How to split
your training week.
A split is how you divide your training across the week. It decides which muscles you train on which days, how often each gets worked and how long your sessions run. It is not a program on its own: a split is the calendar, and progression is what makes it work.
The best split is the one that matches how many days you can actually train, every week, for months. Start from that number, then pick from the options below.
| Split | Days | Each muscle | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full body | 2–4 | 2–3× a week | Beginners, busy weeks |
| Upper / lower | 4 | 2× a week | Most intermediate lifters |
| Push pull legs | 3 or 6 | 1–2× a week | Six-day lifters, hypertrophy |
| PPL + upper/lower | 5 | ~2× a week | Five-day intermediate lifters |
| Arnold split | 6 | 2× a week | High-volume bodybuilding |
| Bro split | 5 | 1× a week | Experienced, physique-focused |
Pick by the days you have
- Two or three days: full body. Every session trains everything, so a missed day costs little and every muscle still gets two or three hits a week.
- Four days: upper/lower. Everything twice a week, sessions about an hour, three rest days.
- Five days: PPLUL or ULPPL for efficiency, or the bro split if you prefer one muscle a day.
- Six days: push pull legs twice, or the Arnold split if you like supersets. Sleep and food become part of the program.
Every guide
- Push pull legs split 3 or 6 days — How to run a push pull legs split: the 6-day and 3-day schedules, a full push day with sets and reps, how to progress it and the mistakes that stall it.
- Upper lower split 4 days — The complete upper lower split: the 4-day weekly schedule, a full upper and lower day with sets and reps, how to progress it and who it suits best.
- Full body workout split 2–4 days — A full body workout split you can run three days a week: the weekly schedule, three rotating sessions with sets and reps, and how to progress as a beginner and beyond.
- Bro split 5 days — The bro split explained: a 5-day body part schedule, a full chest day with sets and reps, its real strengths and weaknesses, and how to make once-a-week training work.
- Arnold split 6 days — How the Arnold split works: the 6-day schedule, a chest and back day built on antagonist supersets, how to scale it to normal recovery and when it makes sense.
- PPL upper lower split (PPLUL) 5 days — The PPLUL 5-day split: push, pull, legs, upper, lower. The weekly schedule, a full upper day with sets and reps, how it trains everything about twice a week, and how to progress it.
- 3 day workout split 3 days — Choosing a 3 day workout split: full body, push pull legs or upper/lower/full, compared side by side, with a complete sample week and how to progress it.
- 4 day workout split 4 days — The best 4 day workout splits compared: upper/lower, push/pull, and a 4-day body part split, with a complete schedule, a sample day with sets and reps, and how to progress.
- 5 day workout split 5 days — The best 5 day workout splits: PPLUL, upper/lower plus push/pull/legs, and the 5-day bro split, compared, with a full weekly schedule and a sample day with sets and reps.
- 6 day workout split 6 days — The best 6 day workout splits compared: push pull legs twice, the Arnold split, and upper/lower three times, with a sample day, how to recover from six sessions and how to progress.
Questions
What is the best workout split?
The one that matches the days you can reliably train. For most people that means full body on three days, upper/lower on four, PPLUL on five, or push pull legs on six. Training each muscle twice a week is a good target for most goals.
How often should I train each muscle?
About twice a week works best for most people, with 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle per week in total. Once a week works if those sessions are hard; three times suits beginners and people on full body.
Should I change my split often?
No. Change the exercises or rep ranges every couple of months if you like, but keep the split as long as you are progressing. Switching every few weeks makes it impossible to tell what is working.
What split do bodybuilders use?
Many use body-part splits like the bro split or the Arnold split, but plenty of modern competitors run push pull legs or upper/lower. What they share is high weekly volume and careful progression, not a particular split.
Not sure yet? The workout split generator builds a week from your days, time, goal and equipment. Splyt runs it on iPhone and Apple Watch: get it free on the App Store.