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Upper Lower Split: 4 Day Workout Plan

Pick where you train and your level. You get an upper lower split routine for the week: two upper body days and two lower body days, a heavy day A and a volume day B, with exercises, sets, reps and rest times. Below are exercises for these muscles with video and technique.

In short

An upper lower split divides the week into four workouts: two upper body days (chest, back, shoulders, arms) and two lower body days (legs). Upper days are Monday and Thursday, lower days are Tuesday and Friday, and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday are free. Each day has 5 or 6 exercises and every muscle works twice a week. One workout takes from 30 to 50 minutes with the warm-up.

Workout settings

Where do you train

The upper lower split needs equipment: with nothing to pull on, an upper day does not work. For a no-equipment day at home use the upper body workout.

Level

Time is an estimate: warm-up, sets and rest between them

Your workout

At the gym · Beginner

AtletIQ · Upper Lower Split: 4 Day Workout Plan · At the gym · Beginner · atletiq.com/en/exercises/upper-lower-split/

Schedule

4 daysa week

35–40 minutes per workout with the warm-up.

  • Sets per week 66
  • Rest Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday

Go down the list from top to bottom. In “3 × 10–12” the first number is sets and the second is reps per set. Rest between sets for the time shown.

Warm-up of about 5 minutes

Mon Upper · Day A — heavyabout 40 min · 6 exercises

  1. 1 Dumbbell Bench PressHorizontal press · Chest 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  2. 2 Seated Cable RowsHorizontal row · Middle Back 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Dumbbell Shoulder PressOverhead press · Shoulders 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  4. 4 Close-Grip Front Lat PulldownVertical pull · Lats 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  5. 5 Hammer CurlsBiceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  6. 6 Triceps PushdownTriceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec

Tue Lower · Day A — heavyabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Leg PressLeg press · Quads 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  2. 2 Dumbbell LungesLunge · Quadseach side 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Leg ExtensionsLeg extension · Quads 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Lying Leg CurlsLeg curl · Hamstrings 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  5. 5 Seated Calf RaiseCalf raise · Calves 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec

Thu Upper · Day B — volumeabout 40 min · 6 exercises

  1. 1 Dumbbell Bench PressHorizontal press · Chest 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  2. 2 Seated Cable RowsHorizontal row · Middle Back 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  3. 3 Dumbbell Shoulder PressOverhead press · Shoulders 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  4. 4 Close-Grip Front Lat PulldownVertical pull · Lats 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  5. 5 Hammer CurlsBiceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  6. 6 Triceps PushdownTriceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec

Fri Lower · Day B — volumeabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Leg PressLeg press · Quads 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  2. 2 Dumbbell LungesLunge · Quadseach side 3 × 12–15rest 75 sec
  3. 3 Leg ExtensionsLeg extension · Quads 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Lying Leg CurlsLeg curl · Hamstrings 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  5. 5 Seated Calf RaiseCalf raise · Calves 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec
Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ appThe diary saves every workout and shows your progress

Exercises by muscle in the upper lower split

Chest60 exercises

Upper day: bench presses, flyes and push-ups

Shoulders72 exercises

Upper day: standing and seated presses, lateral raises

Back and lats26 exercises

Upper day: pull-ups, pulldowns and rows

Biceps49 exercises

Upper day: barbell and dumbbell curls, hammer curls

Triceps53 exercises

Upper day: cable pushdowns and French presses

Quads86 exercises

Lower day: squats, leg presses and lunges

Popular upper lower split exercises

24 exercises

How to train

How the split is built

The upper day works the chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps: a horizontal press, a row, an overhead press, a vertical pull, curls and a triceps extension. The lower day brings a squat or a leg press, a hip hinge, lunges, leg curls and calf raises. At home with dumbbells the set is the same without machines and a barbell: floor press, one-arm row, pullover, dumbbell squats and step-ups.

