So, let’s compare the two options, learn about their benefits and drawbacks, and discuss how to decide for yourself.

Key Takeaways

1. Workout splits divide your training, with each session typically focusing on specific muscle groups (say, chest and triceps), a portion of the body (say, upper/lower), or a movement pattern (say, push or pull).
   
   
2. Full body training revolves around doing at least some direct or indirect work for every major muscle group during each session.
   
   
3. Splits are well-suited for a higher training frequency (4+ times per week) and allow more experienced trainees to do enough direct sets for muscle growth.
   
   
4. Full body sessions are more efficient and offer more scheduling flexibility. They are ideal for less experienced lifters and those who prefer a lower training frequency.
   
   
5. Hevy is the perfect workout tracker for storing your training plans, logging workouts with all the necessary details, and monitoring your gym and body composition progress.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

Training Splits Explained (+Pros and Cons)

Workout splits are ways to organize your weekly training by dedicating each session to specific movement patterns or muscle groups. This allows you to train all major muscles, create a good stimulus, and recover effectively between workouts.

Common options include:

• Body part split – also known as bro or bodybuilding splits, these have you focus on one or two muscles per workout (for example, having arms day, chest days, and so on)
  
  
• Push/pull/legs – here, upper body workouts focus on movement patterns (push and pull), training the involved muscles; leg workouts are standard
  
  
• Upper/lower – these split your training into upper-body and lower-body sessions

Here’s an example upper/lower 4-day split:

You can save this program to your Hevy app profile and start logging the workouts today:

1. Open hevy.com and log in with your Hevy app credentials. (Skip if you’re on your phone  with Hevy installed.)
2. Click this link and tap the blue Save Folder button.

Pros of split workouts:

• You can really focus on the target muscles and potentially train them more effectively; it can be particularly effective if you struggle with the mind-muscle connection and need multiple sets to feel the target area engaging
  
  
• The target muscles get enough time to recover (usually 48+ hours); you train each muscle in a more recovered state, can perform better on each set, and progressively overload effectively
  
  
• Workouts feel more varied because each one has a focus; this reduces monotony and can keep you more engaged
  
  
• You can change your split occasionally to keep things interesting and plan your training around different frequencies; for example, you can do push/pull/legs if you train three days a week for fat loss, then switch to upper/lower for four weekly workouts while bulking

Cons of split workout routines:

• Splits can make it harder to train muscles more often unless you carefully plan your weekly training; this can lead to muscles getting more days of rest than they need
  
  
• You might need to do a lot of sets for the target muscle in one workout, which would lead to progressively worse performance in the later sets
  
  
• Training muscles harder but less often can open you up to more soreness; even if you work out consistently, you might find yourself feeling more sore than needed
  
  
• You don’t have as much flexibility to miss workouts because that would mean certain muscles get less of a training stimulus

Full Body Resistance Training Explained (+Pros and Cons)

A full body routine, also known as a full body split, is an approach in which you train most (if not all) major muscles directly or indirectly in each session. This approach is more efficient and makes it easier to target major muscles or do specific lifts more often throughout the week.

You need to be careful with how you structure your workouts to ensure that each muscle gets enough attention and that some body parts don’t get overtrained or overlooked.

Here’s an example of a full body workout plan:

Click this link and save the program to your Hevy app profile. Read this article for more ideas.

Pros of a full body workout routine:

• Whole body workouts are more efficient and make it easier to do at least some training for each muscle; even with a lower frequency, you can make steady progress, so long as you recover well and push hard on each set
  
  
• The full body approach works well on a lower frequency – for example, training two or three times per week; this makes it a great option if you can’t or don’t want to train four, five, or six days
  
  
• Muscle soreness is less pronounced or non-existent because you rarely train any body part intensely (say, doing 10+ sets for one muscle in a single workout)
  
  
• Full body is more flexible and can work even if you occasionally need to skip or reschedule workouts; for example, even if you miss one of three workouts in a week, you’re still going to train all the major muscles to some degree
  
  
• It’s the ideal approach for strength development because it allows you to do the big lifts like the bench press and squat more often throughout the week

Cons of full body training:

• It’s less focused and doesn’t allow you to thoroughly exhaust a body part like you might be able to with a body part split; for the most part, you do 3-4 working sets for each muscle, and some muscles may only get secondary attention (like the biceps during rows)
  
  
• The workouts can end up longer and may feel more demanding if you want to do multiple compound exercises for several large muscles
  
  
• While you don’t train any body part too intensely, fatigue can still add up and affect your performance for the exercises later in the workout; for instance, if you do squats early in the workout, they can tire you out for bench presses, rows, and other compound lifts
  
  
• It can be trickier to program because sessions don’t have a specific focus, like in a body part or push/pull/legs split

Full Body Workouts vs Splits

Full body and split training are effective and can work. Research shows that both options lead to similar muscle and strength gains when training volume is the same. So, you should pick one that aligns with your preferred training frequency, goals, experience, and preferences.

Both are simply frameworks for organizing your weekly training, each with its unique pros and cons.

• Full body – the training volume for each body part is spread over more sessions
  
  
• Split routine – the training volume for each muscle is more concentrated, typically over one or two sessions

How to Choose Between Full Body and Splits

Here is a simple way to decide between full body and split training:

That said, you don’t have to marry one specific approach. Your goals, preferences, and abilities will change over time, so it makes sense to adjust your weekly training structure, as well.

For example, if you’re new to working out and want to start with something sustainable, you can do full body two or three times per week. Then, as you get more advanced and want to increase the frequency, you can move to a push/pull/legs, upper/lower, or push/pull/legs/upper/lower (PPLUL) split.

Similarly, if you want to train for strength, full body will give you a solid framework to do the same compound lifts more often and include some assistance work to support that goal. But over time, you might want to switch things up and go for a different goal or training style––for example, bodybuilding-style training for muscle gain. In this case, it would make more sense to move to a split.

Another example would be alternating between bulking and cutting. Even if you’re more advanced and follow a high-frequency split while bulking, you can switch to a 3-day full body plan when losing fat. It would be a nice change of pace and make it easier to control volume when in a calorie deficit.

This also applies when life circumstances and priorities change. For instance, someone in their early twenties with fewer responsibilities and more time and energy to dedicate to working out might follow a high-frequency split. In contrast, a 40-year-old with many responsibilities and limited time and energy would find a low-frequency full-body plan more sustainable. 

Lastly, we can’t forget about enjoyability. Working out should be fun and you shouldn’t force yourself to stick to something you don’t like. The more you enjoy your workouts and look forward to them, the more effort you will put into them, and the more progress you will make.

FAQ

1. Can you do full body and split training at the same time?

You can program a mixed plan, where you follow a split and include the occasional full body session. For example, upper/lower/full body (3 days per week), push/pull/legs/full body (4 days per week), or even a push/pull/full body (3 days per week).

2. How often should you switch training approaches?

There isn’t a specific rule, and you don’t need to change anything if you enjoy your workout plan and can stick to it. That said, it’s okay to change your structure if you want to try something new or if life circumstances change.

3. Does full body work if I mainly want to build muscle?

Yes, full-body training is still effective, even if you primarily care about muscle gain. You can train major muscle groups more often and distribute your weekly volume effectively. That said, you need to be careful with how you structure workouts and consider how to intelligently program assistance and isolation exercises for extra volume and emphasis on smaller muscles.

Conclusion

Full-body and split routines are two of the most common ways to organize your strength training. Both options work well, and the choice largely depends on your experience, goals, and preferences.

Before you go, check out Hevy – a simple and intuitive workout logger with all the features you need to log sessions and track progress. Store your splits or full body plans, log sets, reps, weight, and RPE, and monitor your performance on intuitive graphs.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

The post Full Body Workout vs Split: Pros, Cons & How to Pick appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

One of the simplest ways to do that is to find a workout split that fits your needs. But what exactly is a “split,” how does it work, and which one should you pick? Let’s discuss.

What are Workout Splits?

A workout split is a way to organize your weekly training in a logical, sustainable manner. Instead of training everything in each workout, a split dictates what and when you train, how many times you train each muscle, and how many rest days you take.

To be clear, some splits involve training full-body, but most segment training based on movement patterns, specific muscle groups, or fitness goals.

Splits differ from random workouts, where you show up at the gym and simply do what you feel like. They provide structure and support balanced muscle development by giving each body part enough attention.

Splits also differ from traditional strength training programs like 5×5. Instead of dictating exercise selection, loading, rep targets, and progression, splits only provide a framework for organizing your weekly training. Two people could follow the same split, but their actual workouts may look vastly different.

That’s why it’s important to find a split that fits your needs and preferences and then determine details, such as exercise selection, loading, and rest periods, through experience and seeing what works best for you.

Why Workout Splits Exist

A split is a tool for organizing your training to balance stress, recovery time, and progression, leading to better results and less wasted effort. Here are some concrete reasons why:

• Sufficient recovery time – splits organize your training in a way that body parts get enough time to recover after hard sessions. This supports your performance and reduces the risk of overtraining and overuse injuries.
  
  
• Volume allocation – splits spread your weekly training into multiple sessions, allowing you to do the necessary number of sets close enough to failure to support muscle growth.
  
  
• Training frequency – splits allow you to train each major muscle group once, twice, or even three times per week.
  
  
• To fit your schedule and preferences – not everyone can work out a certain number of days, and not everyone likes one workout approach. Luckily, there are numerous splits to organize your training in a way that works with your preferred frequency and leads to enjoyable workouts.
  
  
• To match specific workout goals – training for muscle hypertrophy, strength, fat loss, or some mix of these (for example, muscle growth and strength focus) determines the best frequency, exercise selection, and loading. Splits help you organize your training in a way that makes the most sense for your goal.

In short, splits exist to address different needs and constraints.

The Main Types of Workout Splits

Upper/Lower Body Splits

An upper lower split is one where you have distinct upper body and lower body sessions. On upper days, you focus on the chest, back, shoulders, arms, and core; on lower days, you do leg exercises for the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

This split provides balanced frequency for upper- and lower-body muscles and is ideal if you train two, four, or six times per week.

Upper/lower can also work as a powerbuilding split, where you focus on muscle growth and strength gains simultaneously. One popular variation is the power hypertrophy upper lower split (PHUL), which typically involves two strength-focused and two muscle-growth-focused workouts each week.

Push Pull Legs (PPL) Splits

Push pull legs is mostly a movement-based split, where you do three distinct workouts:

• Push – train multiple muscle groups involved in pressing: the chest, shoulders, and triceps
  
  
• Pull –  train the muscles involved in pulling, rowing, and curling motions: the back, biceps, and forearms
  
  
• Legs – train the lower body: glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves

This gym routine works well on a 3-day frequency, but it’s also suitable for people who want to train six days a week.

Body Part/Bro Splits

A body part split, also known as a bro split, is one where each workout revolves around one or two muscles – for example, back day, chest day, arm day, leg day, and shoulder day.

These splits are typically high in overall frequency (training four to six days a week) but low in per-muscle frequency, since each body part is trained directly once per week.

While often criticized for not being ‘optimal,’ bro splits have been and continue to be popular in bodybuilding culture. Even all-time great bodybuilders like Arnold have used variations of the body part split.

Powerbuilding and Hybrid Goal-Based Splits

Powerbuilding splits focus on strength development and muscle mass gain. The power hypertrophy upper lower (PHUL) split is a common approach. With it, you have two strength-focused workouts, an upper and a lower one, and two muscle-building sessions.

Such an approach is great for anyone who wants to split their training, with dedicated heavy days for compound lifts and lighter days for assistance and isolation work.

Full Body & Mixed Splits

A full body split is an approach where you do a full body workout each time you’re at the gym. Whether you train two, three, or five days a week, you always do at least some exercises for the upper and lower body.

Full body training is a good option for beginners and trainees limited on time because it allows you to spread your training more evenly, train each muscle more than once per week, and keep soreness at bay by targeting major muscles more frequently but less intensely. For instance, if you want to train three times per week, a full body plan works great.

Mixed splits are those that include workouts from other splits, typically to work better for a specific frequency or to add extra volume for some muscles. 

The push pull legs upper lower split is a popular mixed that works well for intermediates on a 5-day frequency. In contrast, the upper lower full body split is more suited for beginners and those who can only train three days a week.

