Best Workout Split for 2 to 6 Days a Week

The best workout split trains each muscle about twice a week with 10–20 hard sets in total. It also has to fit a schedule you can keep. For most people that means full body on 2–3 days, upper/lower on 4 days, and push/pull/legs on 6 days.

Key takeaways

• Pick your split by how many days you can train, not by what's popular.
• Training each muscle 2× per week is the best default for muscle gain.
• Once weekly sets are equal, the split itself matters much less than effort and consistency.
• Cap each muscle at roughly 6–10 hard sets per session. Spread extra sets to another day.
• For fat loss, the split matters less than keeping heavy lifts in while you diet.

Best workout split according to science

Research doesn't crown one split. It points to a few rules any good split should meet.

Frequency. A 2016 meta-analysis found that training a muscle twice a week grew more muscle than once a week. A 2019 follow-up found that when weekly volume is equal, frequency matters little. The practical reading: 2× per week is a useful way to spread your volume, not magic.

Volume. About 10–20 hard sets per muscle per week is a good default for growth. Beginners can grow well on 6–12. You can learn more about how many sets per week you need.

Session cap. Returns per session drop after roughly 6–10 hard sets for one muscle. Past that, the extra sets work better on another day.

Session length. Most people sustain 45–75 minute sessions. A split that demands two-hour workouts usually fails on adherence.

So the "best" split is simply the one that fits these rules into your week.

Best split by days per week

• 2: Best split Full body A/B, Times each muscle is trained 2×, Best for Beginners, busy people
• 3: Best split Full body A/B/A or A/B/C, Times each muscle is trained 3×, Best for Beginners to intermediates
• 4: Best split Upper/lower × 2, Times each muscle is trained 2×, Best for Intermediates; the all-round favorite
• 5: Best split Upper/lower/push/pull/legs, or U/L/U/L + weak-point day, Times each muscle is trained ~2×, Best for Intermediate to advanced
• 6: Best split Push/pull/legs × 2, Times each muscle is trained 2×, Best for Advanced lifters with time and good recovery

Best workout split for 3 days a week

Full body wins here. Alternate two workouts (A/B/A one week, B/A/B the next) so each muscle gets trained three times in some weeks and twice in others. Each session covers a squat, a hinge, a push, a pull, and a little arm and core work.

Three full-body days is also the classic beginner setup. It practices the main lifts often, which speeds up skill learning.

Best workout split for 4 days a week

Upper/lower, done twice. Each muscle gets two sessions per week, and each session has a manageable amount of work. A common layout is Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Thursday upper, Friday lower.

You can make the first pair strength-focused (sets of 4–6) and the second pair hypertrophy-focused (sets of 8–15). That mix delivers about 10–14 hard sets per major muscle per week.

Best workout split for 5 days a week

You have two good options. Run upper/lower followed by push/pull/legs. Or run upper/lower twice and use the fifth day for a weak point, such as arms, shoulders or calves. Both keep each muscle near 2× per week.

Six days: push/pull/legs

Push/pull/legs, run twice, gives each muscle two sessions and roughly 16–20 sets per week. That is a lot of work. It suits advanced lifters who sleep well and have the time.

Full body vs split: which is better?

Neither wins outright. Full body vs split comes down to how many days you have and how much volume you need.

Full body is better when:

• You train 2–3 days a week.
• You're a beginner and need lots of practice on the main lifts.
• Your schedule is unpredictable. Missing a day still leaves every muscle trained.

Upper/lower or PPL is better when:

• You train 4–6 days a week.
• You need more weekly sets than fit into a few full-body sessions.
• You prefer shorter, more focused workouts.

What about the "bro split," one muscle per day once a week? It can work if weekly volume is high. But it caps how much useful work you do per session and leaves muscles idle for days. Training each muscle twice a week is the better default. See the full case in our guide to training frequency for muscle growth.

