Choosing the right workout split is one of the most important decisions for anyone looking to build muscle, increase strength, or improve overall fitness. A workout split determines how you divide your training sessions across different muscle groups and days, helping you recover properly while maximizing results. In this guide, we’ll cover the most popular workout splits, their benefits, and how to choose the one that works best for you.
Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Split
The Push-Pull-Legs split is one of the most versatile and effective training programs for muscle growth and recovery. It divides workouts based on movement patterns:
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Push day: Chest, shoulders, triceps
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Pull day: Back, biceps
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Leg day: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
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Rest day
- Repeat
This split allows you to train each muscle group 2–3 times per week if desired, promoting faster progress and better strength gains.
Subset: Push-Pull-Legs-Upper-Lower
A popular variation is combining PPL with an Upper-Lower split, such as:
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Push: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
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Pull: Back, Biceps
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Leg: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
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Rest
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Upper: Chest, Delts, Biceps, Triceps
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Lower: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves
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Rest
This hybrid approach allows for more frequent training of each muscle group, while still including adequate rest days for recovery. It’s ideal for intermediate to advanced lifters who want to increase training volume without overtraining.
Bro Split
The Bro Split is a classic bodybuilding-style program that targets one major muscle group per day, often structured like this:
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Chest day
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Back day
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Rest day
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Leg day
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Arms day
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Delts/Shoulders day
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Rest day
Other variants exist, but the core principle is to focus intensely on one muscle group per session. This approach is great for bodybuilders looking to maximize hypertrophy for individual muscles. However, because each muscle group is usually trained only once per week, it may be less efficient for beginners or those seeking full-body strength improvements.
Full-Body Splits
Full-body splits involve training all major muscle groups in each session, usually 2–3 times per week. For example:
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Full body: Chest, Back, Legs
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Rest or cardio
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Full body: Shoulders, Arms, Legs
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Rest
This approach is ideal for beginners or those with limited time, as it ensures frequent stimulation of all muscles without needing multiple gym visits per week. Full-body splits also help improve overall conditioning and strength balance.
Upper-Lower Split
The Upper-Lower split divides training by upper body and lower body sessions, often structured like this:
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Upper body: Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms
- Lower body: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
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Rest
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Repeat
This split provides a balanced approach to training frequency and recovery, making it suitable for intermediate lifters who want to hit muscles more than once per week without overcomplicating their schedule.
Which Split is Best?
There isn’t a single “best” workout split for everyone. The most effective training program is the one you can consistently stick to. Your choice should depend on:
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Your experience level
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Training frequency and time availability
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Recovery capacity
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Personal goals (strength, hypertrophy, fat loss, athletic performance)
Whether you choose PPL, a Bro Split, Full-Body, or Upper-Lower program, the key to optimal results is consistency, progressive overload, and adherence to a plan. Pick a split that fits your lifestyle, and stick with it and progress will follow.
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