The upper lower split is the most underrated training structure in the gym. It delivers nearly the same results as a 6-day push pull legs program, but in only four workouts per week.
You train upper body twice and lower body twice. Each muscle group gets hit with enough volume and frequency to grow, and you still have three full rest days to recover. No burnout. No marathon gym sessions. Just smart, efficient training.
The upper lower split works for intermediates chasing muscle, beginners ready to step beyond full body, and busy lifters who need maximum results from minimum days. It is the sweet spot between doing too little and doing too much.
This guide gives you a complete 4-day upper lower routine with strength and hypertrophy days, exercise selection principles, volume guidelines, and a direct comparison to PPL and full body splits. Everything you need to run this program starting today.
TL;DR: The upper lower split trains your entire body across four weekly sessions, two upper and two lower. Each muscle gets hit twice per week with 10-20 weekly sets. Day A workouts focus on strength (heavier loads, lower reps). Day B workouts focus on hypertrophy (moderate loads, higher reps). It is the most time-efficient split for intermediate lifters. Build your own upper lower plan with our free workout planner.
What Is an Upper Lower Split?
An upper lower split divides your training into two workout types: upper body and lower body.
Upper days train your chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. You will press, row, pull, and curl all in one session. The key is balancing pushing and pulling movements so your front and back develop evenly.
Lower days train your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. You will squat, hinge, lunge, and isolate. Lower days are physically demanding because your legs contain roughly half your total muscle mass.
You run each workout type twice per week. That gives every muscle group two training sessions with 48-72 hours of recovery between them. Research consistently shows that training a muscle twice per week produces better growth than once per week, and the upper lower split delivers exactly that frequency without requiring five or six gym days.
The standard schedule looks like this:
- Monday: Upper Day A (Strength)
- Tuesday: Lower Day A (Strength)
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Upper Day B (Hypertrophy)
- Friday: Lower Day B (Hypertrophy)
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
This setup gives you one rest day between your two training blocks and a full weekend to recover before repeating the cycle. You can shift the days to fit your schedule, but keep at least one rest day between the two blocks. Tuesday through Saturday or Wednesday through Sunday works just as well.
The A/B structure is what makes this split powerful. Your A days use heavier weights and lower reps to build raw strength. Your B days use moderate weights and higher reps to maximize muscle growth. You get the best of both worlds every single week.
Who Should Use Upper Lower?
The upper lower split fits a wide range of lifters, but it is especially effective in certain situations.
You can train 4 days per week. This is the ideal number for upper lower. If you can only train three days, a full body workout plan is a better choice. If you have five or six days, a push pull legs routine might be worth considering.
You have been training consistently for at least 3-6 months. Complete beginners benefit more from full body routines because they need to practice every movement pattern frequently. Once you have built a baseline of strength and form, upper lower gives you the extra volume you need to keep growing.
You want balanced development. The structure forces you to train pushing and pulling in the same session, which prevents the common mistake of overdeveloping your chest while neglecting your back. It also dedicates two full sessions to your lower body, so you cannot skip leg day.
You care about recovery. Training four days and resting three is sustainable long term. You are less likely to burn out compared to running a 6-day PPL split. If you have a stressful job, kids, or limited sleep, this split respects your recovery capacity.
You want strength and size. The A/B structure lets you train heavy on some days and chase volume on others. Pure strength programs often neglect hypertrophy work. Pure hypertrophy programs often skip heavy lifting. Upper lower gives you both.
You are an intermediate lifter who has outgrown full body. If your full body sessions are lasting 90 minutes because you need more volume per muscle group, it is time to split things up. Upper lower is the natural next step.
Upper lower is less ideal if you are a complete beginner, if you want to train six days per week, or if you are an advanced bodybuilder who needs extremely high volume per muscle group. For those situations, check our best workout split guide to find a better match.
4-Day Upper Lower Routine
Here is a complete 4-day upper lower program with two strength-focused days and two hypertrophy-focused days. Every exercise links to our exercise library with full instructions and video demonstrations.
