As a personal fitness and strength coach, I often recommend an upper and lower body split as the best approach to achieving a more balanced, sculpted appearance.
But a lot of people oversimplify this approach and don’t bring in enough variation to target different muscle groups for maximum effect.
So, our team set up a meeting with a dozen other fitness coaches, and we spent four hours discussing the ideal approach to a lower and upper body workout split.
Here’s what we found.
Quick Summary
- One of the main focus areas for bodybuilders is to keep their upper and lower body in proportion as they progress through bulking phases.
- Many amateurs end up spending too much time on their upper body muscles and end up with the dreaded lollipop effect.
- With a correctly planned upper-lower split, you can achieve more muscle growth and focus it on the areas that matter most.
What Is An Upper-Lower Workout Split?
An upper-lower workout split is a carefully planned approach to separating your training days to focus on upper or lower body muscles.
The idea is that rather than doing a full-body workout, you specify days to only do one or the other.
For example, you might have three upper body days to cover your arms, chest, shoulders, and back.
And then you add one or two days to work on your lower body muscles, from your glutes all the way down to your calves [1].
The main reason for doing this is that you get more days during which one part of your body is resting.
And when it comes around again to training those muscles, you’ll have less fatigue, allowing you to train harder.
The other reason has to do with taking a more targeted approach to building muscle mass and achieving a more even and toned physique.
More on this shortly.
What Exercises Should You Plan?
The important thing you need to keep in mind is that you want a long enough list of exercises to train your entire body while adding some variety.
Studies have shown that the more you change your workout routine, the better the effects on motivation and muscle building [2].
Horizontal Push Exercises
You’ll find that these upper-body push workouts are predominantly compound exercises, which can be an excellent way to target more than one muscle group at a time [3].
Incline Bench Press
For this exercise, you want to set up your workout bench at about a 30-degree angle so that you’re pushing the barbell slightly upwards. This is a great way to isolate the upper pecs and shoulder muscles.
Decline Bench Press
A decline bench press might feel strange at first, and I would recommend starting with a decline angle of about 15 degrees to get used to it. The concept here is that you specifically target your lower pecs to get that more rounded and toned appearance.
Dumbbell Flys
To do dumbbell flys, you need to set your workout bench up flat and lay down with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold these above your chest with your arms slightly bent.
Lower the dumbbells down to each side of your body without changing the angle of your arms. Then push them back up and feel that burn across your chest.
Horizontal Pull Exercises
These exercises will target multiple major muscle groups with a mix of isolation and compound exercises.
Cable Rows
These are one of my favorites for an upper-lower split approach. You’ll need a good cable machine or some resistance bands attached to your door.
Pull the handle slowly towards your chest, hold it for a second, and then slowly release the tension again.
Reverse Flys
My favorite approach for these is to lie down on my stomach on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Then pull them slowly up perpendicular to your body until you reach shoulder height. It’s a great way to build muscle in your traps [4].
Bent Over Rows
These have a similar effect as cable rows and will suit people who prefer working with free weights.
Place a heavy dumbbell on the ground, take one step forward towards it, and then bend forward with a straight back. Pull the dumbbell up to your chest while keeping your shoulder parallel to the ground.
Biceps Curls
And you can’t plan an upper-lower split without including some good old-fashioned biceps curls. Mix these up between hammer curls, barbell curls, and preacher curls to introduce some variety for motivation.
Vertical Push Exercises
Now it’s time to switch your angles a bit more so that each muscle group is challenged in multiple ways.
Overhead Press
For this chest and shoulder workout, stand up with a barbell at shoulder height and be ready to push it up over your head.
Look up at the ceiling to avoid catching your chin, and then push it slowly up and lower it back down again.
Related: How to Overhead Press: Proper Form and Technique
Dips
Even if you can’t complete a dip yet, I recommend adding these to your upper-lower split workouts. Use your feet to support some of your body weight if you can’t complete at least three of these.
Getting into the routine of this movement will build up the precise muscles needed to achieve full sets in a few months.
Lateral Raises
Now it’s time for some targeted shoulder exercises. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand beside your thighs, palms facing inward.
Slowly raise each dumbbell perpendicular to your body without bending your elbows. Hold at the top for a second, and then release the tension back down.
Front Raises
A slight variation in lateral raises that will also target your chest is doing some front raises.
Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of you, palms facing your thighs. Then lift them up to shoulder height and hold them there for a second.
You could also create another variation by alternating lateral and front raises in one set.
Vertical Pull Exercises
Now we’re heading for that large muscle group in your upper back to broaden out your shoulders and traps.
Pull-Ups
I would recommend doing wide-grip pull-ups, as they will trigger a broader range of muscles in your back and shoulders.
If you can’t complete a full pull-up, then allow your feet to touch the ground or a chair to support your weight.
Chin-Ups
Your upper-lower split workouts should also include some chin-ups in order to target your biceps and shoulder muscles. These are also a bit easier than doing standard pull-ups.
Also Read: Chin-up vs Pull-up: Key Differences
Lat Pulldown
You should also consider some lat pulldowns at your cable machine. These can be a great option for people who really struggle with pull-ups to gradually build up more strength.
Upper Leg Exercises
Now it’s time to get started with some lower-body workout options, and we’ll look at your glutes, hamstrings, and quads first [5].
Back Squats
Squats are one of the best ways to work on your lower body and core.
Set up your barbell in the squat rack and balance it on your shoulders. Then slowly lower your buttocks down as far as possible before pushing back up again.
Great form will be more important than a higher weight load.
Lunges
If you don’t feel comfortable with squats, then add some weighted lunges to your upper-lower split plan.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, take a large step forward, and bend your forward knee. Push back up and step forward with the other foot.