Workout Splits by Training Days Per Week

1-Day Workout Split

Here’s a basic overview of a 1-day split:

• Main benefit – you only train once per week and can make small progress, or at least maintain some of your fitness.
  
  
• Who it’s for – people who can’t possibly dedicate more than one day to training.
  
  
• More suited for goal – it’s generally best for maintaining some muscle and strength, but can also lead to progress if you push hard enough and do more sets.
  
  
• Split options – full body.

2-3 Day Workout Splits

Here is a basic overview of 2-day and 3-day splits:

• Main benefit – time efficient while allowing you to get enough quality sets for progress.
  
  
• Who it’s for – beginners, more advanced but busy trainees, and those who prioritize consistency over total volume.
  
  
• More suited for goal – fat loss, but can also work if you want to get stronger and build muscle.
  
  
• Split options – full body, push pull legs, upper lower, and upper lower full body.

4-5 Day Workout Splits

Here is a basic overview of 4-day and 5-day splits:

• Main benefit – both frequencies give you enough time to do plenty of exercises and sets while not being too demanding, so long as you take good care of your nutrition and sleep well.
  
  
• Who it’s for – intermediate and advanced lifters who take their training seriously.
  
  
• More suited for goal – muscle and strength gain, but can also work for fat loss (particularly a 4-day split with moderate volume).
  
  
• Split options – upper lower, PHUL, push pull legs, body part workout split, full body, and push pull legs upper lower.

6-8 Day High-Frequency Splits

Here is an overview of 6-day, 7-day, and 8-day splits:

• Main benefit – excellent volume distribution, allowing you to have relatively short sessions (45 minutes or less) while still doing plenty of productive work to make progress.
  
  
• Who it’s for – intermediate and advanced lifters who don’t mind training daily and prefer shorter workouts.
  
  
• More suited for goal – muscle growth, but can also be effective in specialization phases, such as doing some lifts (like the bench press or pull ups) more often to build strength.
  
  
• Split options – upper lower, push pull legs, body part/bro split, and some mixed splits

How to Choose the Right Workout Split for You

There’s no such thing as “the best workout split” because it’s context-specific. The best training split for you is one you enjoy, can stick to, and can make steady progress with. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

• Training experience – a beginner will typically benefit from a simpler, lower-frequency split, such as a 3-day full-body one. This is a good frequency to do enough quality training that’s also relatively easy to stick with.
  
  In contrast, a more advanced trainee would benefit from a higher-frequency split, such as a 4-, 5-, or even 6-day one. Upper lower, full body, and push pull legs upper lower are three great opinions.
  
  
• How often you can train – this is a relatively simple one, but if you can only work out two or three times per week, stick with full body, upper lower, or push pull legs.
  
  It’s better to be consistent on a lower frequency than to constantly skip workouts because you can’t make it to the gym.
  
  
• Days available during the week – this is slightly different, but still worth considering. For example, if you need to work out on back-to-back days, it’s better to focus on different muscle groups, such as with an upper lower or push pull legs. So:
  
  2-day back-to-back: upper lower
  3-day back-to-back: push pull legs
  
  However, you can afford to train the same muscle groups if you work out every other day – for example, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Here, a full body program would work just fine.
  
  
• Primary goal – if you mostly care about muscle gain, pick a split based on the previous three criteria we discussed. If your main goal is strength gain and you’re beyond the beginner stage, consider a split like the 4-day power hypertrophy upper lower (PHUL).
  
  Lastly, if you want to lose fat, consider doing less overall training but at a high enough intensity to maintain strength. This means a frequency of 3-4 days per week: three if you’re a beginner or early intermediate and four if you’re intermediate or advanced.
  
  Again, the exact split you go with will depend on your frequency and available days.
  
  
• Preferences – pick a split you genuinely enjoy because that will play a big role in your motivation and adherence.

Explore Each Workout Split in Detail

As mentioned, there isn’t a single best split or workout routine because people have different goals, preferences, and schedules. Go for a split that fits your needs, allows you to train consistently, and leads to small but consistent improvements. 

For a deeper breakdown of each split discussed above, including specific workout structures, weekly layouts, tips, and variations, read our guides below.

By Structure

• The Upper Lower Split
• PHUL Split
• Push Pull Legs Split
• Bro / Body Part Split
• The Arnold Split

By Number of Training Days

• 2-Day Workout Split
• 3-Day Workout Split
• 4-Day Workout Split
• 5-Day Workout Split
• 6-Day Workout Split
• 7-Day Workout Split
• 8-Day Workout Split

Lastly, download Hevy – a simple workout tracker to save your splits, log workouts easily, and track important metrics like sets per muscle and your performance on individual exercises.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

FAQ

1. Can I switch workout splits over time?

Of course. Splits are simply ways to organize your training, and you’re free to switch them over time if your circumstances change or you simply want to try something new.

2. Is the goal to go from a low-frequency split to a high-frequency one?

Not necessarily. While many trainees start from a lower-frequency split and transition to a high-frequency one as they become more advanced, you can stick to a specific frequency (say, a 3- or 4-day one) throughout your lifting journey and make progress, so long as you train hard, apply an overload, and recover well.

3. Does fat loss require a specific workout split?

The goal of training during fat loss is mainly to maintain muscle while shedding weight. For most people, this means reducing the overall volume (number of exercises and sets) and training less frequently (say, going from five to four or four to three weekly workouts). That said, you don’t need a specific split for superior fat loss.

The post Workout Splits Explained: Types, Examples, and How to Pick appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

The 7 Best Workout Apps in 2026

Here is a brief overview and comparison.

*The price may vary based on region and local currency.

TL;DR: How to Pick the Best App For You

• You want a simple, intuitive, and flexible gym/weight-training tracker with a fully functional free version? Download Hevy.
  
  
• Lift weights, but also want to do the occasional cardio workout? Pair Hevy with Strava (or Zwift for indoor running or cycling).
  
  
• Prefer follow-along workouts at home without planning anything? Nike Training Club or BetterMe.
  
  
• Want to improve flexibility alongside your structured training? StretchIt (along with Hevy for gym training or Strava/Zwift for cardio).
  
  
• You want to do and track outdoor cardio activities like hikes, runs, and bike rides? Strava is a solid option.
  
  
• You prefer flexible, minimal-equipment, dynamic workouts with nutrition and mindfulness guidance? Try Centr.

Continue reading for an in-depth breakdown of each app.

1. Hevy: Best Gym Logger/Strength Training App

Included in Free Version

• Log unlimited workouts
• Access workout tools, such as:
• RPE logging
• Plate calculator
• Automatic rest timer
• Supersets
• Set types
• Live PR notifications
• Exercise notes
• Have up to four saved workout routines (templates) in your profile
• Store up to seven custom exercises
• Access the whole exercise library
• Access workout data from up to three months back:
• Muscle distribution
• Performance on individual lifts
• Exercises done most often
• Save workouts and training plans from the routine library
• See a monthly report/summary of your training
• Log body weight and waist size, and add progress photos
• Follow others, build a following, comment, and like workouts
• Integrate with Strava and Apple Health or Health Connect
• Integrate your Hevy profile with ChatGPT

Paid Version Unlocks

• Store unlimited workout routines in your library
• Create and store unlimited custom exercises
• Access complete training data and graphs
• Look at the set count per muscle group data
• Access the warm-up set calculator
• Log all circumference measurements and body fat %

Available On

• iOS
• Android
• Apple Watch
• WearOS

Integrations

• Strava
• Apple Health
• Health Connect
• ChatGPT

Workout Types

The focus is on traditional strength/gym workouts, but you can also log home/travel sessions, cardio, sports, HIIT, and more.

Training Programs Included

Yes, a full library of workout splits based on experience, goals, available equipment, and preferred training frequency.

There are also eight individual workout categories, including at-home, travel, dumbbell-only, and bodyweight.

One-off Workouts

Yes, log any gym, bodyweight, cardio, or sports activity.

Workout Tools

• Plate calculator
• Warm-up set calculator
• Supersets (can include more than two exercises)
• Previous workout values column
• Live activity widgets
• Live PR notifications
• RPE logging
• Automatic rest timers
• Set types (normal, warm-up, drop set, to failure)
• Exercise-specific notes
• Automatic tonnage (volume load) calculations
• Heart rate monitoring (through Apple Watch)
• Exercise demonstration animations & how-to instructions

Progress Tracking & History

• Full access to every completed workout
• Performance on individual exercises (graphs & per-workout)
• Set count per muscle group
• Muscle distribution chart & diagram
• Exercises logged most often
• Monthly report/summary of your training
• Weight, body fat %, and circumference measurement graphs
• Progress photo logging and comparisons
• Workout calendar to track consistency and active streak
• ‘Previous’ performance tab when logging a workout

Social/Community Features

• Find, invite, and follow friends and family
• Discover new athletes
• Like and comment on others’ workouts
• Visit athletes’ profiles
• Compare your progress to others
• Compare your training stats to others with leaderboards
• Share summary illustrations of your workouts outside Hevy
• Upload videos & images with your workouts
• Easily import your Hevy workouts to Strava

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

Drawback (From User Reviews)

• No option to set different rest timers for one exercise (for instance, one for warm-up sets and one for working sets)

Use Cases

• Create or import a training plan or gym split, do it weekly using the saved templates, and ensure progressive overload by easily reviewing your previous performance and working hard to improve.
  
  
• Monitor body composition changes while cutting or bulking by consistently logging your weight, body fat percentage, and circumference measurements, along with progress photos. Combined with workout performance, you can effectively track progress.
  
  
• Closely monitor your progress on key lifts and see all your personal records at a glance. Hevy allows you to display all of the relevant information on a graph: 1RM, set/session volume, and reps.

2. Strava: Best Cardio & Endurance Tracking App

Included in Free Version

• Log activities (like walks, runs, hikes, bike rides, and more)
• Explore heatmaps (areas with high activity levels)
• Connect Strava to a heart rate sensor via Bluetooth
• Allow trusted contacts to see your location while exercising
• Connect your Spotify account
• Join clubs
• Participate in challenges
• Private message other Strava members
• See all of your past workouts
• Import your Hevy workouts to your Strava feed
• Connect your fitness device (Garmin, Apple Watch, Oura, Polar, Fitbit, and more)

Paid Version Unlocks

• Set training goals
• Create routes and get recommendations
• Get advanced workout insights
• Access all top performances
• Access your whole training history in one place
• Create challenges for your group

Available On

• iOS
• Android
• Apple Watch
• WearOS

Integrations

• Apple Health
• Health Connect
• Huawei Health
• Samsung Health
• Garmin
• Polar
• Suunto
• Coros
• Wahoo
• Zwift
• Peloton
• Fitbit
• Amazfit
• Oura

Workout Types

The focus is on traditional cardio training (such as running, swimming, and biking), but you can pick from a variety of sports.

Training Programs Included

Multiple running and cycling plans are available with a paid subscription.

One-off Workouts

Yes, you can track and log workouts or activities anytime.

Workout Tools

• GPS tracking (with pace, distance & elevation)
• Heart rate and cadence integration
• Power/wattage support (for cycling)
• Training load analysis
• Weekly and monthly performance summaries
• Gear tracking (bike or shoes used)
• Integration with smart devices (like Garmin, Fitbit, and Polar)

Progress Tracking & History

• Distance, duration, elevation, and activity data
• Progress over a specific period: 7 days, 30 days, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, year-to-date, or all-time

Social/Community Features

• Follow others and build a following
• Give kudos and comment on updates
• Join or create clubs
• Compete with others on leaderboards and segments
• Participate in group activities
• See other users’ profiles and activity history

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• Some users have reported incorrect GPS tracking (typically showing less distance passed)
• The app prioritizes and shows ‘active’ or ‘time in movement’ rather than total time spent on an activity once saved
• Some users have reported general glitches, like some workouts not showing up when connected to WiFi, getting an error when trying to activate the free trial, and the routes followed not showing correctly on the map

Use Cases

• Map running and cycling routes and explore new ones when traveling.
  
  
  
• Join local clubs and enjoy group activities, including races. This can be a great way to stay motivated and eager to improve.
  
  
  
• Analyze endurance performance on activities and segments to see if you’re making progress.

