5 Day Workout Split for Muscle Gain: 3 Options and a Full Plan
The best 5 day workout split for muscle gain trains each muscle twice a week. Bro split vs hybrids compared, a full weekly plan with sets and reps, and recovery.
The best 5 day workout split for muscle gain is one that trains every muscle twice a week, and the simplest version is upper, lower, rest, push, pull, legs. It gives each muscle about 8 to 13 hard sets a week across two sessions, with two rest days. The classic "bro split" (chest day, back day, shoulder day, leg day, arm day) trains each muscle only once a week and is the weakest of the three common options.
Five days is a lot, though. It's a good fit if you've trained consistently for a year or more and recover well. If not, a 4 day workout split will likely serve you better.
Your three options for a 5 day split
| Option | Typical week | Each muscle trained | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Bro split | Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, Arms | 1× a week | Works, least efficient |
| B. Upper/lower + push/pull/legs | Upper, Lower, rest, Push, Pull, Legs, rest | 2× a week | Best all-rounder (plan below) |
| C. Push/pull/legs + upper/lower | Push, Pull, Legs, rest, Upper, Lower, rest | 2× a week | Same sessions, different order |
Option A, the bro split, is popular because each session feels brutal and the pump is huge. The catch is that a muscle gets six or seven days off after each session, which is more recovery than it needs.
Options B and C use the same five workouts. The difference is only order and where the mid-week rest falls. Option B puts the heavier upper and lower days at the start of the week, when most people are freshest. Option C suits people who like starting the week with push day. Pick the one that fits your calendar, then stick to it.
Why training each muscle twice a week matters
The research on frequency is more nuanced than gym talk suggests, so here it is straight:
- A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger compared training muscles one to three days a week with volume equated. Higher frequency gave a larger effect size (0.49 vs 0.30), and the authors concluded major muscle groups should be trained at least twice a week to maximise growth.
- A study in well-trained men compared a split routine hitting each muscle once a week with total body training three times a week. The total body group gained significantly more forearm flexor (biceps-side) thickness, with no difference in strength.
- A larger 2019 meta-analysis of 25 studies found no significant difference between frequencies when weekly volume was equal. When volume wasn't equated, higher frequencies did modestly better.
- A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies found split and full body routines produced similar strength and muscle growth when volume was equated.
Put together: weekly sets per muscle drive growth, and a 2017 dose-response meta-analysis found more weekly sets went with more growth. Twice-a-week frequency is the practical way to get enough good sets without the quality falling apart late in a 25-set chest day. The American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 update recommends training all major muscle groups at least twice a week, with around 10 sets per muscle group for growth.
The full 5 day plan (upper, lower, push, pull, legs)
Rest 2 to 3 minutes after the first big lift, about 2 minutes on other compound lifts, 60 to 90 seconds on isolation work. Stop most sets with 1 to 3 reps left in the tank.
| Day | Session | Exercises (sets × reps) |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Upper (heavier) | Bench press 3 × 6–8 · Barbell or seated cable row 3 × 6–8 · Overhead press 2 × 6–10 · Lat pulldown 2 × 8–10 · Dumbbell curl 2 × 10–12 · Triceps pushdown 2 × 10–12 |
| Tue | Lower (heavier) | Back squat 3 × 6–8 · Romanian deadlift 3 × 8–10 · Leg press 2 × 10–12 · Leg curl 2 × 10–12 · Standing calf raise 3 × 10–15 |
| Wed | Rest | Walk 30 to 45 min or full rest |
| Thu | Push | Incline dumbbell press 3 × 8–12 · Machine chest press 2 × 10–12 · Cable fly 2 × 12–15 · Seated dumbbell shoulder press 2 × 8–12 · Lateral raise 3 × 12–15 · Overhead cable triceps extension 3 × 10–12 |
| Fri | Pull | Pull-up or assisted pull-up 3 × 6–10 · Chest-supported or seated cable row 3 × 8–12 · One-arm dumbbell row 2 × 10–12 · Face pull 2 × 12–15 · Incline dumbbell curl 2 × 10–12 · Hammer curl 2 × 10–12 |
| Sat | Legs | Hack squat or leg press 3 × 8–12 · Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8–10 each leg · Hip thrust 3 × 8–12 · Leg extension 2 × 12–15 · Seated leg curl 3 × 10–12 · Seated calf raise 3 × 12–15 |
| Sun | Rest | Rest |
Add 2 or 3 sets of core work (plank, hanging knee raise, cable crunch) at the end of any two sessions.
