Best Workout Splits: PPL, Upper/Lower, or Full Body?

What is a Workout Split?

A workout split is how you divide your training across the week. Instead of training every muscle every day (which would be impossible to recover from), you split your training by muscle groups or movement patterns. The right split maximizes muscle growth while allowing adequate recovery.

1. Full Body Split (3x/week)

Train every major muscle group in each session, 3 times per week. This is the most time-efficient split and perfect for beginners or busy professionals.

Sample Full Body Week

Best For: Beginners (0-1 year experience), busy professionals, those training 3-4 days/week

2. Upper/Lower Split (4x/week)

Split training into upper body and lower body days, alternating throughout the week. Train each twice per week for optimal frequency and volume balance.

Sample Upper/Lower Week

Best For: Intermediate lifters (1-3 years experience), those who can train 4 days/week, strength-focused athletes

3. Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) Split (6x/week)

Split training into pushing movements (chest, shoulders, triceps), pulling movements (back, biceps), and legs. Run the cycle twice per week for high frequency and volume.

Sample PPL Week

Best For: Advanced lifters (2+ years experience), bodybuilding focus, those with time for 6 gym days/week

Quick Comparison Table

Other Notable Splits

While PPL, Upper/Lower, and Full Body are the three most popular, there are other splits worth considering depending on your goals and preferences:

Arnold Split (6x/week)

Made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1970s, this split pairs chest/back, shoulders/arms, and legs across 6 days. The unique twist is training antagonistic muscle groups together (pushing and pulling in the same session), which allows for supersets and keeps sessions intense.

• Day 1: Chest + Back
• Day 2: Shoulders + Arms
• Day 3: Legs
• Days 4-6: Repeat

Best for advanced lifters who enjoy high volume and have 6 training days available.

Bro Split (5-6x/week)

The classic bodybuilding approach: one muscle group per day. Monday is chest day, Tuesday is back, Wednesday is legs, and so on. Each muscle gets hit once per week with very high volume.

Modern research suggests hitting each muscle twice per week is superior to once per week for hypertrophy. However, the bro split can still work for advanced lifters who need extremely high volume per muscle group and can recover from it. It is not recommended for beginners or intermediates.

The Hybrid Approach

Many experienced lifters combine elements of different splits. For example, a 5-day hybrid might look like Upper / Lower / Push / Pull / Legs. This gives you the best of both worlds — the frequency of an upper/lower split with the focus of a PPL split. The key is ensuring total weekly volume and frequency are appropriate for your level.

How Volume and Frequency Interact

Two of the most important training variables are volume (total sets per muscle per week) and frequency (how often you train each muscle per week). Research from a 2017 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. suggests the following guidelines:

The key insight is that spreading your weekly volume across more sessions tends to produce better results than cramming it all into one session. This is because muscle protein synthesis (MPS) peaks about 24-48 hours after training, so hitting each muscle 2-3 times per week keeps MPS elevated more consistently throughout the week.

How to Choose Your Split

1. Assess your experience: Less than 1 year? Start with full body. 1-3 years? Upper/lower. 3+ years? PPL or variations
2. Check your schedule: Be honest about how many days you can consistently train
3. Consider recovery: Older lifters or those with demanding jobs may need lower frequency
4. Test for 8-12 weeks: Give any split a fair trial before switching

How to Transition Between Splits

As you gain experience, you will naturally outgrow your current split. Here is a sensible progression timeline:

• Months 1-6: Full Body 3x/week. Focus on learning compound movements and building a strength base.
• Months 6-12: Upper/Lower 4x/week. Introduce more volume and exercise variety.
• Year 1-2: PPL or hybrid 5-6x/week. Push volume and specialisation.
• Year 2+: Experiment with different splits based on your specific goals and weak points.

Do not rush through this progression. Give each split at least 8-12 weeks before making a change. Jumping between splits every few weeks is one of the biggest mistakes people make — you never give your body enough time to adapt and respond to a programme.

Key Takeaways