Introduction
Today we’re breaking down one of our favorite training splits for building muscle and developing a strong, well-rounded physique. This program combines elements of the traditional upper/lower split with the structure of a push-pull-legs routine, giving you the best of both styles in a practical, effective weekly format.
The routine is built around a five-day training week with the option to include a sixth day for additional leg work or weak point training. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are dedicated to upper body training, with a primary focus on the chest, back, and shoulders. Tuesday and Thursday are lower body days, with Tuesday placing more emphasis on the quads and Thursday shifting focus to the hamstrings and glutes. Both lower body days also include direct arm training, covering both biceps and triceps for improved frequency and volume.
This approach creates a sustainable structure that balances volume and recovery across the week while targeting each muscle group multiple times. It’s especially effective for those who want to prioritize both upper and lower body development without spending excessive time in the gym each day.
To get the most out of this split, it’s important to pair your training with a solid foundation of nutrition, sleep, and consistent effort. If you’re new to muscle-building or want to sharpen your training approach, we recommend reviewing our guide to maximizing muscle growth before diving into this program.
Weak Points
Day 6 offers the flexibility to add in another leg workout and offers the flexibility to add in a few accessory movements designed to help you bring up lagging muscle groups or place extra emphasis on specific areas you want to develop further. These accessory lifts are not intended to be a full workout, but rather a focused opportunity to apply strategic volume where it’s most needed.
We recommend selecting one or two target muscle groups and performing 2 to 3 sets of a well-chosen accessory exercise for each. Avoid heavy compound lifts that require extensive recovery. Instead, keep the focus on isolation movements and higher-quality, lower-impact work. The goal here is to stimulate growth without creating additional fatigue that could interfere with the next week’s training.
If you choose to include this day, it’s best placed before your rest day whenever possible. This allows for a full recovery window before returning to your primary training days and helps minimize the risk of overtraining or performance drop-off.
Training Intensity
Each exercise in this routine includes a target rep range. To drive muscle growth, you should aim to train each working set to near or complete muscular failure within that range. This means you should finish your sets feeling like you couldn’t perform more than 0–2 additional reps with good form. If you’re finishing your sets with too much left in the tank, you’re leaving progress on the table.
Progressive overload is the key driver of muscle growth. This means gradually increasing the demands placed on your muscles over time. Aim to either add weight or reps each week. When you reach the top end of the rep range with solid form, increase the weight slightly and work your way back up.
Recommended Rest Time Between Sets
For heavy compound lifts — such as squats, bench press, Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), and other multi-joint movements aim for about 2.5 to 3 minutes of rest between sets. These exercises are more demanding on your nervous system and require longer recovery to maintain strength and proper form across all working sets.
For isolation and accessory movements such as curls, lateral raises, tricep pushdowns, or leg extensions shorter rest periods of around 1 to 2 minutes are generally ideal. These movements place less systemic stress on the body and recover more quickly.
Rest times aren’t rigid rules. Some people may feel ready to go again after just 2 minutes on a heavy set, while others may need the full 3 minutes. The goal is to ensure you’re recovered enough to perform your next set with good form and high intensity. If your performance is dropping off drastically set to set, your rest periods may be too short.
Recommended Warm-Up
Before jumping into your first working set, it’s important to properly warm up — both to prime your body for performance and to reduce the risk of injury.
Start each session with 5 to 10 minutes of light cardio, just enough to raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the muscles you’re about to train. This could be walking, cycling, or using a stair stepper. The goal isn’t to tire yourself out but to prepare your body to move under load.
From there, move into warm-up sets for your first main lift of the day. These sets help prepare your joints, muscles, and nervous system for heavier loads.
Here’s a simple warm-up set structure based on the percentage of your working weight for that exercise:
- 1 set of 8–10 reps at ~40–50%
- 1 set of 6–8 reps at ~60%
- 1 set of 3–5 reps at ~75–80%
You may only need 2 warm-up sets for lighter lifts, but heavier compound movements (like squats, bench, and deadlifts) will benefit from at least 3.
Keep these sets smooth and controlled — they shouldn’t feel overly taxing. You’re gradually preparing your body to move heavy weight safely and effectively.
You don’t need warm-up sets for every exercise, just the major compound lifts at the start of your session. Once you’re into your accessory work and your body is primed, you can usually move straight into your working sets.
Day 1: Upper Body
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 6-10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 |
| Chest Press (Machine) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Chest Supported Row | 3 | 8-10 |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 5 | 15-20 |
| Seated Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) | 2 | 8-12 |
| Single Arm Suitcase Carries | 3 | 1 Min Walks |
Day 2: Lower Body (Quad Focused) + Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| RDL (Barbell or Dumbbell) + 1 Sec Pause @ Bottom | 2 | 8-10 |
| Hack Squat (Machine) | 3 | 6-10 |
| Leg Press (Machine) | 2 | 6-8 |
| Leg Extensions (Machine) | 2 | 12-15 |
| Bayesian Curls (Cable) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension With Straight Bar (Cable) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Single Arm Alternating Supinated Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) | 2 | 8-10 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | Failure |
Day 3: Upper Body
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press (Smith Machine) | 3 | 6-10 |
| Dips (Weighted or assisted as needed) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Chest Supported Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Face Pull (Cable) | 3 | 15-20 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-10 |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 5 | 15-20 |
| Tricep Pushdown With V-Bar (Cable) | 3 | 6-10 |
| Cable Crunch | 3 | 10-20 |
Day 4: Lower Body (Hamstring + Glute Focused) + Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian Split Squat (Smith Machine) | 3 | 8-12 |
| RDL (Barbell) | 2 | 6-8 |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Hamstring Curl (Machine) | 2 | 12-15 |
| Bayesian Curls (Cable) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension With Straight Bar (Cable) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Single Arm Alternating Supinated Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) | 2 | 8-10 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | Failure |
Day 5: Upper Body
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 6-8 |
| Pec Deck (Machine) | 3 | 10-15 |
| Chest Supported Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lat Pulldown (Close Grip) | 3 | 8-10 |
| Reverse Fly (Cable) | 3 | 15-20 |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 5 | 15-20 |
| Single Arm Suitcase Carries | 3 | 1 Min Walks |
Day 6 (Optional): Lower Body + Weak Points
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| RDL (Barbell or Dumbbell) + 1 Sec Pause @ Bottom | 2 | 8-10 |
| Hack Squat (Machine) | 3 | 6-10 |
| Leg Press (Machine) | 2 | 6-8 |
| Weak Point | 2-3 | 8-12 |
| Weak Point | 2-3 | 8-12 |
| Weak Point | 2-3 | 8-12 |
Conclusion
This hybrid upper/lower + push/pull split is designed to help you build muscle efficiently, train each muscle group with optimal frequency, and balance intensity with recovery. By combining the structure of traditional upper/lower training with the targeted volume of a push/pull/legs approach — and adding arms on leg days — this routine hits the sweet spot between performance and practicality.
Whether you’re following the 5-day version or adding in the optional 6th day for weak points, the key to long-term results isn’t just the split itself — it’s how you approach it.
Stay consistent. Train with intent. Push yourself to failure. Eat well. Prioritize sleep and recovery. And most importantly — give it time. Muscle growth takes patience, but if you stick to the plan, track your progress, and stay committed, you’ll build a physique you’re proud of.
Now it’s time to get to work.