Upper / Lower 2-Day Workout Split
Upper and lower body on alternating days. Every muscle twice a week with sensible recovery; the best 4-day structure for most lifters.
Split
Upper / Lower
Sessions / week
2
Avg. session
40 min
Schedule
Mon · Thu (or any two non-consecutive days)
Warm-up (every session, ~6 min)
- 3–5 min easy cardio: brisk walk, bike, jump rope or marching in place.
- Dynamic mobility: 10 leg swings each way, 10 hip circles, 10 arm circles, 8 cat-cows.
- Ramp-up sets on the first exercise: 1–2 light sets of 8 before your working sets.
Day 1
Upper A
Chest + back, strength bias
-
Chest, Triceps · Machine
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 6–10
- Rest
- 120s
- Effort
- RPE 8
-
Upper Back, Lats · Cable
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 6–10
- Rest
- 120s
- Effort
- RPE 8
swap: Machine Row, Chest-Supported Row, Band Row
-
Front Delts, Chest · Barbell
- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8–12 / side
- Rest
- 90s
- Effort
- RPE 8
swap: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Kettlebell Press, Incline Dumbbell Press
-
Lats, Upper Back · Pull-Up Bar
- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8–12
- Rest
- 90s
- Effort
- RPE 8
-
Triceps · Cable
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–15
- Rest
- 60s
- Effort
- RPE 8–9
swap: Triceps Pushdown, Band Triceps Extension, Overhead Triceps Extension
Day 2
Lower A
Squat focus
-
Glutes, Adductors, Quads · Dumbbell
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 6–10
- Rest
- 120s
- Effort
- RPE 8
-
Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · Barbell
- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8–12
- Rest
- 90s
- Effort
- RPE 8
swap: Kettlebell Deadlift, Goblet Squat, Banded Good Morning
-
Quads, Glutes · Dumbbell
- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8–12 / side
- Rest
- 90s
- Effort
- RPE 8
swap: Reverse Lunge, Split Squat, Step-Up
-
Glutes · Cable
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–15 / side
- Rest
- 60s
- Effort
- RPE 8–9
swap: Donkey Kick, Hip Thrust, Banded Lateral Walk
-
Calves · Machine
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–15
- Rest
- 60s
- Effort
- RPE 8–9
-
Obliques, Core · Cable
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 12–15 / side
- Rest
- 60s
- Effort
- controlled
swap: Side Plank, Suitcase Carry, Russian Twist
How to progress
- First 2 weeks: focus on form with light weights, stop each set 3 reps before failure.
- Double progression: hit the top of the rep range on every set, then add weight (2.5–5 %) and start from the bottom of the range.
- Bodyweight moves: add reps, then slow the tempo (3 sec down), then move to a harder variation.
- Deload every 6–8 weeks: same exercises, half the sets.
Notes for this plan
- Sessions can move between days; keep at least one rest day between hard sessions for the same muscles.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Upper / Lower split for?
Upper and lower body on alternating days. Every muscle twice a week with sensible recovery; the best 4-day structure for most lifters.
How many sets per muscle per week does this give?
Around 32 working sets a week in total, which lands each major muscle in the 10–20 hard-set range that research links to growth.
Can I do this split at home?
Yes. Use the generator with "Dumbbells" or "No equipment" and pick the same split; exercises are swapped for home-friendly versions.
How long should I run it?
6–12 weeks with double progression, then regenerate a variation or change the split to keep progressing.
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