People often wonder, “best workout split” Choosing how you split your workouts can either keep your results unchanged or lead to amazing progress. How you organize your training routine to hit different muscles is known as a workout split. When you train with a workout split matched to what you want to achieve and can handle, you increase muscle size, strength and fitness.
In the article, we’ll explain the best options for building muscle and how to fit them into your training week. Above all, we’ll discuss the main things to keep in mind as you choose the perfect split for your body, how you train and your fitness ambitions.
What does a Workout Split refer to?
A workout split allows you to structure your workout plan by splitting it up by the muscles you are aiming to train each day. Rather than exercising all your muscles at once, splitting your workouts means each muscle gets a break and a chance to build strength.
- Your workout split should be chosen based on several factors.
- How many days in a week do you have time for training?
- How quickly your muscles return to normal after you exercise is known as your recovery capacity.
- Are you new to strength training, at an intermediate level, or advanced?
- Why are you working out? Do you want to get stronger, lose fat or build muscle?
How a good exercise split routine helps with muscle growth
A good workout split plan helps those who want to increase their muscle mass.
- Muscle groups need rest and enough time is given for each group to heal and grow. Rigorous training leads to small muscle injuries that are fixed when you rest, resulting in more muscle size.
- When you train different muscles, you have space to do more sets and reps in one session. By doing many total sets, you can build more muscle because volume is related to hypertrophy.
- Splitting your workout means you work all your muscles, so no one gets overloaded and you gain steadily without overtraining.
- Diversity in training makes it interesting and helps you pay extra attention to places where your skills could use more work.
The Best Methods for Trying to Gain Muscle
Here you’ll find some of the top and most effective ways to split your workouts for gaining muscle mass. Every style comes with unique pros and we’ll determine which is the best for your goals.
1. Three Day Full-Body Workout
The Function of Ancient Warfare
Covers the main muscle groups of your body in just one training session, with workouts scheduled 3-4 times every week. If you only have a limited amount of time or are a beginner, this split is a perfect way to train all your muscles in just one workout.
Pros:
- A perfect way for beginners to get started with compound movements.
- Doing this movement often helps new lifters build muscle easily.
- Very helpful when someone’s time is short.
Cons:
Because they need extra stimulation to build muscle, not enough sets per muscle group for advanced lifters.
- It can become tiring if you do it on an everyday basis.
- Sample Split (Monday, Wednesday and Friday):
- Today’s exercise will work out your whole body.
- Work out all your muscles on Wednesdays.
- On Fridays, do a workout that works all your body muscles.
2. Upper/Lower Split
How the Program Works
In a split routine, you work out your upper body one day and your lower body on the next, usually switching back and forth. You may train 4 times a week, beating Fat Tuesday, with sessions for both your upper and lower body parts.
Pros:
- Helps ensure that training load does not exceed your body’s ability to recover.
- Suitable for those who have already reached the intermediate stage and would like to increase the effort.
- Allows you to work your muscles separately instead of training them all together.
Cons:
Cons:
- Can be overwhelming for beginners as it requires a bit more intensity.
- Requires consistency to ensure balanced training between upper and lower body.
Sample Split (4 Days/Week):
- Monday: Upper body
- Tuesday: Lower body
- Thursday: Upper body
- Friday: Lower body
3. Push/Pull/Legs Split
Explanation of How the Technology Functions
This type of training is considered highly effective by a lot of people interested in gaining muscle. The plan separates exercises into three sets: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), Pull (back, biceps) and Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves). You can train your body’s muscles twice a week using this approach, usually over the course of 6 days.
Pros:
- Good for building muscle, since a high volume and frequency can be used.
- Supports full recovery of all parts of your muscles.
- This program is meant for athletes who have enough stamina to work out for 6 days each week.
Cons:
- The high amount of workouts each week might be difficult for people just starting out.
- May be hard on the body if the workout load isn’t controlled, causing you to train too much.
The sample split is 6 days a week.
- Chest day falls on Monday.
- Work your pulling muscles by doing pull exercises on Tuesdays.
- Wednesday: Legs
- Thursday: Push
- Friday: Pull
- Saturday: Legs
- Sunday: Rest
4. What is Body Part Split (Bro Split)?
The Process Explained
With the body part split approach, you perform exercises that train just one muscle group every day. Many people connect it to the “bro split” approach, where your focus is on chest on day one, back the following day and legs another day. Usually, this surgery happens on 5 or 6 days every week.
Pros:
- Training your muscles in high reps can cause them to grow more quickly.
- Perfect for those who already can perform basic big lifts and now want to focus on specific muscle areas.
Cons:
- People starting or who have some experience will find this type of workout too slow for regular muscle activation.
- Since some muscles take longer to recover, you may end up with undertrained body parts.
Sample Split, every weekday:
- Monday: Chest
- Tuesday: Back
- Wednesday: Shoulders
- Work out the biceps and triceps muscles on Thursday.
- Friday: Legs
- Saturday/Sunday: Rest
5. Push/Pull Split (4-Day Split)
How the system is designed:
It is like the basic push/pull/legs routine, except you train every day for 4 days. This training split breaks the week into push and pull workouts, so you won’t overwork your muscles and can recover well.
Pros:
- Getting the most out of your training dates.
- Easy for middle-level lifters aiming to build lots of muscle without doing too much exercise.
- You do more training on a muscle group as a whole than with the body part split.
Cons:
- Not everyone may benefit from its low working capacity.
- Because the workout is still intense, it’s important to give your body time to recover.
You will follow a sample split of 4 days a week.
- Monday: Push
- Tuesday: Pull
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Push
- Friday: Pull
- Saturday/Sunday: Rest
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Workout Split for Muscle Gain
When selecting the best workout split for muscle gain, there are several factors to consider:
- Training Experience: Beginners should focus on full-body or upper/lower splits to learn proper technique and build a solid foundation. Advanced lifters may benefit more from push/pull/legs or a body part split to target specific areas with higher volume.
- Training Frequency: Your available time per week for training plays a huge role. If you can commit to 4-6 days per week, more advanced splits (like push/pull/legs) are ideal. If you’re only able to train 2-3 days a week, full-body or upper/lower splits are more suitable.
- Recovery Ability: Proper recovery is key to muscle growth. If you are prone to overtraining, consider a split that includes more rest days or lower volume. Push/pull/legs splits work well for those with higher recovery capacity.
- Goals: If your main goal is maximum muscle gain, prioritize a workout split that emphasizes volume and frequency, like push/pull/legs or a body part split.
Conclusion
Choosing the right workout split for muscle gain depends on your training experience, frequency, recovery capacity, and overall goals. Whether you opt for a full-body workout split or a more advanced push/pull/legs split, consistency, progressive overload, and proper nutrition will remain essential factors in achieving muscle hypertrophy.
To recap, here’s a simple overview of each workout split and its suitability:
| Workout Split | Best For | Frequency | Pros | Cons |
| Full-Body Split | Beginners, Time-Constrained Lifters | 3-4 days/week | Good for beginners, high frequency | Low volume per muscle group |
| Upper/Lower Split | Intermediate Lifters | 4 days/week | Balanced volume and recovery | Can be tough for beginners |
| Push/Pull/Legs Split | Intermediate to Advanced Lifters | 6 days/week | High frequency, optimal for muscle gain | High volume can lead to overtraining |
| Body Part Split (Bro Split) | Advanced Lifters | 5-6 days/week | High volume per muscle group | Limited muscle group frequency, not for beginners |
| Push/Pull Split (4-Day) | Intermediate Lifters | 4 days/week | Efficient, easier to manage | May not provide sufficient volume for advanced lifters |