Upper Day A (Strength Focus)
This session prioritizes heavy compound pressing and pulling. Lower reps, heavier weights, longer rest periods. The goal is progressive overload on your main lifts.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 x 4-6 | 3-4 min |
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 4 x 4-6 | 3 min |
| Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press | 3 x 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Cable Wide Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 x 6-8 | 2 min |
| Barbell Curl | 3 x 6-8 | 90 sec |
| Weighted Tricep Dips | 3 x 6-8 | 2 min |
| Cable Standing Face Pull | 3 x 12-15 | 90 sec |
Workout notes: Bench press and bent over row are your primary lifts. Give them full effort and track your numbers every session. When you hit 4x6 with good form, add 5 pounds next week. Overhead press builds shoulder mass and pressing strength. Lat pulldowns develop back width. Curls and dips build arm strength with heavier loads than you would use on hypertrophy day. Face pulls finish the session by hitting your rear delts and upper back for shoulder health.
Warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio and 2-3 progressively heavier warm-up sets on bench press before your working sets. Total session time: 60-75 minutes.
Lower Day A (Strength Focus)
Heavy squatting and hip hinging build your foundation. This is the most physically demanding session of the week.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 x 4-6 | 3-4 min |
| Barbell Romanian Deadlift | 4 x 6-8 | 3 min |
| Lever Seated Leg Press | 3 x 8-10 | 2-3 min |
| Lever Lying Single Leg Curl | 3 x 8-10 | 2 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 x 8-10 | 2 min |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 x 10-12 | 90 sec |
Workout notes: Squats are your primary lower body strength builder. Go as deep as your mobility allows while keeping a neutral spine. Romanian deadlifts hammer your hamstrings and glutes through a deep stretch under heavy load. Leg press adds quad volume without additional spinal loading after squats. Leg curls ensure your hamstrings get work through knee flexion, not just hip extension. Hip thrusts target the glutes directly. Calves need consistent volume to grow, so do not skip them.
Expect this workout to be brutal. Squats and Romanian deadlifts back to back will test your conditioning. Take your rest periods seriously.
Upper Day B (Hypertrophy Focus)
This session uses moderate weights, higher reps, and different exercise variations to maximize muscle growth. Shorter rest periods keep the pump going.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 4 x 8-12 | 2 min |
| Cable Seated Row | 4 x 10-12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 x 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Pull-Up | 3 x 8-12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 x 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Cable Triceps Pushdown | 3 x 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Barbell Curl | 3 x 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Cable Standing Face Pull | 3 x 15-20 | 60 sec |
Workout notes: Incline dumbbell press hits the upper chest, which is often underdeveloped. Cable rows build back thickness with constant tension throughout the movement. Flat dumbbell press provides a deeper stretch than barbell bench and develops stabilizer muscles. Pull-ups develop back width. If you cannot do 8 reps, use a lat pulldown instead. Lateral raises build your side delts for wider shoulders. Pushdowns and curls finish the arms with higher reps. Face pulls round out the session with rear delt and upper back work.
Focus on the mind-muscle connection here. Control every rep, squeeze at the top, and use a 2-second negative on each rep. This is about quality contractions, not moving maximum weight.
Lower Day B (Hypertrophy Focus)
Higher reps, different movement patterns, and more isolation work to complement the heavy lifting from Lower Day A.
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 3 x 6-8 | 3 min |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 x 10-12 (each leg) | 2 min |
| Lever Leg Extension | 3 x 12-15 | 90 sec |
| Lever Lying Single Leg Curl | 3 x 12-15 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Walking Lunges | 3 x 12 (each leg) | 90 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 x 15-20 | 60 sec |
Workout notes: Deadlifts open the session while you are fresh. Keep the reps moderate since this is your heaviest pull of the week. Bulgarian split squats are brutal but highly effective for building quads, glutes, and single-leg stability. Leg extensions isolate the quads with peak contraction at the top. Leg curls at higher reps create serious hamstring pump. Walking lunges finish the session with a compound movement that torches your entire lower body. High-rep calf raises maximize metabolic stress for stubborn calves.
