Workout Splits Explained: Find the Best Training Split for You

Choosing the right workout split can make or break your progress. Train too little and you won't grow. Train too much and you won't recover. The best split is the one you can do consistently while providing adequate stimulus and recovery.

This guide breaks down every popular training split so you can find what works for you.

What Is a Workout Split?

A workout split is how you organize your training across the week. It determines:

• Which muscles you train on which days
• How often each muscle gets trained
• How you balance volume and recovery

There's no single "best" split—only the best split for your situation.

Full Body Split

Structure

Train your entire body each session, 3 days per week.

Example Schedule:

• Monday: Full Body A
• Wednesday: Full Body B
• Friday: Full Body A
• (Alternate A/B each week)

Sample Workout

Full Body A:

1. Squat: 3x8
2. Bench Press: 3x8
3. Barbell Row: 3x8
4. Romanian Deadlift: 3x10
5. Overhead Press: 3x10
6. Lat Pulldown: 3x10

Full Body B:

1. Deadlift: 3x5
2. Incline Dumbbell Press: 3x10
3. Pull-ups: 3x8
4. Leg Press: 3x12
5. Dumbbell Row: 3x10
6. Face Pulls: 3x15

Pros

• High frequency per muscle (3x/week)
• Only 3 days required
• Great for beginners
• Efficient use of time
• Research supports frequency for growth
• Good for athletes with other training

Cons

• Sessions can be long
• Fatigue accumulates within session
• Less volume per muscle per session
• May not suit advanced lifters
• Hard to focus on weak points

Best For

• Beginners (first 6-12 months)
• Busy schedules (3 days available)
• General fitness
• Athletes
• Coming back from layoff

Upper/Lower Split

Structure

Alternate between upper body and lower body days, typically 4 days per week.

Example Schedule:

• Monday: Upper
• Tuesday: Lower
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Upper
• Friday: Lower
• Weekend: Rest

Sample Workout

Upper A (Strength Focus):

1. Bench Press: 4x6
2. Barbell Row: 4x6
3. Overhead Press: 3x8
4. Pull-ups: 3x8
5. Tricep Dips: 3x10
6. Barbell Curl: 3x10

Lower A (Strength Focus):

1. Squat: 4x6
2. Romanian Deadlift: 3x10
3. Leg Press: 3x10
4. Leg Curl: 3x12
5. Calf Raises: 4x12
6. Planks: 3x30 sec

Upper B (Hypertrophy Focus):

1. Incline Dumbbell Press: 3x10
2. Cable Row: 3x12
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3x12
4. Lat Pulldown: 3x12
5. Lateral Raises: 3x15
6. Face Pulls: 3x15

Lower B (Hypertrophy Focus):

1. Front Squat: 3x8
2. Deadlift: 3x5
3. Walking Lunges: 3x10 each
4. Leg Extension: 3x15
5. Leg Curl: 3x15
6. Calf Raises: 4x15

Pros

• Good balance of frequency and volume
• 2x/week per muscle group
• Fits 4-day schedule well
• Allows for strength and hypertrophy work
• Adequate recovery between sessions
• Flexible structure

Cons

• Upper days can be long
• May not hit muscles as directly as splits
• Requires 4 days commitment
• Some prefer more frequency

Best For

• Intermediate lifters
• Those with 4 days available
• Balanced strength and muscle goals
• Natural progression from full body

Push/Pull/Legs (PPL)

Structure

Divide workouts by movement pattern: pushing muscles, pulling muscles, and legs. Run 3 or 6 days per week.

6-Day Schedule:

• Monday: Push
• Tuesday: Pull
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Push
• Friday: Pull
• Saturday: Legs
• Sunday: Rest

3-Day Schedule:

• Monday: Push
• Wednesday: Pull
• Friday: Legs

Sample Workout

Push:

1. Bench Press: 4x8
2. Overhead Press: 3x10
3. Incline Dumbbell Press: 3x12
4. Cable Flyes: 3x15
5. Lateral Raises: 4x15
6. Tricep Pushdowns: 3x12
7. Overhead Tricep Extension: 3x12

Pull:

1. Deadlift: 3x5
2. Pull-ups: 4x8
3. Barbell Row: 3x10
4. Face Pulls: 3x15
5. Lat Pulldown: 3x12
6. Barbell Curl: 3x10
7. Hammer Curl: 3x12

Legs:

1. Squat: 4x8
2. Romanian Deadlift: 3x10
3. Leg Press: 3x12
4. Walking Lunges: 3x10 each
5. Leg Curl: 3x12
6. Leg Extension: 3x15
7. Calf Raises: 4x15

Pros

• Logical muscle groupings
• High frequency when run 6 days
• Good volume per session
• Popular and well-researched
• Flexible (3 or 6 days)
• Allows focus on lagging muscles

Cons

• 6-day version is demanding
• Long sessions possible
• Requires commitment
• May be too much for beginners
• Shoulder fatigue can accumulate

Best For

• Intermediate to advanced lifters
• Those prioritizing muscle growth
• People with 5-6 days available
• Bodybuilding focus

Bro Split (Body Part Split)

Structure

Train one muscle group per day, typically 5 days per week. Each muscle trained once per week.

