Why Muscle Splits Don’t Work For Me

One of the most common questions I get is, “What are your splits?”

Here’s the truth: I don’t have splits. I’ve never had a “chest day” or a “leg day.” I’ve never walked into the gym chasing a muscle group. And here’s why.

1. Movement Over Muscles

The first reason splits don’t resonate with me is simple: they’re outdated and inefficient.

Breaking your body into isolated parts leaves you sore, stiff, and often broken down without much payoff. Instead, I believe in training movements over muscles.

There are four pillars of human movement:

• Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
• Pull (back, biceps)
• Level Change (squats, lunges, deadlifts)
• Locomotion (walking, running, carrying, moving)

When you design training around these pillars, you build strength, move better, feel better, and create sustainability. You become a functional athlete—not just someone who can load up a bar and grind through pain.

Splits vs. Movement-Based Training

Imagine this: you dedicate a whole “shoulder day” to isolation work. Six different exercises, three sets each, long rest breaks. You crush your joints, barely elevate your heart rate, and leave the gym sore for days. That’s not efficient.

Now compare it to a movement-based session:

• Overhead presses paired with deadlifts
• Bench press with single-leg deadlifts
• Push-ups, hinges, and curls in a circuit

In one workout, you’ve trained your entire body, challenged your heart and lungs, stressed your system in a positive way, and left stronger, fitter, and more capable.

2. Results Come From Consistency, Not Splits

I never set out to “build muscle.” What you see is the byproduct of discipline and remarkable consistency. I just show up. Every single day.

It’s not about intensity. It’s about stacking days. I’d rather get in ten minutes of movement every day than one big 60-minute session a week. When you show up consistently, that habit ripples into every other part of your life. That’s inertia—stay in motion, and good things follow.

The Takeaway

Muscle splits aren’t evil, but they’re not the most effective way for most people to train.

If you want lasting results, focus on two things:

• Train movements, not muscles.
• Show up consistently.

That’s how you build a body that’s not only strong but sustainable.