People ask me what my favorite workout split is when it comes to strength training. The answer depends on my schedule. The best split is the one that covers everything I need and keeps me consistent. That changes as life changes. I don’t have to pick a favorite. I just adapt when necessary.

For the last six months or so, I was doing push, pull, legs, with cardio on my off days. As my wife’s training progressed, it was time for her workouts to evolve as well.

With work, family life, training, and ongoing certifications, I had to make sure I could keep everything moving forward. Instead of training her separately, I figured it was time for us to start working out together.

At first, we tried a legs, push, pull split. We did it for about a week. It was okay. She worked really hard, but I could tell something was a little off. My style of training worked well for me, but not as well for her. There was too much focus on one muscle group and not enough flow and movement. The last thing I wanted was for her to get bored.

That weekend, I switched us to a three-day full-body split. I figured hitting the whole body three times per week would help with both interest and consistency while still covering everything we needed.

The following week, we gave it a shot. It looked like a good idea on paper, but we ran into a new hurdle. We work out in the evenings after dinner, so sometimes we don’t even get started until almost 8:00 PM. Two people doing a full-body workout with dumbbells and taking turns on a bench had our workouts stretching well over an hour.

Long workouts late in the evening aren’t very sustainable. I didn’t need her to prove how tough she was. I needed her to stay consistent. It was my job to keep making adjustments until I got it right.

The next weekend, I thought about it. I knew she liked the full-body split. I also knew it takes time to train every major muscle group, especially with two people sharing equipment.

How could I fix it?

Supersets.

I kept the same exercises but reorganized the workout so we could pair movements together and switch between exercises with minimal rest.

The next week, everything got better.

You can tell when someone is pushing themselves and enjoying the process. The flow and rhythm of moving from one exercise to the next kept us engaged, kept our heart rates up, and added another element to the workout.

As a personal trainer, having your spouse or partner living a healthy and active lifestyle right beside you is the kind of support that reminds me that I’m already living the dream.

Consistency becomes a lot easier when you find ways to enjoy the process. We even started watching reality TV shows while we worked out. It made the workouts even more fun.

So when it comes to choosing a workout split, pick one that fits your life. When life changes, pick another one.

Just keep lifting.

Keep strength training as part of your lifestyle.

To learn more about the IntraConversions approach to weight loss and longevity, check out…Goal Weight Living