The Best Gym Split Training Programs for Men and Women

To begin with, we will provide a link to the text “Full body or split” - for those who want to once again make sure, based on scientific research and expert opinions, that split is for them.

There are so many split options (distribution of exercises across days of the training week) that it can be overwhelming. But the program must be chosen for a specific purpose - and taking into account your level of training and individual characteristics. Let's look at 8 different schemes that effectively solve specific problems; choose what suits you.

Split by body part

This is the most common option in bodybuilding - frequent training (up to 5-6 times a week), each of which works specific muscles.

Pros: You load a muscle group rarely, but with concentration and intensity, performing more different exercises. This “shock” causes the muscles to grow, especially if you have previously trained in a full-body program. This is the best way to gain mass, but due to the increased volume and metabolic stress, it is suitable for experienced bodybuilders who are prepared for heavy loads.

Cons: You have to give up multi-joint exercises, since some muscles work in different movements and do not have time to rest between workouts.

You need to carefully monitor your diet and daily (sleep) routine in order to fully recover and tolerate training loads.

Split by body part takes a lot of time and is not suitable for people with a flexible work schedule - each workout loads its muscles, you cannot skip it. The goal of such a program is hypertrophy, it does not improve the performance of athletes and is not suitable for beginners.

Split example

Monday: Chest Tuesday: Back Wednesday: Shoulders Thursday: Legs Friday: Arms and Abs Saturday and Sunday: Rest

Main types of split training

After a lengthy introduction, we move on to the training. Since the number of split training options tends to be infinite, we will study only the basic types of split.

Two-day split

Basic concept: top-bottom. We divide the body in half, on the first day we work the legs, on the second - the arms, back and chest.

My opinion: it’s far from the most successful split, although it’s very common. Its main drawback is that on the first day we train only the legs, but on the second we will work on the pectoral muscles, biceps, deltoids, back muscles and triceps.

And don't forget about your traps, forearms and abs! Now tell me, can you perform this endless series of exercises with maximum impact, which is so necessary for muscle growth? You can't! Of course, unless you first adjust the program in such a way as to reduce the number of target groups and approaches on the second day. Then you will definitely achieve the desired effect!

For example:

• Day one
  : legs, back, biceps, forearms and abs
• Day two:
  chest, deltoids, triceps, abs.

A program like this typically revolves around basic exercises. Most often, it is designed for a 4-day period: Monday or Tuesday is allocated for the first block of exercises, Thursday or Friday for the second, and you have three days in your pocket for recovery. Another advantage of this split is that you can change the “location” of rest days within the cycle in a way that suits you. Anyone who has been following my publications for a long time knows that I am not an ardent supporter of the 7-day training week. If necessary, I switch to an 8 or even 9 day training period.

Please note that in this split, each exercise is performed only once a week, and many consider this a real godsend for hardgainers, because the muscles get enough time to recover. I also recommend limiting the number of approaches and not loading the arm muscles with isolating exercises - exclude them from the complex given above, and you will feel how much easier this split will be. Or reduce the total number of approaches to biceps and triceps and concentrate on working with large muscle groups (back, chest).

Three day split

Basic Concept: Push-Pull

• Day one:
  legs, abs
• Day two:
  pectoral muscles, deltoids, triceps, abs
• Day three:
  back, biceps, forearm, abs.

Another common split training that has a number of undeniable advantages.

• Day one:
  we pay maximum attention to our legs, which is quite justified. If you squat (and you should squat) according to all the rules, the load on the body is enormous, and you will be exhausted from this exercise.
• Day two:
  dedicated to the “pushing” muscles. This makes sense because both the triceps and deltoids are involved in basic exercises for the chest muscles, and the triceps is connected to all movements aimed at training the deltoids.
• Day three:
  dedicated to “pulling” muscles. And this approach is quite justified, since both the biceps and forearm muscles are indirectly involved in exercises for the back muscles.

Some athletes do this split twice in one week (3 training days/rest day), although for most of us one cycle will last 7-9 days. You can use the principle of rotation and visit the gym strictly once every three days, or you can train on certain days of the week - for example, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. But even then, you risk finding yourself in a predicament where fatigue prevents you from targeting your triceps, biceps, deltoids, or forearm muscles.