3. BetterMe: Best Pilates Fitness & Wellness App

Included in Free Version

• The ability to log workouts
• Access to educational wellness content
• Access to some introductory exercises
• Meal planning tips

“Think of these as a teaser—enough to give you a taste of the app’s functionality but not the entire package.”

Paid Version Unlocks

• Personalized fitness plans
• Personalized meal plans and fasting schedules
• Mental health coaching (including guided meditation)
• Meal suggestions based on goals
• Niche fitness programs like Wall Pilates
• Daily weigh-ins and trends
• Water intake tracking
• Daily step count
• Daily active calories burned tracker (with a goal)

Available On

• iOS
• Android
• Apple Watch

Integrations

• BetterMe Fitness Tracker
• BetterMe Smart Scale
• Apple Health
• Health Connect
• Garmin
• Fitbit

Workout Types

The focus is on functional bodyweight training, such as push-ups, crunches, bird dog, and glute bridges. However, there are also follow-along weight-training workouts with a warm-up and cooldown.

Training Programs Included

BetterMe’s paid version generates workout programs based on goals, experience, preferred exercise frequency, and other factors.

You can also browse the library of existing workouts by categories such as gym, micro sessions, Wall Pilates, and at-home exercise.

One-off Workouts

BetterMe allows you to log one-off sessions by selecting a type and duration. The app automatically estimates the calories burned and adds them to your daily calorie expenditure target.

Workout Tools

• Follow-along function, HIIT, yoga, and mobility workouts
• Pacing and modification options during sessions
• Difficulty that adapts based on progress and feedback
• Video demonstrations
• Daily calories burned goal
• Chat with a coach (depending on subscription)

Progress Tracking & History

• Body weight displayed on a graph
• Starting weight, current weight, and goal weight
• Daily steps taken
• Daily heart rate displayed on a graph
• Sleep duration and quality (with a weekly graph option)
• Time spent exercising daily (graph)
• Daily calories burned (graph)

Social/Community Features

–

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• The basic subscription is quite expensive ($19.99/month), and you must pay extra to participate in challenges or get access to a coach
• Difficult to set up streaming on a bigger screen
• Workout programming can be a bit weird in that the app would recommend exercises for the same muscle groups for multiple days in a row

Use Cases

• Start your own fitness journey and learn the basics of structured exercise and proper nutrition without paying for 1-on-1 coaching.
  
  
• Set up a preferred fasting schedule and track it through the app.
  
  
• Do personalized, at-home follow-along workouts with little to no equipment. This can be a great way to build strength and cardio base, as well as Pilates and yoga skills.
  
  
• Build valuable fitness habits like weighing yourself consistently, drinking enough water, and hitting a daily step count target.

4. Nike Training Club: Best Free Follow-Along Workout Classes

Included in Free Version

• Library full of follow-along workouts; browse by category, such as HIIT, yoga, strength, and pilates; apply filters like preferred duration, experience, intensity, and available equipment
• Instructional videos for each prescribed exercise
• Workout reminders
• Achievements & milestones
• Workout streak tracking

Paid Version Unlocks

The app is available for free.

Available On

• Apple Watch
• WearOS
• iOS
• Android

Integrations

• Nike Run Club
• Strava
• Apple Health
• Health Connect

Workout Types

NTC offers workouts for various fitness goals, including bodyweight, Pilates, yoga, HIIT, and some sessions with weights.

Training Programs Included

The app includes several programs, primarily focused on mobility, Pilates, staying fit during and after pregnancy, and foundation-building.

Each plan includes stages to add variety and increase difficulty over time.

One-off Workouts

Yes, you can log any workout from the library anytime.

Workout Tools

• Follow-along workouts with instructions and modifications
• Training plans consisting of multiple stages (weeks)
• Workout time reminders (notifications)
• Video demonstrations of individual exercises (on whiteboard format workouts)

Progress Tracking & History

Monitor your progress on the program you’re following: number of completed workouts, active minutes, and your progress in each stage.

Track the number of total workouts you do, how many times per week you train, and the number of consecutive weeks you stay active.

Social/Community Features

–

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• There’s no detailed workout logging option that lets you enter the number of reps, weight, and duration for each set.
• The app recommends reps per set, but it’s up to you to figure out what weight to use
• No progress tracking beyond basic consistency metrics
• No access to advanced workout tools like RPE tracking, automatic rest timers, and supersets

Use Cases

• Get active at home with beginner-friendly, follow-along workouts. The sessions are paced well, and the instructions are clear.
  
  
• Dabble in various exercise styles in the privacy of one’s own home to see what feels best. The app offers a variety of workouts, including yoga, Pilates, HIIT, core training, and basic weight routines.
  
  
• Enjoy some quick and effective workouts with little to no equipment, perfect if you exercise at home or on the road.

5. Zwift: Best Indoor Cycling & Running Training App

Included in Free Version

• There is no free version of the app; only a 14-day free trial.

Paid Version Unlocks

• Leisurely cycling or running, group activities, and races in a virtual world
• Route options of various lengths, durations, and overall difficulties
• Resistance that adjusts automatically based on the virtual terrain you’re crossing (only with a Zwift-compatible cog)
• Multiple camera angles to track your avatar in the virtual world
• Workout data, such as distance, duration, heart rate, and calories burned
• See other Zwifters who are also working out at the same time
• Guided workouts that account for your experience level and previous performances (based on functional threshold power or FTP)
• Events currently going on or that are about to start; you can freely join the ones you find interesting

Available On

• iPhone
• iPad
• Android phones & tablets
• Apple TV
• Windows PC
• Mac

Integrations

• Garmin
• Wahoo
• Apple Watch
• Apple Health
• Health Connect (through the Zwift Companion app)
• Certain treadmills
• Some runpods (a small device attached to a shoe)

Workout Types

Zwift is designed for running and cycling workouts.

Training Programs Included

Zwift comes with multiple programs; for example, there is Return to Running, which lasts for 8 weeks and steadily increases in difficulty as you improve.

One-off Workouts

You can log workouts anytime; if you stop before completing a workout, your avatar stays in the same place, and you can pick up where you left off.

Workout Tools

• Cycling difficulty that adjusts depending on the terrain (with special Zwift hardware)
• Tracking key metrics like duration, distance, elevation, gait, calories burned, and heart rate
• Get an accurate estimate of your FTP (functional threshold power) by completing Zwift’s dedicated test

Progress Tracking & History

• Access your last 250 activities
• Set and track daily/weekly activity goals
• Fitness trends (active time, distance, and other metrics over a specific period)
• Weekly active streak tracking

All of these options are available through the Zwift Companion app.

Social/Community Features

• Group activities and races that feel motivating because you’re running or cycling along with people from all over the world
• Pick routes and workout types to exercise with others; many are available 24/7 and have a virtual leader who sets the pace and leads the group
• Join clubs (similar to Strava)

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• Hardware doesn’t always integrate seamlessly or loses connection randomly
• Some of the icons and text are too small when using the app on a phone
• Some of the integrations and the way workout data is taken from devices are hard to understand

Use Cases

• Power a virtual avatar, make friends, and race with others in fun, engaging indoor cardio sessions.
  
  
  
• Complete part of your cardio training indoors and make it more engaging with Zwift. This is particularly beneficial during the winter months.
  
  
  
• Follow structured, power-based running or cycling programs to improve performance reliably.

6. StretchIt: Best Flexibility & Mobility Training App

Included in Free Version

There is no free version of the app; only a 7-day free trial.

Paid Version Unlocks

• Get personalized stretching and mobility programs for different goals (like alleviating aches, reducing stress, or improving overall mobility)
• Overview of the program schedule with active and rest days
• Upload and compare progress photos
• Attend various classes for different goals (follow-along videos)
• Track active time, calories burned, and the number of points you have
• Start competitions and share the link with friends

Available On

• iOS
• Android

Integrations

• Apple Health
• Apple Music
• Health Connect

Workout Types

The app focuses on flexibility and mobility training, with an emphasis on improving stability, reducing stress, and targeting specific ranges of motion.

Training Programs Included

StretchIt can generate a variety of mobility and flexibility programs based on goals, your preferred length (traditionally a bit longer than one month), weekly frequency, and session duration.

The sessions vary in duration and typically focus on different things to provide well-rounded benefits for the whole body.

One-off Workouts

StretchIt doesn’t provide the option to log one-off sessions like a run or gym workout. It only allows you to complete the scheduled workout according to your plan.

Workout Tools

• Follow-along sessions with commentary and guidance
• Report achievements (e.g., toes to head)

Progress Tracking & History

• Upload and compare progress photos
• See the sessions you’ve completed
• Monitor your active time and total calories burned

Social/Community Features

• Set up or join competitions and invite friends to the app
• Track participants’ progress under Friends Leaderboard
• Join StretchIt competitions and complete workouts to earn points and move up the rankings

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• Some users find it hard to find specific stretches to work on a trouble area, such as the hip flexors
• No option to set different reminder times for different scheduled classes
• No option to move around or delete scheduled sessions

Use Cases

• Work toward a specific goal, such as a front or side split, by following the progressive follow-along routines.
  
  
  
• Follow a stretching program aligned with your goals and complete the sessions on your days off from the gym or cardio workouts.
  
  
  
• Learn to do and progress with targeted stretches that help improve flexibility and alleviate pain.

7. Centr: Best All-In-One Fitness, Nutrition & Mindfulness App

Included in Free Version

There is no free version of the app; only a 7-day free trial.

Paid Version Unlocks

• Coached and self-guided workouts
• Self-guided programs
• Additional tailored workouts
• Full programs for different goals
• Recipes with ingredient lists and nutritional info
• Create shopping lists from the app’s recommended meals
• Swap recommended meals with alternative ideas
• Swap a recommended meal with ‘having leftovers’ or ‘eating out’
• Healthy snack options
• Guided meditation and deep breathing lessons

Available On

• iOS
• Android
• Apple Watch
• WearOS

Integrations

• Apple Health
• Health Connect

Workout Types

Centr’s workouts are typically fast-paced and involve multiple movements in a circuit, with little to no rest between sets. The sessions are broken down into rounds.

Training Programs Included

Centr offers multi-week training programs focused on conditioning, plyometrics, cardio, and core, with elements of strength and muscle-building. The workouts are dynamic, circuit, and round-based, with short rest periods between activities.

One-off Workouts

Centr allows you to complete one-off workouts recommended by them. However, the app doesn’t offer the option to log improvised sessions or cardio/sports activities.

Workout Tools

• Log reps and weight per set
• Automatic rest timer
• Demo exercise videos
• Some of the prescribed exercises come with an alternative option
• The required equipment is listed for each upcoming workout

Progress Tracking & History

• “Review Logbook” before workouts to see what you did last time
• Access the calendar where you can see the activities logged on specific days: meals, workouts & mindfulness exercises
• See the current week’s active days at a glance

Social/Community Features

Centr has a Facebook group you can navigate to from the app.

Drawbacks (From User Reviews)

• Users ask for more detailed analytics, such as the ability to track performance on individual exercises
• There’s no option to log RPE or make adjustments to the prescribed workouts (e.g., replace exercises or adjust the rest timer).
• Some users find it difficult to navigate between programs; for instance, if they’ve followed a specific program, it’s unclear what a suitable next plan should be

Use Cases

• Users ask for more detailed analytics, such as the ability to track performance on individual exercises.
  
  
• There’s no option to log RPE or make adjustments to the prescribed workouts (e.g., replace exercises or adjust the rest timer).
  
  
• Some users find it difficult to navigate between programs; for instance, if they’ve followed a specific program, it’s unclear what a suitable next plan should be.

How to Pick the Right Workout Tracker for You

1. Goal Alignment

Every workout tracker has its pros and cons, so look for one that aligns with your training style:

• Gym/strength training – easy set-by-set logging (reps, weight, and RPE), built-in rest timer, plate calculator, marking sets by type, tracking performance on individual lifts, storing reusable templates to start workouts quickly, custom exercise notes, and more.
  
  Answer: Hevy. The app is free and super intuitive. It includes these and other features that make workout logging and progress tracking a breeze.
  
  
• Hybrid approach (strength + cardio) – the same features list above with options to log cardio sessions, track distance, monitor heart rate, recommend routes, and similar.
  
