart to comply with a bulking diet (eat in a calorie surplus) and eat loads of protein.
To study precisely what number of energy and the way a lot protein you’d must get outcomes on the Arnold break up, take the Legion Diet Quiz.
+ Scientific References
- Schoenfeld, Brad J. “The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 24, no. 10, 2010, pp. 2857–72, https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3.
- Kubo, Keitaro, et al. “Effects of Squat Training with Different Depths on Lower Limb Muscle Volumes.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 119, no. 9, 22 June 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y.
