The perfect workout split for busy schedules
Discover the Upper/Lower split - train 4 days per week and still make incredible gains. Get a complete program with exercises, sets, and reps. Track your workouts with Spotwell's AI rep counter.
Track Upper/Lower Workouts with Spotwell →Train chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Focus on compound movements like bench press and rows.
Train quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Focus on squats and deadlifts.
Recovery day. Your muscles need time to grow.
Repeat upper body day with variations in exercises or rep ranges.
Repeat lower body day. Alternate between quad-focused and hamstring-focused sessions.
Two full rest days to recover and grow.
Sets: Various
Reps: 6-15
Rest: 2-4 minutes
Bench press, rows, overhead press, pull-ups, bicep curls, tricep extensions
Sets: Various
Reps: 6-15
Rest: 2-4 minutes
Squats, Romanian deadlifts, leg press, leg curls, calf raises
Yes, the upper/lower split is highly effective because training four days a week hits each muscle group twice, matching the roughly two-sessions-per-week frequency tied to optimal growth. It lets you accumulate 10-20 weekly sets per muscle while leaving plenty of recovery time. With progressive overload and consistent nutrition, it builds muscle just as well as higher-frequency splits.
Upper/lower is a great choice for beginners and intermediates alike. It keeps each session focused on compound lifts, gives frequent practice on the main movement patterns, and only asks for four training days a week. Beginners who want even more practice per lift can also start with a 3-day full-body routine before moving to upper/lower.
The standard upper/lower split runs four days a week, typically two upper days and two lower days with rest days spaced between them. You can also run it three days a week on a rotating schedule if four days is too much. The four-day version is popular because it balances training frequency with recovery for people with busy schedules.
Absolutely. Muscle growth is driven by weekly volume and progressive overload, not simply the number of days you train. Four well-structured upper/lower sessions can deliver the same weekly sets per muscle as a six-day split. Tracking your lifts with Spotwell, which auto-counts reps using the iPhone camera, makes it easy to confirm you are progressing week to week.
Choose upper/lower if you can train about four days a week, and PPL if you can commit to five or six. Upper/lower trains each muscle twice weekly with fewer sessions, while PPL adds more volume and exercise variety across more days. Both work well, so pick the one that fits your realistic weekly schedule.
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