Weightlifting is a great habit that enriches the lives of many, allowing people to improve their physical fitness through a gruelling but rewarding journey. There are a wide variety of different workout routines, also known as workout “splits,” which give structure to strength workouts, allowing lifters to repeatedly perform the same movements on a consistent basis as they gradually increase the amount of weight that they’re lifting.

In this article, we’ll go through a diverse range of different workout splits, exploring the pros and cons of each one so that you can determine which split is most suitable to you, hopefully motivating you to start your weightlifting journey.

A number of different workout splits have been formulated and practiced by professionals over the years, however there are 4 that stand out as the most prominent and effective. The 4 splits that we’ll be discussing today are:

• The Upper-Lower split

• The Push-Pull-Legs split

• The Full-Body split

• The Body-part split (commonly known as “the bro split”)

There’s variation in regard to the exercises which can be performed during each of these splits, however the basic structure of workouts is the same, we’ll be sure to provide you with examples of workouts that you could try for each split.

The Upper-Lower Split

This routine generally involves 4 or 5 days of training, with 2 days of upper body training and 2 days of lower body training for the 4-day split, or an extra upper body session for the 5 days split. The upper body day involves training a plethora of different upper body muscle groups, including the chest (pectoral muscles), arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders (front, side, and rear deltoids), and back (traps, lats and rhomboids). This generally demands a longer and more difficult workout, however, it’s one of the most optimal routines for building muscle and overall strength training. Let’s delve into the pros and cons of this split more deeply.

Pros:

• High volume training - lifting lighter weights for more reps, this ensures a safe lifting session, perfect for anyone apprehensive about lifting heavy weights

• Plateauing is less-likely to occur - your chances of seeing a decrease in progress after 6 months of lifting are low, you can train close to failure on all of your sets to guarantee continual muscle growth

• Diverse range of exercises can be performed - the general term “upper body” doesn’t specify what exercises should be performed. You can experiment with different movements and see which you like best before settling with a stable routine, allowing you to continually build strength

Cons

• More time consuming - longer workouts require more time. This may be difficult depending on other commitments

• Understanding of hypertrophy is required - it’s important to ensure you’re training close to failure on the majority of your sets to maximize muscle hypertrophy (loosely defined as an increase in muscle mass), if you’re not training with intensity, results will be limited

• Doesn’t utilize the full kinetic chain - some muscles and joints aren’t worked during this split, creating some weaknesses, generally in core strength and flexibility

Example Split

Here’s a sample workout routine from an external source. This combines a number of different exercises into a week’s worth of training, ensuring an enjoyable workout great for anyone looking to get into weightlifting. Click here to see an example of the upper lower training split, from Set for Set, a great online source for fitness gear and information.

The Push-Pull-Legs Split

The push-pull-legs split is a great way to begin your strength training journey, as it organises each workout according to the types of movements that are carried out. In contrast to the upper-lower split, this routine directs greater focus towards lifting heavier weights to build strength more efficiently.

Push day involves exercises working the chest, triceps, and shoulders, consisting of exercises like the bench press, tricep pushdown, overhead, press, and lateral raise. Pull day exercises the back and biceps, including exercises like the pull-up, bicep curl, barbell row, and face pull.

Each workout will have more exercises than the ones previously mentioned, however, those can be considered the “bread and butter” of push-pull-legs workouts. This split prevalently uses a concept known as “progressive overload,” where lifters frequently increase the amount of weight they’re lifting, or the number of reps they’re doing to maximise muscle growth.

This split is my routine of choice. I find it flexible, engaging, and effective, as I’ve seen good results from the last year of training with this split. Let’s go through the pros and cons.

Pros

• Suitable for weightlifters of any level of experience - this split is great for a beginner to adopt, and to repeatedly use over a long period of time considering the role of progressive overload, which will allow for consistent muscle growth

• Convenient configuration - this split allows for certain muscle groups to be exercised on one day, and then be given ample time to recover until next exercised a number of days later

• Diverse options in regard to exercises - there are a plethora of different exercises that can be performed during each workout, allowing lifters to organise their workouts depending on which movements and lifts they enjoy the most

Cons

• Time consuming - this split demands a hefty amount of time for each workout, however this is a reason it provides such quick and impressive results

• Doesn’t utilize the whole kinetic chain - certain muscle and joints aren’t exercises, namely the core muscles, unless these muscles and joints are worked in a separate format or setting

Example Split

Here’s a sample routine structured around the push-pull-legs split. This split is great because of its diverse range of exercises and low-rep sets, which promise to maximise muscle development. Click here to view the split, this is also created by Set for Set, which we again highly recommend due to their quality content on a myriad of different fitness topics.

