How to Create an Effective Workout Split Schedule

Workout splits organize your weekly routine by dedicating each day to training different muscle groups or body areas.

A workout split is a weekly exercise regimen that targets different muscle groups on separate days. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes muscle growth while reducing the risk of injury.

Though long favored by bodybuilders and personal trainers, workout splits have gained popularity through social media platforms. TikToks such as @fitbyroom’s 2024 five-day workout split and @zoe_davis’s 2024 hybrid workout split have amassed millions of views, highlighting their widespread appeal.

“Social media has popularized workout splits, but they’ve been a staple in fitness for years,” says Anel Pla, a personal trainer certified by the American Sports and Fitness Association at Simplexity Fitness in Guttenberg, New Jersey.

Curious about how to structure your workouts? Discover the fundamentals of workout splits and find out which one might suit your fitness goals.

What Is a Workout Split?

A workout split is a structured plan where you focus on different muscle groups on separate days throughout the week. This allows you to dedicate specific sessions to individual areas, like your arms, ensuring thorough muscle engagement and strength enhancement. 

“The advantage of splits is that they enable you to fully exhaust a muscle group, leading to significant strength gains,” says Anel Pla, a certified personal trainer at Simplexity Fitness in New Jersey.

On alternate days, you target other muscle groups, allowing the previously worked muscles time to recover. 

“A workout split provides muscles with essential rest and recovery periods between sessions, which helps reduce the risk of injury and optimizes muscle growth,” adds Tracie Massey, a certified personal trainer and manager at Fredericksburg Fitness Studio in Virginia.

What Is the Most Effective Workout Split?

Workout splits come in various forms, and the best one for you will depend on your personal goals, schedule, and fitness experience.

“Choosing the right split involves considering your specific objectives, available time, and how much experience you have with training,” says Tracie Massey, a certified personal trainer.

Factors such as the number of reps, sets, and the resistance level should be tailored to individual needs. Think of a workout split as a flexible framework to guide your exercise routine rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

3 Popular Workout Splits to Try

To illustrate the concept of workout splits, here are three common types. These splits are generally used for strength training and include exercises with weights and bodyweight moves that focus on specific muscle groups.

Remember to include cardio in your routine as well, whether it's before or after your strength workouts or on your rest days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends engaging in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity weekly.

1. Body Part Workout Split

Here’s a six-day workout split that targets different muscle groups each day:

- **Monday**: Biceps and back strength training

- **Tuesday**: Triceps and chest strength training

- **Wednesday**: Abs, side obliques, and pelvic floor strength training

- **Thursday**: Quads and calves strength training

- **Friday**: Hamstrings and glutes strength training

- **Saturday**: Cardio

- **Sunday**: Rest

This split, suggested by Alex Cooley, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Group Fitness–certified trainer in New York City, ensures focused muscle group training with a dedicated day for cardio and recovery.

2. Push-Pull Workout Split

Here's an example of a five-day workout split using the push-pull method, designed to focus on different muscle groups while allowing for recovery:

• Monday: Push exercises (target the front muscles of the body, such as chest and triceps, with movements like bench presses)
• Tuesday: Pull exercises (focus on the back muscles and biceps, with exercises such as bicep curls)
• Wednesday: Rest day
• Thursday: Repeat push exercises
• Friday: Repeat pull exercises
• Saturday: Rest day
• Sunday: Rest day

This split provides a balanced approach by alternating between push and pull muscle groups, helping to optimize recovery and strength development.

3. Upper-Lower Workout Split

Here’s a four-day workout split focusing on alternating upper and lower body sessions:

- **Monday**: Upper body workout (includes exercises for arms, shoulders, and triceps)

- **Tuesday**: Lower body workout (includes exercises for quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes)

- **Wednesday**: Rest day

- **Thursday**: Repeat upper body workout

- **Friday**: Repeat lower body workout

- **Saturday**: Rest day

- **Sunday**: Rest day

This split alternates between upper and lower body focus, providing adequate rest between sessions to enhance recovery and muscle growth.

4 Tips for Picking the Right Workout Split for You

Unsure about the best workout split for you? Here are some tips to guide your decision:

- **Assess Your Schedule**: Determine how many days per week you can realistically commit to working out. “Be honest with yourself,” advises Massey. “Don’t set a schedule that you can’t stick to.” Workout splits require consistency, so missing a session can disrupt the entire plan, according to Pla.

Take your fitness level into account. Pla and Massey suggest that workout splits are typically better suited for those who are more experienced and already have a consistent exercise routine. “Beginners might find full-body workouts more beneficial initially, gradually moving to split routines as their fitness progresses,” Massey recommends.

Customize it to fit your needs. Your workout plan should cater specifically to your body’s requirements, including sufficient rest periods. “Some people need longer recovery times between workouts, while others can handle more frequent sessions,” Massey explains. Additionally, if you have an injury, ensure your split accommodates it by avoiding stress on the affected area. Instead, incorporate exercises that aid in recovery and address the issue, advises Pla.

Remember to include cardio in your routine. “You can do your cardio before strength training as a warm-up,” Massey suggests. Prioritize the activity that matters most to you, as you’ll have more energy at the start of your workout and may tire as you progress. “Experiment to find a formula that works best for you.”

What Are the Benefits of Workout Splits?

Massey points out that workout splits are appealing because they offer adequate recovery time, prevent overtraining, target specific muscle groups, and make efficient use of exercise time. “By concentrating on fewer muscle groups at once, you can achieve more intense and focused training,” Massey explains.

However, research indicates that splits may not always be the optimal approach for maximizing strength. For instance, one study found comparable strength gains between untrained men who followed a split schedule and those who performed full-body workouts. The researchers suggested that the results might differ for individuals with regular exercise routines. Conversely, another study found that workout splits could enhance muscle growth for individuals already engaged in resistance training.

In the end, “there’s no universal workout routine,” says Pla. If your schedule and budget permit, consider consulting a certified personal trainer to customize a workout plan and split schedule that fits your unique needs.