  Answer: Hevy (if you want detailed strength training logging and more basic cardio tracking) or Hevy coupled with Strava/Zwift for detailed strength and cardio logging.
  
  
• Busy beginner or interested in general fitness – brief and guided workouts, built-in programs, clear exercise demos, scheduling and reminders, and basic tracking (like active streak and number of workouts).
  
  Answer: Nike Training Club is a good free option that covers most of these criteria. BetterMe is also a suitable option, but it offers a limited free version.
  
  
• Endurance athletes – accurate GPS, power, pace, cadence, and speed tracking, reliable heart-rate monitor syncing, performance history, group activities, and integration with devices like Garmin, Apple Watch, and heart rate monitors.
  
  Answer: Strava. The app has a decent free version, and Pro includes all of these features. Zwift is a paid-only platform (a free trial is included) that works well for indoor running and cycling training.

2. Analytics & Progress Tracking

If you’re looking for more basic workout tracking, such as mainly tracking your consistency, a number of apps will get the job done. This includes BetterMe, Nike Training Club, and Centr. 

However, if you want more detailed analytics to monitor your performance and key metrics, you need apps like Hevy, Strava, and Zwift. Which one you pick will depend on your workout goals.

Hevy is ideal if you want detailed gym analytics, such as how well you’re doing on individual exercises, how many sets per muscle you do, what muscles you train the most or the least, and how consistent you are, along with a monthly summary.  

Similarly, Zwift and Strava track and record relevant cardio metrics to help reliably improve your endurance performance.

3. Social Motivation or a Private Journal

Decide what matters most. Do you want a private logger with a good UI, no distractions, and no social pressure? If so, you can opt for Hevy and simply disable the social aspect. Alternatively, choose BetterMe or Nike Training Club for follow-along workouts with built-in logging options. 

However, if you want a social-driven experience with an active feed, options to follow and interact with others, compete, and compare, Hevy is a fantastic gym option. Strava and Zwift are great options for running and cycling with a community aspect.

4. Pricing and What You Actually Get

Ask yourself if you want to pay for an app and, if so, how much? Every app will have at least some features behind a paywall, but some don’t offer anything for free beyond a free trial. Examples include Centr, StretchIt, and Zwift.

Hevy, Strava, and Nike Training Club have great free versions, so consider starting with them based on your workout style and primary goals. You can always get a premium subscription or look for another app to satisfy a specific need.

Features That Actually Matter

It can be hard to tell what features actually matter when browsing potential apps, especially if you’ve never used one before. So here are a few things that genuinely improve workout tracking:

• Easy and quick logging – it can look fine when playing around with the app at home, but the experience can differ significantly when trying to log a session in a crowded gym.
  
  So, prioritize a clean interface with simple logging (what you can do with just a few taps).
  
  
• Comprehensive exercise library – this is particularly important for gym and bodyweight fitness. The exercises should be named correctly, easy to find, and include instructions (at least written).
  
  Also, the ability to create custom exercises ensures you can address any gaps the library may have.
  
  
• Edit workouts and programs – training isn’t always predictable. Maybe the gym is crowded, you don’t have enough time for a full session, or you simply want to try something new. You should be able to adjust the workout you’re doing and log only the training you actually complete.
  
  
• Integrations that improve the experience – a good integration will reduce friction, not make you juggle more apps and feel overwhelmed. Apple Health and Health Connect are both useful for consolidating your data.
  
  
• Offline logging – this isn’t essential, but can be beneficial for frequent travelers and if you generally have spotty internet access.
  
  
• Insightful and purposeful analytics – you don’t need an app that tracks everything; that just contributes to a cluttered interface. Use an app that provides the data you need in a clean, understandable format.

FAQ

1. Which workout app is best for strength training?

Hevy is one of the best gym and strength training loggers. With its simple interface, detailed logging, progress tracking, and social features, it lets you log workouts in just a few taps, analyze your performance, and stay motivated.

2. Is it better to use one app for everything or separate apps for cardio and strength?

Apps that focus on one thing are typically better. In contrast, those that try to excel in everything tend to lack essential features and feel cluttered. So, we recommend using separate apps for cardio and strength – for instance, Hevy with Strava.

3. Which workout apps have good social/community features?

Hevy, Strava, and Zwift have great social and community features, including the options to follow and compete with others.

4. What’s the most reliable way to track progressive overload?

A good app will save and present training data in a clean and understandable way, allowing you to track performance on individual lifts. For example, Hevy generates graphs for each exercise and lets you track workout-to-workout performance, and shows previous workout values when logging a live session.

Conclusion

Workout trackers and fitness apps are a dime a dozen. Testing them to find what works best for you can be daunting. We hope our seven recommendations narrow the list and that at least one meets your needs. 

Since you’ve made it all the way to the end, download Hevy and log your first workout today.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

The post Best Workout Tracker App for 2026: Top 7 Options Reviewed appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

Key Takeaways

1. Upper/lower/full-body is a 3-day split consisting of three distinct workouts.
   
   
2. This split is ideal for beginners and busy intermediates who can only work out three times per week and want scheduling flexibility.
   
   
3. You can start your week with the full-body workouts and do upper/lower afterward, or vice versa. If needed, you can do the upper and lower workouts back-to-back days.
   
   
4. Despite being relatively low frequency, this split allows you to train all major muscle groups the recommended two times per week.
   
   
5. The split is suitable for muscle gain, strength development, and fat loss.
   
   
6. Get the most out of this split by tracking workouts in Hevy. Log all important training details, track your progress, and make sure you’re creating the necessary progressive overload.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

What is the Upper/Lower/Full Body 3-Day Split?

This split combines the traditional upper lower split with full-body training. With it, you do three distinct workouts (upper, lower, and full body) each week. The split allows you to train each body part twice per week, recover well between sessions, and do enough productive sets to gain muscle.

Here’s a look at each workout:

• Upper workout – train the muscles in your upper body (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, and obliques).
  
  
• Lower workout – train your legs (glutes, hamstrings, calves, adductors, and abductors).
  
  
• Full body workout – train all the major muscle groups in your body directly and indirectly.

You can program each workout in various ways to put more or less emphasis on specific muscles. For example, you can include more direct arm exercises on upper and full body workouts, and more quad or glute emphasis on lower and full body workouts. You can also focus on compound movements if you’re pressed for time, or include isolation exercises if you want extra training volume.

We’ll go over plenty of modifications and examples in the following two sections.

Sample Upper/Lower/Full Body 3-Day Split for Muscle Growth

The following is a complete upper/lower/full body 3-day workout split. You can follow it as-is or make any adjustments you want to fit your needs.

Day 1: Upper Body

• Bench Press (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps
• Bent Over Row (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps
• Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Seated Cable Row – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 2: Lower Body

• Leg Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps
• Glute Ham Raise – 3 sets, 8-12 reps (weighted if necessary)
• Leg Extension (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Seated Leg Curl (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Standing Calf Raise (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 3: Full Body

• Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 sets, 10-12 reps (per leg)
• Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Triceps Rope Pushdown – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• EZ Bar Biceps Curl – 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Save this split and log it in Hevy. With the app installed, click this link and tap the blue Save Folder button. Navigate to Hevy’s Workout tab, and you’ll find the program ready to use in your profile.

Upper Lower Full Body Split Modifications (With Sample Workouts)

1. Exercise Selection and Order

You can modify any of the above workouts. For instance, the upper-body workout starts with a barbell bench press, but you can begin with shoulders or back instead––for example, overhead presses or pull ups.

Here, you only replace one exercise (pull ups instead of bent-over rows) and rearrange the first three movements. This is a good option if you want to start with the upper back or improve your pull-ups.

The leg workout targets most of the lower body, but you can modify it to emphasize the posterior chain or quadriceps and train the other leg muscles during the full-body session:

Here, you replace the two quadricep exercises with movements that target the glutes and hamstrings.

Lastly, you can also modify the full-body workout to start with the preferred muscle group, be it the chest, back, or quadriceps:

(You can rearrange the three compound exercises in any way you like.)

Also, feel free to swap any exercises in any workout. The movements listed above work well together, but you can pick different ones if you have preferences or limitations, like not having the equipment for an exercise.

We’ll discuss exercise rotation and replacements more in-depth below.

2. Load, Reps & Rest Times

There isn’t a magical rep range that leads to more muscle growth or fat loss. You can adjust the target ranges based on your preferences, concrete goal, and even the specific exercise you’re doing. 

For example, let’s say you’re doing the barbell bench press during the upper body workout and the incline dumbbell press during the full-body workout. Because of the setup, the barbell press typically allows you to train with heavier weights more safely, so maybe you choose to train in the 5-8 rep range. (Of course, we always recommend asking someone to spot you when pushing close to your limits.)

However, since the incline dumbbell press is trickier to set up with heavier weights, you may choose to do 8-12 reps per set.

The same goes for isolation movements like the bicep curl and lateral raise. You may prefer to do heavier curls, so you choose to train in the 10-12 rep range. But for lateral raises, you notice that using heavier weights leads to poor form, with your traps getting most of the tension. In that case, you may decide to use a lighter weight than usual and do higher reps, even 15-20, to better target the side delts.

Since you have complete freedom to pick and swap exercises, consider what weights feel best for you. Rep ranges are not set in stone.

Now, since rest times are closely linked to the weight and number of reps you do, it makes sense to adjust them as well. Here are some general guidelines:

• Heavy sets (3-6 reps): up to 5 minutes of rest
• Moderate sets (6-12 reps): 2-3 minutes of rest
• Lighter sets (12-20 reps): 1.5 to 2 minutes of rest

3. Workout Duration & Training Volume

The sample split’s workouts consist of five exercises for three sets each. This means you’re doing 15 working sets per session. With a normal tempo, average rest times, and a 5-minute warm-up at the start (and warm-up sets), you should be able to do each workout in 50-55 minutes.

However, you can modify the workout duration:

• Increase duration – this is a good option if you’re past the beginner stage and can only make it to the gym three times per week, but can work out for 60+ minutes
  
  
• Decrease duration – this is useful for beginners and people who only have 30-40 minutes to train

Some options for decreasing workout duration include:

• Do fewer sets per exercise (say, going from 3 to 2 sets per exercise)
• Rest slightly less between sets (say, removing 15 seconds from each rest period)
• Remove one or two exercises (preferably isolation movements)
• Replace exercises that are harder to set up (for example, doing a machine chest press instead of a barbell bench press)
• Include drop sets (more suitable for intermediate or advanced lifters)
• Pair some exercises into supersets

Some options for productively increasing workout duration include:

• Doing more sets per exercise (say, going from 3 to 4 or 5)
• Adding more exercises (for instance, adding more direct work for the arms, shoulders, back, or quads)
• Include more unilateral exercises to reduce the risk of muscle imbalances (say, doing Bulgarian split squats instead of hack squats or leg presses)
• Spend more time warming up if you feel stiff on some exercises

What Are the Upper/Lower/Full Body Split Scheduling Options?

The standard version of this workout routine is to train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:

• Monday – Upper Body
• Tuesday – Off
• Wednesday – Lower Body
• Thursday – Off
• Friday – Full Body
• Saturday & Sunday – Off

You can also train on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays:

• Monday – Off
• Tuesday – Upper Body
• Wednesday – Off
• Thursday – Lower Body
• Friday – Off
• Saturday – Full Body
• Sunday – Off

And Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays:

• Monday – Off
• Tuesday – Upper Body
• Wednesday – Off
• Thursday – Lower Body
• Friday – Off
• Saturday – Off
• Sunday – Full Body

You can also do the upper and lower body workouts back to back, giving you even more scheduling options:

You can also start each week with a full-body workout if that’s your most demanding session, and then do the upper and lower body workouts.

How to Design Workouts For Yourself (Programming DIY)

The following is an outline you can follow to build a 3-day upper/lower/full body workout routine for yourself. Feel free to rearrange exercises to some degree, but always do compound (multi-joint) exercises first, followed by isolation (single-joint) movements.

