Full body vs split: which to choose
The full body vs split argument is usually about taste. I put four of the bot's programs side by side and counted what each gives your muscles per week — the numbers show the difference.
The week in numbers
| Full Body — 3 Days | Upper / Lower | Push / Pull / Legs | 3-Day Split | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workouts a week | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Sets per workout, on average | 17 | 20 | 19 | 16 |
| Chest: sessions a week | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Quads: sessions a week | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Full Body — 3 Days | Upper / Lower | Push / Pull / Legs | 3-Day Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 9 | 8 | 14 | 10 |
| Back | 13 | 14 | 23 | 11 |
| Shoulders | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
| Side delts | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Rear delts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Biceps | 4 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
| Triceps | 3 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
| Quads | 6 | 14 | 14 | 7 |
| Hamstrings | 0.5 | 12 | 13.5 | 3 |
| Glutes | 0.5 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 |
| Calves | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Abs | 9 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
I count working sets from the program's schemes with the same rule the diary uses: a set goes in full to the exercise's muscle, and a deadlift set is split half to the back and half to the hamstrings and glutes. Muscles that only assist (triceps in a press) aren't counted. Volume targets are in the sets-per-week guide, and you can check your own plan with the volume calculator.
Who it's for
Full body suits beginners and anyone with three evenings or fewer: frequent work for every muscle, similar workouts, fast technique learning. Upper/lower is the next step: four days and two sessions per muscle. Push/pull/legs over six days has the most volume, for those ready for the routine. A bro split gives lots of work per group in one go, but each muscle once a week.
How to choose
Research says that at equal volume, frequency barely affects muscle growth — so volume decides, and whether you can keep the schedule. Look at "sets per workout" and "workouts a week": full body is fewer sets at a time but more often; a split is the opposite. If workouts longer than an hour don't fit your day, pick programs with fewer sets per session, even if there are more sessions a week.
More on frequency in the frequency guide, and on how many sets you need in the volume guide. Options by number of days are in splits.
Take a program into your diary and start with day one — in the bot it's under Programs → Ready-made programs → Add it. The days land in your diary, and at every workout I'll suggest the weight from last time.
Prefer Telegram? Open the bot — same diary.