.png)
Choosing the right workout split can be like navigating a maze - do I focus on full-body, or should I do push/pull/legs. Maybe we could do an upper/lower split - but then there is the classic “bro split” ... They all claim to be the best - but which one is?
Over the years, I’ve tested each one in different phases of my training. What I’ve learned? They all work and don't work hahaha, it really depends on which split is the one that aligns with your lifestyle, recovery, and overall goals.
Don't worry though, I won't leave you hanging like that, keep reading and we’ll dive into why each split works, how often you should train each muscle group, and how to modify these approaches to fit real life.
For tips on how to structure these splits week by week, check out Periodization Made Simple as it pairs perfectly with the concepts we are about to go into below.
Types of workout splits: explained
Okay, so we have this idea starting to grow in our minds, that there is a variety of different splits for your workouts. But how do we know which is going to be the one that clicks. Well, it's probably a good idea to look at each split in depth and see how they work and why - then see how we can further refine them to fit our training needs.
Full-Body Workouts
Why People Love It
High Frequency: You’re hitting each muscle group multiple times a week, which research suggests can lead to faster hypertrophy for beginners and intermediates.
Efficient for Busy Schedules: If you can only train 2 to 3 days a week, full-body ensures no muscle gets neglected.
Detailed Benefits
Movement Mastery: Repeating compound lifts (squats, presses, pulls) 2–3 times weekly helps you hone technique faster.
Cardio & Strength: Full-body sessions often keep the heart rate up, especially if you rest minimally between sets, blending strength with a cardio effect.
Potential Drawbacks
Longer Sessions: Covering the entire body in one go can be time-consuming, especially if you add accessory moves (see Accessory Work 101 for more on that).
Fatigue Management: If you push every main lift to near-failure, you could be gassed out by the second or third exercise.
Risk of Injury: Along the same lines as fatigue, when you constantly train the whole body, you increase the risk of injury if there isn't appropriate recovery.
Upper/Lower Splits
Structure
Typically, 4 days per week: Upper, Lower, rest/active recovery, Upper, Lower, rest, rest (or shuffle the rest days as needed).
Example:
Monday (Upper): Bench, shoulder work, arms.
Tuesday (Lower): Squats, deadlifts (or variations), leg accessories.
Thursday (Upper): Similar or variant of Monday’s lifts.
Friday (Lower): Similar or variant of Tuesday’s lifts.
Why It’s Popular
Balanced Volume: You’re not overloading any single day with too many body parts.
Higher Frequency: Each body part gets hit twice a week, which can be great for building both strength and size.
Watch Outs
Time Constraints: If you can’t commit to 4 sessions per week, you might miss out on an entire upper or lower session.
Pairing Certain Lifts: Doing heavy deadlifts on your lower day and then going all-out on squats the same session can be brutal. Program intensities carefully or spread them out.
Push/Pull/Legs (PPL)
Core Concept
Push Day: Chest, shoulders, triceps.
Pull Day: Back, biceps, rear delts.
Leg Day: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves.
Detailed Explanation
Volume Control: Each session focuses on related muscle groups, so you can handle a decent number of exercises without hitting unrelated muscles.
Frequency Variations: You can run PPL over 3 days (one cycle per week) or 6 days (two cycles per week) if you recover quickly and have the time.
Potential Downsides
Recovery for Advanced Lifters: If you do a 6-day cycle at high intensity, it can become taxing, especially if you’re pushing progressive overload (see The Science of Progressive Overload for guidance).
Scheduling: If you miss one day, you skip a chunk of muscle groups.
Matching Splits to Your Goals
Beginners & Time-Crunched:
Full-Body is a prime candidate, hitting all muscle groups 2–3 times weekly with fewer overall workouts. Allows you to develop a strong foundation in compound lifts without needing 5–6 days in the gym.
Intermediate Lifters:
Upper/Lower or PPL splits can provide higher volume and more specialized sessions.
Great if you aim to refine technique on specific lifts (like focusing on bench vs. overhead press volume on different days).
Advanced or Bodybuilders:
A more segmented approach (like a PPL repeated with variations or even a body-part split) can help you pinpoint weak areas. Usually this requires meticulous planning and/or some serious discipline to avoid overtraining - periodic deloads become crucial here (The Art of Deloading).
Frequency vs. Volume
Training Frequency: Current research indicates that hitting each muscle group 2–3 times per week often yields solid results in relations to hypertrophy and strength gains.
Total Volume: Whether you split that volume into 2–3 sessions or do it all in 1 session matters less than your total weekly sets, but frequency can improve recovery and technique practice.
Practical Example:
If you aim for 12 sets of quads weekly, you could do 6 sets Monday (full-body or lower day) and 6 sets Thursday. This approach is kinder on your muscles and CNS than hammering 12 sets in one brutal session.
Adapting Splits to Real Life
Work schedules, family events, or unexpected life twists can throw off the best-laid plans. The best split is the one you can stick to:
Miss a Day? First off, be forgiving - this happens. However if you miss a day you always have the option to throw in a full-body session, to keep you covered for everything in the week. Or, if you're running an upper/lower split, you can shift the schedule around or combine a moderate “push” with a moderate “pull” if needed.
Testing a New Split? Give it at least 4–6 weeks to gauge real results and adapt your approach if necessary.
Putting It All Together
Experiment & Track: Use a workout journal or an app to keep track of your sets, reps, and your energy levels. After a few weeks, you’ll see patterns - are you recovering well, or feeling beat down? This is something I get all of my athletes to do in their training, and not just so I know how to adapt their programming, but so they can sit down and see it in real time or reflect back on throughout their programming.
Combine with Periodization: If you pick upper/lower, plan lighter weeks and heavier weeks in phases. For deeper strategies on this, check out Periodization Made Simple.
Stay Flexible: If you discover your squats are suffering by pairing them with heavy deadlifts on the same day, then swap your structure. Remember that fitness is 1000% individualized. You need to stay flexible (or adaptable) and learn to find what works for you.
Leaving you with this,
Whether you opt for full-body, upper/lower, PPL, or even the bro split remember that consistency reigns supreme. Splits are simply frameworks; but the real magic happens when you pair a smart split with proper recovery, progressive overload, the occasional deload, but 100% consistency. Find what works for your schedule and for your body, then run with it.
Written by Chris Gilbert
Owner & Head Coach, TNT Fitness
NCCPT | Nutritionist | Tactical Conditioning Specialist
Helping individuals achieve purpose-driven fitness for life & performance.
Cited Resources
Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J.W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 46(11), 1689-1697.
McMaster, D., Gill, N., Cronin, J., & McGuigan, M. (2013). The Development, Retention and Decay Rates of Strength and Power in Elite Rugby Union, Rugby League and American Football. Sports Medicine, 43(5), 367-384.
Comments