Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelBeginner
- Program Duration10 weeks
- Days Per Week4
- Time Per Workout45-60 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
Upper/lower workouts are thought to be the most optimal training style for those looking to build lean muscle naturally.
It takes full advantage of the three factors needed within workout routines to increase hypertrophy:
- Mechanical tension
- Muscle damage
- Metabolic stress
By splitting your workouts between your upper body musculature and lower body musculature, you are able to optimize training frequency and volume distribution in a way that will also allow for maximum intensity in any given session.
In other words, the split allows you to stimulate each muscle group more frequently while also allowing you to distribute the volume to provide an ample amount of time to recover.
And if you are recovering better and training more frequently, you’ll grow.
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What is an Upper/Lower Split?
An upper/lower workout split is a training style that breaks your workout sessions down into two categories: Upper body workout days and lower body workout days.
On upper body workout days, you will train the muscles of the upper body. This will include the chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, traps, forearms, and possibly core.
On lower body workout days, you’ll focus on the muscles of the lower body. This will include the lower back, quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and possibly core.
In a traditional upper/lower split, there’s no crossover between days. However, some may utilize upper focused days paired with a single muscle group of the lower body that might be lagging and vice versa. With any split, it’s important to individualize to optimize for your specific goals and training needs.
Can Beginners Do Upper/Lower Splits?
Beginners are absolutely capable of performing upper lower workout splits.
Most training styles are universal among training experience. The only things that may differ is the weight used, possibly some volume, and the inclusion of more advanced training techniques if necessary.
If you are a beginner, however, upper/lower workouts can definitely be a good style of training to start out with. You may also want to consider experimenting with full body workouts and determine which you enjoy more and works best for your individual goals, capabilities, and lifestyle.
The workout listed below can be a good workout for beginner lifters. Some may want to consider evaluating the total volume and eliminating sets if needed to optimize recovery. They may also want to remove the emphasized negatives if needed.
Another strategy for making upper/lower workouts beginner-friendly is changing the training frequency from 4 days of training per week to 3 days of training.
An example week following this strategy may look like:
- Monday: Upper Workout
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Lower Workout
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Upper Workout
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
To continue on like this, you would simply continue to cycle through the workouts listed below on your training days.
Upper/Lower Bodybuilding Workout Overview
This is a muscle building workout that I have been using lately now that I am training more often at commercial gyms. It works well both with, and without a training partner. If training with a partner, I recommend keeping rest periods brief. After your partner's set is finished, you should waste little time before hitting your next set.
Upper/Lower Workout Schedule
Each training day is balanced. You start by challenging major muscle groups with 3 sets of compound or taxing machine exercises. Next, you follow up by finishing a muscle group with a more isolation-style movement that typically focuses on the use of 3 second negatives. Lastly, you work smaller muscle groups with 3 sets each, using 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
Here is the training schedule:
- Monday - Upper Body
- Tuesday - Lower Body
- Wednesday - Rest
- Thursday - Upper Body
- Friday - Lower Body
- Saturday - Rest
- Sunday - Rest
Upper Body Training Days
Upper body training days follow this scheme:
- Chest - 3 sets, compound
- Back - 3 sets, compound
- Shoulders - 3 sets, compound
- Chest - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Back - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Shoulders - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Triceps - 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Biceps - 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
Lower Body Training Days
Lower body training days follow this scheme:
- Quads - 3 sets, compound
- Hamstrings - 3 sets, compound
- Calves - 3 sets, taxing machine or isolation
- Quads - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Hamstrings - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Calves - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Abs - 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises.
- Abs, Lower Back or Obliques - 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises.