Upper Workouts

• Chest: one compound exercise
• Upper back/lats (horizontal pull): one compound exercise
• Upper back/lats (vertical pull): one compound exercise
• Shoulders: one compound or isolation exercise

Optional:

• Biceps: one isolation exercise
• Triceps: one isolation exercise
• Rear deltoids (shoulders): one isolation exercise
• Abs/obliques: one isolation exercise

Lower Workouts

• Quadriceps: one compound and one isolation exercise
• Hamstrings: one compound and one isolation exercise
• Calves: one isolation exercise

Optional:

• Quadriceps: two compounds + one isolation exercise
• Glutes: one compound or isolation exercise
• Adductors & abductors: one isolation exercise for each

Full Body Workouts

• Chest: one compound and/or one isolation exercise
• Upper back/lats: one compound exercise
• Quadriceps: one compound exercise (preferably a lunge or split squat for better glute emphasis)
• Biceps: one isolation exercise
• Triceps: one isolation exercise

Optional:

• Hamstrings: one compound or isolation exercise
• Shoulders: one compound or isolation exercise
• Abs/obliques: one isolation exercise

Building effective training plans takes some practice, so don’t worry if you don’t love every workout you make. As you experiment and learn what works, you’ll get better at programming and will find it easier to put all the puzzle pieces in the right spots.

Rotating Exercises on This (Any Any Other) Split

Rotating exercises every so often is a good way to keep your workouts more engaging, reduce the risk of overuse injuries, and potentially grow better in the long run by keeping yourself from becoming fully adapted to a given workout stimulus.

Changing exercises or variations can also help you target different regions of the same muscle, leading to more balanced development, and give you more experience with a variety of movements, which can help you truly understand which activities work best for you, and which don’t.

That said, there’s a right way to go about it, and it’s not by changing exercises every couple of weeks. While that approach can keep your workouts feeling fresher, it can also create some issues that outweigh any potential benefits:

• It disrupts momentum. When you do the same exercise for multiple weeks in a row, you get better at it and learn to judge your effort more effectively. This means you train with better form, get closer to failure safely, and can make steady progress.
  
  However, by swapping movements often, you’re always in this “feeling out and learning” phase where you’re still trying to figure out how to do the exercise, how to push hard enough safely, and how much weight to use.
  
  
• It makes progress tracking harder. The more workout details you can standardize, including the specific exercise and variation you’re doing, the easier it is to notice and log progress.
  
  For example, if you always squat in the same rack, with the same bar position, to the same depth, and with the same rep speed, any performance improvements (be it lifting more weight or doing more reps) are clear and undeniable.
  
  However, when you constantly change workout details, such as by changing exercises, it’s hard to compare and tell if you’re actually improving in the long run.

As stated by Kassino and colleagues in a 2022 paper:

“…exercise variation should be approached systematically with a focus on applied anatomical and biomechanical constructs; on the contrary, employing different exercises that provide a redundant stimulus, as well as excessive rotation of different exercises (i.e., high frequency of change), may actually hinder muscular adaptations.”

It makes sense to rotate exercises, but you should do so after at least six weeks. That way, you can maximize the benefits of each movement and switch things up often enough to stay engaged.

Some ways to tell that it’s okay to swap an exercise include:

• You’ve done the movement for at least six weeks in a row
• Your progress on that exercise has stalled for three to four weeks
• The exercise doesn’t feel stable and comfortable
• You feel more tension in your joints and connective tissues than in the target muscles
• You get nagging aches during or after performing the exercise

However, if an exercise:

• Targets the correct muscles well
• Feels comfortable on your joints and connective tissues
• Offers plenty of progression potential
• Leads to steady performance improvements

Stick with it for a while longer until it becomes stale.

Workout Tips to Maximize Your Results

1. Push Hard on Every Set

Pushing near failure on each set is essential for creating the disruption needed to force growth and strength gains. The problem is that we are bad at estimating the effort we put into each set and often overestimate our rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Multiple studies show that, including Steele et al. (2017), Crawford et al. (2018), and Armes et al. (2020).

“…perceptions of effort during resistance training task performance may not be congruent with the actual effort required. This has implications for controlling, programming, and manipulating the actual effort in resistance training and potentially on the magnitude of desired adaptations such as improvements in muscular hypertrophy and strength.” (Armes et al. 2020)

There isn’t a trick to fix this; it comes down to pushing yourself hard on each set and logging your RPE. With Hevy, you can log RPE on each set and easily track your effort when reviewing your performance. 

Additionally, you can do the occasional AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set to see how many reps you can actually do and if your RPE tracking is accurate. It’s best to do AMRAPs with a spotter or on machines with safety latches. 

Lastly, research shows that RPE accuracy improves as we approach failure, which ties into the main idea of this section: you need to push hard on every set.

You don’t need to hit failure on each set (that would actually be counterproductive), but you should feel like you’ve worked hard: out of breath, red face, and feeling tension or a deep burn in the muscles you just trained.

2. Rest Long Enough Between Sets

A while back, while coaching a client through a workout, he asked me why I had him rest for two minutes between sets if he felt “ready” to go after just 45-60 seconds. Maybe you’re wondering the same thing, so let me explain.

The purpose of resting between sets is to recover so you can match your performance while training close to failure. This allows you to do enough quality, stimulative reps with good form and create the stimulus needed to promote muscle and strength gain (or, when in a calorie deficit, to maintain muscle).

Research also finds a strong correlation between longer rest periods and better muscle and strength development. 

In other words, if you can get 8 good reps with a given weight on set one, you should get close to that number on the last set.

Part of that comes from pushing hard but not to failure, since that generates a lot of fatigue and is hard to recover from. Also, it means you need to rest long enough between sets. You may feel ready to go after one minute because you’re not out of breath, but there’s more to recovery than that.

As mentioned earlier, the weights you use will determine how many reps you can do per set and how long you should rest. Here are the guidelines again, in case you missed them above:

• Heavy sets (3-6 reps): up to 5 minutes of rest
• Moderate sets (6-12 reps): 2-3 minutes of rest
• Lighter sets (12-20 reps): 1.5 to 2 minutes of rest

3. Aim for Steady Improvements

Progressive tension overload is the ultimate goal because it means your body is adapting and can handle more training stress over time. If you’re lifting 145 lbs for 8 reps today, you should ideally be lifting more weight for more reps months down the line.

People who do the same training month after month can only hope to maintain what they have, not make further progress. 

So, the first tip was to push hard on every set. The second tip was to rest long enough between sets so that you can perform at your best. As long as you do these two things, and handle recovery well outside the gym (good nutrition, hydration, and sleep), you should see steady performance improvements. 

That said, improving performance should go hand in hand with proper form. As mentioned above, standardizing as many things about your training as possible makes it easier to notice improvements.

In contrast, if you lift more weight or do more reps but your technique worsens, are you actually making progress, or are you just using compensatory motor patterns?

4. Track your Progress

Log your workouts and regularly review your performance to eliminate guesswork and ensure you’re on the right track. You can use a basic notebook, a note-taking app, or a workout-logger like Hevy, with all the tracking features you need.

In Hevy, you can log training sessions with all the relevant details, such as:

• Exercises (with custom notes if needed)
• Sets per exercise
• The type of each set (normal, warm-up, to failure, or drop set)
• The weight, reps, and RPE for each set

You can save workout plans as routines (reusable templates) in folders to access anytime, and easily log workouts, track rest times with an automatic timer, and more. The in-depth analytics section lets you monitor your sets per muscle, your performance compared to friends, your progress on individual lifts, and more.

What Are the Benefits of a 3-Day Upper/Lower/Full Body Split?

1. You Can Train Each Muscle Twice Per Week

Despite training only 3 times a week, each workout targets multiple muscle groups, making it easy to meet the recommended training frequency of 2x/week for each body part.

2. You Get Plenty of Recovery Time

Four off days per week give you plenty of time to recover, even between high-volume workouts. This means you can go into each workout feeling fresher and more motivated to work hard and create an overload to support muscle and strength gains.

3. It’s Flexible for Busy Individuals

Working out three times per week means you get four recovery days, which gives you plenty of room to maneuver when needed. For instance, you may want to train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but might need to pick other days, even back-to-back. 

In contrast, higher-frequency splits, such as a bro split, are far more rigid because you don’t have that same freedom.

4. Good for Losing Fat and Building Muscle

This upper/lower/full-body split provides a good amount of direct training stimulus to the upper and lower body. So long as you push hard on each set and create an overload, you will build muscle.

Similarly, having three challenging workouts helps you maintain muscle and lose body fat without overtraining yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is upper/lower or push/pull/legs better?

Both splits are good and can work. An upper/lower split is typically better if you want to train two or four times per week, whereas push/pull/legs works well on a 3- and 6-day frequency. The upper/lower/full-body split is ideal if you want to train each muscle twice per week and work out 3 days a week.

2. Is upper/lower/full body good for a beginner?

Yes, the split is suitable for beginners because you only need to work out three times a week, which is sustainable. It also allows you to hit each muscle twice per week, train the entire lower body, gain muscle size, and lose fat. You can also learn about full body versus splits, and what to choose for yourself.

3. How do I fit arms and abs in an upper/lower/full body split?

The most straightforward way is to include some direct ab, bicep, and tricep exercises into the three workouts. For example, you can do ab work along with lower body exercises and arms on a full-body and upper day.

4. What about cardio or sports?

We recommend doing cardio and sports on days off from the gym to minimize the interference effect. If that’s not an option, do cardio/sports at least a few hours before or after gym training, or after you lift weights.

5. What other 3-day splits can I do?

Other 3-day split options include push/pull/legs, upper/lower/upper, and full-body. You can also try alternating upper/lower, where you do two upper and one lower workouts one week, and two lower and one upper workouts on week two. Read our ultimate guide on the 3-day split to learn more.

Conclusion

The 3-day upper/lower/full-body split is a less common programming approach that works well for beginners and intermediates. It’s ideal for busy people who crave flexibility, it is enough to maintain muscle during fat loss, and it helps you build muscle mass and strength while bulking. 

That said, this is a lower-volume approach compared to 4-, 5-, and 6-day splits. You need to push hard on each set, create an overload, and track your workouts diligently to make sure you’re moving forward.

Download Hevy and log your first workout today. With it, you can easily track your performance from week to week and see how you’re progressing on each movement in the long run.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

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Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

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The post Upper/Lower/Full Body Split (3x/Week Program) appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

Layne’s PHAT program has been around since 2008 and has become a staple for anyone who wants to make gains and isn’t afraid to work hard. So, let’s take a look at what it is, how it works, and whether it’s something you should try.

What is the PHAT Workout Split?

PHAT (power hypertrophy adaptive training) is a 5-day powerbuilding program designed to build muscle and strength. The first two are power workouts designed to develop strength on the big lifts; the latter three are geared more toward hypertrophy for the back, shoulders, lower body, chest, and arms.

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A Deeper Look at PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training)

Layne’s PHAT training is essentially a 5-day program that shares some similarities with the popular PHUL (power hypertrophy upper lower) split. Both are powerbuilding programs with days dedicated to hypertrophy training and strength development. 

However, PHAT is a more advanced workout program that features heavier strength workouts as well as more volume on hypertrophy days. The weekly split looks like this:

Monday – Upper Body Strength/Power (upper body power training)
Tuesday – Lower Body Strength/Power
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – Back and Shoulders Muscle Gain
Friday – Lower Body Muscle Gain
Saturday – Chest and Arms Muscle Gain
Sunday – Off

Strength days revolve around heavy lifting on compound lifts like barbell rows, pull-ups, bench press, dips, curls, tricep extensions, squats, hack squats, stiff-leg deadlifts, and even leg extensions and calf raises.

Hypertrophy days are also quite challenging. While you lift slightly lighter weights, you must still select the loads carefully, push yourself hard on each set, and do multiple exercises, each for two, three, or four sets.

Example PHAT Workout Routine

Note: These workouts are taken from Layne’s original program (which you can download on his website by joining the free newsletter). 

However, you can choose other exercises, so long as you adhere to the Type for each movement, displayed in the left column on the tables below:

Save this workout to your Hevy app profile:

1. Open hevy.com and log in with your Hevy app credentials. Skip if you’re on your phone with Hevy installed.
2. Click this link and tap the blue Save Routine button.

(All workouts come with an automatic rest timer for each exercise.)

Save this workout to your Hevy profile.

Save this workout to your Hevy profile.

Save this workout to your Hevy profile.

Save this workout to your Hevy profile.

This program is not for the faint of heart. It’s high-volume, it’s tough, and it will push you super hard––after all, it mixes powerlifting and bodybuilding, and it is designed to build muscle mass and strength.