This workout will leave your legs shaking. That is the point. The combination of heavy deadlifts, unilateral work, and high-rep isolation creates a growth stimulus you cannot get from squats alone.
Exercise Selection
Choosing the right exercises for each slot in your upper lower split determines your results. Here is how to think about it.
Start each session with a main compound lift. This is your big mover, the exercise you track most aggressively for progressive overload. For upper strength day, that is barbell bench press. For lower strength day, that is barbell squat. For upper hypertrophy day, an incline press or row works well. For lower hypertrophy day, barbell deadlift or a squat variation leads the way.
Pair pushing and pulling on upper days. Every upper session should include roughly equal sets of pressing and rowing or pulling. If you do 10 sets of pushing exercises, do 10 sets of pulling exercises. This prevents muscle imbalances and protects your shoulders long term.
Hit both movement patterns for hamstrings on lower days. Your hamstrings perform two functions: hip extension and knee flexion. Romanian deadlifts train hip extension. Leg curls train knee flexion. You need both for complete hamstring development.
Use different exercises on A and B days. Your strength day should feature barbell compounds that allow heavy loading. Your hypertrophy day should use dumbbells, cables, and machines that provide constant tension and allow you to focus on the muscle rather than the movement. This variation hits your muscles from different angles and prevents overuse injuries.
Do not neglect small muscle groups. Side delts need lateral raises. Rear delts need face pulls. Calves need calf raises. These muscles will not grow from compound movements alone. Dedicate 2-3 sets per session to the small stuff.
Browse our complete exercise library for detailed instructions and video demonstrations of every movement in this program. If you want pre-built programs, check the workout routines library for dozens of ready-to-use plans.
Volume and Progression
Volume and progression are what turn a training plan into actual results. Without enough volume, you will not stimulate growth. Without progression, you will not give your muscles a reason to adapt.
Weekly volume targets: Aim for 10-20 sets per muscle group per week. Beginners should start at the lower end (10-12 sets) and work up over months. Intermediate lifters typically thrive in the 14-18 set range. The 4-day upper lower routine in this guide provides roughly:
- Chest: 10-14 sets per week
- Back: 12-16 sets per week
- Shoulders: 10-14 sets per week (including indirect work from pressing and pulling)
- Biceps: 8-10 sets per week (plus indirect work from rows and pullups)
- Triceps: 8-10 sets per week (plus indirect work from pressing)
- Quads: 12-16 sets per week
- Hamstrings: 10-14 sets per week
- Glutes: 10-14 sets per week (most quad and hamstring exercises also work glutes)
- Calves: 8 sets per week
This falls perfectly within the evidence-based range for muscle growth.
Double progression is the most reliable method for getting stronger over time. Here is how it works:
- Pick a rep range for each exercise (for example, 4-6 reps for bench press on strength day).
- Start at the bottom of the range with a weight you can handle with good form.
- Each session, try to add reps. Go from 4x4 to 4x5 to 4x6.
- Once you hit the top of the range for all sets, add 5 pounds (upper body) or 10 pounds (lower body).
- You will drop back to the bottom of the rep range with the new weight. Repeat the cycle.
This approach guarantees measurable progress over weeks and months. It is far more effective than randomly adding weight when you feel strong.
When progress stalls, and it will eventually, you have several options. Add one set per exercise per week (volume progression). Improve your rep quality with slower negatives and fuller range of motion. Deload for a week by cutting volume and intensity by 40-50%, then come back fresh.
For a deep dive into how to structure progression, read our complete progressive overload guide. If you want to understand the science behind why these rep ranges and volumes work, check our hypertrophy training guide.
