Jeff Nippard’s PPL experience vs 4 day UL

[mmntc]

Hi all!

I’m currently starting week 3 tomorrow of Jeff’s PPL (16 week program) and I enjoy it.

I’ve noticed a lot of his programs are a minimum of 5 days and I’ll be honest, I love training and I love the gym but I need a little more flexibility after this run.

Is UL a good choice for a split to make sure I’m still hitting everything twice a week?

I purchase his UL program and there is an option for 3 days upper and 2 days lower if you want to train a day less but wouldn’t that be unbalanced?

I’m just looking for some advice in this regard. I’m just tired of being in the building 6-7 days a week. Once Spring and Summer comes I’d rather be outside on a hike or even just walking of area to get an additional day of cardio etc.

I also did a 4 day bro split HIT Dorian Style this fall/winter and loved the pump and loved how sore I was.

Edit: just need some direction on flexibility. I like hitting everything a couple days a week but I want to make sure I’m getting the right volume etc.

 

[spiritoftruth]

@mmntc I always looked at a 5 day routines as "5 of 7" days, more a guidance then a rule (which you can frankly say about 99% of nutrition and exercise unless you're a professional).

Not 5 days on, 2 days off necessarily, but more of whatever works.

If you're not a professional, and this is a hobby it really doesn't matter much and you shouldn't stress about it.

 

[mmntc]

@spiritoftruth You’re 100% right. For most of us it’s a hobby.

That’s a healthy way to look at it.

 

[dawn16]

@mmntc I did his upper lower 6 day split program and I usually only ran 4/5 days and I still saw progress. If you want 4 days it works well with just alternating which days of the program you skip each week.

 

[mmntc]

@dawn16 Oh ok...so do days 1-4 week 1 then days 5,6,1,2 sort of thing?

I like that thank you! Good idea.

 

[dawn16]

@mmntc Yeah that would extend the program as well! But each day has a focus on a different heavy lift so making sure you're mixing those up even if week one was 1234, and week two was 1256 and week three was 3456. If that makes sense?

 

[mmntc]

@dawn16 And then just cycle between those 3 set ups?

I like that,

 

[dwtest]

@mmntc I know he's running a 5day full body split right now, but thats one of the benefits of full body. It foes leave a little more wiggle room for frequency without causing a huge imbalance in volume. Most full body routines I've had success with stay within the 3-4 day schedule.

 

[mmntc]

@dwtest Ok thank you! My buddy bought his fundamentals package and that has a full body routine.

As someone who is intermediate though I’m not sure if 3 days is 100%? Maybe just some stuff to failure more.

I like upper/lower of PPL also because I don’t feel like I’m doing warm ups sets before each exercise.

 

[dwtest]

@mmntc Yeah i don't think frequency and level of experience have as much of a relationship as volume. But that does get annoyong warming up for a deadlift then warming up for incline dumbbell press lol.

 

[mmntc]

@dwtest Exactly. I looked into some basic UL routines. I’ll give that a go and see how I feel after this program for 16 weeks. I DO like it, I just get sick of seeing the inside of the gym lol.

It’s also winter here in NE so I could just be in a bad mood,

 

[dwtest]

@mmntc Lol it's different having a home gym and can work out throughout the day. But good luck!

 

[mmntc]

@dwtest Damn that’s the dream!

Edit: the gym I have is awesome sometimes it’s simply annoying and cold.

 

[wayfareringstranger]

@mmntc Consistancy is best. I quiet enjoy 4 day bro splits too (not full bro splits, Shoulders and biceps one day, deadlifts and back, rest, chest and triceps, legs friday.

Honestly, i've tried hitting muscles 2x and 3x a week and if there is any difference between that and a 4 day bro split it's not a big enough one for me to notice, so I do what I enjoy most, and makes me keep wanting to go to the gym, not being like "fuck second leg day right in it's ass" on a PPL or something.

I'm in my 30s anyway (32 but recovery is still tempremental) 6 days to recover means I never overtrain, on more frequent splits I had to have regular deloads, now I just deload when I feel like a week away from the gym.

 

[mmntc]

@wayfareringstranger Yeah I hear you there. I’ll try that again soon. I’d love to train different each week. I get a little impatient.

 

[mmntc]

@wayfareringstranger I’m 34 and I do feel a little more sore these last few weeks training 6 times a week. I’m going to bump down the days to 4 UL for a while and see how I respond.

 

[girloffaith2013]

@mmntc Renaissance Periodization has a great 4 day program

 

[luthfineymar]

@mmntc Get his fundamentals program, it comes with a 4 day upper/lower split that I am running ATM and I think it's my favorite of all his that I've tried (body part/FB, PPL).
I enjoy going to the gym and I thought 4 days was too low, so I added my own accessories lift day where I can focus on lagging muscles and I'm loving it

 

[mmntc]

@luthfineymar Ok!

 

[galcoguy]

@mmntc Where can I find his 5 day PPL program? I’m tired of doing bro splits.