4-Day Upper Lower Split: The Full Workout Plan for Strength and Muscle
An upper lower split is a 4-day workout split that alternates upper-body days and lower-body days, so every muscle is trained twice a week. It suits lifters with about 6 months of training or more who can train 4 days a week and want to build both strength and muscle.
| Upper lower split at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Main goal | Build strength and muscle |
| Training level | Intermediate (about 6+ months of lifting) |
| Days per week | 4: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (3- and 5-day versions below) |
| Workouts | Upper A (strength) · Lower A (squat) · Upper B (muscle) · Lower B (hinge) |
| Time per workout | About 55–60 minutes, 6–7 exercises |
| Program length | Blocks of 4–8 weeks, each ending with a deload week |
| Equipment | Barbell, dumbbells, cable station, pull-up bar, leg press and leg curl machines |
Ready to start? Save the upper lower split plan in JEFIT, or let the Adaptive Plan build one around your schedule.
In this guide
- What is an upper lower split?
- Who is it for?
- Upper lower vs other splits
- The full 4-day upper lower workout
- Weekly sets per muscle
- How to progress
- Common mistakes
- 2-, 3-, 5- and 6-day versions
- Bottom line
- FAQ
Quick answers
- What is an upper lower split? Two upper-body and two lower-body workouts a week, so every muscle is trained twice.
- Is an upper lower split good for building muscle? Yes. The plan below gives chest and back 10 sets a week each and quads 13, spread over 2 sessions.
- How long is each workout? About 55–60 minutes with 6–7 exercises.
- How do you progress? Add reps to the top of the range, then add weight; on the 5-rep lifts, add weight whenever every rep is done. Upper-body barbell lifts go up 2.5 kg / 5 lb, squats and deadlifts 5 kg / 10 lb.
- Upper lower vs PPL: upper lower trains every muscle twice in 4 days; a push/pull/legs split needs 6 days to do the same.
What is an upper lower split?
An upper lower split is a training split that divides your workouts into upper-body days (chest, back, shoulders, arms) and lower-body days (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves), then repeats each one, so you train every muscle twice in 4 sessions.
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Upper A: strength |
| Tuesday | Lower A: squat focus |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Upper B: muscle |
| Friday | Lower B: hinge focus |
| Saturday–Sunday | Rest |
The days can move, as long as the two lower-body sessions aren't back to back (see common mistakes).
Who is the upper lower split for?
The upper lower split is for lifters who have trained consistently for about 6 months, can commit to 4 sessions a week, and want both strength and muscle from one plan.
- Good fit: you can already squat, bench and deadlift with steady form, and full-body sessions have started running long.
- Not yet: you're in your first months of lifting. One of JEFIT's beginner plans 2–3 days a week is easier to recover from and to stick with.
- Different tool: you can train only 2–3 days, or you want 5–6 shorter sessions. See the 2-, 3-, 5- and 6-day versions.
How does an upper lower split compare with other splits?
An upper lower split trains each muscle twice a week in just 4 days, which is fewer days than a push/pull/legs or Arnold split needs for the same frequency, and shorter sessions than full body needs for the same weekly sets.
| Split | Days a week | Times each muscle is trained | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full body | 2–3 | 2–3 | Beginners, busy weeks |
| Upper lower | 4 | 2 | Intermediates who want strength and muscle |
| Anterior/posterior | 4 | 2 | Lifters who want front and back balance |
| PPLUL | 5 | 2 | Lifters who want a fifth day |
| Push/pull/legs | 6 | 2 | Advanced lifters with 6 days |
| Arnold split | 6 | 2 | Bodybuilding-focused intermediates |
Upper lower vs anterior/posterior: both train every muscle twice in 4 days. Upper lower splits the body top and bottom, while anterior/posterior splits it front and back, so each anterior or posterior day mixes upper- and lower-body lifts.
Training a muscle twice a week grew more muscle than once a week in a meta-analysis of 10 studies (Schoenfeld et al., Sports Medicine, 2016). When weekly sets are equal, though, frequency matters little for muscle size (Schoenfeld et al., Journal of Sports Sciences, 2019).
So the real benefit of two sessions is that 10+ sets a week fit without any one workout dragging on. For strength, more frequent practice of a lift does help (Pelland et al., Sports Medicine, 2025).
Still deciding? The workout split guide compares every option by goal, days and level.
What is the best 4-day upper lower split workout?
The 4-day upper lower workout below uses 6–7 exercises per session, 2–4 sets each, with one heavy compound lift to open every day.
The two upper days and two lower days are different on purpose: Upper A and Lower A are heavier (4 sets of 5 on the main lift) to build strength, and Upper B and Lower B use 8–15 reps to build muscle. Rest times follow what the research says about rest between sets: longer for heavy compounds, shorter for isolation moves.