Leg Extension
Leg extensions should also be part of your lower body workouts, and many amateurs will prefer using a machine over balancing a barbell during squats.
Deadlifts
And to target your lower back, core, and glutes, do some deadlifts on a regular basis. Make sure you have a fitness coach check your posture on these, as a curved back during a deadlift can cause significant back injuries.
Lower Leg Exercises
The final part of a lower-body workout should also look at your calf muscles.
Calf Raises
Calf raises will target a lower muscle group that many people forget and then end up with a bulky upper body and skinny legs.
Use a heavy barbell and do calf raises on almost every leg day of your upper-lower split plan.
Rep Ranges And Weight Loads For Lower And Upper Body
The key to this workout routine isn’t just the upper-lower split.
You also need to make a clear plan for your training volume in terms of reps and weight loads you pile on.
For people who have goals of losing fat for general weight loss or during a cutting phase, I would recommend lowering the weight loads and doing more reps per set.
Aim for 12 to 15 reps in each set, and you should be able to maximize your calorie burn.
But if you’re in a bulking phase or want to get more toned, then reduce the rep ranges to about eight per set.
“The low-rep zone can be defined as anything between 1 rep with near-maximal effort and 5 reps in a set. They're often viewed as being geared more for powerlifting or Olympic lifting.”
- Mike Robertson, C.S.C.S. at bodybuilding.com
Sample Split For Upper-Lower Body Workouts
Let me now show you some examples of how to structure your training volume.
2-Day Upper-Lower Split Workout
This is the most basic split for upper and lower body workouts, and it’s suitable for people who have limited time for training.
- Monday: Lower Body
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Upper Body
- Friday: Cardio
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
3-Day Upper-Lower Split Workout
For a 3-day split, you’ll need to switch around the upper-lower workouts from week to week so that you have the same number of workouts over a two-week period.
- Monday: Lower Body
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Upper Body
- Thursday: Cardio
- Friday: Lower Body
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
4-Day Upper-Lower Split Workout
This is the ideal split for maximum impact on these muscle groups.
- Monday: Upper Body
- Tuesday: Lower Body
- Wednesday: Cardio
- Thursday: Upper Body
- Friday: Lower Body
- Saturday: Active Recovery
- Sunday: Rest
Benefits Of This Approach
There are a few important benefits you get from doing this kind of upper-lower split.
Training Variety
I always recommend that my clients regularly change their training days and sets.
Not only does this help you avoid getting bored and maintain high motivation, but this approach can also have a positive impact on muscle growth.
From the first upper body workout on, make sure that you switch out sets and change the order every time.
Studies have shown that this varied exercise approach has a big impact on your progress [6].
“By creating variation and changing exercises in your routine, you can create a new stimulus, which creates more progress over time.”
- Brian Magat, PT at uhhospitals.org
Efficient Use Of Time
Having this kind of split allows different muscle groups to recover over more days before you work on them again.
For example, after your Monday session, your entire upper body will be exhausted and sore.
But you won’t be training it again until Thursday if you’re doing my recommended 4-day split.
Balanced Muscle Growth
Because you have an active approach to training all muscle groups with an equal number of training days, you’ll find that you maintain much better proportions in your physique.
Most importantly, you’ll avoid the lollipop effect of skinny legs and a bulky upper body.
Are There Downsides?
There are two downsides to be aware of before you get started so that you can plan around them.
First of all, keeping this strict training frequency for an upper-lower split requires a lot of dedication.
And you also need to keep detailed records of your training sets to maintain the variety mentioned above.
Secondly, your upper body has more muscle groups [7]. And that means that your upper-body training will have more sets and take longer.
Make sure you plan that into your workout schedule.
Who Should Consider An Upper-Lower Workout Split?
Athletes who want to make sure they have very even muscle growth should consider an upper-lower split for their workouts.
It’s also ideally suited for people who like to work with free weights and cable machines, as they will be able to isolate certain areas to achieve maximum growth.
It’s also ideal for people who want to get more toned while making efficient use of limited training time.
Who Shouldn’t Do An Upper-Lower Workout Split?
People who can’t commit to such a strict training frequency shouldn’t consider an upper-lower split for workouts.
If you start missing training days, you could end up with uneven muscle growth.
It’s also not the best option if you’re mainly looking for weight loss and cardio training, as this kind of split focuses more on working with free weights and cable pulley machines.
FAQs
Is Upper-Lower A Good Workout Split?
Yes, upper-lower is a good workout split. It’s the ideal way to ensure that your muscle growth is evenly distributed. It also allows you to extend the amount of rest your muscles get while still working out four or five days a week.
Is A 4-Day Upper-Lower Split Good?
Yes, a 4-day upper-lower split is a good training option. I would also recommend adding a cardio day to the plan and having some active rest plans for the weekend. This can help you achieve maximum results for fitness and muscle growth.
Take A New Approach To Lower And Upper Body Workouts
The upper-lower split is what I recommend for the majority of athletes and bodybuilders.
Once you have achieved an overall positive muscle distribution, you can fine-tune things further to isolate specific muscles.
And if you want to build muscle with more effective recovery periods, then I would recommend adding one of the best protein powders we tested into the mix:
These can significantly help with muscle soreness and will ensure you get the best results for overall muscle growth as well.
References:
- https://teachmeanatomy.info/lower-limb/muscles/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6934277/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592763/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21563-trapezius-muscle
- https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/anatomy-your-leg-muscles
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262385387_Changes_in_Exercises_Are_More_Effective_Than_in_Loading_Schemes_to_Improve_Muscle_Strength
- https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/60/2/148/563279
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