Four day split

Basic concept: further division of muscle groups according to the push-pull principle.

• Day one:
  legs, abs
• Day two:
  chest, triceps, abs
• Day three:
  back, biceps, forearm
• Day four:
  deltoids, abs

We combine large muscle groups with small ones or limit ourselves to working with one muscle mass. Thanks to this approach, you can give your muscles a very intense load. Professionals repeat this cycle every five days (one day of rest per 5-day cycle), but I advise you to distribute rest days arbitrarily, focusing primarily on the characteristics of your body. If you haven't already guessed, I highly recommend including as many rest days as possible in this split!

One workout - one muscle group

Rest days can be arranged as you wish, although many consider this split training as an “every day program” and visit the gym 6-7 days in a row. Muscles can be divided into groups arbitrarily, you can even use additional divisions within large muscle groups: the upper and lower sections of the latissimus muscles, the anterior, middle and posterior deltoids, and so on.

I note that this is not the most popular split, but it is perfect for preparing for competitions and/or for those who have more than enough free time.

Six day split

This program was used by Arnold, who completed a three-day split twice in a week and allowed himself only one day of rest.

Double split

And Arnold switched to this split before the competition: training twice a day, six days a week.

Triple split

Perhaps the most difficult program for preparing for competitions is that we train three times a day. We work out large areas, such as legs, in the morning, cardio in the afternoon, and in the evening we leave small muscle groups (abs) and polish our posing.

Top-bottom split

This scheme is a step from full body training to sectional splits. You increase the volume of exercise for the upper and lower half, but at the same time recover better. Over the course of one week, you can do 4 alternating workouts.

Pros: Top-bottom splits help you progress when full-body workouts have run their course. You continue to develop strength and gain mass. You can train more often, but use decent weights.

Cons: Many people get too carried away with their top workouts and become complacent with their bottom workouts. Since the same groups are worked more often, muscle recovery is worse than in a body part split. Heavy leg training twice a week can be taxing on the body and isn't for everyone.

Split example

Monday: Top (pressing exercises) Tuesday: Bottom (squats and variations) Wednesday: Complete rest or active recovery Thursday: Top (pulling exercises) Friday: Bottoms (deadlifts and variations) Saturday and Sunday: Rest

What is split training

The term “split training” is derived from the English word “split” - to split, divide into parts.
Split is a method of breaking a training program into parts, each of which is performed on a strictly designated separate day. Follow the example of professionals and divide your workload by day. A high-intensity, full-body workout with good exercise can produce some positive results, but split training will allow you to get more for less. You will need to spend less time in the gym to see results.

If you train all body parts at one time, it will take at least two hours. Here are the benefits of short daily sessions: high intensity, better concentration, more energy and strength, reduced chance of overtraining. And most importantly: if you spend only 45-60 minutes a day training, you have more time for other things, and your muscles have more time to rest, recover and grow.

Full body workout

To be fair, “full body training” is not exactly a “split”, but for the harsh and brutal T-Nation authors, it seems that full body training is just one of the varieties of split - approx. Zozhnik.

Working out the whole body in each workout is more effective if you have little time, and also healthier, because our body is still one whole, and not a collection of parts.

Pros: High-frequency full-body workouts help you lose weight and build strength by increasing the muscle size that grows with frequent stimulation.

This program is better for athletes who have other training besides iron. It teaches the body to optimally perform a small set of movements, rather than wasting effort on a dozen variations of movements.

Beginners should start with these workouts; they burn a lot of calories, lay a strength foundation, and improve health.

Cons: According to the authors of the text, hypertrophy of muscles that require a large training volume is not effective enough. Experienced strength athletes don't recover if they squat heavily three times a week.

Some muscles may be delayed in development, which is not suitable for bodybuilders.

This is a good option for rare workouts - up to 3 times a week. To go to the gym more than three or four times a week, you need to know your body well and control the intensity.