The idea behind this approach is that it’s hard to bench press 300+ lbs, squat 500 lbs, and deadlift 600+ lbs unless you’re jacked. So, by working hard on strength days and hammering your body with a lot of volume, you have no option but to grow.

In Norton’s words, “Probably the most important thing heavy training can do is increase your overall capacity for muscular growth through significant strength gains. Training with lower reps and heavier weights is going to stimulate far greater increases in strength than training with light weights for higher reps.”

And:

“But by increasing your strength, you will increase the amount of weight you will be able to lift when you train with a higher rep, ‘bodybuilding style’ training, which will increase your potential for growth.”

For example, if you develop impressive back squat and quad strength, you will be able to lift more weight for reps on exercises like the hack squat, leg press, and leg extension.

Layne struggled with leg growth in his early bodybuilding days, so by adjusting to this type of training, he saw impressive growth and managed to win several powerlifting medals and bodybuilding competitions.

Other Important Training Details

Now that we’ve covered the why and how of PHAT, let’s discuss some additional things you’re probably wondering about:

Rest Periods Between Sets

Layne recommends taking as long as necessary to recover between sets. If that means resting for 5-6 minutes between your heaviest and toughest sets, so be it. The goal is to perform as well as possible on each set, not to rush through the workout. This also aligns with research suggesting longer rest to optimize growth and strength gain.

Shorter rest periods should be reserved for your muscle-building days. Rest for up to three minutes between volume sets and push yourself hard to maintain your performance. For example, if you lift eight reps on set one, you should ideally do the same number on the last set.

Rest periods for isolation exercises are standard: one to two minutes between sets.

With Hevy, you can set a rest timer for each movement and trigger it as you mark each set as complete.

Exercise Selection

PHAT isn’t that different from other programs when it comes to exercise selection. It still boils down to picking the best movements that align with your goal and being mindful of how you combine them in a workout.

Layne recommends only doing one power movement (the heavy, low-rep, compound lifts at the start of a session) for the lower body, pressing, and pulls/rows. For example, pick only one barbell squat variation; don’t do back squats and front squats in the same workout.

Auxiliary exercises support the main lifts or target specific muscles for additional volume. These include leg extensions, glute-ham raises, Good mornings, calf raises, dumbbell presses, curls, triceps extensions, and similar.

Weight Selection

Weight selection is also not that special and still comes down to common sense, prioritizing safety and good form. Pick weights you can lift for the recommended reps and do each rep with proper form and through a full range of motion.

For example, if the program calls for 8-10 reps, pick a weight you can lift for at least eight reps on all the sets without having to hit failure or compromise your technique. 

Layne recommends using around 85% of your 3-5 rep max for hypertrophy work, where you might do four sets of 8-10 reps. For instance, if you bench press 220 lbs for sets of 3-5 reps, lift 185 lbs for sets of 8-10 to do quality volume work.

Once you have finished the main volume work for the day, train as you usually would, using rep ranges between 8 and 20, and rest for one to two minutes between sets.

RPE and Training to Failure

Layne recommends pushing super hard on the heavy sets during strength days, but being mindful of your technique to avoid injuries. 

He also recommends not going to failure on hypertrophy days because, paired with the high training volume, you’re likely to overtrain fast. 

You should only go to absolute failure on the last one or two sets of each exercise, and only after you’ve gotten used to the scale of the program (which, according to Layne, means not going to failure in the first two to four weeks). 

Here is a PHAT workout. I’ve added a * on the exercises where it might make sense to go to failure on the last one or two sets:

For the most part, stay 1-2-3 reps shy of failure. While this can feel counterproductive, it’s still hard work (enough to cause a disruption and promote growth) without overwhelming you or forcing you to rest for several minutes between hypertrophy sets.

Plus, by leaving a little bit in the tank on hypertrophy days, you can push as hard as possible on strength workouts.

You can track your effort across all sets by logging RPE in Hevy. That way, you can easily see how hard you’re lifting and what you did in the previous workout.

Progression

Layne doesn’t explicitly say how to progress on this program, but it’s likely double progression, where you lift a weight until you hit the top of the rep range on all sets before increasing it by the smallest amount possible.

For example, let’s say Day 1 calls for three sets of 3-5 reps on the barbell row. You’re using 100 kilos and manage to get five reps on all sets with reasonably good form and minimal use of momentum. Next week, add 2.5 kilograms and work up to 3 sets of 5 again.

The same applies to all other movements in the program, though you will mostly progress on the big, heavy lifts, and not so much on the lighter isolation work.

Deload Weeks

Layne recommends deloading every 6-12 weeks. If you feel fresh, recovered, and able to train hard, do 7-8-10 or even 12 weeks before deloading; however, if you feel run down, unmotivated, and excessively sore, deload more often––say, every 6 weeks.

A deload would involve one to three weeks of lighter training (60-70% of the weight you usually lift) to maintain strength while allowing for active recovery.

If you feel particularly run down, you can also reduce the volume to a degree. You could cut out some of the exercises or reduce the number of sets per workout.

Here is an example of how you might reduce the volume:

A Couple of Thoughts on PHAT

Don’t get us wrong: PHAT is excellent for what it’s advertised to do. It’s a hardcore program that will push you to your limits and help you grow, provided you recover well (by eating enough calories and protein, getting enough sleep, and so on).

However, there were a couple of things that stood out to me. First, it was the exercise order, which was okay, but it could be done slightly differently. 

To use Day 2 as an example:

Here, we have two compound lifts, an isolation exercise (leg extensions), followed by a deadlift variation. It would make more sense to organize the workout so that all the compound lifts go first, and then you proceed to isolation work:

On that note, it would also make more sense to do free-weight compound lifts and then proceed to machine compound lifts, and finally do isolation exercises:

With this change, deadlifts go from the fourth exercise of the workout to the second. This makes more sense because the movement is more technical, and accumulated fatigue in the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back can affect your technique. 

On that note, the second critique relates to the number of exercises. While this is a high-volume powerbuilding program, there are five workouts, each easily lasting 70-90+ minutes. It would make more sense to reduce the volume to a degree to make the program more suitable for intermediate and advanced lifters.

Additionally, even if you’re fine with the volume in the PHAT routine, it might make more sense to consolidate it a bit. Do fewer exercises and more sets on each. 

That way, you would have more time to get into a rhythm with each movement and establish a good mind-muscle connection over multiple sets. Plus, you wouldn’t need to use as many gym machines (could be a plus if you work out during rush hour).

For instance:

The number of sets remains the same, but we go from ten to seven exercises, which is cleaner and more practical.

That said, you can make some tweaks to the program if you feel the need and see what works best for you. Remember that this is a free plan that’s designed to work on average, so it may not be ideal for your unique circumstances.

Also, read our guide on workout splits for more ideas and tips.

Conclusion

PHAT is not for the faint of heart. It’s challenging and only suitable for experienced, well-rested, and highly motivated trainees who are willing to put in the effort to squeeze out every bit of progress possible. 

The program is intelligent, purposeful, and backed by science, as well as Dr. Layne Norton’s expertise.

Before you go, download the Hevy app to log your PHAT workouts and track your progress on each lift you want to improve.

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The post PHAT Workout Plan: Build Muscle & Strength appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

But what if you’re looking for something in the middle, such as five weekly workouts? This is where a push/pull/legs/upper/lower split can work perfectly. 

Let’s discuss what it is, how it works, and what makes it a great 5-day split.

Key Takeaways

1. Push pull legs upper lower is a 5-day split that consists of five distinct workouts.
   
   
2. This split is ideal for anyone who wants to train five days without their schedule and workouts changing every week.
   
   
3. You can start your week with push/pull/legs and conclude with upper/lower or vice versa.
   
   
4. A huge benefit of PPLUL is that it allows you to train your upper body three times a week and your legs twice.
   
   
5. Get the most out of this split by logging your workouts with Hevy. The app allows you to log all important details (sets, weight, reps, RPE, etc.), track your progress, and more.

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What is the Push Pull Legs Upper Lower 5-Day Split?

This split combines the classic push/pull/legs and upper/lower splits. With it, you train 5 days a week, typically Monday to Friday. The PPLUL split allows you to train your upper body three times and your legs twice, ensuring that each muscle gets the attention it needs for balanced development.

The workout sequence is typically push-pull-legs-upper-lower, but you can also start with the upper and lower sessions, and then do push, pull, and legs. Here’s an example:

Monday – Upper
Tuesday – Lower
Wednesday – Push
Thursday – Pull
Friday – Legs
Saturday – Off
Sunday – Off

Here is a look at each workout:

• Push – this is where you train the upper body muscles involved in pushing motions: the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
  
  
• Pull – here, you train the upper body muscles involved in pulling: the entire back (with an emphasis on the upper back and lats), biceps, and forearms (directly or indirectly).
  
  
• Legs – you train all the muscles below the waist: the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, adductors, and abductors.
  
  
• Upper – you train all the muscles in the upper body: the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, biceps, and forearms. You can also do some ab work.
  
  
• Lower – this is your second leg workout of the week. You can do the same session or switch it up to emphasize different muscles. For instance, ‘legs’ could focus on the quadriceps, whereas ‘lower’ could emphasize the glutes and hamstrings. We’ll share examples below.

What Are the Push/Pull/Legs/Upper/Lower Split Scheduling Options?

The PPLUL split typically involves training from Monday to Friday, with the weekend off for recovery. Example:

• Monday – Push
• Tuesday – Pull
• Wednesday – Legs
• Thursday – Upper
• Friday – Lower
• Saturday – Off
• Sunday – Off

You can also have a day off after the first three workouts, so you don’t train five days in a row:

• Monday – Push
• Tuesday – Pull
• Wednesday – Legs
• Thursday – Off
• Friday – Upper
• Saturday – Lower
• Sunday – Off

The only downside is that you would have to train on Saturdays, which could interfere with your weekend plans. 

Another option for this split is to do upper/lower first, and push/pull/legs second, also known as ULPPL (upper lower push pull legs). And, similar to the previous split, you can add a rest day after the second or third workout of the week:

• Monday – Upper
• Tuesday – Lower
• Wednesday – Off
• Thursday – Push
• Friday – Pull
• Saturday – Legs
• Sunday – Off

Push Pull Legs Upper Lower 5-Day Split for Muscle Growth

Let’s now go over a sample PPLUL split and how each workout might look. Keep in mind that this is a complete gym program you can use, but feel free to make some exercise swaps or adjust the number of sets based on your unique abilities, preferences, and constraints. 

Day 1: Push

• Bench Press (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps
• Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Low Cable Fly Crossovers – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Triceps Extension (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Triceps Rope Pushdown – 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 2: Pull

• Bent Over Row (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps
• Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
• Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Hammer Curl (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Face Pull – 3 sets, 15-25 reps

Day 3: Legs

• Squat (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps
• Glute Ham Raise – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
• Lunge (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-15 reps per side
• Lying Leg Curl (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Standing Calf Raise (Smith) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps

Day 4: Upper

• Pull Up – 3 sets, 5-10 reps (or more, if you can)
• Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps
• Straight Arm Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 10-15 reps
• Seated Shoulder Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Push Up – 2 sets, 12-20 reps (or more if you can; train close to failure)

Day 5: Lower

• Leg Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
• Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps
• Leg Extension (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps
• Seated Calf Raise – 4 sets, 12-20 reps
• Cable Crunch – 4 sets, 12-15 reps

Upper Lower Push Pull Legs Split Modification

There is nothing wrong with doing upper/lower first if that sequence feels more appealing. But you may want to adjust the exercises for each workout to do the harder, more taxing movements earlier in the week. 

