Upper Lower split: a free 4-day plan

An upper lower split alternates upper body and lower body days, four sessions a week. Each muscle is trained twice a week, with heavier work at the start of each session and lighter accessories after.

Days per week: 4
Level: Intermediate
Session: 60–70 min
Equipment: Free weight, Machine, Bodyweight, and Cable

Who it’s for

Lifters past their first few months who can train four days a week. It suits people who want two rest days in the middle of the week and sessions that are a little shorter than a body-part split.

Weekly schedule

Mon · Upper A
Tue · Lower A
Wed · Rest
Thu · Upper B
Fri · Lower B
Sat · Rest
Sun · Rest

Upper A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Bench Press	4	5–8
Barbell Row	4	6–10
Overhead Press	3	6–10
Lat Pulldown	3	8–12
Dumbbell Curl	2	10–15
Skull Crusher	2	10–15

Lower A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Back Squat	4	5–8
Romanian Deadlift	3	8–10
Walking Lunge	2	10–12
Standing Calf Raise	3	10–15
Plank	3	30–60 s

Upper B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	8–12
Pull Up	3	6–10
Seated Cable Row	3	10–12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	12–20
Face Pull	2	12–20
Hammer Curl	2	10–15
Rope Triceps Pushdown	2	10–15

Lower B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	3–5
Leg Press	3	10–15
Lying Leg Curl	3	10–15
Leg Extension	2	12–15
Seated Calf Raise	3	10–15
Cable Crunch	3	10–15

Weekly sets per muscle

Counted the way Musclist counts them: a full set for the muscle an exercise mainly trains, half a set for each muscle that helps.

Muscle	Sets per week
Quads	12.5
Biceps	11.5
Upper back	11
Glutes	10.5
Lats	9.5
Triceps	9
Front delts	9
Hamstrings	7.5
Calves	7.5
Chest	7
Forearms	6
Abs	6
Adductors	3.5
Lower back	3
Side delts	3
Rear delts	2
Traps	1.5
Obliques	1.5

How to progress

The first lift of each day uses lower reps. Add weight whenever you hit the top of its range on every set, in the smallest step your equipment allows.

Everything after it uses double progression: work up through the rep range with the same weight, then add weight and start again from the bottom.

If a lift stalls for three sessions in a row, drop the weight by about 10% and build back up. Every 6 to 8 weeks, take an easier week with half the sets.

Run it in Musclist

In the app, open My routine and add one workout for each day: Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, and Lower B, with the exercises in the order above. Musclist then suggests the next workout every time, starts each exercise from last time’s weight and reps, and shows the muscles you trained after each session. The app keeps the exercises and their order, not the sets and reps, so keep this page handy for those.

Questions

Which days should I train?

Any four days with no more than two in a row works. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday is the most common, with Wednesday and the weekend off.

Is an upper lower split better than Push Pull Legs?

Neither is better. Both train each muscle twice a week. Upper / Lower does it in four sessions, Push Pull Legs in six shorter ones. Pick the one that fits the days you can actually get to the gym.

Why are there two different upper and lower days?

Rotating exercises between A and B days trains each muscle from different angles and rep ranges, and spreads the heavy lifts across the week so no session gets too long.

Other programs

Not sure which one? Read How to choose a workout split.