Arnold Split workout split
Chest and back together, shoulders and arms together, then legs, each twice a week.
- Training days6 per week
- LevelAdvanced
- Best forHigh-volume mass building for experienced lifters
- Cycle length7 days
Made famous by golden-era bodybuilders, this split pairs chest with back so you can superset opposing muscles, then trains shoulders with arms, then legs. The cycle runs twice per week.
It is one of the most demanding mainstream splits. Use it when you already recover well from four or five days of training and want more volume.
Example week
MonChest & Back
TueShoulders & Arms
WedLegs
ThuChest & Back
FriShoulders & Arms
SatLegs
SunRest day
PushPullLegs / lowerUpperFull bodyConditioningRest
The workouts
Rest 2-3 minutes between heavy compound sets and 60-90 seconds on isolation work. Leave 1-3 reps in reserve on most sets, and add weight or reps over time.
Chest & Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press superset with pull-up | 4 | 8-10 |
| Incline dumbbell press superset with barbell row | 4 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell pullover | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable fly superset with cable row | 3 | 12 |
Shoulders & Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated overhead press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Lateral raise | 4 | 12-15 |
| Rear delt fly | 3 | 15 |
| Barbell curl superset with close-grip bench | 4 | 8-10 |
| Incline curl superset with skull crusher | 3 | 10-12 |
Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 5 | 6-10 |
| Romanian deadlift | 4 | 8-10 |
| Leg press | 3 | 12 |
| Leg curl | 3 | 12 |
| Standing calf raise | 5 | 12-15 |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very high weekly volume
- Antagonist supersets save time
- Each muscle trained twice a week
Cons
- Six hard days per week
- Needs excellent sleep and nutrition to recover
- Not suitable for beginners
What happens if you miss a day?
In the Repshift tracker, a missed session moves to the next day and the rest of the 7-day cycle follows. Nothing is lost; your week simply extends by a day.