Monday: Upper Body Workout
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Bench Press | 3 | 6-12 |
Barbell Row | 3 | 6-12 |
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-12 |
Pec Dec - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
V-Bar Lat Pull Down - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Side Lateral Raise | 2 | 10-15 |
Cable Tricep Extensions - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
Cable Curls - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
Tuesday: Lower Body Workout
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Squats | 3 | 6-12 |
Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
Leg Extensions - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Leg Curl - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Seated Calf Raise - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Cable Crunch - 3 sec negative | 3 | 10-12 |
Cable Pull Through w/Rope | 3 | 10-12 |
Thursday: Upper Body Workout
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
Rack Deadlifts - 3" to 5" off ground | 3 | 5-8 |
Military Press | 3 | 8-12 |
Machine Chest Press - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
Pull Ups or Machine Rows - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
Machine Shoulder Press - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
Dumbbell Curls - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
Machine Tricep Dip - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
Friday: Lower Body Workout
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Leg Press | 3 | 10-20 |
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
Leg Press Calf Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
Hack Squat | 2 | 8-12 |
Seated Leg Curl - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Seated Calf Raise - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
Planks | 3 | 60 sec |
Hyperextension | 3 | 10-12 |
Upper/Lower Workout FAQs
Below is a compiled list of some of the most frequently asked questions about this particular upper/lower workout.
The questions were questions we noticed we received often in the comments section.
Read through them to see if your question is answered. If it is not, please be sure to leave us a comment and we will try to answer your question to the best of our ability.
1. What is a 3 Second Negative?
The negative portion of the lift is the lowering or eccentric portion. For instance, on a bench press, the negative would be lowering the bar to your chest.
A 3 second negative is making this portion of the lift take 3 seconds to perform.
2. What Makes This Routine a Beginner Workout?
The total amount of volume in this workout routine is appropriate for a beginner level trainee.
If you wanted to make it more advanced, you could simply continue to increase the weights used over time or by upping the volume by adding additional sets.
All workout routines can be used by all levels of experience. It’s more or less a matter of knowing how to make your training most effective based on your goals, capabilities, and lifestyle.
3. How Long Should I Rest In Between Sets?
Timed rest periods usually don’t matter in the grand scheme of things, at least in my experience.
Typically, they are used to help keep the workouts more focused.
They will also depend on the total effort exuded on any given set. As you get stronger, you may need more time to rest in between sets.
A good rule of thumb is 60-90 seconds depending on the exercise. For more compound movements in a hypertrophy focused workout routine, you’ll want to take a full 90 seconds or so to recovery before performing the next set.
For isolation lifts or accessory movements, you may want to keep rest periods shorter as you will likely need less time to recover.
So, to sum it up, rest as needed.
4. Why So Many Deadlift Variations?
The deadlift is a mass builder. And each variation will place emphasis on different body parts it is training.
Stiff leg deadlifts will allow you to maximize the total poundage you use for the exercise since it’s a barbell compound. If done properly, the majority of the tension should be placed on the hamstrings and glutes.
For rack pull deadlifts, the barbell is elevated and the focus is on the upper back and traps.
Dumbbell stiff leg deadlifts will again train the hamstrings and glutes. Your grip will provide a limiting factor on this variation as it is more difficult to grip dumbbells compared to barbells.
Lastly, the hyperextensions, if performed properly, will place the majority of its tension on the glutes.
At the end of the day, if you do not feel comfortable performing this many hip hinge variations, you’re more than welcome to alter the template in a way that better fits your needs.
5. Can I Use The Workout If I Follow A Keto Diet?
Yes, you can use this program with any sort of diet.
That being said, keto diets aren’t necessarily an ideal approach for maximizing muscle growth and fueling performance during your workouts.
Everyone is different though. Continue to diet and exercise in whatever ways work best for you.
6. Can I Add Cardio?
Yes, you can add cardio to this program. The type and duration of the style of cardio will highly depend on your goals and time restraints.
If you are someone low on time, you can add HIIT cardio sessions to the end of your workouts on your training days.
Depending on your goals, you can also add in steady state cardio on your rest days as a form of active recovery.
7. Should I Increase The Weight Each Set?
You can increase the weight after each set if you enjoy performing your workouts in a pyramiding set fashion. Or you can keep them as straight sets. Whichever you prefer will do the trick.
The one caveat is, to build muscle you have to accomplish progressive overload. This can be accomplished in a number of different ways. However, the easiest to track is by increasing the weight used session to session over time.
