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Workout Split: Weekly Plans for 3 to 6 Days

Pick where you train, your level and how many days a week you can train. You get a workout split with exercises, sets, reps and rest times: push pull legs for 3 days, upper lower for 4 days, a bro split for 5 days and push pull legs twice for 6 days. Below are a table for choosing a split and exercises for these muscles with video and technique.

In short

A workout split divides the exercises of the week by day: each workout trains its own part of the body while the rest recovers. With 3 days the split is push, pull and legs, with 4 days upper and lower, with 5 days a bro split by muscle group and with 6 days push, pull and legs twice. A workout takes from 25 to 50 minutes with the warm-up, with from 4 to 6 exercises a day.

Workout settings

Where do you train

A split needs equipment: with nothing to pull on, back and pull days do not work. For a no-equipment day at home use the upper body workout.

Level
Days per week

5 and 6 days need the “Experienced” level.

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

Your workout

At the gym · Beginner · 3 days

AtletIQ · Workout Split: Weekly Plans for 3 to 6 Days · At the gym · Beginner · 3 days · atletiq.com/en/exercises/workout-split/

Schedule

3 daysa week

Push pull legs · 35 minutes per workout with the warm-up.

  1. MonPush
  2. Tue—
  3. WedPull
  4. Thu—
  5. FriLegs
  6. Sat—
  7. Sun—
  • Sets per week 45
  • Rest Tuesday, Thursday, 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 Pushabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Dumbbell Bench PressHorizontal press · Chest 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  2. 2 Dumbbell Shoulder PressOverhead press · Shoulders 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  3. 3 ButterflyChest fly 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Dumbbell Lateral RaiseLateral raise · Shoulders 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  5. 5 Triceps PushdownTriceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec

Full day in the Push pull legs generator

Wed Pullabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Close-Grip Front Lat PulldownVertical pull · Lats 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  2. 2 Seated Cable RowsHorizontal row · Middle Back 3 × 10–12rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Reverse Machine FlyesRear delt · Shoulders 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Hammer CurlsBiceps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec
  5. 5 Dumbbell ShrugShrug · Traps 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec

Full day in the Push pull legs generator

Fri Legsabout 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

Full day in the Push pull legs generator

Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ appThe diary saves every workout and shows your progress

Which split to choose

The number of days you can train sets the split: the more days, the narrower the muscle group in each workout.

Days per weekSplitWho it suitsGenerator
2–3Full bodyBeginners and anyone training two or three days a weekFull body workout
3Push pull legsThree workouts a week, each muscle group once a weekPush pull legs 3 day
4Upper lowerFour days, each muscle twice a weekUpper lower split
5Bro splitExperienced lifters: one day for each muscle groupBro split 5 day
6Push pull legs twiceExperienced lifters, six shorter workoutsPush pull legs 6 day

Exercises by muscle in the workout split

Chest60 exercises

Bench presses, flyes and push-ups

Shoulders72 exercises

Standing and seated presses, lateral raises

Back and lats26 exercises

Pull-ups, pulldowns and rows

Biceps49 exercises

Barbell and dumbbell curls, hammer curls

Triceps53 exercises

Cable pushdowns and French presses

Quads86 exercises

Squats, leg presses and lunges

Popular workout split exercises

24 exercises

How to train

Full body or split

A beginner, and anyone who trains two or three days a week, is fine with a full body workout: every muscle works in every workout, so each one trains 2–3 times a week. A split pays off when you train 4 days a week or more, or when one muscle group needs more than 3–4 sets in a session and they no longer fit into a reasonable time.

Frequency differs between splits. In 3 day push pull legs and in a bro split every muscle works once a week, which is why the bro split goes to experienced lifters who recover well and can handle the volume in one day. In upper lower and in 6 day push pull legs every muscle works twice a week.

How much rest between days

A muscle group needs about 48 hours to recover: schedule the next workout for it no sooner than two days later. That is why in the schedule workouts for the same group are separated by a rest day.

Rest days in the schedule: with 3 days Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with 4 days Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, with 5 days Saturday and Sunday, with 6 days Sunday. Between sets rest from 60 seconds after isolation exercises to 150 seconds after the barbell squat.

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
GeneratorPush pull legs workout planA week plan for 3 or 6 days, at the gym and at home with dumbbellsGeneratorUpper lower split workout planA week plan of four workouts, at the gym and at home with dumbbellsGeneratorUpper body workoutPresses and rows in one day, at the gym, with dumbbells and at homeGeneratorLeg workoutThe leg day on its own: at home, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorBack workoutAt home, with a band, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorHome workout planA week plan with no equipment or dumbbells: 2, 3 or 4 days

FAQ

What is the best workout split?

It depends on how many days you can train. With three days take push pull legs, with four days upper lower, with five days a bro split, with six days push pull legs twice. If you train two or three days a week, a full body workout works as well as any split.

Full body workout

Is a bro split good?

For an experienced lifter it works: each muscle group gets its own day and up to 5 exercises. Each muscle trains once a week, and if you miss a workout the group goes seven days without a load. If you want a frequency of twice a week, take upper lower or 6 day push pull legs.

Upper lower split workout plan

How many days a week should I train on a split?

From three to six. Three days is push pull legs, four days is upper lower, five days is a bro split, six days is push pull legs twice. If your weights drop from session to session, cut the number of days.

Which split is best for a beginner?

Start with a full body workout two or three times a week. When you want more volume, move to the 3 day or the 4 day split: in the generator they are available at the “Beginner” level.

Full body workout

Can I do a workout split at home?

Yes, with dumbbells: choose “At home with dumbbells”. With no equipment a split does not work: there is nothing to pull on on a back or pull day.

Upper body workout at home

AtletIQ app

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

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play