Upper/lower two day split: When should I do abs/core?

[WeaponZero]

I work out with weight training four days a week:

Mon - Upper body

Tues - Lower body

Wed - Rest

Thurs - Upper body

Fri - Lower body

Sat - Rest

Sun - Rest

I do cardio every day for 20 minutes in the AM and an additional cardio session for another 20-30 min in the afternoon/evening on "rest" days.

Given the nature of this split, when is the best day to do core specific exercises? Upper body day? Lower body day? Or should I do them on cardio days?

[Brando]

My gym days are split up more into specific regions, rather than hitting the same spots in intervals. I have core days, shoulders/back days, biceps/triceps, chest days, and legs in general. If my schedule permitted, I'd go Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays for over an hour each session. That way it's intense enough to make a difference, but not burning myself out for no reason. It's also more specific and really hitting muscle groups over the entire workout until they're exhausted and can rebuild on my rest days.

That would be my suggestion for you, is to split your days up into regions instead of general upper or lower body. Then, you could have a dedicated session for burning your core to exhaustion and calling it a day.

[cyrus7]

you shouldn't really need to have a day dedicated to your abs/core.. do a three day split

push / pull / legs

[WeaponZero]

I was debating doing push/pull/legs.

[cyrus7]

Are you trying to bulk up or cut down?

[WeaponZero]

I'm not trying to change size, except in the waist. Simply trying to increase strength and overall fitness while reducing bodyfat.

[WeaponZero]

For practicality reasons I don't want my size--whether it comes from muscle mass or fat--to affect the ease of finding clothes that fit.

[cyrus7]

I see, I'd still go with a 3 day push pull legs split, it's the most efficient. As I said also, you shouldn't need to isolate your ab muscles, just do compound exercises where ab use is needed (ex. squats, standing press, you can throw in leg raises if you really want)

[udolipixie]

Upper/lower two day split: When should I do abs/core? Most bodybuilders I know do core everyday however to them the core doesn't mean only the abs but the all the major muscles/tissue holding the spine in place.

Given the nature of this split, when is the best day to do core specific exercises? Upper body day? Lower body day? Or should I do them on cardio days? Cardio days.

[Pully]

I agree with Cyrus. General I do a push/ pull/legs. My days are usually bicept/back, tricept/chest, legs/shoulders/ core. Having a day concentrated on the whole upper body just means, your distributing less effort in each muscle by the end of the day.

[Prof_Don]

I would do "core" on lower-body days...simply because it seems easier to work the core into the lower-body (typicall, less exercises are required for lower-body than upper-body).

[martyfellow]

Core specific exercises could be done any day, but the 'rest' days would be the ideal time.