Arnold Cut up: Exercise Routine, Advantages, and Drawbacks

The “Arnold break up” is a 6-day exercise routine created by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Famend for its depth, weightlifters typically 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 downsides of following this legendary exercise plan?

And the way are you aware if it’ll give you the results you want?

Get evidence-based solutions to those questions and extra on this article.

What Is the Arnold Cut up?

The Arnold break up is a six-day exercise routine created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, outlined in his 1985 e book, The New Encyclopedia of Fashionable Bodybuilding. 

Technically, when individuals check 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 just isn’t for freshmen—many skilled lifters discover it difficult. 

The second degree of the fundamental program and the 2 “superior” applications are much more demanding, to the purpose that they’re typically unrealistic for many pure weightlifters.

The Arnold Cut up Exercise Routine

• Day 1: Chest and again
• 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 prepare your abs in each exercise.

Now, let’s take a look at the right way to carry out every exercise:

Day #1: Chest and Again

Arnold’s chest day isn’t like most bodybuilding chest exercises. As an alternative of coaching solely the pecs, he favored to coach his chest alongside his again (typically utilizing “supersets”). For him, this was one of the best ways 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

• Clear and Press (or Overhead Press): 4 units of 15, 10-to-12, 8-to-10, and 6 reps
• Dumbbell Aspect Lateral Increase: 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
• Shut-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

• 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 Increase:  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 Cut up’s Coaching Ideas

• Progressive Overload: Arnold emphasizes progressive overload (step by step rising the burden you elevate over time), which is the first driver of muscle progress. The simplest approach to implement that is to make use of double development.
• Coaching to Failure: Arnold advises pushing every set to the purpose the place you can’t carry out one other rep with out resting (“failure”). He believes this maximizes muscle fiber stimulation, resulting in larger muscle progress.
• Full Vary of Movement: To completely activate each muscle fiber, Arnold recommends performing every train by way of its whole vary of movement, from totally stretched to totally contracted.
• High quality of Contraction: Arnold emphasizes the significance of specializing in how effectively you contract your muscle tissues throughout each rep. He suggests beginning with lighter weights that enable exact, managed actions, guaranteeing the goal muscle does a lot of the work with out assist from surrounding muscle tissues.
• Warming Up: Whereas Arnold considers warming up important for stopping accidents, he doesn’t specify a strict warm-up routine. As an alternative, he suggests basic gentle barbell or dumbbell workout routines for every physique half, adopted by a lightweight 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 vital as a result of it builds “dense” muscle that’s simple to keep, will increase muscle and tendon power, prevents accidents, and builds psychological toughness.
• Relaxation Between Units: Arnold recommends retaining relaxation intervals between units to a minute or much less. In keeping with him, quick relaxation intervals will let you recuperate most of your power whereas guaranteeing your muscle fibers are fatigued sufficient to necessitate progress.

Advantages of the Arnold Cut up

1. It incorporates a superb mixture of compound and isolation workout routines.

The Arnold break up primarily includes compound workout routines (workout routines involving a number of joints and muscle tissues). Specializing in compound workout routines is helpful as a result of they will let you prepare dozens of muscle tissues concurrently and elevate heavy weights safely, which is usually higher for muscle and power achieve.

The Arnold break up additionally incorporates an inexpensive quantity of isolation workout routines (workout routines involving only one joint and muscle). Including isolation workout routines to your exercise routine is wise 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 prepare by way of totally different ranges of movement, which seemingly produces extra full progress than solely doing compound workout routines. 

2. It emphasizes progressive overload. 

Many bodybuilding applications make minor features of muscle progress the main target of your coaching. For instance, they encourage you to coach your muscle tissues till they’re swollen, pumped, and sore regardless of proof that these aren’t crucial for muscle progress. 

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 in terms of constructing muscle. 

3. It trains every physique half twice weekly. 

Many bodybuilding exercise splits manage exercises by physique half—they prepare your chest on in the future, your again on the subsequent, your shoulders the day after, and so forth.

This often means you prepare every physique half simply as soon as per week, which analysis reveals isn’t as efficient as coaching your muscle tissues extra regularly. 

Alternatively, the Arnold break up trains every muscle group at the very least twice per week, which is usually higher for muscle-building functions. 

Drawbacks of the Arnold Cut up

1. It’s time-consuming.

2. It isn’t appropriate for freshmen.

The quantity (variety of units) and frequency (variety of weekly exercises) within the Arnold break up are pointless for freshmen; doing fewer units much less typically will seemingly yield higher outcomes.

Arnold additionally advocates superior coaching strategies in his e book—drop units, adverse reps, compelled reps, and so forth—which add a layer of complexity that’s pointless and probably complicated for novices. 

3. Among the ideas aren’t backed by science. 

Whereas these strategies could also be efficient in some eventualities, analysis reveals coaching shy of failure, taking loads of relaxation, and doing quick however ample warm-ups are superior for gaining muscle and power. 

Who Ought to Comply with the Arnold Cut up?

The Arnold break up is best suited to intermediate or superior weightlifters with loads of time to coach and no restoration points. In different phrases, until you’ve been coaching for at the very least a yr and your food regimen and sleep are on level, you in all probability shouldn’t try the Arnold break up. 

FAQ #1: Is the Arnold break up good for progress?

Sure, the Arnold break up might be extremely efficient for muscle progress for some individuals. Particularly, it really works effectively for intermediate or superior weightlifters (individuals with at the very least 12 months of constant coaching beneath their belt) who’ve loads of time to coach, are consuming sufficient energy and protein, and get loads of relaxation. 

Nonetheless, a much less intense coaching routine is probably going extra becoming in case you don’t meet these standards. 

[Read More: The 12 Best Science-Based Strength Training Programs for Gaining Muscle and Strength]

FAQ #2: Arnold Cut up vs. PPL: Which is best?

The 6-day PPL and Arnold splits share loads in widespread: They contain coaching six days per week, prepare 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 largely is determined by your preferences. 

The Arnold break up entails coaching your giant higher physique muscle teams (chest and again), smaller higher physique muscle tissues (shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms), and legs in separate exercises. If this strategy works for you, select the Arnold break up.

If, then again, you like to arrange your coaching into “pushing,” “pulling,” and decrease physique workout routines, PPL is probably going higher, 

Another choice is to comply with a hybrid routine that features components of PPL and the Arnold break up, sometimes called “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 grow to be in style lately, 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 big time funding, and in case you don’t have your food regimen 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 gasoline your coaching whereas following the Arnold break up, it’s smart to comply with a bulking food regimen (eat in a calorie surplus) and eat loads of protein.

To be taught precisely what number of energy and the way a lot protein you’d must get outcomes on the Arnold break up, take the Legion Eating regimen Quiz.