Upper/lower split: why it works, who it suits and how to organise the week
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If you train 4 days a week, the upper/lower split is probably the most efficient structure there is: frequency 2, high volume and plenty of recovery.
The upper/lower routine splits the body into two sessions: one for the upper body (chest, back, shoulders, arms) and one for the lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). By repeating them twice a week you train every muscle group at frequency 2, which the evidence shows outperforms frequency 1 (the classic bro split), mainly because it lets you spread weekly volume over better-quality sessions.
If you would rather have the 4-day upper lower routine ready-made for your level, see the ready-to-generate upper lower routine.
Why it works so well
- Frequency 2: stimulating each muscle every 3-4 days keeps protein synthesis elevated across almost the entire week.
- Volume spread out: splitting a muscle group's sets across two sessions allows more quality volume without endless workouts (Schoenfeld et al., 2019).
- Recovery: alternating upper and lower means that while you train one half, the other rests.
The weekly structure
The classic 4-day layout:
- Monday: Upper A (strength emphasis)
- Tuesday: Lower A (strength emphasis)
- Thursday: Upper B (hypertrophy emphasis)
- Friday: Lower B (hypertrophy emphasis)
The A days prioritise low rep ranges (4-6) on the main lifts; the B days use medium-high ranges (8-15) and more isolation work.
Read the video text
Why does upper-lower work? 2× each muscle per week over 4 days. 48 h between sessions for the same muscle. 109% more protein synthesis at 24 h, nearly normal by 36 (MacDougall et al., 1995). Ideal after 6-12 months of base. The video ends by showing how to create the routine in Progrevia.
Sample Upper A (strength)
- Bench press 4x5
- Barbell row 4x6
- Overhead press 3x6
- Lat pulldown 3x8
- Biceps curl 2x10 and triceps extension 2x10
Sample Lower A (strength)
- Squat 4x5
- Romanian deadlift 3x6
- Leg press 3x10
- Leg curl 3x10
- Standing calf raise 4x12
Progression: use double progression. Once you complete every set at the top of the rep range with good technique, add weight and go back to the bottom of the range.
Who is it ideal for?
For intermediates who have outgrown the beginner full body routine and have 4 days available. It also works very well for advanced lifters with adjusted volume. If you only have 3 days, a full body or a rotating upper/lower fits better; with 5-6 days, push-pull-legs gains the advantage.
Common mistakes
Cramming too many exercises into a session (5-6 good ones is plenty), neglecting leg day, and failing to progress the load. The structure is excellent, but without progressive overload no routine works.
Want an upper/lower calibrated to your level, goal and available equipment? The Progrevia generator builds it in seconds with sets, reps and rest periods already adjusted.
Why 48 hours: what the muscle does after you train it
A four-day upper/lower routine leaves, without anyone explicitly planning it, around 48 hours between sessions for the same muscle group. That spacing is not an arbitrary convention: it fits what has been known for decades about what happens inside the muscle after training it.
MacDougall, Gibala, Tarnopolsky and colleagues published a study in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology in 1995 measuring the time course of muscle protein synthesis after a bout of heavy resistance training. Their data are specific: the synthesis rate was elevated 50% at 4 hours, 109% at 24 hours — more than double — and by 36 hours had almost returned to baseline.
| Time after the session | Muscle protein synthesis |
|---|---|
| 4 hours | +50% |
| 24 hours | +109% |
| 36 hours | Almost back to baseline |
The practical reading of that last row is what justifies the structure: if the response has faded by 36 hours, leaving five or six days before training that muscle again means spending most of the week with no active stimulus. A four-day upper/lower routine reignites that response right as the previous one burns out.
The study's scope deserves qualifying, because it is from 1995 and interpretation has moved on. It measures the acute protein synthesis response, which does not automatically equate to long-term hypertrophy — the relationship between the two is now known to be less direct than first assumed. And the time course is shorter in trained people than in beginners, whose response lasts longer.
Even with those caveats, the mechanistic argument points the same way as the frequency meta-analyses (Schoenfeld et al., 2019): splitting each muscle group's work across two weekly sessions is a sensible way to organise the week. Upper/lower achieves it with a structure that is simple to remember and sessions of reasonable length, which is its real advantage over more complicated splits.
- MacDougall JD, Gibala MJ, Tarnopolsky MA, MacDonald JR, Interisano SA, Yarasheski KE. The time course for elevated muscle protein synthesis following heavy resistance exercise. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 1995;20(4):480-486.
- 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;37(11):1286-1295.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2017;35(11):1073-1082.
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Frequently asked questions
Is upper/lower or push-pull-legs better?
It depends on your days. With 4 days, upper/lower is ideal (frequency 2 per group). With 5-6 days, push-pull-legs allows more volume. Both are high-frequency structures superior to the classic bro split for hypertrophy.
How many days does the upper/lower split need?
The standard version is 4 days (Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B). There is a rotating 3-day version where sessions rotate, keeping an average frequency near 1.5 per group.
How much volume per muscle group should I do?
Between 10 and 20 weekly sets per group, split across the two sessions. For example, 14 chest sets would be 7 in Upper A and 7 in Upper B. Start low and progress.
Informational content based on the available scientific evidence: it does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. If you have an injury or a medical condition, or are pregnant, check with one before changing your training or diet.
