Bro Split
A bro split gives each major muscle group its own day: chest, back, shoulders, arms, then legs. Each muscle gets trained hard once a week with plenty of volume. It gets a bad reputation, but trained hard and consistently it works, and many lifters simply enjoy it more.
- Days per week
- 5
- Best for
- Intermediates who like focused, high-volume sessions
Who it's for
- Lifters who can train 5 days a week consistently
- People who like one focused muscle group per session
- Intermediates who want lots of volume per muscle in one session
Weekly schedule
- MonChest
- TueBack
- WedShoulders
- ThuArms
- FriLegs
- SatRest
- SunRest
The workouts
Sets are working sets: warm up with a couple of lighter sets on your first lift. Rest 2–3 minutes on the big compound lifts and 60–90 seconds on everything else. Start each lift at a weight you can do for the bottom of the rep range, and add weight once you hit the top of the range on every set.
Chest
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 | 6–10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Machine chest press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Cable fly | 3 | 12–15 |
Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 4 | 6–10 |
| Barbell row | 3 | 6–10 |
| Seated cable row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Straight-arm pulldown | 2 | 12–15 |
Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead press | 4 | 6–10 |
| Lateral raise | 4 | 12–20 |
| Rear delt fly | 3 | 12–20 |
| Face pull | 3 | 12–15 |
Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Close-grip bench press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Barbell curl | 3 | 8–12 |
| Overhead triceps extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–15 |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–15 |
Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 4 | 6–10 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12–15 |
| Lying leg curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise | 4 | 10–15 |
FAQ
Does a bro split work?
Yes, if you train hard and stay consistent. Most research favors hitting each muscle about twice a week, so a bro split may build muscle a bit slower than PPL or upper lower at the same total volume, but the split you'll stick to beats the one that's optimal on paper.
What if I miss a day?
Push the week back a day rather than skipping it. Missing a day on a bro split means that muscle goes two weeks without training.
Why put arms after shoulders?
Biceps get worked on back day and triceps on chest and shoulder days. Spacing arms away from back and chest means they're fresh for their own day.