Training Splits
This article is aimed for training splits specifically for gaining muscle.If you have spent a lot of time looking at fitness content on social media, you’ll see many people talk about the best training split and the most optimal way to train. It’s nearly always people who are trying to sell something, or beginners who are just repeating what they’ve heard. All that then happens is that beginners are left confused. I’ve been doing this for a long time and have seen the trends come and go.
I was doing an upper/lower split back when it wasn’t popular, and was told at the time that I wasn’t training correctly. Right now, it seems to be the popular split on social media.
You need to ignore all the noise and understand that people need to create content to stay relevant, and it helps them to sell if they claim they have the secret to making progress. Currently, a lot of people online criticise the bro split, but the reality is that a lot of top bodybuilders, both natural and enhanced, have reached the top by using bro splits.
When picking a split, you should pick one that fits into your lifestyle, excites you, and allows you to progressively overload. If you’re making progress and enjoying your training, don’t change anything, no matter what you hear is the new best way to train.
I was doing an upper/lower split back when it wasn’t popular, and was told at the time that I wasn’t training correctly. Right now, it seems to be the popular split on social media.
You need to ignore all the noise and understand that people need to create content to stay relevant, and it helps them to sell if they claim they have the secret to making progress. Currently, a lot of people online criticise the bro split, but the reality is that a lot of top bodybuilders, both natural and enhanced, have reached the top by using bro splits.
When picking a split, you should pick one that fits into your lifestyle, excites you, and allows you to progressively overload. If you’re making progress and enjoying your training, don’t change anything, no matter what you hear is the new best way to train.
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Six splits I like are
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Training Splits
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Upper/Lower
The upper/lower is normally set up as a 4-day-a-week program
Day 1 - Lower
Day 2 - Upper
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Lower
Day 5 - Upper
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest
Pros
Day 1 - Lower
Day 2 - Upper
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Lower
Day 5 - Upper
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest
Pros
- Allows good training frequency for each muscle.
- Not much overlap between the upper and lower days, so you feel fresh for each session
- It can be a good split for strength training if you want to do the barbell lifts.
- Some people will struggle doing two hard leg sessions in a week.
- The upper days involve training many more muscles compared to the lower days. This potentially can result in the upper days being much longer, or you’re fatigued by the time you train certain muscles towards the end of the session.
Torso/Limbs
The torso days involve the shoulders, back, and chest. The limbs training day is legs and arms. It’s normally a 4-day-a-week program, but this isn’t a rule you have to stick to.
Day 1 - Torso
Day 2 - Limbs
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Torso
Day 5 - Limbs
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest
Pros
Cons
Adding arms to the leg day isn’t the only way to adjust the upper/lower split. Some trainers put the back exercises on the leg day instead and train chest, shoulders and arms the other day. Other people have added small exercises to the leg day, such as lateral raises and rear delt work.
Day 1 - Torso
Day 2 - Limbs
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Torso
Day 5 - Limbs
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Rest
Pros
- The torso/limbs split helps solve the two cons of the upper/lower split by moving the arms onto the leg day. This means you won’t have to have two full leg days, which people often prefer, and the upper days don’t have as many muscle groups to train, which helps balance the two days out.
- It can be a good split for strength training if you want to do the barbell lifts.
- Allows good training frequency for each muscle.
Cons
- The main con is it can cause some joint issues (esecpially the elbow joint) in some people as the upper body is being trained on all 4 days in some way.
Adding arms to the leg day isn’t the only way to adjust the upper/lower split. Some trainers put the back exercises on the leg day instead and train chest, shoulders and arms the other day. Other people have added small exercises to the leg day, such as lateral raises and rear delt work.
Push/Pull/Legs
Legs-Push-Pull split is one of the most popular training split. It is very simple, yet effective training split
Pros of a Push/Pull/ Legs Split
While the current trend is to consider the Legs-Push-Pull a 6 days a week split, as limits any overlap of your sessions, I’ve done this split 3,4 and 5 days a week with success.
