You've been hitting the gym consistently. You've nailed the basics. Now you're staring at a wall of training programs online and wondering: which workout split is actually the best?
Here's the truth: there is no single best split. But there IS a best split for you right now. Let's break down the three most popular options so you can stop overthinking and start progressing.
What Is a Workout Split?
A workout split is how you organize your training across the week. Instead of doing everything every session, you divide muscle groups across different days.
The goal is simple: hit each muscle group with enough volume to grow, with enough rest to recover.
The three splits dominating gyms in 2026:
| Split | Days/Week | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Full Body | 3-4 | Beginners, busy schedules |
| Upper/Lower | 4 | Intermediates, balanced approach |
| Push/Pull/Legs | 5-6 | Advanced, maximum volume |
Full Body Split
How It Works
You train every major muscle group in each session, typically 3 days per week with rest days between.
Sample week:
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full Body A |
| Tuesday | Rest |
| Wednesday | Full Body B |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Full Body C |
| Saturday | Rest or Cardio |
| Sunday | Rest |
Sample Full Body Workout
Full Body A (Strength Focus)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Bench Press | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
Full Body B (Hypertrophy Focus)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Dumbbell Incline Press | 3 | 10 | 90s |
| Cable Row | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 15 | 60s |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Bicep Curls | 2 | 12 | 60s |
Who Should Use Full Body
- Beginners (under 1 year of training)
- People with 3 days per week available
- Anyone coming back from a layoff
- Those prioritizing strength on compound lifts
The Science
A 2019 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that training muscles 3x per week (as in full body) produced comparable hypertrophy to training 1x per week with the same total volume. The key advantage: frequency helps motor learning, meaning you get better at the movements faster.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Only 3 gym days needed
- High frequency per muscle group
- Great for learning compound lifts
- Flexible scheduling
Cons:
- Sessions can run long (60-90 min)
- Harder to add isolation volume
- Fatigue accumulates within sessions
- Less focus on weak points
Upper/Lower Split
How It Works
You alternate between upper body and lower body days, typically 4 days per week.
Sample week:
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Upper A (Strength) |
| Tuesday | Lower A (Strength) |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Upper B (Hypertrophy) |
| Friday | Lower B (Hypertrophy) |
| Saturday | Rest or Cardio |
| Sunday | Rest |
Sample Upper Day
Upper A (Strength)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Barbell Row | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Pull-ups | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 15 | 60s |
| Tricep Pushdowns | 2 | 12 | 60s |
Sample Lower Day
Lower A (Strength)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Calf Raises | 4 | 15 | 60s |
| Plank | 3 | 45s | 60s |
Who Should Use Upper/Lower
- Intermediate lifters (1-3 years of training)
- People with 4 days per week available
- Those wanting a balance of volume and recovery
- Lifters who enjoy both strength and hypertrophy work
The Science
Upper/Lower hits each muscle group 2x per week, which a 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. found to be significantly better for hypertrophy than 1x per week. The 4-day structure also allows adequate recovery between sessions targeting the same muscles.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Great balance of volume and recovery
- 2x frequency per muscle group
- Manageable session length (45-60 min)
- Room for isolation work
Cons:
- Upper days can feel cramped
- 4 days minimum commitment
- Less specificity for weak points
- Lower days can be brutal
Push/Pull/Legs (PPL)
How It Works
You split training into three movement patterns:
- Push: Chest, shoulders, triceps
- Pull: Back, biceps, rear delts
- Legs: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
Run it twice per week (6 days) or once with a rest day (3-4 days).