Split example

Monday: A. Rack clean 5x3 B. Bench press 3x6 C. Lunges 3x8-12 D1. Farmer's walk 3x30 seconds D2. Dips 3x 30 seconds

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: A. Push press 5×3 B. Deadlift 4×6 C. Pull-ups 3×8-12 D1. Plank 3x30 seconds D2. Dumbbell curls 3x 30 seconds

Thursday: Rest

Friday: A. Back squat 5×3 B. Bent-over row 4×6 C. Dumbbell bench press 3×8-12 D1. Farmer's Walk with one kettlebell overhead (one kettlebell in the lower arm as usual) [KettlebellCrosswalk] 3x30 seconds D2. Glute bridge on a 3×12 bench

Saturday and Sunday: Rest or general physical training.

Press/pull split

Here you divide exercises by type of movement: pressing and pulling. Most of the muscles in the back of the body work in rows, and in the front - in presses.

Pros: The push/pull split is good for those who want to train hard but are limited in time. You can practice the movement more often than in a body part split, which only hits muscle groups once a week.

Cons: Due to the distribution of the load across muscle groups working together, it is not suitable for athletes and beginners who still find it more effective to work the entire body at once. To benefit from this split, you need to have some training experience.

Split example

Day 1: Rows (upper back, spinal flexors, hamstrings, biceps) Day 2: Presses (chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, abs)

Two-day split

The technique is suitable for all interested athletes who do not use anabolic steroids. It is known that muscles grow in volume with a constant increase in weight loads and quality rest. But many athletes, having read “programs from champions” on the Internet, try to repeat the success of bodybuilding stars, completely forgetting that all professionals use expensive pharmacological support.

Naturally, the “natural” muscles do not have time to recover from such training, and the results leave much to be desired. Therefore, experienced mentors recommend that everyone who practices “purely” use two-day splits. These programs allow you to get quality rest between workouts, which has a positive effect on increasing strength and mass.

Principles of compilation:

• All muscles should be divided into two large groups.
• Exercises that load the muscles of the back and lower back should be spread out on different days.
• Elements that create stress on the shoulder joints should also be distributed among individual workouts.

Example program

1 lesson:

• Pull-ups on the bar: 3x10.
• Head pull in the simulator: 3x15.
• Deadlift: 3x8.
• Crossover waist pull: 3x15.
• Abduction in the butterfly machine: 3x10.
• Seated chest press: 3x10.
• Dumbbell lateral raises: 3x12.
• Close grip barbell press: 2x8.
• French press: 2x12.

Lesson 2:

• Barbell squats: 3x8.
• Lunges with an empty bar on the shoulders: 2x10.
• Calf raises: 3x20.
• Bench chest press: 3x8.
• Dips: 2x12.
• Mixing in a butterfly simulator: 3x12.
• Dumbbell raises on a horizontal bench: 3x10.
• Curling arms in the Scott machine: 3x12.
• Crossover biceps curl: 3x15.

Work your abdominals at the end of your workouts. The pause between classes is 2–3 days.

Intensive/extensive split

In this scheme, the load on the nervous system varies, i.e. high intensity and volume. After a day of hard/speed training comes a day of longer, but less intense training. You can exercise 3 or 4 times a week.

Pros: An advanced option for athletes who have already exhausted regular full-body workouts. In addition to the physical fitness and strength supported by traditional loading, you work more on speed and power, improving performance in your sport.

Cons: This split is only for experienced ones; it requires a strict dosage of loads. Workouts on an intense day last longer because you need to rest a lot between sets of power exercises. This scheme stimulates hypertrophy less.

Split example

Monday: Acceleration exercises, weightlifting and other pushing exercises Tuesday: Metabolic training, pulling exercises Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Acceleration exercises, weightlifting and other pushing exercises Friday: Metabolic training systems (GPP), traction exercises Saturday and Sunday: Active recovery

Recommendations

A three-day split can be used to build muscle mass and during cutting. It is most effective to use this training scheme for the growth of muscle mass, since during drying it is worth paying special attention to preserving muscles, for which you should train in a strength style so that the body simply cannot afford to burn the muscle fibers it needs so much. As for gaining muscle mass, in this case you should definitely use a bodybuilder’s diet, which will help create a calorie surplus, which is the main condition for anabolism. Remember , protein, vitamins, frequent meals - all this is important, but these are details that only work when there is an excess of nutrients in the body, using which the body synthesizes new muscle tissue!