The Full-Body Split

The full-body split is structured to ensure lifters are training almost all muscle groups during every workout, as opposed to the other routines discussed in this article, which only train up to 3 muscle groups per session. Full-body workouts are generally based around compound lifts (movements that exercise multiple muscles simultaneously), including the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

Also included are a number of other exercises that aim to isolate certain muscles and achieve maximum hypertrophy, including bicep curls and calf raises. Full-body routines are simple and can be performed at a high frequency, allowing for muscle growth to occur despite the basic and repetitive nature of each session. Here are some of the pros and cons of the full-body split.

Pros

• Increased functionality - in a full-body split, a number of exercises are carried out which work multiple muscles, allowing your body to operate as a unit in some scenarios, as opposed to other splits in this article which a dominated by isolation exercises

• Decreased likelihood of over-training - by lessening the load on each muscle group during each workout, muscles require less recovery and regeneration, as opposed to other splits in this article where muscles are trained at a high intensity, potentially increasing the risk of injury

• Fewer sessions required - through the use of a full-body split, you can train each muscle groups multiple times a week in just 3 or 4 separate sessions, allowing you to accommodate more time for other commitments

Cons

• Longer sessions - as a result of the final pro, sessions are longer as many muscle groups need to be exercised. The full-body splits suitability for you is dependent on your preference: longer, less frequent sessions, or shorter, more frequent sessions

• Lack of precision - the full-body split doesn’t precisely exercise certain muscle groups at an intensity which is present in other splits mentioned in this article, this can cause muscle growth to take longer for someone engaging in full-body workouts

Example Split

Here’s a sample full-body workout split, great for anyone looking to trial different workout routines or permanently use when lifting in the gym. Click here to view the sample split, also from Set for Set like each of the other example splits in this article.

The Bro Split

The Bro Split is the final workout routine we’ll be discussing in this article. It’s structured around training sessions which target one muscle group, meaning you’d have a day where you exercise chest, then another day for arms, another for back, and another for legs. These workouts typically consist of more intense lifting, as your muscles require a greater load of exercise in one workout if said workout is only going to be performed once a week.

The bro split is perfect for anyone who likes to train each muscle group once a week, and experiment with a number of different movements during each of their workouts. I previously used a bro split before changing my workouts to a push-pull legs structure, as I didn’t experience substantial muscle growth as quickly as I would have liked. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of the bro split.

Pros

• Great variety of workouts - as opposed to the other 3 splits mentioned in this article, each workout structured around the bro split is different, isolating a different muscle group to each of the other sessions

• Perfect for anyone trying to focus on their weaknesses - if you find that your arms are outstandingly weak in comparison to your other muscle groups, a workout isolating your biceps and triceps can help train your arms with high intensity, leading to greater growth

Cons

• Low training frequency - generally bro splits only train each muscle group once a week, which is sub-optimal for those trying to maximise muscle hypertrophy and growth (this is far easier to do through the upper-lower or push-pull-legs splits)

• Increased soreness - after exercising one muscle group intensely during one workout, said muscle group will be incredibly sore, and some regular body functions will be more difficult and irritating to perform

• Increased risk of injury for beginner lifters - for those starting their fitness journey that don’t have baseline strength, a bro split can potentially cause injury to certain muscle groups due to overtraining and excessive load

Example Split

Here’s another sample routine from Set for Set. All four of our sample routines have been from their website. Trust us, they know what they’re talking about. Click here to view the sample split.

Our Verdict: The Best Weightlifting Split

In my opinion, the best weightlifting splits are the push-pull-legs routine and the upper-lower split. These two workout plans are supported and used by the majority of fitness professionals, having been proven to be the most optimal for muscle growth and development.

Scientific descriptions backing and exploring these splits can be viewed here (a great video by online fitness guru Jeff Nippard), and here (also a video by fitness content creator Jeremy Ethier). It’s generally agreed on that the prioritisation of high-frequency training to maximise muscle hypertrophy is necessary to ensure an efficient and effective weightlifting split.

I’ve been structuring my workouts around the push-pull-legs split for approximately a year, and I honestly have nothing negative to say about it. I ensure I’m lifting heavy weights for each exercise, with each set consisting of either 6 to 8 reps, or greater than 10 if I’m training until failure. The upper-lower split is also commonly used by bodybuilders and is great considering its suitability for lifters of all levels of experience.

To Conclude:

In this article, we discussed the four weightlifting splits of the upper-lower split, the push-pull-legs split, the full-body split and the bro split. Whether you’re new to weightlifting or experienced in the gym, we hope you found this article helpful and wish you the best in your future exercise endeavours.