A different approach to training splits

Okay, I haven't posted in quite a while, but will jumpstart this blog and start updating on a regular basis

When I first got interested in fitness and strength training I devoured every book or magazine on bodybuilding (bb) that I got my hands on. I would spend a lot of time to organize workout programs and training routines according to what various bodybuilding pros did.

the standard for bb training is to do muscle or body-part splits-train different muscles on different days of the week. there is a ton of evidence this works and I'm not disputing that; however I want to propose a different approach to training splits:

Day 1: force production - intensity/load can focus on strength or power; the idea is to load the neuromuscular system to enhance muscle force production (or the velocity of force production). exercise selection should focus on the 5 basic movements: squat/hip-hinge, single-leg, push, pull and rotation (or lack of rotation w/unilateral loading)

Day 2: movement - this is an offloading day, the focus is primarily on bodyweight movements and controlling the center of mass over base of support in all planes and directions; can include yoga, training on a suspension system, or using medicine balls or resistance tubing

Day 3: energy system - every exercise is a cardio exercise b/c blood is pumping to the muscles, if you want to train a specific energy system: short term (atp-cp), intermediate (glycolysis) or long term (mitochondrial respiration) then the intensity and duration have to be appropriate to stress the desired system

Day 4: active recovery - walking or easy cycling, or if Day 3 was using the long-term/endurance-based energy system start over at Day 1


This isn't an "end-all, be-all" system, but just one approach for organizing the variables of program design in a way that allows for recovery and adaptation.