Everyone progresses differently. So long as you are improving upon the weight you are using whenever you are capable of doing so, you will see results.
8. Can I Add Core Exercises?
You may add additional core exercises to this program if you like. However, depending on your goals, it may not be necessary.
If your goal is to develop your midsection, you’ll be better off focusing on creating a calorie deficit and improving your strength levels throughout the duration of the program.
If your goal is increasing your core strength, you can include some additional stability exercises as you see fit based on your working capacity, experience level, and ultimate goal.
9. Can Women Perform This Workout?
Absolutely!
Women can utilize this workout for whatever goals they may have. They may want to consider altering the exercise selection depending on their individual goals (a lot of women want to focus on glute growth) – however, it’s already pretty glute and hamstring emphasized via the deadlift variations and may not warrant additional alterations.
10. How Should I Warm Up?
Everyone’s warm ups will look different based on their individual mobility levels.
For an article on how to build out an appropriate warm up routine, check out this article.
Post your post-workout swolfies in M&S gear on IG and tag @muscleandstrength, #muscleandstrength, or DM them to us to get a shoutout on Muscle & Strength stories!
427 Comments
Hi, which program between this one and the P.H.U.L avaible on your website is more effective for gaining mass?
Hi, Olivier. For mass, this one. For strength, PHUL. Hope this helps!
Hi what could i replace rack pulls with its banned in my gym for bending bars
Hi, Alex. If your gym has a Smith Machine, do them there with the safeties set at around knee height or a little below. If you can't, then do deadlifts from the floor, but stopping at around shin height.
What an amazing resource! I was just googling looking for 4 day upper/lower split routine and this is perfect. Thank you!!
Hello, few months i used program where i separate muscle by days, for example biceps back together, chest triceps and shoulder together and legs have day for self, each one i do in range of 3 or 4 days so basicly between each i have 3,4 day of rest. Is this 4 Day Upper Lower Split program better then that and i want also to ask is enough only one exercise for biceps in training like you mention in plan above since i do 3-4 per day in my program?
Thanks in advance :)
Nemanja
Hi, Nemanja. This program is different, but it's hard to say if one is "better" than another. Your best bet would be to do it and find out if it is better for you.
As for the biceps, it will be a shock to do one after doing 3-4 for so long, but it would be ok. If you absolutely must do another one, add it in, but definitely stop at two exercises. Make the most out of the exercises you do, and you'll be fine.
Can you split the sets as 2 compound and 2 negatives? Or 3 compounds and 2 negative exercises are most effective? Can this program be used to build muscle while also being a caloric deficit?
You could split the sets, JNG.
As for building muscle while being on a caloric deficit, your body needs the calories in order to build the muscle. You may get leaner and your muscles may become more visible in a caloric deficit, which may make it appear like you built muscle. But, I can't say you would build substantial muscle in a deficit.
Is there a way i can do this workout but just without barbells?
Replace the barbell movements with dumbbell exercises, Dani.
Hey are there any rear delt exercises in this workout plan?
What can i add if its not?
Hi, Datuna. Outside of the barbell rows, which target them as a secondary muscle, not really. You can do bent over dumbbell reverse flys to target them.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/bent-over-dumbbell-reverse-f...
Hi, I would like to ask you a few things:
1 can a beginner (6 months) perform this workout?
2 what does it mean when it says 6-12 reps?
Thank you
Hi, Pier.
1. Yes, someone with six months experience can do this workout.
2. Perform anywhere from six to twelve repetitions with the weight you choose to use. You should reach failure within that rep range. Hope this helps!
I love this program. Today was my last day of the 12 weeks program. How many times i can repeat this program?
Glad you like it, Gilbert. After a week off, give it another run. If you don't see similar results, then you may want to consider something else.
Hi! I was wondering if I could do this workout at home with only Barbells and Dumbbells? I could do alternative exercises for cable and machine exercises?
Thank you.
You can. Check out the Exercises section for free weight options for each muscle group, and put them in place of the machine movements.
Thats great, thank you.
Hello,
I started this program 3 weeks ago and think it is great.