Monday is upper A, Tuesday is lower A, Thursday is upper B and Friday is lower B. Day A is heavy and day B is volume. Every muscle works twice a week, with two or three days of rest between sessions for the same area. There is no need to start an upper lower split before you can train four days a week: a beginner is fine with full body workouts.

Weight and progression

On heavy day A a beginner does 3 sets of 10–12 reps in the main lifts, on volume day B 3 sets of 12–15. Isolation exercises and arm work are 3 sets of 12–15 on both days. Choose a weight that leaves 2 reps in reserve at the end of a set.

With experience, on heavy day A the first two exercises get 4 sets of 6–10 reps, the barbell squat 4 sets of 6–8 and the other main lifts 3 sets of 10–12. On volume day B every main lift is 3 sets of 10–12. When you reach the top of the rep range in every set, add dumbbell or barbell weight.

Time and rest

The estimated time includes a warm-up of about 5 minutes and rest between sets. A set takes about 40 seconds, and an exercise done on each side twice as long. A beginner rests 90 seconds after main lifts on day A, 75 seconds on day B and 60 seconds after isolation exercises and arm work. With experience on day A: 120 seconds after the first two exercises, 150 seconds after the barbell squat, 75 seconds after the other main lifts; isolation and arms 60 seconds.

At the gym a beginner trains from 35 to 40 minutes and an experienced lifter from 30 to 50 minutes: upper day A is the longest and lower day B the shortest. At home with dumbbells a workout takes from 35 to 50 minutes.

AtletIQ app

Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ app

AtletIQ saves the weight and reps of every set, calculates your working weight and shows your progress on each exercise.

  • Working weight for your goal and fitness level
  • Sets, reps and rest in your workout log
  • Progress for every exercise
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play
GeneratorWorkout split for 3 to 6 daysPush pull legs, upper lower and bro split: a week planGeneratorUpper body workoutPresses and rows in one day, at the gym, with dumbbells and at homeGeneratorLeg workoutThe lower day on its own: at home, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorPush pull legs workout planA week plan for 3 or 6 days, at the gym and at home with dumbbellsGeneratorBack workoutAt home, with a band, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorCalisthenics workout planA 3 day plan with dip bars, a pull-up bar or no equipment

FAQ

How many days a week should I do an upper lower split?

Four: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The upper body and legs work twice a week, and Wednesday and the weekend are left for recovery. If your weights drop from session to session, drop upper day B and go back to three workouts a week.

Is an upper lower split better than push pull legs?

An upper lower split takes four days: upper body and legs twice a week, with longer workouts. The 3 day push pull legs split takes fewer days, and the 6 day version gives the same frequency with shorter workouts. With four days a week choose upper lower. With three or six days choose push, pull and legs.

Push pull legs workout plan

Is an upper lower split better than a full body workout?

A full body workout covers every muscle in one session and suits the start. An upper lower split divides the same muscles into two types of day: the workout is shorter and each muscle gets more sets. If you have trained for less than three months, start with full body workouts and move to the split when you want more volume.

What is the difference between day A and day B?

Day A is heavy: with experience the first two exercises get 4 sets of 6–10 reps and 120 seconds of rest. Day B is volume: every main lift is 3 sets of 10–12 reps with 75 seconds of rest. A beginner does 10–12 reps on day A and 12–15 reps on day B with a lighter weight.

How do I add weight in an upper lower split?

When you reach the top of the rep range in every set of an exercise, add weight. If your reps fall below the bottom of the range, go back to the previous weight and add it again in the next session.

Can I do an upper lower split at home?

Yes, with dumbbells: choose “At home with dumbbells”. Upper day: dumbbell floor press, one-arm row, overhead press, pullover, curl, French press. Lower day: squats, hip hinge, lunges, step-ups and calf raises. With no equipment the split does not work: there is nothing to pull on on an upper day.

Upper body workout at home

AtletIQ app

A workout log with working weight calculation: program, sets and progress on your phone.

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