Upper/Lower Split Routine: The Complete Guide to Strength and Size
When it comes to building muscle, choosing the right training split can make or break your progress. While Push Pull Legs (PPL) often gets the spotlight, another highly effective and versatile approach is the Upper/Lower split routine.
This program divides your training into two categories:
- Upper Body Days: Chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps.
- Lower Body Days: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs.
It’s simple, structured, and powerful. With the right setup, the Upper/Lower split offers the perfect balance of frequency, recovery, and volume — making it a top choice for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- Why the Upper/Lower split works so well
- Who should use it (and when)
- How to structure 3, 4, or 6-day versions
- Example workouts for beginners, intermediates, and advanced lifters
- Common mistakes to avoid
- How it compares to other popular splits (PPL, Bro Split)
Why the Upper/Lower Split Works
Balanced Training Frequency
Unlike the classic “bro split” (one muscle per day), the Upper/Lower routine hits every muscle twice per week. Research shows this frequency maximizes hypertrophy while still allowing adequate recovery.
Efficient Structure
With just two workout types, it’s easy to plan and stick with. You don’t need to memorize a complicated 5- or 6-day rotation.
Scales With Experience
- Beginners can run it 3 days per week (rotating sessions).
- Intermediates thrive on 4 days per week (classic Upper/Lower rotation).
- Advanced lifters can push it to 6 days per week with higher volume.
Strength & Size Hybrid
Because it focuses on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench, and rows, this split works beautifully for both hypertrophy and strength gains.
👉 Bottom line: Upper/Lower combines simplicity with proven results.
Who Should Use an Upper/Lower Routine?
- Beginners: Great way to learn big lifts and build balanced strength.
- Intermediates: Ideal for lifters who’ve outgrown full-body workouts but aren’t ready for high-volume specialization.
- Advanced lifters: Can use high-frequency, high-volume Upper/Lower to target lagging areas.
👉 If you want efficiency, flexibility, and results, this split is for you.
Structuring an Upper/Lower Split
Option A: 3 Days Per Week (Beginner-Friendly)
Rotate through Upper and Lower sessions, training 3x per week. Example:
- Week 1: Mon (Upper), Wed (Lower), Fri (Upper)
- Week 2: Mon (Lower), Wed (Upper), Fri (Lower)
👉 This gives each muscle group ~1.5 sessions per week on average — perfect for beginners.
Option B: 4 Days Per Week (Most Common)
Classic structure:
- Mon: Upper
- Tue: Lower
- Thu: Upper
- Fri: Lower
- Wed/Sat/Sun: Rest
👉 Provides two sessions for each muscle group weekly — ideal for hypertrophy.
Option C: 6 Days Per Week (Advanced)
For advanced lifters with high recovery capacity:
- Mon: Upper (heavy)
- Tue: Lower (heavy)
- Wed: Upper (volume)
- Thu: Lower (volume)
- Fri: Upper (pump)
- Sat: Lower (pump)
- Sun: Rest
👉 Requires perfect recovery and nutrition, but maximizes training stimulus.
Exercise Selection for Each Day
Upper Body Day (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms)
- Bench Press (flat or incline) – 4×6–8
- Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldown – 4×8–10
- Overhead Press – 3×6–8
- Barbell or Dumbbell Row – 4×8–10
- Lateral Raises – 3×12–15
- Barbell or Dumbbell Curls – 3×10–12
- Tricep Dips or Skull Crushers – 3×8–12
Lower Body Day (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Abs)
- Squats (back or front) – 4×6–8
- Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts – 3×5–8
- Leg Press – 3×10–12
- Bulgarian Split Squats or Lunges – 3×10–12 per leg
- Leg Curls – 3×12–15
- Standing Calf Raises – 4×12–20
- Hanging Leg Raises or Ab Rollouts – 3×12–15
👉 Stick to compounds early in the session, then use isolation to finish the muscle group.
Progressive Overload in Upper/Lower
The same principle applies here as with any solid program:
- Increase weight gradually.
- Add reps over time.
- Increase sets once recovery allows.
Beginners can progress nearly every session. Intermediates should focus on weekly or biweekly progression. Advanced lifters may need to cycle volume and intensity.
Recovery in Upper/Lower
Recovery depends on your chosen version:
- 3 days per week: Easy to recover, perfect for beginners.
- 4 days per week: Requires solid sleep, nutrition, and rest.
- 6 days per week: Demands advanced recovery strategies (8+ hrs sleep, optimal diet, deload weeks).
👉 Pro Tip: Rotate heavy and light sessions to avoid burning out.
Common Mistakes in Upper/Lower Splits
- Too much arm work: Chest and back already hit arms hard. You don’t need 10 sets of curls every session.
- Neglecting legs: Skipping lower body days kills balance and overall growth.
- Poor exercise rotation: Sticking only to one or two movements can stall progress. Mix variations (flat vs incline bench, conventional vs sumo deadlift).
- Not tracking progression: Doing the same weight/reps every week won’t work.
Sample Upper/Lower Programs
Beginner Upper/Lower (3 Days Per Week)
Upper A (Mon):
- Bench Press – 3×8
- Barbell Row – 3×8
- Overhead Press – 3×8
- Lat Pulldown – 3×10
- Bicep Curls – 2×12
- Tricep Pushdowns – 2×12
Lower A (Wed):
- Squats – 3×8
- RDL – 3×8
- Lunges – 3×10
- Calf Raises – 4×12
Upper B (Fri):
- Incline Dumbbell Press – 3×10
- Pull-Ups – 3×AMRAP
- Arnold Press – 3×10
- Face Pulls – 3×12
- Hammer Curls – 2×12
- Skull Crushers – 2×12
👉 Next week starts with Lower.
Intermediate Upper/Lower (4 Days Per Week)
Upper A (Mon): Heavy Bench Focus
Lower A (Tue): Heavy Squat Focus
Upper B (Thu): Incline Press & Overhead Focus
Lower B (Fri): Deadlift + Accessories
👉 This version hits strength and hypertrophy sweet spots.
Advanced Upper/Lower (6 Days Per Week)
Rotate heavy, volume, and pump sessions:
- Heavy = low rep, high load
- Volume = moderate reps, moderate weight
- Pump = isolation, higher rep burn
👉 Allows max frequency and specialization.
Upper/Lower vs Other Splits
- Upper/Lower vs PPL:
- PPL = slightly more volume and specialization.
- Upper/Lower = simpler, better for people training 3–4 days per week.
- Upper/Lower vs Bro Split:
- Bro split trains each muscle once per week.
- Upper/Lower hits everything 2x per week = faster results.
👉 If you train 3–4x per week, Upper/Lower is superior. If you want 6x per week, PPL might be better.
Final Thoughts
The Upper/Lower split is one of the most practical, flexible, and effective training routines for building strength and muscle.
It scales perfectly from beginner to advanced, and it balances workload with recovery better than most programs.
If you’re new, start with 3 days per week. If you’re intermediate, the classic 4-day split is your sweet spot. Advanced lifters can push to 6 days for maximum volume and specialization.
👉 Simple structure, proven results — that’s the power of the Upper/Lower routine.
🔗 Next Steps:
- Compare with the [Push Pull Legs Routine]
- Learn about [5×5 Strength Training Program]
- See how to [Track Progress as a Beginner]