Pick weights you could lift for 1–2 more reps than the target on every set. That's close enough to failure to grow: training all the way to failure gave only a trivial extra benefit in a meta-analysis of 15 studies (Refalo et al., Sports Medicine, 2023).
Monday: Upper A (strength)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 × 5 | 3 min |
| Barbell bent-over row | 4 × 6 | 2.5 min |
| Barbell shoulder press | 3 × 6–8 | 2 min |
| Pull-up (or lat pulldown) | 3 × 6–10 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s |
| Barbell curl | 2 × 8–10 | 60 s |
| Rope tricep pushdown | 2 × 10–12 | 60 s |
Can't do 6 pull-ups yet? Use the lat pulldown at the same sets and reps, and build up to bodyweight reps.
Tuesday: Lower A (squat focus)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell squat | 4 × 5 | 3 min |
| Barbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8 | 2 min |
| Leg press | 3 × 10 | 2 min |
| Seated leg curl | 3 × 10–12 | 90 s |
| Standing calf raise (machine) | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s |
| Cable kneeling crunch (rope) | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s |
Thursday: Upper B (muscle)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell incline bench press | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Cable seated row | 3 × 10–12 | 90 s |
| Dumbbell seated shoulder press | 3 × 10–12 | 90 s |
| Cable crossover | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s |
| Cable rope face pull | 3 × 15 | 60 s |
| Dumbbell seated bicep curl | 2 × 10–12 | 60 s |
| Dip | 2 × 8–12 | 90 s |
To save time, alternate the lighter pairs: crossovers with face pulls, then curls with dips. That's a superset; keep full rest on the incline press.
Friday: Lower B (hinge focus)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell deadlift | 3 × 5 | 3 min |
| Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat | 3 × 8–10 per leg | 2 min |
| Barbell hip thrust | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Leg extension | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s |
| Lying leg curl | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s |
| Seated calf raise | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s |
Warm up with 5 minutes of easy cardio, then 2–3 lighter sets of the day's first lift. The science-backed warm-up for strength training has the details.
How many sets per muscle does this upper lower split give you?
This upper lower split gives chest and back 10 hard sets a week each, shoulders 12 and quads 13, which meets the 10-plus weekly sets linked to the most growth in a dose-response meta-analysis (Schoenfeld et al., Journal of Sports Sciences, 2017).
| Muscle | Direct sets a week | Where they come from |
|---|---|---|
| Quads | 13 | Squat, leg press, Bulgarian split squat, leg extension |
| Shoulders | 12 | Shoulder presses, lateral raise, face pull |
| Chest | 10 | Bench press, incline press, crossover |
| Back | 10 | Barbell row, pull-up, seated row |
| Hamstrings | 9 | Romanian deadlift, seated and lying leg curl (plus deadlifts) |
| Calves | 6 | Standing and seated calf raise |
| Biceps | 4 | Barbell curl, seated curl (plus every row and pull-up) |
| Triceps | 4 | Pushdown, dip (plus every press) |
| Glutes | 3 | Hip thrust (plus squats, deadlifts and split squats) |
| Abs | 3 | Cable crunch |
The arm and glute numbers look low because they count direct sets only. Rows and pull-ups also train biceps, presses train triceps, and squats and deadlifts train glutes; research that counts those indirect sets as half a set each predicted growth best (Pelland et al., Sports Medicine, 2025). Want bigger arms? Add one set of curls and one of pushdowns to each upper day. More on how much weekly volume you need.
How do you progress on an upper lower split?
Progress on an upper lower split by adding reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then adding weight and building the reps back up. That is called double progression.
Adding reps and adding weight grew muscle about equally in an 8-week trial with trained lifters (Plotkin et al., PeerJ, 2022), so either step counts as progress.
How does double progression work?
Take the dumbbell incline bench press at 3 × 8–12 on Upper B. You stay at one weight until all three sets reach 12 reps, then move up.
| Week | Weight (each hand) | Reps per set | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.5 kg / 50 lb | 12, 10, 9 | Same weight, beat one set |
| 2 | 22.5 kg / 50 lb | 12, 11, 10 | Same weight |
| 3 | 22.5 kg / 50 lb | 12, 12, 12 | Every set hit 12: add weight |
| 4 | 25 kg / 55 lb | 9, 8, 8 | Build back up to 12 |
The drop to 8 or 9 reps at the new weight is normal. If you can't reach the bottom of the range (8 here), go back to the old weight for another week.
How do you progress the heavy 5-rep lifts?
On the 4 × 5 and 3 × 5 lifts (bench press, squat, deadlift), add weight the next session whenever you complete every rep of every set with steady form. You'll move up most weeks at first, then less often.
