A workout split is a weekly exercise plan that focuses on training different parts of the body on different days. It helps to boost efficiency and muscle growth, while decreasing the risk for injury.
They’re not new to bodybuilder types and personal trainers, but have been gaining attention thanks to social media. TikToks on the topic — like @fitbyroom’s 2024 video of her five-day workout split and @zoe_davis’s 2024 video of her “hybrid” workout split — have garnered millions of views.
“Social media has made splits so popular, but they’ve been around for eons,” says Anel Pla, an American Sports and Fitness Association–certified personal trainer at Simplexity Fitness in Guttenberg, New Jersey.
But what is the right formula for working your different muscle groups? Read on to learn about what workout splits are all about and which one may be best for you.
What Is a Workout Split?
A workout split involves planning out your workouts over a week (or a set number of days) so you’re working different muscle groups on different days.
With workout splits, you might dedicate an entire session to your arms to ensure you’re really burning those muscles and boosting strength. “The beauty of splits is I can fully, fully fatigue the muscle, so that means we’re going for real gains,” Pla says.
And then the next day, you’re focusing on another muscle group, so they build in muscle recovery time.
“A workout split gives muscles time to rest and recover before training again, reducing risk of injury and maximizing gains,” says Tracie Massey, a National College of Exercise Professionals–certified personal trainer and manager of Fredericksburg Fitness Studio in Virginia.
What Is the Most Effective Workout Split?
There are many different workout splits out there, and the right one will vary from person to person.
“Deciding which workout is right for you depends on many factors which include your goals, schedule, and experience level,” Massey says.
The number of reps and sets and the resistance used will also depend on each individual, so think of the split as a guideline for structuring your workout.
3 Popular Workout Splits to Try
To give you an idea of what a workout split is, here are three popular versions. Note that workout splits are typically for strength-training workouts, and will include weights and bodyweight moves that target specific muscle groups.
You should still be incorporating cardio before, after, or on your rest days, however. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week.[1]
1. Body Part Workout Split
This six-day workout split focuses on a different muscle group each day. For example, Alex Cooley, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Group Fitness–certified trainer in New York City, says it could look like this:
Monday: biceps and back strength workout
Tuesday: triceps and chest strength workout
Wednesday: abs, side obliques, and pelvic floor strength workout
Thursday: quads and calves strength workout
Friday: hamstrings and glutes strength workout
Saturday: cardio
Sunday: rest
2. Push-Pull Workout Split
This workout split is specifically for how to plan out strength workouts over the course of a week. With the push-pull split, you’ll divide working your pull muscles (such as the back and biceps) and push muscles (such as the chest, triceps, and shoulders), giving your body time to recover in between. Massey says a five-day workout split could look something like this:
Monday: push split (exercises that activate “push” muscles in the front of the body, such as a bench press, which involves lying on a bench and pushing the weight up)
Tuesday: pull split (exercises that activate “pull” muscles on the back side of the body, such as a bicep curl, which involves holding a weight in each hand and bending your elbow toward your body to lift the weight)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: repeat a push split
Friday: repeat a pull split
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest
3. Upper-Lower Workout Split
This four-day workout split focuses on the upper body for one workout session, followed by lower body exercises the next. Massey outlines that your week could look like this:
Monday: upper body (for example: exercises that target the arms, shoulders, and triceps)
Tuesday: lower body (for example: exercises that target the quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes)
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: repeat upper body split
Friday: repeat lower body split
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest
Source: everydayhealth