Upper Lower vs PPL vs Full Body
These three splits are the most popular and effective training structures. Here is how they compare head to head.
| Factor | Upper Lower | Push Pull Legs | Full Body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training Days | 4 per week | 3-6 per week | 2-3 per week |
| Muscle Frequency | 2x per week | 1-2x per week | 2-3x per week |
| Weekly Sets per Muscle | 10-16 | 12-20+ | 8-12 |
| Session Length | 60-75 min | 60-90 min | 60-90 min |
| Best For | Intermediates, busy lifters who want results | Hypertrophy-focused lifters with time | Beginners, strength athletes, limited schedules |
| Recovery Demands | Moderate | Moderate to High | Low to Moderate |
| Time Commitment per Week | 4-5 hours | 4-9 hours | 2-4.5 hours |
| Flexibility | High | Moderate | High |
Upper lower vs PPL: If you have 4 days, upper lower wins. You get the same muscle frequency (2x per week) with less overall fatigue and more rest days. If you have 5-6 days and want maximum volume, PPL wins because it allows more sets per muscle without individual sessions becoming too long. The push pull legs routine guide breaks down PPL in full detail.
Upper lower vs full body: If you have been training less than six months, start with full body. The higher per-muscle frequency (3x per week) accelerates motor learning. Once you need more than 3-4 sets per muscle in a single session, the workouts become too long. That is when upper lower becomes the better choice. Read our full body workout plan for a complete beginner program.
The honest answer: All three splits work if you train hard, progress consistently, and recover properly. The best split is the one that fits your schedule and keeps you showing up week after week. A perfectly designed PPL split that you abandon after three weeks is worse than an upper lower split you follow for a year.
If you are training 5 or more days per week and want maximum muscle gain, our 5-day workout plan for muscle gain is worth exploring.
FAQ
Can beginners do an upper lower split?
Yes, but only if you have at least 3-6 months of consistent training under your belt. True beginners benefit more from full body training because it lets you practice every movement pattern three times per week instead of twice. Once you can squat, bench, row, and deadlift with solid form, upper lower becomes an excellent next step.
Can I run upper lower 3 days per week instead of 4?
You can, but you will lose frequency. A 3-day rotation (Upper, Lower, Upper one week, then Lower, Upper, Lower the next) gives each muscle 1.5 sessions per week on average. That still works, but if you only have 3 days per week, a full body split is simpler and more efficient. Upper lower is specifically designed for a 4-day schedule.
How do I add cardio to an upper lower program?
Do cardio on your rest days (Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday). Low intensity cardio like walking, cycling, or light jogging for 20-40 minutes will not interfere with recovery. High intensity cardio (sprints, HIIT) counts as a training session and should be limited to 1-2 times per week, ideally on lower body days after your lifting or on a separate day with at least 6 hours between sessions.
Should I do the same exercises every week?
Keep the same exercises for at least 6-8 weeks so you can track progression accurately. The A/B structure already gives you exercise variety within each week. Changing exercises every session prevents you from knowing whether you are actually getting stronger. When progress stalls after 2-3 months, swap in new variations to challenge your muscles differently.
How long should each session take?
Upper days take 60-75 minutes. Lower days take 50-65 minutes. If your workouts consistently run longer than 75 minutes, you are probably resting too long between sets or doing too much extra work. Time your rest periods. Stay focused. Efficient training is effective training.
Is upper lower good for cutting?
Upper lower is excellent for cutting. The 4-day schedule gives you enough stimulus to preserve muscle while dieting, without burying you in fatigue when your recovery is already compromised by a calorie deficit. During a cut, keep the weights heavy but consider reducing total volume by 20-30%. Your primary goal during a cut is to maintain strength, not to set personal records.
Build Your Upper Lower Plan
The upper lower split is the most efficient way to train four days per week. You get twice-per-week frequency for every muscle group, a clean separation between strength and hypertrophy work, and three rest days for proper recovery.
Stop overcomplicating your training. Pick the program laid out in this guide, track your lifts, and add weight when the reps go up. That is the entire formula.
Build your customized upper lower routine with our free workout planner. Set your goals, select your experience level, and get a program tailored to your schedule and equipment.
For on-the-go training with video demonstrations, automatic progression tracking, and built-in rest timers, download the LoadMuscle app. Your first upper body session starts today.