I would like to add two more bicep workouts and two more tricep workouts.
Do you suggest I add one of each to the end of the upper days or could I do the 4 additional workouts on a separate day like Saturday? It would basically be creating a mini 5th day that focuses on biceps and triceps. This day would only have 2 biceps and 2 triceps workouts.
Thanks
Sean
Hey Sean, if it was me, I would do them on Saturday, but either suggestion you shared could work.
Hi! My gym doesn’t have a triceps dip machine, what are the alternative exercises that I can do?
Is hammer strength tricep push down a good alternative? Thanks!
Hey Kenneth, the Hammer machine you suggested is a great alternative. Go for it!
Hey, my gym doesn't have the tricep dip machine. Can i change it with machine overhead extension for triceps?
Hi, Gilbert. Go for a close grip pushup or a close grip bench press instead. This will provide a similar benefit that the dip machine would.
How much should I increase the weight by each time I do a certain workout?
Hi, Shreyan. When you feel like you can do the weight you're using for the recommended reps without reaching failure, then increase it by five to ten pounds. Go by how you feel. It's ok if you don't progress every week. Just make sure the effort you give is your best.
Hello , I have been using this workout for quite sometime now and in two weeks it will be over 10 weeks since i have started following this plan, i was wondering what workout plan you would recommend me using after this one ? Im currently 81kg , 184cm , 19yo and want to have 5 workout days. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance
Muslim Zukhurov -
Here are a few 5-day workout plans you might like:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/5-day-dumbbell-only-workout-s...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/m-f-workout-routine
Have you felt that this workout has been working for you? Have you seen improvements with this workout? Thank you for your answer.
Thank you for the program
I was wondering, is there any reason the classic deadlift (nonstiff-legged) isn't includedin the program? Do the rack/stuff legged provide any benefits over the classic?
Hi, I was doing a 6 day a week Push, pull and legs split but found it too taxing on my body.. I’m on a calorie deficit and play sports two teams a week. Is this a good set up for weight loss/muscle building and good for sports? I’m aware diet is the most important when trying to drop weight.
Hey Luke - this should be a better option than the 6 day push/pull/legs split. Try it out and see how your body responds!
Hey, new to the gym, and my goal is to build mass (I want to be big, not too worried about strength). Following this routine, would it be alright if I did Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri?
Thanks
Hey Wayne - yes you can do that
Hello, I do have a machine at my home, so which exercises do you recommend instead of the ones require a machine?
I have a barbell, a EZ Bar, two sets of dumbbells and a resistence tube. Thanks :)
Hey Jack - check out these 2 articles on alternatives for gym machines:
- https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/upper-body-gym-machine-altern...
- https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/lower-body-alternatives-your-...
Can I use this routine with Rest-Pause Method? How can I mix it?
Hey Andres - it's best to follow the program as written.
How does one lose belly fat without losing body weight ?
Hey Arthur - you can eat in a slight caloric deficit. Check out our expert fat loss guide for more info: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
Hi
I don’t have machine at home and I’ve started this program I’ve replaced all the machine excersise with ones that I can perform on a pulley system can u recommend me a variation for machine chest press pls
Hey Dev - do you have a barbell or dumbbells?
Hi Mate,
I’ve been adding HIIT workout on my rest days. My workout goes like this
Monday- lower body
Tuesday- upper body
Wednesday- HIIT
Thursday- lower body
Friday- upper body
Saturday - HIIT
Do you think it’s too much? I’ve been feeling fine, but some say it’s too intense. What are your thoughts?
Thanks
Hey Guru - If you're feeling good from it and not having any issues with your recovery, you can stick to it. Just make sure you're getting in one complete rest day per week and your nutrition, sleep, and overall recovery is good.
Hi What is the benefit/reason for the Racked Deadlift over a Conventional Deadlift?
Hey Ian - the rack pull has a shorter range of motion than the traditional deadlift. You can usually lift more weight with a rack pull.
Is it possible to do an upper/lower body split without any weights?
Hey Ryan - yes, it is possible