The key to a properly organized workout is the use of basic exercises, training time and rest between sets. Thus, the athlete should use as many basic exercises as possible in his training split and use isolation exercises only as the third or fourth exercise when the basic exercises are no longer enough. It is necessary to rest between sets for 40-60 seconds, since this type of training best stimulates hypertrophy of muscle fibers. In addition, a bodybuilder’s training must be voluminous and last no longer than 40-50 minutes, so a bodybuilder cannot afford a long rest!

Split “agonists/antagonists”

In one workout, you work muscle groups that perform opposing movements, such as dumbbell bench press and dumbbell chest row.

Pros: These supersets lead to balanced development of strength in presses and rows. Alternating approaches for agonists and antagonists helps to increase working weights; increased blood flow to working parts of the body causes additional hypertrophy. The workouts are shorter and can be done more often – up to 6 times a week.

Cons: Not suitable for athletes who need to concentrate on specific movements. For beginners and older people, such loads are too great and require more recovery time.

Split example

Monday: Chest/Back Tuesday: Legs/Shoulders Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Chest/Back Friday: Biceps/Triceps Saturday and Sunday: Active recovery or complete rest

THREE-DAY SPLIT FOR GIRLS

Men's and women's training, as a rule, have several fundamental differences. Firstly, most men want to increase muscle mass and strength, while girls dream of losing weight, pumping up their butt, making their stomach flat, removing their sides, and so on. That is, girls pay special attention to working on the so-called “problem areas.” Consequently, training for girls will be less intense and consist mainly of exercises on the most problematic areas of the body, such as the hips and buttocks, and the abdomen. In addition, after strength training, you can add 20 minutes of cardio or do cardio training on a separate day, if possible, of course.

MONDAY (LEGS and BUTTOCKS, PRESS)

1. Squats 3x12-15
2. Deadlift on straight legs 3x12-15
3. Lunges with dumbbells 3x12-15
4. Leg curls 3x12-15
5. Incline crunches 3-4x20-25

WEDNESDAY (CHEST, TRICEPS)

1. Push-ups 3 max.
2. Incline dumbbell press 3x12-15
3. Lying dumbbell flyes 3x12-15
4. Extension of arms with a dumbbell from behind the head 3x12-15
5. Arm extensions on the block down 3x12-15

FRIDAY (BACK, SHOULDERS)

1. Pull-down of the upper block behind the head 3x12-15
2. Bent-over dumbbell row 3x12-15
3. Hyperextension 3x12-15
4. Seated dumbbell press 3x12-15
5. Lifting dumbbells through the sides 3x12-15

NOTES FOR THE PROGRAM

You should switch to a three-day split after a full-body training program or a two-day split. However, it is quite common for beginners to jump straight into the 3-day beginner split. The main thing is not to overdo it with the load to avoid overtraining.

At the initial stage, it is enough to perform 2-3 approaches with small weights of 10-15 repetitions in order to establish the correct technique for performing the exercises and gradually prepare the muscles for working with large working weights.

When working on mass, trained athletes need to perform exercises with large working weights (75-80% of the maximum), 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Rest between sets depends on your goals. When working on mass and strength, rest between approaches and exercises for 2-3 minutes. To lose weight, rest between approaches should be reduced to 30-60 seconds. Rest no more than 2 minutes between exercises.

Split “main/additional movement”

The training combines exercises for large muscle groups and for small synergists that help with the main movement. For example, back and biceps or chest and triceps.

Pros: You can train often (3-6 times a week) and briefly, using supersets. The same muscle groups work longer, which leads to hypertrophy.

Cons: Too heavy for beginners and not suitable for seniors as they require more rest. This split is best used by experienced athletes who understand what they need to work on.

Example split for 5 workouts per week

Monday: Back/Biceps Tuesday: Chest/Triceps Wednesday: Legs/Shoulders Thursday: Back/Biceps Friday: Chest/Triceps Saturday and Sunday: Rest

Food for thought

What about the schedule?