Here are the above upper/lower workouts and how you might want to adjust them if you were to start your training week with them:

How to Structure Workouts Yourself

You can go about it in a somewhat templated way and pick your preferred movements for each slot. Also, feel free to rearrange the movements to some degree, but always do the compound lifts first:

Push Workouts

• Chest: one compound, one isolation
• Shoulders: one compound, one isolation (optional)
• Triceps: one or two isolation

Pull Workouts

• Upper back (horizontal pull): one compound
• Upper back (vertical pull): one compound
• Traps: optional one isolation
• Biceps: one or two isolation
• Rear deltoids: optional one isolation

Legs/Lower Workouts

• Quadriceps: two compound
• Hamstrings: one compound, one isolation
• Calves: one isolation

When doing two weekly leg workouts, one can be quad-focused, and the other can emphasize the glutes and hamstrings. In such a case, focusing on the quads could look like this:

• Quadriceps: two compound, one isolation
• Hamstrings: one isolation
• Calves: one isolation

And the second workout could be:

• Glutes: one compound
• Hamstrings: one compound, one isolation
• Quadriceps: one isolation
• Calves: one isolation

Upper Body Workouts

• Chest: one compound
• Shoulders: one compound, one isolation
• Triceps: one isolation
• Upper back (horizontal or vertical pull): one compound
• Biceps: one isolation

Optional: some isolation work for the traps, forearms, and abs/obliques

What Are the Benefits of a Push Pull Legs Upper Lower Split?

1. Good Pairing of Muscle Groups

Push/pull/legs and upper/lower are logical and effective splits, so a hybrid between the two is likely to work just as well. You have distinct workouts for your pull and push exercises; upper workouts allow you to add additional sets for these muscle groups; and the two lower body workouts offer plenty of programming options.

For example, the push workout can focus on the chest, and the upper workout can include more shoulder work. Similarly, the pull workout can mostly include upper back exercises, and the upper workout can give you the opportunity to do extra volume for smaller muscles like the rear delts and forearms. 

Similarly, two leg workouts allow you to do plenty of working sets for the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, as well as train the calves twice.

2. Good For a 5-Day Training Frequency

The tricky thing about a 5-day frequency is that there aren’t many suitable programming options. One advantage of PPLUL is that you get 5 distinct workouts, and you don’t have to follow a three- or four-week cycle to make it work. In contrast, other splits are harder to set up and plan for this frequency:

First, you have upper/lower, which can work, but it means that your training schedule changes from week to week. For example, here is a four-week cycle:

(Plus, in this example, you must train four days in a row––the last two workouts in the four-week cycle and the first two workouts on Week 1.)

Push/pull/legs isn’t better either, as it works best on a 3x or 6x/week frequency. Here’s how it might look:

The bro/body part split can work on a 5-day frequency, but it may not be the best option if you want to train your muscles the recommended two to three times per week.

3. Train Each Muscle the Recommended 2x/Week

It’s widely accepted that training each muscle twice a week is more effective for growth. 

“When comparing studies that investigated training muscle groups between 1 to 3 days per week on a volume-equated basis, the current body of evidence indicates that frequencies of training twice a week promote superior hypertrophic outcomes to once a week. It can therefore be inferred that the major muscle groups should be trained at least twice a week to maximize muscle growth.“ (Schoenfeld and colleagues’ meta-analysis, 2016)

First, this leads to more frequent protein synthesis spikes, which only last for about 36 hours, according to research. 

So, instead of training a muscle and waiting for seven days before training it again, you can provide a new stimulus in two, three, or four days, which could lead to slightly more hypertrophy in the long run.

Second, training muscles more often means you can spread your training volume more evenly throughout the week. For example, if you need to do 20 weekly sets for your chest, you can do 10 on push day and 10 on upper-body day. 

This would allow you to do each set in a more recovered state, leading to better performance across the board, and possibly even less muscle soreness following each workout.

Related: How Many Sets Per Muscle Group For Optimal Growth?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is PPLUL suitable for beginners?

No, PPLUL is not good for beginners because you need to train five times per week, more than what any newbie needs. A beginner would be better off following a two or three-day full-body program. You can learn more about full body vs split routines here.

2. Does it matter if I do PPL/UL or UL/PPL?

Both options can work quite well, so long as you structure your workouts well, recover between sessions, and push yourself hard. So, choose whichever sequence you prefer.

3. How long should I rest between sets?

Here are some general recommendations:

• Heavy sets (3-6 reps): up to five minutes rest
• Moderate sets (6-12 reps): two to three minutes rest
• Lighter sets (12-20 reps): 1.5 to two minutes rest

You can rest for 1-1:15 minutes between sets if you do between 20 and 30 reps.

Related article: Rest Between Sets For Muscle, Strength, Endurance & Power

4. Where would arm and ab training fit into a PPLUL split?

You will train your biceps in pull and upper-body workouts and your triceps in push and upper-body days. Feel free to add direct ab work at the end of any workout, so long as you have the time and energy. 

Conclusion

Push pull legs upper lower is a good 5-day option for intermediates and advanced lifters. It works perfectly for this frequency and allows you to do enough working sets to develop all the major muscle groups.

As always, don’t forget basics like:

• Maintaining proper form
• Training close to failure but not to failure on most sets (recording your RPE can help)
• Recovering enough between sets to maintain your performance
• Staying consistent (it’s better to train three or four days consistently than five days sporadically)
• Sleeping at least seven hours per night
• Eating enough calories for steady weight gain and protein to build and repair muscle

Lastly, check out the Hevy app before you go. With it, you can log your workouts, track your rest between sets, monitor your performance on each lift, and much more. Click here to learn more about all the features.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

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Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

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The post Push/Pull/Legs/Upper/Lower (PPLUL) Split (5x/Week) appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

Part of a good warm-up routine is the warm-up sets you do. So, let’s learn what they are, what benefits they offer, and how to add them to your training.

Key Takeaways

1. Warm-up sets are less challenging sets where you progressively increase the load until you reach your working weight.
   
   
2. Warm-up sets help further prepare your body, prime your nervous system, and give you extra practice time with the first lift of your workout.
   
   
3. Three to four warm-up sets are generally enough. It can look like this: empty bar (set 1), 50% of working weight (set 2), 75% of working weight (set 3), and 90% of working weight (set 4).
   
   
4. The consensus is to do a general warm-up (say five minutes of dynamic stretching or cardio) and proceed to the warm-up sets for the first exercise.
   
   
5. With Hevy, you can customize the warm-up calculator and add multiple warm-up sets to any exercise with two taps. Also, tap on regular sets and convert them to warm-up sets.

What Are Warm Up Sets and What is Their Purpose?

Warm-up sets are lighter sets done before the working sets of an exercise to prepare the muscles, joints, and nervous system. They help improve performance and reduce the injury risk. For example, if someone were to bench press 225 lbs for sets, they might do three warm-up sets with 45 lbs, 110 lbs, and 175 lbs.

First, by doing warm-up sets instead of jumping straight to your working weight, you target the specific muscles, joints, and connective tissues involved in the exercise. This helps mobilize and warm them up, reducing the risk of feeling stiff or experiencing nagging aches.

Similarly, it’s easier to spot aches or stiffness that may affect your performance by working up to heavier weights. As you warm up, discomfort may disappear, allowing you to train more productively. 

Alternatively, you might do some extra mobility work to prepare for your first exercise or swap it for another if the discomfort doesn’t go away on that particular movement.

Second, warm-up sets serve the essential purpose of greasing the groove by reinforcing proper movement patterns through repeated, low-effort practice. Thanks to warm-up sets, the nervous system engages the necessary motor pathways, which improves coordination, balance, and muscle activation.

Not doing warm-up sets can keep you stiff, uncomfortable, and less able to train through a full range of motion (at least early on in the workout), and it may even affect overall technique and muscle activation.

The warm-up calculator in the Hevy app allows you to configure your warm-up set structure based on percentages and add the pre-determined warm-up sets to any exercise. The exact weights for each warm-up set will depend on the working weight you select.

Warm Up Sets As Part of a Warm Up Routine

Warm-up sets are highly beneficial but do not constitute a complete warm-up. To get the most out of them, you must do them as part of a warm-up routine.

In weight training, you have two forms of warming up that make up this routine:

General Warm-up

This is the warm-up sequence you do to prepare your body, and it is typically the same regardless of what workout you’re about to do. The purpose of a general warm-up is to:

• Raise core body temperature
• Improve muscle elasticity
• Boost blood flow and circulation
• Improve joint mobility and reduce stiffness
• Warm up the synovial fluid that provides cushioning and lubrication for joints
• Engage the nervous system
• Help you get into the proper mindset for training

Here’s an example of how it might look:

• Five minutes of low-intensity steady-state cardio, such as incline treadmill walking
• Full-body dynamic stretching routine: front-to-back and side-to-side leg swings, arm circles, torso twists, shoulder rolls, cat-cow stretches, walking lunges, and hip circles

The entire sequence should not take more than ten minutes. Of course, you can add more activities, such as foam rolling, static stretching, or an additional dynamic stretch for a stiffer area.

The purpose is to feel better, focus on your workout, move more freely, and jump into the next portion of your session with energy and vigor.

Some people don’t want to do any cardio before their workout, and that’s also fine, especially when it’s warm, and you’re already a bit sweaty by the time you get to the gym. A few minutes of light cardio can be particularly beneficial if you train in a colder environment (say, your garage during winter) or you work out in the morning.

Specific Warm-Up

The specific warm-up is where you’re more mindful about what you do to prepare your body for the particular training you’ll be doing––be it a leg workout, chest day, or something else.

Once you’ve done the general warm-up, you can do the following:

• A mobility drill that helps with the first exercise of the workout – for example, this can consist of deep bodyweight squats and hip openers before squats, wall slides and band shoulder dislocations before presses, or hip flexor and adductor stretches and cat-cow stretches before deadlifts.
  
  
• Activation work with light free weights or resistance bands to help improve the mind-muscle connection with areas you struggle to feel during training. For example, if you’re doing bent-over barbell rows as a first exercise, you could lat do light pulls to engage these muscles.
  
  Similarly, you may do some glute activation exercises like bodyweight glute kickbacks and lateral band walks before hip thrusts.
  
  
• Warmup sets, where you start with a light weight (say, just the bar) and gradually increase the load until you reach your working weight.

Remember that warm-up routines don’t need to be unnecessarily complicated. It doesn’t hurt to take extra time to prepare, but try to be efficient and only do enough to warm up and train hard without stiffness, discomfort, or pain.

Everyone has different needs, and there isn’t a scientific consensus on the best warm-up protocol (since there is likely no one best approach for everyone). I highly recommend this narrative review by Neves et al. if you want to read more about warm-ups and their importance.

How to Do Warm Up Sets Correctly

Here is a good blueprint to follow:

1. Start with an empty bar, a pair of dumbbells, or a gym machine weight you can comfortably lift for 15-20 reps. Do the reps slowly and with good control through a full range of motion. Try to engage the target muscles instead of simply going through the motions.
   
   
2. Then, bump the load to around 50% of your working weight and do 5-6 reps with good control through a full range of motion. If you plan to lift 225 lbs, do that set with around 110 lbs.
   
   
3. For your third set, bump the weight to around 75% and do three solid reps. This would mean lifting around 170 lbs if your working weight is 225 lbs.
   
   
4. Optionally, do a final warm-up set with around 90% of your working weight for a single if you need more preparation before jumping into your work sets. This would be a single with around 200 lbs.
   
   
5. Do your first working weight with 225 lbs.

As for rest time between warm-up sets, keep it to 45-60 seconds maximum, or enough to get the weight plates, grab the heavier dumbbells, or adjust the weight on the gym machine. 

Since the goal is to stay far from muscle failure, you won’t need as long rest breaks to feel ready for each upcoming set. Here’s how it looks in a table:

Hevy’s warm-up set calculator has a default formula: 40% for 5 reps, 60% for 5 reps, and 80% for 3 reps. You can stick to it or adjust the percentages, the reps per set, and the number of sets.

Then, when it’s time to train, tap the three dots next to the first exercise, select Add Warm Up Sets, log the target weight at the top, and the app will calculate the load for all warm-up sets automatically.

You can also tap on any set to change its type to warm-up.

How to Adjust the Warm-Up Set Formula For Yourself

The above is a great starting point, but the formula is not set in stone. Here are some factors that determine how you should approach warm-up sets and why they could differ from the above tips:

• You can do additional warm-up sets if you have particularly tight or previously injured areas. For example, let’s say you hurt your left hip in the past, and the area feels tight at the start of each workout. In such a case, you can do two empty bar sets and three sets where you gradually increase the resistance to prepare for squats, deadlifts, and similar exercises.
  
  
• If you’re stronger and you lift heavier weights (say, 300+ lbs), you may need to do more warm-up sets to keep the weight jumps smaller. For example, if you deadlift 365 lbs, you might do five warm-up sets: 135 x 10, 205 x 5, 265 x3, 295 x1, and 315 lbs x1.
  
