Structured Muscle Group Training: Three Prevalent Workout Splits to Elevate Your Routine

Jake Stewart

May 18, 2023 • 3 min read

Amid the myriad decisions inherent to structured exercise, selecting which muscle groups to target should be the simplest. Which muscle groups are you focusing on today? If your response leans toward uncertainty—such as “I don’t know” or “whatever feels manageable”—integrating a workout split may significantly benefit your routine.

Structuring training sessions around predefined muscle groups is a highly effective strategy to enhance resistance training efficacy. This approach not only provides focused direction during workouts but also ensures each muscle group receives sufficient recovery time before subsequent stimulation. Below, we examine three of the most prevalent workout splits and the rationale behind their enduring popularity in gym enthusiasts' regimens.

Upper-Lower-Rest Split

Characterized by simplicity, effectiveness, and utility for strength development, the upper-lower split—alternating upper-body and lower-body training days—is a cornerstone of innumerable workout regimens, and for valid reasons. By consolidating multiple muscle groups into each session, this split enables higher load intensities while mitigating the risk of volume overload. The “big three” compound lifts—bench press, back squat, and deadlift—seamlessly integrate as primary movements, catering to both powerlifters and general resistance trainees.

Example Weekly Structure:

• Monday: Upper Body

• Tuesday: Lower Body

• Wednesday: Rest

• Thursday: Upper Body

• Friday: Lower Body

• Weekend: Rest

This straightforward split is an ideal starting point for individuals new to structured fitness or those seeking to refresh their routine. The upper-lower-rest framework is virtually foolproof for consistent progress.

Bro Split

Though the bro split earned its moniker from its origins as an unscientific, anecdotal “broscience” strategy for muscle hypertrophy, it remains effective in today’s evidence-driven fitness landscape. A standard bro split focuses on a single muscle group per session, training it to near-complete muscular fatigue.

Example Weekly Structure:

• Monday: Chest

• Tuesday: Back

• Wednesday: Legs

• Thursday: Shoulders

• Friday: Arms

• Weekend: Rest

The primary advantage of this split lies in the per-session intensity it facilitates. Because each muscle group is trained only once weekly, individuals can accumulate higher training volumes and maximize repetitions to failure. Bro splits also offer simplicity: there is no need to categorize exercises as “push” or “pull,” nor to worry about residual soreness from leg day interfering with subsequent lower-body sessions. The focus remains on increasing intensity and executing lifts.

One caveat: avoid scheduling arm days too close to chest or back days. Compound lifts—such as the bench press (chest) and pull-up (back)—recruit smaller muscle groups (e.g., arms) as secondary movers. To optimize recovery and performance, ensure accidental overtraining of auxiliary muscles does not disrupt your routine.

For those interested in this split, the Jay Cutler Living Large Program is a recommended resource.

Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Split

Finally, my personal favorite: the push-pull-legs (PPL) split, which synthesizes the strengths of the aforementioned splits into a balanced, middle-ground approach.

• Push Days: Target chest, shoulders, and triceps (muscles involved in pushing movements).

• Pull Days: Focus on back, biceps, and forearms (muscles involved in pulling movements).

• Leg Days: Engage lower body and core.

Optimal Weekly Structure:

• Monday: Push

• Tuesday: Pull

• Wednesday: Legs

• Thursday: Push

• Friday: Pull

• Saturday: Legs

• Sunday: Rest

Alternatively, individuals who experience end-of-week fatigue may reverse the order (e.g., start with legs) to ensure lower-body sessions receive sufficient energy.

The primary strength of the PPL split is its ability to optimize inter-session muscle recovery. By grouping triceps and shoulders with chest on push days, all three muscle groups are stimulated in a single session—eliminating concerns about compound lifts indirectly fatiguing non-targeted muscles or “leakage” of focused volume into subsequent days. The focus remains on movement execution, with muscle adaptation following naturally.

For those aligned with the PPL framework, Project Mass is a recommended program.

Conclusion

Each of these splits is an effective method to enhance your current workout routine. Incorporating a focused split promotes consistency, provides directional clarity to training sessions, and enables systematic recovery across all muscle groups.

Notably, these are just three of the most prevalent weekly structuring strategies—many others exist. Conduct research, experiment with different splits, and prioritize what aligns best with your physiology and goals. Over time, you will identify the split that optimizes your progress.

Consistency in training is paramount—with it, you will observe meaningful progress over time.