Best workout split for muscle gain

For muscle gain, use this checklist on any split:

• Each major muscle trained at least 2× per week.
• About 10–20 hard sets per muscle per week (beginners 6–12).
• Most sets taken to within 0–3 reps of failure.
• Every movement pattern covered: squat, hinge, horizontal push and pull, vertical push and pull, carry or core.
• Push and pull volume roughly equal.

Worked example: checking a split's weekly volume

Count hard sets per muscle for the week. Compound lifts count fully for the main muscle and about half for helpers.

• Weekly chest sets = sets of chest-focused exercises + 0.5 × sets that use chest as a helper
• Upper/lower example:
• Upper 1: bench press 4 sets
• Upper 2: incline DB press 3 + cable fly 3
• Chest total = 4 + 3 + 3 = 10 hard sets per week

Ten sets per week is at the low end of the target range. If chest lags, add 2–4 sets spread over both upper days.

Best workout split for fat loss

When fat loss is the goal, diet creates the deficit and lifting decides what kind of weight you lose. The split's job is to keep muscle. Keep the heavy compound lifts. Late in a diet, it's fine to drop total sets by about one-third.

A good fat-loss week combines three full-body strength days with two cardio days and a daily step target. For example:

• Mon: full body A
• Tue: Zone 2 cardio, 30–45 minutes
• Wed: full body B
• Thu: intervals, 6–10 × 30 seconds hard / 90 seconds easy
• Fri: full body A
• Daily: 8,000–10,000 steps

This also covers the WHO baseline of aerobic activity plus at least 2 strength days per week. Set your weekly rate of loss using our guide to how fast you can lose fat.

How to apply this: choose your split in 5 steps

• Count your real training days. Use the number you can hit on a bad week, not a good one.
• Match the split to the table. 2–3 days: full body. 4 days: upper/lower. 5 days: hybrid. 6 days: push/pull/legs.
• Program the volume. Aim for 10–20 hard sets per muscle per week, with no more than about 6–10 per muscle in one session.
• Run it for 8–12 weeks. Change exercises or splits only after you have data.
• Schedule a [deload week](/blog/deload-week) every 4–8 weeks, or when performance drops two sessions in a row.

FAQ

What is the best workout split for muscle gain?

The best split for muscle gain trains each muscle at least twice a week with about 10–20 hard sets per week. Upper/lower on 4 days and push/pull/legs on 6 days both do this well. Full body on 3 days works very well for beginners.

What is the best workout split for 3 days a week?

Full body is the best choice for 3 days a week. Alternate two workouts, A and B, so each muscle is trained two or three times a week. Each session should include a squat, a hinge, a push, a pull and some core work.

What is the best workout split for 4 days a week?

Upper/lower, repeated twice, is the most popular and effective 4-day option. Each muscle is trained twice a week and session volume stays manageable. Many lifters make one upper and one lower day heavier and the other pair higher-rep.

What is the best workout split for 5 days a week?

Combine upper/lower with push/pull/legs, or run upper/lower twice and add a fifth day for weak points. Both keep each muscle near twice a week. This suits intermediate and advanced lifters.

Is full body or a split better?

Neither is better in general. Full body suits 2–3 training days and beginners, while upper/lower or push/pull/legs suits 4–6 days and higher volume. When weekly sets and effort are equal, results are similar.

What is the best workout split for fat loss?

Three full-body strength days plus two cardio days and a daily step goal works well. The key is keeping heavy compound lifts in your program to hold on to muscle. Your calorie deficit, not the split, drives the fat loss.

Educational content, not medical advice.

Sources

• Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. 2016. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
• Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Krieger J. 2019. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? J Sports Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906
• Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. 2017. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass. J Sports Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197
• Haff GG, Triplett NT (eds). 2016. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed. NSCA / Human Kinetics.
• Bull FC et al. 2020. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955

If you'd rather not build a split from scratch, The Field Manual has five complete templates, from 3-day full body to 6-day push/pull/legs, with sets, reps and effort targets already filled in.