What is the BEST workout routine to build muscle?
I’m sure as you’re reading this you’ve probably asked/thought ‘what is the best split’, now this isn’t as easy to answer as you may think
THERE IS NO ‘BEST’ SPLIT, THE BEST SPLIT IS THE SPLIT THAT FITS INTO YOUR ROUTINE
& YOU CAN COMMIT TO BEST
The best split for YOU will be determined entirely by your (in order) schedule, experience & goals
THE most important factor is finding a split you can fit into your routine with minimal problems
(things getting in the way)
If you can realistically only get into the gym 3 days per week, it’s completely irrelevant if a 5 day split is best. You won’t be able to stick to it, therefore it’s not best for YOU
In terms of experience, I honestly believe that most of these splits are appropriate for anybody who is intermediate-advance. However, if you’re fairly new to the gym I fully recommend starting with a full body approach and assessing from there
Below are 4 different splits, these are split into 3, 4, 5 & 6 day splits.
Choosing the optimal one for you & your life will make a huge difference to your overall progress.

3 DAY SPLIT - FULL BODY
Intro
I honestly believe everybody should try the full body split at some point (especially to start with) to see how your body reacts. 3 x full body splits allow for a high training frequency per muscle AND plenty of recovery in between sessions
Perfect for beginners, also ideal for the more advanced lifter with a busy schedule
My advice would be to concentrate on your compound lifts & mixing up the exercises each session
Example:
Session 1 - bench press, military press, barbell squat, bent over row, bicep curls
Session 2 - pull ups, stiff leg deadlift, incline dumbbell press, machine shoulder press, tricep extension
Session 3 - deadlift, chest press machine, dumbbell shoulder press, 1 arm row, calf raises
However, I do also recommend adding in 1 accessory exercise per muscle group after each compound
e.g. cable flies after your bench press
Pros: Great for recovery & training frequency.
Cons: lots of focus on the compound lifts, with little room for isolation exercises & more ‘specific’ training
Week set up example:
Monday: full body 1
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: full body 2
Thursday: rest
Friday: full body 3
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest
4 DAY SPLIT - UPPER/LOWER REPEAT
Intro
For me, I believe this is one of the best splits you can do.
4 days of heavy lifting is plenty to cause enough response from the body to require adaptation (muscle growth)
You will also be able to get 3 days of rest, which can be required by some (lots) people, especially those with hectic lifestyles
This split is perfect for anybody from intermediate-advanced
My advice for an upper/lower style split would be to have 2 varieties of each upper & lower, focusing more specifically on different particular lifts each session
Example:
Session 1 (upper, push focus) - bench press, dumbbell chest press, barbell overhead press, side raises, pull-ups, up right row, tricep extension
Session 2 (lower, quad focus) - squats, leg press (close stance), leg extension, seated hamstring curl, calf raises
Session 3 (upper, pull focus) - lat pull down, bent over row, seated row, shrugs, chest press machine, cable flies, cable front raises, cable curls
Session 4 (lower, hamstring focus) - stiff leg deadlifts, lying hamstring curl, wide stance leg press, lunges, split squats, calf raises
Pros: hit each muscle group multiple times per week with a good intensity
Cons: workouts 3 & 4 can be tough if not enough time to recover after 1 & 2
Week set up example:
Monday: upper 1
Tuesday: lower 1
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: upper 2
Friday: lower 2
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest
5 DAY - SPLIT PUSH, PULL, LEGS, UPPER, LOWER
Intro:
This is MY personal favourite, this doesn’t mean it’s the best, it’s just the best split I’ve found that works best for me (I’m fortunate not to worry about my schedule, so this is purely based on performance)
I enjoy this split the most, because I’ve found it’s the best for causing some serious muscle damage, multiple times per week & gives me 2 days rest per week which is what I require.
This split is more aimed towards the advanced lifter (or the intermediate lifter who has their nutrition/rest on point)
Example:
Session 1 (push) - bench press, incline DB press, chest press machine, overhead press, side raises, tricep extension
Session 2 (pull) - lat pull down, bent over row, seated cable row, pull ups, shrugs, upright row, bicep curls
Session 3 (legs) - squats, leg press, stiff leg deadlifts, lunges, lying leg curl, leg extension, calf raises
Session 4 (upper) - lat pull down, 1 arm row, chest press machine, dumbbell chest press, smith machine shoulder press, front raises, bicep OR tricep exercise
Session 5 (lower) - deadlifts, split squats, leg press, seated leg curl, goblet squats, calf raises
Pros: allows a lot of variation & room for isolation exercises
Cons: can be quite hard to recover from
Week set up example:
Monday: Push
Tuesday: Pull
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Upper
Saturday: Lower
Sunday: Rest
6 DAY SPLIT - PUSH, PULL, LEGS (HEAVY), PUSH PULL LEGS (HYPERTROPHY)
Intro:
Honestly, I don’t recommend this split for most people, maybe if you’re a genetically gifted recovery god, or on certain ’supplements’, but even then I don’t believe it’s ever optimal
I’ve tried this split, it felt good.. for about 4 weeks then I wanted to pass out with my 80 year old joint problems
This split is for the advanced lifter
If you’re determined to train 6 days per week, then this ones for you. My advice would be to drop the volume a little per session however & eat like a mad man
Example:
Session 1 (push, heavy 6-8reps): bench press, dumbbell bench press, chest press machine, overhead press, side raises, triceps
Session 2 (pull, heavy 6-8reps): pull ups, bent over row, seated row, lat pull down, shrugs, bicep curls
Session 3: (legs, heavy 6-8reps): squats, leg press, stiff leg deadlift, leg extension
Session 4: (push, volume 12-15 reps): chest press machine, dumbbell chest press, cable flys, dumbbell shoulder press, cable front raise, triceps
Session 5: (pull, volume 12-15 reps): t-bar rows, lat pull down, 1 arm rows, shrugs, upright row, bicep curls
Session 6: (legs, volume 12-15 reps): leg extension, leg press, split squats, lunges, lying leg extension
Pros: LOTS of volume, plenty of variation
Cons: Minimal recovery time
Week set up example:
Monday: Push
Tuesday: Pull
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Push
Friday: Pull
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: REST
If you're interested in taking your training to that next level, drop me an email today to discuss your personal training options with me
tbfit.pt@gmail.com
#weightgain #gainmuscle #nutrition #musclebuilding #Muscle #strength #tbfit #fitness #bodybuilding #personaltrainer