You clearly haven't done this type of training since you're asking why it's not popular. It's torture and torment, and in my opinion, there's no way you'll do a 100% chest workout after your back, or vice versa. Regardless of training volume.
Sorry - need to raise my hand on this one.
I’ve utilized a chest/back split (usually chest, back, delts) for over a decade, and it was during this period (specifically my late 40s) that I achieved my best back development.
The idea that you cannot train both at 100% in a single session assumes that '100% effort' is defined by duration rather than intensity and mechanical tension. Keep volume low and even an all-out blitz is manageable.
My logic is rooted in the stimulus/recovery ratio. I train 3x per week for roughly 90 minutes.
I treat recovery as a proactive variable, not a passive byproduct. By compressing the work into an A/B split, I maximize the systemic recovery window, which is where hypertrophy actually occurs.
Beyond the physiology, there is the factor of lifestyle efficiency. I am a competitive bodybuilder, but I refuse to let the gym dictate my life. I allocate my time based on the highest ROI, whether that’s in the gym or with my family.
You won’t hear 'hustle culture' rhetoric from me; I prioritize a normal, happy existence because a chronically stressed, over-trained body and frazzled mind is catabolic. I spend plenty of time relaxing, walking, reading books, stacking my sneaker boxes, etc.
The goal is to be a bodybuilder in the gym and a husband/father everywhere else.
Growth happens when we stop confusing 'torture and torment' with effective programming.
Train as hard as possible and get out. How you divvy that up doesn't matter all that much in the big picture..