Sample week (6-day rotation):
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Push |
| Tuesday | Pull |
| Wednesday | Legs |
| Thursday | Push |
| Friday | Pull |
| Saturday | Legs |
| Sunday | Rest |
Sample Push Day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | 3 min |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 8 | 2 min |
| Cable Flyes | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Lateral Raises | 4 | 15 | 60s |
| Tricep Overhead Extension | 3 | 12 | 60s |
Sample Pull Day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 4 | 5 | 3 min |
| Pull-ups | 3 | 8-10 | 2 min |
| Cable Row | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 15 | 60s |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10 | 60s |
| Hammer Curls | 2 | 12 | 60s |
Sample Leg Day
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 6-8 | 3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| Leg Press | 3 | 12 | 2 min |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 12 | 90s |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 12/leg | 90s |
| Calf Raises | 4 | 15 | 60s |
Who Should Use PPL
- Advanced lifters (2+ years of training)
- People with 5-6 days per week available
- Those wanting maximum volume per muscle group
- Bodybuilding-focused goals
The Science
PPL allows the highest weekly training volume, which matters because a 2017 dose-response study found that higher weekly set counts (up to about 20 sets per muscle group) continued to produce greater muscle growth. PPL makes it easy to accumulate 15-20+ weekly sets per body part.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Maximum volume per muscle group
- Dedicated days for weak points
- 2x frequency with 6-day rotation
- Synergistic muscle pairing
Cons:
- Requires 5-6 gym days
- High time commitment
- Risk of overtraining
- Not ideal for beginners
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Factor | Full Body | Upper/Lower | PPL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days/Week | 3 | 4 | 5-6 |
| Frequency/Muscle | 3x | 2x | 2x |
| Volume/Session | Moderate | Moderate | High |
| Session Length | 60-90 min | 45-60 min | 45-75 min |
| Best Level | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
| Recovery | High | Moderate | Low-Moderate |
| Flexibility | High | Moderate | Low |
| Weak Point Focus | Low | Moderate | High |
How to Pick Your Split
Stop thinking about what's "optimal" and start thinking about what's sustainable.
Choose Full Body if:
- You can train 3 days per week
- You've been lifting for less than a year
- You want maximum schedule flexibility
- You prefer shorter, more frequent training
Choose Upper/Lower if:
- You can train 4 days per week
- You have 1-3 years of experience
- You want a balance of everything
- You value manageable session lengths
Choose PPL if:
- You can train 5-6 days per week
- You have 2+ years of experience
- You want to maximize muscle growth
- You enjoy spending time in the gym
The Most Important Rule
Whatever split you choose, stick with it for at least 8-12 weeks before switching. Program hopping is the fastest way to go nowhere.
Progressive Overload: The Secret Ingredient
No split works without progressive overload. That means doing more over time:
- Add weight: Even 1-2 kg more than last week
- Add reps: Hit 3x10 last week? Go for 3x11
- Add sets: Gradually increase total weekly volume
- Improve form: Better technique = more muscle stimulation
Track every workout. Know your numbers. This is where an app like GOATED makes a real difference: tell it what you did and it logs everything automatically. No more notebooks, no more guessing.
Common Mistakes With Workout Splits
1. Choosing a Split Above Your Level
PPL looks cool on Instagram. But if you've been training for 6 months, full body will get you further, faster. Earn the right to split things up.
2. Ignoring Recovery
More training days doesn't always mean more results. If you're sleeping 5 hours and eating like a college student, a 6-day PPL will run you into the ground.
3. Skipping Legs
You already know this one. Don't be that person.
4. Not Tracking Progress
If you're not writing down your weights and reps, you're just exercising. Track everything to ensure progressive overload.
5. Changing Splits Every Month
Adaptation takes time. Give your program a fair shot before deciding it doesn't work.
When to Switch Splits
Legitimate reasons to change your training split:
- Schedule change: Your available gym days shifted
- Plateau: You've stalled on all major lifts for 4+ weeks despite good nutrition and sleep
- Boredom: You dread your workouts (motivation matters)
- Injury: You need to work around a limitation
- Goal shift: Your priorities changed (strength vs. hypertrophy)
The Bottom Line
The best workout split is the one you can follow consistently with progressive overload. For most people:
- Year 1: Full Body, 3x per week
- Year 2-3: Upper/Lower, 4x per week
- Year 3+: PPL, 5-6x per week
Stop chasing the perfect program. Pick one, commit to it, and put in the work. The gains will follow.
Want to track your workouts effortlessly? GOATED's AI logs your exercises in plain language and tracks your progressive overload automatically. Just tell it what you did and focus on lifting.
Start tracking smarter with Goated
Related Articles
- How to Start Working Out: Beginner's Guide
- 5 Best Exercises for Beginners
- How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?
- How to Calculate Your TDEE
Ready to level up your training? GOATED makes it easy to follow any workout split, track progressive overload, and hit your goals with AI-powered coaching. Coming soon to the App Store.
