Double Split Workout Routine


Most bodybuilders that never compete simply don't have the time to do a double split training routine, but the truth about double split training goes back 50 years when competitive bodybuilders were trying to speed up fat loss and would train twice a day with a good 5 to 7 hours' break between workouts.

There are two ways to approach this type of high intensity training. The first way would be to treat this schedule as specifically for fat-loss where you train 4 times a week. You would then do your weight training hard and heavy in the morning and then come back in the afternoon to do 45 minutes of cardio.

The second option is to treat your double split routine as extreme, hitting the gym hard and heavy twice a day doing your compound movements in the morning and your isolation movements in the afternoon. This type of extreme intensity needs extra care on recuperation and obviously nutrition which needs to increase in good quality calories digested.

It is important to note that if you decide to train twice a day specifically to increase muscle mass that you shoot for a maximum of 6 to 8 weeks, after which you should return to a normal split or one body-part a day to rest up. The double split training workout listed below should not be attempted by anyone who has been training for less than 6 months.

This is what your workout would look like training 5 times a week and getting to the gym twice a day. As you will see the morning workouts will be concentrating on power doing compound movements with a burn, high rep isolation movement of the same body-part in the afternoon.

Monday: Chest Morning: Compound and Power
Bench-press 4 sets of 5 reps
Incline D/B Bench-press 4 sets of 8 reps
Hammer-strength Chest-press 4 sets of 10 reps
Afternoon: Isolation and Burn
D/B Flyes 3 sets of 10 reps
Pec Dec 3 sets of 12 reps
Cable Crossovers 3 sets of 15 reps
Bench-press 2 sets of 20 reps

Tuesday: Back
Morning: Compound and Power
Barbell Rowing 4 sets of 5 reps
Pull-ups 4 sets of 10 reps
One-arm machine rows 4 sets of 10 reps
Afternoon: Isolation and Burn
Lat Pull-downs 3 sets of 10 reps
One-arm seated cable rowing 3 sets of 12 reps
Straight-arm pull-downs 3 sets of 15 reps
One-arm D/B rowing 2 sets of 20 reps

Wednesday: Shoulders
Morning: Compound and Power
Military Press 4 sets of 5 reps
Seated Arnold Press 4 sets of 8 reps
Behind-neck Smith Press 4 sets of 10 reps
Afternoon: Isolation and Burn
D/B Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10 reps
Bent-over reverse Flyes 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell shrugs 3 sets of 15 reps
Front plate raises 2 sets of 20 reps

Thursday: Legs
Morning: Compound and Power
Squats 3 sets of 5 reps
Stiff-legged deadlift 3 sets of 8 reps
Leg Press 3 sets of 15 reps
Seated calf-raises 3 sets of 15 reps
Afternoon: Isolation and Burn
Leg extensions 3 sets of 10 reps
Leg curls 3 sets of 12 reps
Standing calf raises 3 sets of 15 reps
Squats 2 sets of 20 reps

Friday: Arms
Morning: Compound and Power
Close-grip bench-press 3 sets of 5 reps
Chin-ups 3 sets of 8 reps
Skull-crushers 3 sets of 10 reps
Barbell curls 3 sets of 10 reps
Afternoon: Isolation and Burn
Triceps extensions 3 sets of 10 reps
Concentration curls 3 sets of 10 reps
French Press 2 sets of 20 reps
Seated D/B curls 2 sets of 20 reps

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