Weekly sets per muscle
Direct working sets only:
| Muscle | Sets per week | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 10 | 2 |
| Back | 13 | 2 |
| Side shoulders | 3 (plus pressing) | 1 direct, 2 with presses |
| Rear shoulders | 2 (plus rows) | 1 |
| Biceps | 6 | 2 |
| Triceps | 5 (plus pressing) | 2 |
| Quads | 12 | 2 |
| Hamstrings | 8 | 2 |
| Glutes | 3 (plus squats, lunges, RDLs) | 2 |
| Calves | 6 | 2 |
Compare that with a bro split, where chest might get 15 sets on Monday and nothing until next Monday. Same weekly total, but the last sets of a 15-set chest day are usually done tired and sloppy.
How to progress
Use double progression: work up through the rep range, and when you hit the top on every set with good form, add weight. The ACSM position stand on progression recommends a 2 to 10% load increase once you can do one or two reps more than your target. Hypothetical example: squat 80 kg for 3 × 8, add 2.5 kg a side and you're at 85 kg, a 6.25% jump.
Every 6 to 8 weeks, or whenever two or three main lifts stall together, take an easy week: same days, half the sets, slightly lighter weights.
Recovery on five days a week
Five sessions only pay off if you recover from them. Three things decide that.
Sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults. If you're regularly getting 5 or 6, cut to four days before you cut sleep. More on this in sleep and muscle recovery.
Rest days. This plan has two, and they're placed so no muscle is trained on back-to-back days. Our guide on how many rest days you need explains how to tell if two is enough for you.
Food. Muscle gain needs enough protein and, for most people, a small calorie surplus. A joint European and American consensus on overtraining lists negative energy balance, too little carbohydrate or protein, and iron deficiency among the things to rule out when an athlete stops adapting. Set your targets with the calorie calculator and the protein calculator.
Practical signs you're not recovering: lifts going backwards for two weeks, sleep getting worse, constant aches, or dreading every session. The same consensus notes there's no single test that reliably flags overtraining, so your logbook and how you feel are the best early warning. The fix is usually fewer sets or one fewer day, not more effort.
Who should not do a 5 day split?
- Beginners. The ACSM position stand recommends 2 to 3 days a week for novices, 3 to 4 for intermediates, and 4 to 5 only for advanced lifters with years of training. Start with the beginner gym workout plan.
- People sleeping under 7 hours most nights, or working night shifts with broken sleep.
- Anyone in a big calorie deficit. If you're cutting hard, 3 or 4 days is easier to sustain.
- People with physically demanding jobs or long commutes who are already tired by evening.
- Anyone whose week is unpredictable. Miss two sessions of a 5-day plan and the schedule falls apart; a 4-day plan has more slack.
- Teenagers should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, a joint problem or a pregnancy should check with a doctor first.
Cardio on a 5 day split
The WHO 2020 guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week alongside muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days. Five lifting days covers the strength part. For the aerobic part, brisk walks on rest days and 15 to 20 minutes of easy cycling after upper or pull days add up quickly. Keep hard intervals away from the day before Tuesday's or Saturday's leg session.
The short version
- Pick a split that hits each muscle twice a week: upper, lower, rest, push, pull, legs is the easiest
- Aim for roughly 8 to 13 hard sets per muscle per week
- Leave 1 to 3 reps in the tank on most sets, and add weight in 2 to 10% steps
- Sleep 7 hours or more and eat enough, or the fifth day does more harm than good
- Take an easy week every 6 to 8 weeks
- Beginners and people short on sleep or food should train 3 or 4 days instead
This is general information, not medical advice.
Useful links
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2016), training frequency and hypertrophy
- Schoenfeld et al. (2015), split vs total body in trained men
- Schoenfeld, Grgic and Krieger (2019), frequency meta-analysis
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017), weekly volume dose-response
- Ramos-Campo et al. (2024), split vs full-body meta-analysis
- ACSM (2009), progression models in resistance training
- ACSM (2026), resistance training guidelines update
- Meeusen et al. (2013), ECSS/ACSM overtraining consensus
- AASM/SRS (2015), recommended sleep for adults
- WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity (Bull et al.)
Frequently asked questions
Is a bro split good for muscle gain?
It works, but it isn't the most efficient choice. A bro split trains each muscle once a week, and a 2016 meta-analysis found twice a week gave better growth when volume was equal. If you enjoy it, you can still grow on it by keeping weekly sets per muscle high.
Is 5 days a week too much for the gym?
Not for someone with a year or more of steady training who sleeps 7 hours or more and eats enough. For beginners, or anyone short on sleep or on a hard diet, 3 or 4 days usually gives the same or better results with less fatigue.
How long should each session be on a 5 day split?
About 50 to 70 minutes including warm-up. Each session in the plan below has 13 to 16 working sets, which fits that window with normal rest periods.
Can I do cardio on a 5 day split?
Yes, keep most of it easy: brisk walks, easy cycling or 20 minutes after upper or pull days. Avoid hard intervals the day before a leg session. The WHO's 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week can come largely from walking.