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests a 2–10% load increase once you can do 1–2 reps more than the target in two sessions in a row (ACSM position stand, 2009). That's the more cautious version of the same rule: once single sessions stop going cleanly, wait until the target feels easy twice before moving up.
How much weight should you add?
| Lift type | Examples | Add each time |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-body barbell lifts | Squat, deadlift, Romanian deadlift, hip thrust | 5 kg / 10 lb |
| Upper-body barbell lifts | Bench press, row, shoulder press | 2.5 kg / 5 lb |
| Dumbbell lifts | Incline press, shoulder press, split squat | The next dumbbell up (usually 2–2.5 kg / 5 lb each hand) |
| Machines and cables | Leg press, pulldown, crossover, curls | The smallest plate or pin step |
A dumbbell jump is a big share of a light weight, which is why the dumbbell and isolation moves use wide rep ranges like 8–12 or 12–15: the extra reps give you room to grow into the next weight.
What should you do when you stall?
- Missed reps for 2 sessions in a row: check sleep, food and stress before changing the plan.
- Missed for a 3rd session: drop that lift by about 10% and work back up with double progression. You'll usually pass the old number within a few weeks.
- Several lifts stalling at once: it's time for a deload, below.
When should you deload?
Deload every 4–8 weeks, or sooner when several lifts stall at the same time. Strength and physique coaches agreed in a Delphi consensus study that a deload means cutting training volume for about 7 days (Bell et al., Sports Medicine – Open, 2023).
On this plan: keep the same exercises and weights, do half the sets, and stop each set well short of failure. More in when to deload.
When should you change the plan?
Keep the main lifts (bench press, row, squat, deadlift) for several blocks so you can see real progress on them. After 8–12 weeks you can swap accessory moves, for example the crossover for a dumbbell fly or the leg press for a hack squat, to keep training fresh.
How does JEFIT help you progress?
Double progression only works if you know last week's numbers. In JEFIT, each set pre-fills with the weight and reps from your last session, the rest timer starts after every set, and new personal records are flagged automatically.
The free estimated 1RM chart shows whether a lift is still climbing.
With Elite, Periodization on your own plan keeps this upper lower split as it is and adjusts how much you lift from week to week. More on the method: a simple guide to progressive overload.
What are the most common upper lower split mistakes?
The most common upper lower split mistakes are packing too many exercises into the upper days, putting both lower days back to back, and changing exercises every week.
- Overloading the upper days. Upper days cover more muscles, so they tend to grow to 10–12 exercises and 90 minutes. Keep them at 6–7 exercises; if a muscle needs more, add a set to a lift you already do.
- Back-to-back lower days. Squats on one day and deadlifts the next leaves your lower back no time to recover. Keep a rest or upper day between them.
- Changing exercises every week. You can't apply double progression to a lift you only did once. Keep exercises for at least a full block.
- Grinding every set to failure. It adds fatigue for little extra growth; save all-out effort for the last set of an isolation move. See whether training to failure is the key to growth.
- Skipping the second lower day. It holds half of your leg volume and all of your deadlifts.
Can you do an upper lower split 2, 3, 5 or 6 days a week?
Yes. A 2-day upper lower split runs each half once a week, a 3-day version rotates the workouts so each week starts where the last one ended, and 5 and 6 days add sessions on top of the 4-day base.
2 days a week
Train upper on Monday and lower on Thursday, alternating weeks: Upper A and Lower A one week, Upper B and Lower B the next, so squats and deadlifts both stay in. Each muscle is trained once a week with about half the 4-day volume, so it holds your strength through a busy stretch more than it builds.
For 2 days long-term, full body twice a week trains every muscle twice.
3 days a week
Train Monday, Wednesday and Friday and run the four workouts in order, so the cycle rolls over into the next week.
Each muscle is trained about 1.5 times a week, with roughly three quarters of the 4-day volume.
| Week | Mon | Wed | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper A | Lower A | Upper B |
| 2 | Lower B | Upper A | Lower A |
| 3 | Upper B | Lower B | Upper A |
5 days a week
Add a fifth day by moving to PPLUL: push, pull and legs, then upper and lower. JEFIT has a ready-made PPLUL split plan.
Newer lifters can instead keep this plan and add one full-body day, the option the workout split guide suggests for 5 days.
6 days a week
Upper, lower, upper, lower, upper, lower with one rest day trains each muscle 3 times a week. It's a lot of squatting and deadlifting, so it suits advanced lifters; most people get more from 4 days done well.
Bottom line: should you run an upper lower split?
- If you can train 4 days a week and have about 6 months of lifting behind you, run the plan above as written.
- If you're in your first months of lifting, start with full body 2–3 days a week and move to upper lower later.
- If you only have 3 days, rotate the four workouts across Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- If you want a fifth day, move to PPLUL rather than adding exercises to these sessions.