Example Schedule:

• Monday: Chest
• Tuesday: Back
• Wednesday: Shoulders
• Thursday: Legs
• Friday: Arms
• Weekend: Rest

Sample Workout

Chest Day:

1. Bench Press: 4x8
2. Incline Dumbbell Press: 4x10
3. Dumbbell Flyes: 3x12
4. Cable Crossovers: 3x15
5. Push-ups: 3x failure

Back Day:

1. Deadlift: 4x5
2. Pull-ups: 4x10
3. Barbell Row: 4x8
4. Lat Pulldown: 3x12
5. Cable Row: 3x12
6. Face Pulls: 3x15

Shoulders Day:

1. Overhead Press: 4x8
2. Dumbbell Press: 3x10
3. Lateral Raises: 4x15
4. Rear Delt Flyes: 4x15
5. Front Raises: 3x12
6. Shrugs: 4x12

Legs Day:

1. Squat: 4x8
2. Leg Press: 4x12
3. Romanian Deadlift: 3x10
4. Leg Extension: 3x15
5. Leg Curl: 3x15
6. Calf Raises: 5x15

Arms Day:

1. Barbell Curl: 4x10
2. Skull Crushers: 4x10
3. Hammer Curl: 3x12
4. Tricep Pushdown: 3x12
5. Incline Curl: 3x12
6. Overhead Extension: 3x12

Pros

• High volume per muscle per session
• Maximum pump and focus
• Simple to understand
• Enjoyed by many lifters
• Good for advanced/enhanced athletes

Cons

• Low frequency (1x/week per muscle)
• Research shows 2x/week is superior for naturals
• Protein synthesis window wasted
• Long time between training same muscle
• Not optimal for most people

Best For

• Advanced lifters with specific needs
• Enhanced athletes (different recovery)
• Those who enjoy the style
• Short-term focus phases

Arnold Split

Structure

A 6-day split focusing on chest/back, shoulders/arms, and legs. Popularized by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Schedule:

• Monday: Chest & Back
• Tuesday: Shoulders & Arms
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Chest & Back
• Friday: Shoulders & Arms
• Saturday: Legs
• Sunday: Rest

Sample Workout

Chest & Back:

1. Bench Press: 4x10
2. Barbell Row: 4x10
3. Incline Press: 3x12
4. Pull-ups: 3x10
5. Dumbbell Flyes: 3x15
6. Cable Row: 3x12

Shoulders & Arms:

1. Overhead Press: 4x10
2. Barbell Curl: 4x10
3. Lateral Raises: 4x15
4. Skull Crushers: 4x10
5. Rear Delt Flyes: 3x15
6. Hammer Curl: 3x12
7. Tricep Pushdown: 3x12

Legs:

1. Squat: 5x8
2. Leg Press: 4x12
3. Leg Curl: 4x12
4. Leg Extension: 3x15
5. Romanian Deadlift: 3x10
6. Calf Raises: 5x15

Pros

• High frequency (2x/week per muscle)
• Antagonist muscle pairing (chest/back)
• Good volume distribution
• Time-tested approach
• Fun and engaging workouts

Cons

• 6 days required
• Can be fatiguing
• Shoulder fatigue from pressing frequency
• May need to manage volume carefully

Best For

• Intermediate to advanced lifters
• Those with 6 days available
• Classic bodybuilding approach
• Those who like supersets

Choosing Your Split

By Schedule

3 Days Available:

• Full Body (best choice)
• PPL (once through)

4 Days Available:

• Upper/Lower (best choice)
• Full Body (Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat)

5 Days Available:

• Upper/Lower + extra day
• PPL + Upper/Lower hybrid
• Bro split (if preferred)

6 Days Available:

• PPL (twice through)
• Arnold Split
• Upper/Lower (3x each)

By Experience Level

Beginner (0-1 year):

• Start with Full Body
• Progress to Upper/Lower

Intermediate (1-3 years):

• Upper/Lower
• PPL

Advanced (3+ years):

• PPL
• Arnold Split
• Customized splits

By Goals

Strength Focus:

• Full Body (frequency for skill)
• Upper/Lower (balance of everything)

Muscle Building:

• PPL (good frequency and volume)
• Upper/Lower

General Fitness:

• Full Body
• Upper/Lower

Time Efficiency:

• Full Body (3 days, everything hit)

Hybrid Splits

Upper/Lower/Push/Pull/Legs

5-Day Schedule:

• Monday: Upper
• Tuesday: Lower
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Push
• Friday: Pull
• Saturday: Legs
• Sunday: Rest

Combines best of both approaches.

Full Body + Specialization

4-Day Schedule:

• Monday: Full Body
• Tuesday: Weak Point Focus
• Thursday: Full Body
• Friday: Weak Point Focus

Great for bringing up lagging areas.

Rest-Pause PPL

Same PPL structure but using rest-pause sets for efficiency. Allows PPL in shorter sessions.

Making Your Split Work

Keys to Success

1. Consistency beats perfection — The best split is one you'll actually do
2. Track your workouts — Progress requires measurement
3. Manage fatigue — Include deload weeks every 4-8 weeks
4. Prioritize compounds — Start with big lifts when fresh
5. Adjust as needed — Splits aren't permanent

Signs You Need a Change

• Progress has stalled for 4+ weeks
• Constantly feeling beat up
• Dreading workouts
• Bored with the routine
• Life schedule changed

Common Mistakes

• Changing splits too often (give it 8-12 weeks)
• Copying advanced lifters' programs
• Ignoring recovery needs
• Too much volume too soon
• Not enough volume over time

Conclusion

There's no magic split—only the one that fits your life and lets you progress consistently.

Quick Recommendations:

• Beginner: Start with Full Body 3x/week
• Intermediate: Upper/Lower 4x/week or PPL
• Advanced: PPL 6x/week or custom split
• Limited time: Full Body wins

Pick a split, commit to it for 8-12 weeks, track your progress, and adjust based on results. That's the real secret to gains.