The Best Workout Split for How Many Days You Train

People ask me which workout split is best, and the honest answer is boring: the best split is the one that fits the number of days you can actually get to the gym. Pick based on that, run it for a few months, and you'll make progress on any of them.

So instead of ranking splits, here's how I'd pick one, starting from your schedule.

Start with how many days you can train

Not how many days you'd like to train. How many days you'll still make it in a busy week. A 6-day plan you run 4 days a week is worse than a 4-day plan you never miss, because the days you skip are always the same ones.

The last column matters more than the names. For building muscle, training each muscle about twice a week tends to work better than once, as long as the total amount of work is similar. That's why most of my picks land on "2x a week".

2 days a week: full body

With two sessions, anything other than full body means some muscles only get trained once a week, or skipped. Two full-body workouts, A and B, cover everything twice. Keep it to the big lifts plus a couple of accessories so each session stays under an hour.

3 days a week: full body, or PPL if you like focus

Full body three times a week is the classic beginner setup and it's hard to beat. Every muscle gets three sessions, and if you miss one, you've still trained everything that week.

Push pull legs on 3 days is the other good option. Each muscle only gets one session, but each session is focused, and a lot of people simply enjoy it more. I wrote a full push pull legs guide if that's the one you're leaning toward.

4 days a week: upper lower

Four days is where upper lower shines: upper, lower, rest, upper, lower. Every muscle twice a week, and a rest day after every two sessions. It's also the most forgiving if you miss a day, since you can slide the rest of the week along without leaving anything untrained.

If you'd rather keep push pull legs, there's a 4-day version too. I compare both in the 4-day split guide.

5 days a week: PPL upper lower, or a bro split

PPL upper lower runs upper, lower, then push, pull, legs. Everything gets trained twice and the sessions stay reasonably short. It's my pick for five days.

The bro split (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs) gets mocked, but it works if you like long, high-volume sessions on one muscle group. The catch is once-a-week frequency, so every set needs to count.

6 days a week: push pull legs or Arnold

Six days only makes sense if you're recovering well: sleeping enough, eating enough, and not dreading the gym by Thursday. If that's you, push pull legs twice through is the standard. The Arnold split (chest and back, shoulders and arms, legs) is the other one, with longer sessions.

I wouldn't start here. Earn six days by running four or five consistently first.

Then stop switching

The split matters less than what happens inside it. Pick one, run it for at least 8–12 weeks, and focus on adding reps and weight over time with double progression. Most people who "aren't making progress" have switched programs three times in that window.

Quick answers

What's the best split for beginners?

Full body on 2–3 days, or push pull legs on 3. Both let you learn the main lifts without a long week of sessions to recover from. Move to upper lower once you're showing up consistently and want a fourth day.

Is a bro split bad?

No. It trains each muscle once a week, which is on the low end for building size, but plenty of people grow on it. If you enjoy it and show up, it's a better split for you than one you skip.

Can I make my own split?

Yes. Just make sure every muscle gets trained, ideally twice a week, and that you're not putting two hard sessions for the same muscle back to back. In Splitmaxx you can name your own days and assign them to weekdays.

How long should I run a split before changing?

At least 8–12 weeks, as long as you're still adding weight or reps. Change when you've stalled for a while or your schedule changes, not because you're bored after three weeks.