Training splits: full body, upper/lower or PPL?
When total weekly volume is the same, the split you choose matters far less than people think. Pick the one you can stick to.
A training split is just how you spread your weekly sets across your sessions. People argue about splits endlessly, but the research is fairly calm about it. When the total amount of work is the same, full body, upper/lower and push/pull/legs routines give similar results. That means the best split is mostly the one that fits your week and that you will actually follow.
The common options
| Split | Typical week | Each muscle trained | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full body | 2 to 3 sessions | 2 to 3 times a week | Beginners, busy people, 2 to 3 gym days |
| Upper/lower | 4 sessions | Twice a week | Intermediates, 4 gym days |
| Push/pull/legs (PPL) | 3 or 6 sessions | Once or twice a week | People who like shorter focused sessions or train often |
| Body part ("bro split") | 5 sessions | Usually once a week | Those who enjoy it and can fit enough sets into one session |
What the evidence says
Split versus full body
A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies and 392 people compared split routines with full-body training. When weekly volume was equal, there were no meaningful differences in strength or muscle growth. The authors concluded that people can choose based on personal preference [1].
How often to train each muscle
Frequency is how many times a week you train a muscle. The key finding across several reviews is that total weekly volume matters more than how you divide it up:
- A 2019 meta-analysis of 25 studies found that, when volume was matched, training frequency did not significantly or meaningfully affect muscle growth [2].
- A separate 2019 review found that training a muscle once a week gave similar growth to two or three times a week when volume was the same [3].
- A large recent meta-regression found frequency had a negligible effect on growth, but more frequent training did improve strength, with diminishing returns [4].
- A 2018 meta-analysis found no significant effect of frequency on strength once volume was equated [5].
So the evidence on strength is mixed, but there is a reasonable case that practising a lift more often helps you get better at it [4]. For muscle size, frequency is mainly a tool for fitting in your weekly sets.
Why frequency still matters in practice
If you aim for around 10 or more hard sets per muscle per week (see sets, reps and effort), doing them all in one session gets tiring, and the later sets may be poor quality. Spreading them over two or more sessions keeps each set fresh and sessions shorter. The 2026 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stand recommends training all major muscle groups at least 2 days a week [6].
How to choose for your schedule
Start with how many days you can reliably train, not how many you wish you could.
- 2 days a week: full body both days.
- 3 days a week: full body three times, or a push/pull/legs rotation if you prefer focused days.
- 4 days a week: upper/lower twice.
- 5 or 6 days a week: upper/lower plus extra days, or push/pull/legs twice.
The 2009 ACSM position stand suggests 2 to 3 days a week for beginners, 3 to 4 for intermediates and 4 to 5 for advanced lifters [7]. More days are not required, but they can make it easier to fit in more volume.
A few practical tips:
- Missed sessions hurt some splits more. With a once-a-week body part split, missing a day means a muscle goes untrained for two weeks. Full body and upper/lower are more forgiving.
- Match the split to your recovery. If your legs are still sore on leg day, move days around or trim sets.
- Stick with it. Give a split at least a few months and judge it on your logged progress, not on how you feel after one week.
- Cardio and sport count. If you run, cycle or play sport, plan heavy leg days away from your hardest sessions. See cardio and lifting.
Warming up
Warm-ups do not need to be long. A 2021 systematic review found the evidence on general warm-ups (like light cardio) was mixed. However, a specific warm-up, meaning a few lighter sets of the exercise you are about to do, built up towards your working weight, may improve maximal strength and the reps you can do [8]. A sensible routine:
- A few minutes of easy movement if you feel stiff or the gym is cold.
- A few ramp-up sets of your first main lift, fewer reps as the weight rises.
- One or two lighter sets before later exercises if they use different joints or muscles.
If a warm-up does not ease a sharp or persistent pain, stop and read lifting injuries. See a doctor or physiotherapist if it does not improve.
Tracking it in ETS
You can build your split as a programme in ETS, with each day's exercises set out, and add planned deload weeks. The workout log records sets, reps and kg, so you can check your weekly volume per muscle and watch your personal bests and estimated 1RM to see whether a split is working for you. The weekly report gives a quick view of how many sessions you actually got done.
Sources
- Ramos-Campo DJ, et al. Efficacy of split versus full-body resistance training on strength and muscle growth: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2024. DOI
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Krieger J. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2019. Record
- Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Latella C. Resistance training frequency and skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a review of available evidence. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2019. Edith Cowan University repository
- Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Robinson ZP, Hinson SR, Zourdos MC. The resistance training dose response: meta-regressions exploring the effects of weekly volume and frequency on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. Sports Medicine, 2026. Springer
- Ralston GW, Kilgore L, Wyatt FB, Buchan D, Baker JS. Weekly training frequency effects on strength gain: a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open, 2018. PEDro record
- American College of Sports Medicine. Resistance training prescription for muscle function, hypertrophy, and physical performance in healthy adults: an overview of reviews (position stand). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2026. ACSM infographic (PDF)
- Ratamess NA, Alvar BA, Evetoch TK, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009. Full text (PDF)
- Ribeiro B, Pereira A, Neves PP, Marinho D, Marques M, Neiva HP. The effect of warm-up in resistance training and strength performance: a systematic review. Motricidade, 2021. Motricidade
More on training
Last reviewed 7 October 2026. General information, not medical advice. Found a mistake? Email [email protected].