When life has been busy in the past, I’ve just trained when I could and the account of days varied week to week. Sometimes it would be 7 days, the next week 3. This isn’t perfect, b ut I was still able to make progress.
It is a split where you can train multiple days in a row because there isn’t much overlap between sessions.
Cons
- Push - Upper body pushing muscles: chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Pull - Upper body pulling muscles: back and biceps. I don't, but some people include deadlifts on the pull day. If you do, it's best to split up the pull and legs day.
- Legs- Lower body work.
Pros of a Push/Pull/ Legs Split
- As I mentioned before, the upper days can be long on a upper/lower split. The push/puill/;leg split spreads out the upper boidy work over two sessions.
- Easier to create a balanced upper body compared to full body or Upper/Lower split.
- A push-pull-legs split can make it easier to train all the upper body muscles well. While it's not impossible to do this while training upper and lower, or full body programs, it is much easier when the training is split up a bit more.
- Very flexible when life is busy.
While the current trend is to consider the Legs-Push-Pull a 6 days a week split, as limits any overlap of your sessions, I’ve done this split 3,4 and 5 days a week with success.
When life has been busy in the past, I’ve just trained when I could and the account of days varied week to week. Sometimes it would be 7 days, the next week 3. This isn’t perfect, b ut I was still able to make progress.
It is a split where you can train multiple days in a row because there isn’t much overlap between sessions.
Cons
- Having shoulders, chest and triceps in the same workout can can it harder to train each muscle equally and keep the session length similar compared to the pull day. You won’t be able to train shoulders as hard if you train shoulders after chest and the same vice versa
- Some people find their arms are too fatigued by the time they train them as triceps are often worked when training worked chest and shoulder, and back work the biceps. Some people find their arms can end up lagging behind
Arnold Split
The Anold split is Chest-Back/Shoulders-Arms/Legs. This is similar to the push/pull/legs split, but it gives a bit more emphasis to your shoulders and arms as you train them when fresh and not as fatigued. This split can be done anywhere from 3 to 6 times a week. You don’t have to do it 6 days a week liek some people claim.
Pros
Cons
The arnold split is in my top two favourite splits for my own training
Pros
- More emphasis oin the shoulders and legs.
- Chest and back goes well together as a training day.
- Like push/pull/legs, you can train it multiple days in a row.
Cons
- Potentially too much work on the shoulder joint as they’re heaviley used on both the chest/back, and shoulders and arms day. Some people might find they
The arnold split is in my top two favourite splits for my own training
Chest-Biceps/Back-Calves/Shoulders-Triceps/Legs
This is the other split that’s in my current top two splits. With this I was able to train hard and never feel run down or achy joints. Biceps goes well chest, and triceps aren’t too fatigued after shoulders. I used to do RDL on the back day to spread out the leg work a bit (it does work the back as well). I do this split five days a week.
Pros
- None of the sessions were very long. I find this split is great when I need to be out of the gym quickly.
- You can train very hard each session as there’s plenty of time to rest before you repeat the session.
- Some people prefer more frequency, but I find I progress really well on it.
Full Body
I use this for everyone that is just getting started training as they need to practiser the lifts regulalry. Most people never need to move on to another training split unless this is a serious hobby for them.
This split is better for people who can’t go to the gym 4+ times a week. Far too many people start out training six days a week, but they’re give up lifting within 4 years. I would rather a client train full body twice a week for years, than try and do 5/6 days a week and quit.
Pros
This split is better for people who can’t go to the gym 4+ times a week. Far too many people start out training six days a week, but they’re give up lifting within 4 years. I would rather a client train full body twice a week for years, than try and do 5/6 days a week and quit.
Pros
- Muscles can be trained at high freqency
- Easy to fit into peoples lives. If you miss a session it’s not too bad as you still train the muscles frequently.
- Can be hard to train all the muscle effectively. Ogften something will lag behind.
- Once you’re strong it can be hard to do a fullbody day as each lift takes more out of you compared to someone who’s weaker.
I'm 42 years old in both of these pics.
Training Splits
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Training Splits
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