Workout Splits: Every Type Explained and How to Pick One

Every split on this page is a weekly pattern, not a full program. To run one with sets, reps and weights already filled in, pick a routine from the workout routines list.

What is a workout split?

A workout split is the plan for what each training day works. One split trains the whole body every session. Another gives each day one area, such as legs or chest.

The split does not pick your exercises or your weights. It only sets the pattern. Two people can run the same split with very different workouts.

What the split does change is how often each muscle gets trained. That number, called frequency, matters more than the name of the split.

Pick a split by days per week

Start with the days you can train every week, not the days you hope to. A plan you finish beats a better plan you skip. Each row links a page with the full weekly schedule.

Full body: every muscle, every session

A full body split trains legs, push and pull in every workout. Most beginner programs use it. You lift three days a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Each muscle gets trained three times a week, with a rest day between. Sessions stay short because each muscle gets only a few sets. Miss a day and nothing goes untrained for a whole week.

The 3 Day Full Body Workout is a ready full body routine. The 3 day workout split page compares it with the other three-day options.

Upper and lower body days

An upper/lower split alternates upper-body days and lower-body days. The usual week is four days: upper, lower, rest, upper, lower. Each muscle gets trained twice.

It is the most common next step after full body. The 4 Day Upper Lower Split is a ready version. The 4 day workout split page compares it with the other 4-day weeks.

Split by movement pattern (PPL)

PPL splits the week by movement. Push days train chest, shoulders and triceps. Pull days train back and biceps, and leg days train the lower body.

Run it twice in a row for six days a week and every muscle gets two sessions. Run it once for three days and each muscle gets one. The Reddit PPL routine is the six-day version with every set filled in.

One muscle group per day

The bro split gives each muscle group its own day. A typical week is chest, back, shoulders, arms and legs, one per day.

Each session hits one area very hard, then it rests for a week. The Bro Split Workout is a ready five-day version. It works, but most people grow a little faster when each muscle gets two sessions a week.

Hybrid and double splits

Hybrid splits mix two patterns. The PPLUL split runs push, pull and legs, then upper and lower, for five days. Every muscle gets two sessions and you still get two rest days.

Double splits pair two big muscle groups per day and repeat the cycle. The Arnold split runs chest and back, shoulders and arms, then legs, twice a week for six days. It is a lot of work and suits people who recover well.

Best workout split for hypertrophy

For muscle growth, the best workout split is the one that trains each muscle at least twice a week. It also has to fit enough hard sets into the week. The split type matters less than those two numbers.

A 2016 review of the research found that training a muscle twice a week grew it more than once a week. A 2019 review found the gap mostly closes when the weekly sets are the same.

Full body workout vs split

A full body workout trains everything each session. A split spreads the body over several days. Neither builds more muscle if the weekly sets and frequency match.

• Pick full body if you train 2 or 3 days a week, or you are new to lifting.
• Pick a split if you train 4 or more days, or your full body sessions run too long.
• Stay with full body if you often miss days. Every session covers the whole body.

2 day workout split

With two days a week, train full body both days. An upper/lower split on two days would train each muscle only once. Full body gives every muscle two sessions.

Leave two or three days between the sessions, such as Monday and Thursday. The 2 Day Full Body Workout is built for this.

How to choose your split

1. Count the days you can train every week, even in a busy week.
2. Pick the split from the table above for that number.
3. Check that each muscle gets trained at least twice a week.
4. Run it for at least 8 weeks before you judge it.
5. Change the split only when your schedule changes or your progress stalls.

In Hardy, every routine already follows a split. You can also build your own in the workout planner and Hardy tracks each session.