The Upper/Lower Split: How to Build One From Workouts You've Saved
How to build a 4-day upper/lower split from saved workouts. Complete workout templates, Upper vs PPL comparison, and progression rules for muscle growth.
The upper/lower split divides your training into alternating sessions for your upper body (chest, back, shoulders, arms) and lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). Running this split four days per week allows you to train every major muscle group twice weekly with dedicated rest days in between, making it the single most practical and sustainable hypertrophy routine for natural lifters.
What is an Upper/Lower split?
An upper lower split is an antagonistic training system. Rather than dedicating an entire hour to one body part (like “chest day”), you train all upper-body musculature in one session and all lower-body musculature in the next.
This creates a natural division: when your upper torso is training, your legs, hips, and lower back are resting. When your legs are squatting and hinging, your shoulders, chest, and arms are recovering.
Upper/Lower vs Push/Pull/Legs: which should you choose?
The debate between Upper/Lower and Push/Pull/Legs is one of the most common in resistance training. Here is how they compare across critical factors:
| Factor | 4-Day Upper/Lower Split | 6-Day Push/Pull/Legs Split |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Gym Days | 4 days (3 rest days) | 6 days (1 rest day) |
| Muscle Group Frequency | 2× per week | 2× per week |
| Session Duration | 55–75 minutes (longer warm-up, more movements) | 45–60 minutes (concentrated per movement pattern) |
| Joint Recovery | Exceptional (full midweek and weekend breaks) | Requires careful fatigue management |
| Best Suited For | Busy professionals, students, intermediate lifters (works with barbells or our dumbbell only workout plan) | Lifters who prioritize daily gym visits and shorter sessions |
The classic 4-day upper lower routine schedule
The most effective weekly layout pairs two consecutive training days with a midweek rest day and a full weekend recovery:
- Monday: Upper Body Workout A (Horizontal Press & Pull Focus)
- Tuesday: Lower Body Workout A (Quad Dominant / Knee Flexion)
- Wednesday: Rest & Active Recovery
- Thursday: Upper Body Workout B (Vertical Press & Pull Focus)
- Friday: Lower Body Workout B (Hip Hinge & Posterior Chain)
- Saturday & Sunday: Rest
The complete 4-day Upper/Lower workout plan
Upper Workout A (Horizontal Focus: Bench & Rows)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | Mid Chest, Triceps | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Chest-Supported T-Bar Row | Upper Back, Rhomboids, Lats | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2 mins |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | Upper Chest, Front Delts | 3 × 8–10 | 90s |
| Close-Grip Seated Cable Row | Lats, Mid Traps | 3 × 10–12 | 90s |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | Side Deltoids | 3–4 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curl | Biceps Brachii | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
| Overhead Cable Triceps Extension | Triceps (Long Head) | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
Lower Workout A (Quad Dominant: Squat & Lunges)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat or Hack Squat | Quadriceps, Glutes | 3–4 × 6–8 | 3 mins |
| Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbells) | Hamstrings, Glutes | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Leg Press | Quads, Adductors | 3 × 10–12 | 90s |
| Lying Leg Curl | Hamstrings | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
| Standing Calf Raise | Calves (Gastrocnemius) | 4 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Hanging Leg Raise | Rectus Abdominis | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
Upper Workout B (Vertical Focus: Overhead Press & Pull-Ups)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead Barbell Press | Anterior Delts, Triceps | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Weighted Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldown | Lats, Lower Traps | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2 mins |
| Flat Dumbbell Chest Press | Chest, Front Delts | 3 × 8–10 | 90s |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | Lats, Rhomboids | 3 × 10–12 per arm | 90s |
| Cable Face Pulls | Rear Delts, Rotator Cuff | 4 × 15–20 | 60s |
| Barbell EZ-Bar Curl | Biceps | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
| Triceps Rope Pushdown | Triceps Lateral Head | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
Lower Workout B (Posterior Chain: Deadlift & Hip Thrust)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift or Trap Bar Deadlift | Hamstrings, Glutes, Erector Spinae | 3 × 5 | 3 mins |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | Gluteus Maximus | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | Quads, Glutes | 3 × 10–12 per leg | 90s |
| Seated Leg Extension | Quadriceps | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Seated Calf Raise | Calves (Soleus) | 4 × 15–20 | 60s |
| Cable Woodchoppers or Planks | Obliques, Core | 3 × 12–15 per side | 60s |
How to build an Upper/Lower split from saved social workouts
If your phone is filled with saved TikTok Reels and Instagram workouts, you can easily organize them into an Upper/Lower structure:
- Tag by region: Sort your saved videos into two buckets: Upper Body and Lower Body. Refer to our muscle group cheat sheet if an exercise works multiple regions.
- Pick one horizontal and one vertical session: Match one saved chest/back video for Upper A, and an overhead pressing/pulling video for Upper B.
- Balance quad and hamstring volume: Ensure your leg saves include both squats/lunges and hip hinges/leg curls.
- Import to Prept: Share the videos to Prept to pull the exact movements into an editable weekly calendar and log your sets at the gym.
To verify that your weekly set totals match your training goals, audit your volume targets against our guide on how many sets per muscle per week or test custom splits with our free workout split generator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4-day upper/lower split enough volume for muscle growth?
Yes. By training each muscle group twice weekly with 6 to 8 hard sets per session, you accumulate 12 to 16 weekly sets per body part, which falls firmly within the optimal hypertrophy range for natural lifters.
Can I run an upper/lower split 3 days per week?
Yes, using a rolling schedule: Week 1 trains Upper, Lower, Upper; Week 2 trains Lower, Upper, Lower. This is ideal for lifters who cannot commit to four weekly gym sessions.
How long should rest periods be on an upper/lower split?
Rest 2 to 3 minutes on compound barbell lifts (squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and rows) to allow full nervous system recovery, and 60 to 90 seconds on accessory movements like lateral raises and arm curls.
Can I train arms on an upper/lower split?
Yes, arm training is programmed at the end of each Upper session (1 biceps and 1 triceps exercise per upper day). Because arms also work during compound presses and pulls, this provides ample weekly volume.
How do I manage lower back fatigue on lower body days?
Avoid programming heavy squats and heavy conventional deadlifts on the same day. Schedule squats on Lower A and deadlifts on Lower B, separated by at least 72 hours of recovery.