Before we move on to studying standard split-system training schemes (and there are many of them), I recommend deciding how many times a week and on what days you will visit the gym. This will be the deciding factor when choosing a program, especially if, like me, you work 12 hours a day, have a lot of obligations and a tiny window of free time.

Agree, in such a situation it is difficult to train more than two or three times a week. However, if you are young and have a lot of free time and a small cart, train at least every day. That is why I recommend choosing a split system, first of all, based on your life circumstances.

Is there time left for recovery?

Don't forget about rest and recovery, be sure to include these points in your training program. Remember, we grow not during training, but in the pauses between them, so never neglect the recovery period or shorten its duration.

Read the previous paragraph 5 times. You can even read it 10 times, it won’t hurt. I've been in bodybuilding for 25 years, and I constantly meet people who have never realized the importance of the recovery phase.

Are you sure you have recovered?

The schedule of training sessions depends on how the body’s internal resources are replenished, because different muscle groups recover in different ways. By visiting the gym two or three days in a row, you may be giving certain muscle groups a well-deserved rest, however, the body is still subject to an unbearable tax, which makes a huge hole in the budget for recovery processes.

How do you know if you have fully recovered from your previous workout? I offer two options:

1. If the muscles still hurt, and it’s time to load this target group again, it means you haven’t had time to recover.
2. If in the morning of the training day you feel overwhelmed and tired, and the day before you did not make any fundamental changes to the training process, it means that the stage of overtraining has arrived, and your body chronically does not have enough time to rest.

What factors influence recovery processes?

Recovery is a complex process that depends on the individual characteristics of the body and other factors, namely:

• Age
• Heredity
• Use of sports pharmacology
• Features of the diet
• Professional activity
• Training intensity
• Total number of approaches

Each of these factors affects the rate of recovery, so you should learn to adjust the training program to your rhythm of life and the characteristics of your body.

Frankly, if weightlifters paid more attention to these simple things, namely training until they worked up a sweat, but with a reasonable number of sets, and were more careful about their nutrition, their level of progress would skyrocket!

Specialization for tightening lagging muscles

For a short period, you leave only one day to maintain the muscles of the whole body and invest maximum effort in developing the weak group (3 times a week or more).

Pros: Increased volume and intensity lead to hypertrophy of the desired body parts. A good technique for experienced people who need to tighten up something sharply.

Cons: All other muscle groups receive only maintenance work and may lose strength/mass. This is not a program that will save all your results; something will have to be sacrificed.

Example of specialization for back muscles

Monday: Low rep horizontal rows Tuesday: High rep vertical rows Wednesday: High rep horizontal rows Thursday: Low rep vertical rows Friday: Full body maintenance workout

Variety of programs

There are different types of training that differ in structure. However, regardless of which type is chosen, you must adhere to the program for at least 2 months.

Two day plan

The peculiarity of the two-day plan is the division of the body into 2 equal parts: top and bottom. On day one, the leg muscles are pumped, and on day two, the muscles of the back, arms, and pectoral muscles are pumped. This option is popular, but not entirely successful, since there is enough time to work the leg muscles, but it is unlikely to do anything else. You can adjust the lesson plan and divide the second part into two days. For a beginner, the best types of split training are a two-day or three-day program.

Three day plan

The main concept of the three-day plan is “push-pull”. In the first lesson, the muscles of the legs and abs are pumped, the second lesson involves working on the abdominal muscles, triceps brachii, pectoral and deltoid muscles, and the third lesson involves working on the muscles of the back, abdominals, forearm and biceps. This variety is in demand among athletes. Some bodybuilders train with this program twice a week, but it usually takes 7-9 days.

Four day plan

The separation of muscles for working out occurs according to the same principle as in the previous version. On day 1, the muscles of the legs and abdominals are trained, on day 2 - the pectoral muscles, triceps brachii and abdominal muscles are pumped, on day 3 - back muscles, biceps brachii and forearm, and on day 4 - th – abdominal muscles and deltoid muscles.

Six Day Plan

A six-day split workout for men in the gym was used by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He performed a three-day set of exercises twice a week. There was only one day left to recover.

Double

This variety is used in bodybuilding before performances. Classes last six days a week, twice a day.