Upper / Lower workout split
Alternate upper-body and lower-body sessions, four training days per week.
- Training days4 per week
- LevelBeginner to advanced
- Best forBalanced muscle and strength gains on four days
- Cycle length7 days
An upper/lower split divides the body in half. Each half is trained twice a week, giving you the same frequency as Push Pull Legs on only four gym days.
Two versions of each session (A and B) let you rotate a heavier strength focus with a higher-rep volume focus, which keeps progress moving for a long time.
Example week
MonUpper A (strength)
TueLower A (strength)
WedRest day
ThuUpper B (volume)
FriLower B (volume)
SatRest day
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.
Upper A (strength)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 | 5-6 |
| Barbell row | 4 | 6-8 |
| Overhead press | 3 | 6-8 |
| Weighted pull-up | 3 | 6-8 |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 | 10-12 |
| Skull crusher | 2 | 10-12 |
Lower A (strength)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 4 | 5-6 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 6-8 |
| Leg press | 3 | 8-10 |
| Seated leg curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Standing calf raise | 4 | 8-12 |
| Hanging leg raise | 3 | 10-15 |
Upper B (volume)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline dumbbell press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Lat pulldown | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated dumbbell press | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable row | 3 | 10-12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12-15 |
| Incline curl | 2 | 12-15 |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 | 12-15 |
Lower B (volume)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 4-6 |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8-10 per leg |
| Hack squat or goblet squat | 3 | 10-12 |
| Hip thrust | 3 | 8-12 |
| Leg extension | 3 | 12-15 |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 12-15 |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Twice-weekly frequency on four days
- Plenty of recovery between sessions
- Works for nearly every goal
Cons
- Upper days can run long
- Less room for isolation work than a five or six day split
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.