  In contrast, if you’re new to weight training and lift lighter weights (say, around 135-155 lbs maximum), you could do just two or three warm-up sets. For instance, if you bench 135 lbs, you could do a warm-up set with 45 lbs (empty bar) and one with 95 lbs before jumping into your work sets.
  
  
• Depending on the exercise’s complexity, you might need more or fewer sets. For example, multiple warm-up sets can grease the groove and help improve muscle activation, coordination, and balance for a more complex lift like the low-bar back squat.
  
  In comparison, machine-based lifts like the leg press, chest press, and shoulder press might not need as much preparation simply because they aren’t as technical and don’t require the same balance, coordination, and focus.
  
  
• The rep range you train in also plays a role. The more reps you do, the lighter the weight, so you can get away with fewer warm-up sets. In contrast, the more strength-focused work you do in lower rep ranges like 3-5 or 4-6, the heavier the weight will be, forcing you to do more warm-up sets.
  
  
• Lastly, personal preference also plays a role. If you don’t mind taking a bit longer to warm up and you feel like an extra warm-up set or two makes a difference in how comfortable you feel and how heavy you can go, by all means, take your time.

Do I Need Warm Up Sets For Every Exercise?

In general, you only need to do warm-up sets for the first exercise of your workout, especially if you follow a bro or push/pull/legs split where each session revolves around one to three muscles and movement patterns. 

Take this push workout as an example:

You only need to do some warm-up sets for the first movement. So long as you do a general warm-up and increase the weight over several sets, your body will be prepared to handle the rest of the workout. 

You can throw a warm-up set here and there if you feel like you need it, but it’s generally unnecessary and will only waste your time and energy. 

An exception here would be if you’re doing an upper/lower split or full-body workout where the first and second exercises target different muscles. For example, here is an upper-body workout from an upper-body program (taken from the Hevy app’s free routine library):

Here, you can do warm-up sets for the barbell bench press and the row. This is because the two exercises involve different patterns (push and pull) and target opposing muscle groups. 

Now, here’s a full-body workout where you might do even more warmup sets:

You have a barbell row as the first movement but a leg press as the second. Given how unrelated the two are, doing some warm-up sets for both makes sense. Also, since the third movement is unrelated to the first two, you can do one or two warm-up sets of chest presses, especially if you’re more advanced and use a lot of weight.

Here is how it might look for the first three exercises of a different full-body workout:

Warm Up Sets for Bodyweight Exercises

Let’s say you do bodyweight training (the Hevy app’s free routine library has four equipment-free options for all levels), or you’re doing a bodyweight exercise first in some workouts––for example, pull-ups on back/pull day and dips on chest/push day.

Here are several good options to do warm-up sets without relying on percentages:

• Do an easier variation – for example, if you’re doing pike or decline push-ups as your first exercise, do two or three warm-up sets of classic or incline push-ups.
  
  
• Do assisted reps – for instance, let’s say you’re doing pull-ups as the first movement. You can do band- or machine-assisted pull-ups to target the same muscles while controlling the resistance.
  
  
• Do eccentrics only – another simple option is to focus on the eccentric for a few reps, making sure to be far from failure. For example, step on a box or jump up to get to the top of a pull-up and lower yourself over five seconds. Do three sets of three reps and proceed to your first work set.
  
  
• Low reps, multiple sets – lastly, a practical option is to do the exercise in its original form but only for two to five reps. You can do three to five warmup sets and rest for up to a minute between them.

Can You Warm Up Only With Progressively Heavier Sets?

Let’s say you find general warm-ups like dynamic stretching or cardio boring. Or perhaps you’re pressed for time and would like to save a few minutes if possible. Does it make sense to jump straight into your warm-up sets?

In the narrative review mentioned above, the authors found a significant positive impact of warming up on performance: total volume and strength output. Here is a quote from their findings:

“These positive results were either after using only a specific warm-up or using a general warm-up followed by a specific warm-up.”

Also:

“The increased strength outcomes seemed to be better when a higher load is used during warm-up, with few repetitions. Moreover, the use of a general warm-up showed to be beneficial in some specific assessments.”

In one of the studies from the review, researchers noted better leg press performance in subjects doing a general and specific warm-up compared to just a specific warm-up. A different study from the review showed no difference in muscle strength regardless of whether the subjects did a general, specific, or stretch-based warm-up.

A third study from the narrative review found that a long-duration, low-intensity general warm-up improves 1RM strength in trained individuals. Finally, this study found that running-based and strength-based warm-up protocols lead to similar knee extension force output.

So, it’s hard to say, but current findings suggest that a general warm-up combined with a specific warm-up tends to work best. That said, it’s worth noting that a specific warm-up can also serve to prepare your body as a whole and bring the same benefits:

• Raise heart rate and core body temperature
• Improve circulation
• Warm up the muscles, joints, and connective tissues
• Improve mobility and limit stiffness
• Help wake up your nervous system and prime you for training

The advantage is that your warm-up would be more specific and allow you to get more practice with the first movement of your workout. 

However, this would mean doing more warm-up sets to compensate for the lack of a general warm-up, which could generate more fatigue in the involved muscles, affecting your performance on your working sets. 

So, it’s probably best to do at least a brief general warm-up––for instance, three minutes of brisk walking on the treadmill. Once your heart rate goes up, start your specific warm-up and see how well such a minimalistic approach works for you.

Warm Up Set Mistakes to Avoid

Before we wrap up, let’s look at some of the most common mistakes related explicitly to warmup sets:

• Not doing them – given that some studies don’t show additional performance benefits from a specific warm-up, it can be tempting to cut it out to save time.
  
  However, remember that even if you do a general warm-up, specific muscles and joints will likely need extra attention to be fully prepared to handle the weights, especially if you train for strength.
  
  Plus, the specific warm-up also helps prime your nervous system.
  
  
• Doing too many of them – on the other end of the spectrum, we have people who go all in just to be safe. The problem is that warmup sets don’t move the needle, and doing too many of them can generate muscle fatigue and waste time, distracting you from your actual work sets.

• Doing too many reps – similar to the previous mistake, doing too many reps will generate muscle fatigue, affecting your performance on your heavy work sets. Follow our tips from above and keep your reps between 1 and 5, with the only exception being the first set, where you can go up to 15-20 reps so long as you’re far from failure.

• Ignoring proper form and tempo – just because it’s a warmup set with a weight you can comfortably handle doesn’t mean you should go through the motions. Remember that these sets serve a purpose, so be mindful of your technique, range of motion, and tempo to get the most out of them.
  
  
• Resting too long – as mentioned above, you should rest for around 45-60 seconds between warmup sets. This will help you gain momentum and stay focused as you ramp up the intensity. 
  
  
• Ignoring pain or discomfort – part of the reason to do warmup sets is to see how your body feels that day. So, if you experience any discomfort, don’t ignore it. See how it goes as you increase the weight, and consider swapping the exercise if the pain increases as you get close to your first work set.
  
  
• Counting warmup sets toward your total volume – the idea behind such sets is to prepare your body, not to create a strong enough stimulus for growth and strength gains. So, it doesn’t make sense to count these sets toward your weekly volume. Read more about optimal volume in our guide.

Conclusion

Warmup sets effectively prepare your body for any workout and are crucial to a warm-up routine. When done correctly, they further prepare your body by engaging the correct muscles, activating your nervous system, and helping you alleviate minor aches and discomfort you may feel early on.

Download the Hevy app if you’re looking for a simple tool to log any workout, add warmup sets to any exercise with two taps, and enjoy other features like RPE tracking, automatic rest timers, and tracking your performance on specific exercises. (Read about all of the app’s features here.)

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

FAQ

1. How are warmup sets different from a general warm-up?

Warmup sets are part of the specific warm-up routine that helps prepare your body for the movements you’ll be doing that day. In contrast, a general warm-up is typically the same for every workout and mainly serves to get you moving and raise your core body temperature.

2. How do warmup sets improve performance?

They help you gradually work up to your working weight, which helps engage the nervous system in a specific way and improve muscle activation, balance, and mobility.

3. How many warmup sets should I do?

Generally, three to four warm-up sets are enough. You can go from an empty bar to 50%, 75%, and 90% of your working weight. If you’re a beginner lifting lighter weights (say, around 135 lbs), you can do just two warmup sets.

The post Warm Up Sets Explained: Best Strategies for Lifters appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

Let’s look at how supersets work, what common types exist, their benefits and drawbacks, how to program them into your routine, and what mistakes to avoid.

Key Takeaways

1. Supersetting is when you do two back-to-back exercises with little or no rest.
   
   
2. Common superset types include agonist/antagonist, compound/compound, upper/lower body, pre-exhaustion, and post-exhaustion.
   
   
3. Supersets are time-efficient, offer cardio benefits, and introduce workout variety to help keep your training plan more engaging.
   
   
4. Common mistakes include pairing the wrong exercises, not resting long enough, ignoring proper form, and rushing through your repetitions to save extra time.
   
   
5. Hevy allows you to create supersets with just a couple of taps when creating reusable templates or logging live workouts.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

What Are Supersets?

Supersets are a workout technique where you pair two exercises that typically target different muscles and do them back-to-back with little to no rest in between. For example, a set of tricep pushdowns followed by a set of dumbbell bicep curls would count as one superset. Training that way helps save time.

5 Types of Supersets

1. Opposing Muscles Supersets (Agonist/Antagonist)

This is where you do two exercises that target opposing muscle groups, including the biceps and triceps, hamstrings and quadriceps, chest and back, and glutes and hip flexors.

Example include:

• Barbell curl with rope cable pushdown (biceps and triceps)
• Leg extension with lying leg curl (quadriceps and hamstrings)
• Barbell bench press with seated cable row (chest and back)
• Barbell hip thrust with hanging knee raise (glutes and hip flexors)

These are perhaps the most popular type of superset and what comes to mind for most people.

You can easily create these and other supersets when building workout templates or logging live gym sessions through Hevy. Learn about the feature here.

2. Compound Supersets

This is an advanced superset option where you do two multi-joint exercises back-to-back. You should plan the exercises carefully because compound lifts involve more muscles, and too much overlap can lead to secondary muscles becoming the limiting factor.

Let’s take dumbbell Romanian deadlifts and goblet squats as an example. You have two compound lifts that target opposing muscles: the hamstrings and quadriceps. However, there is an overlap in the secondary muscles involved in both movements: the glutes, lower and upper back, and forearms.

For instance, if your back gets fatigued from Romanian deadlifts, you’ll struggle to maintain the proper position for goblet squats and might need to stop the set before you train your quads close to failure.

To clarify, compound supersets don’t have to work opposing muscle groups. The above was simply an example. You should always consider the secondary muscles involved in each multi-joint exercise and how the pair would work together.

In most cases, pairing a compound and isolation lift would allow you to perform better on both and reap the time-saving benefits of supersets.

Related: 12 of the Best Lower Body Pull Exercises for Strength

3. Upper/Lower Body Supersets

Upper/lower body supersets can also be a time-efficient way to train and keep muscle overlap relatively low, especially if you pair isolation exercises or a compound and isolation lift. 

These can also be particularly useful when doing full-body training since you’re doing lower and upper-body movements.

Examples of upper/lower body exercises (compound and isolation) for supersets include:

• Barbell bench press with lying leg curl
• Bent over barbell row with leg extensions
• Upright barbell row with calf raises
• Shoulder press with hip adduction (machine)

As discussed above, you can pair compound exercises, but consider the secondary muscles. Good examples with minimal overlap include:

• Split squat with lat pulldowns
• Glute ham raise with barbell bench press
• Leg press with shoulder press

Here is a full-body workout taken straight from one of the 25+ complete training programs you can access in the Hevy app’s library:

Here is the same workout modified with supersets to take less time:

4. Pre-Exhaustion Supersets

Pre-exhaustion supersets are those where you do two exercises for one muscle group. You start with an isolation lift to create some fatigue in the muscle and proceed to a compound exercise for your primary set.

The advantages of pre-exhaustion include:

• Activating the primary muscle and helping you feel it better during compound lifts
• Being able to exhaust the muscle with a lighter weight
• Possibly experiencing less wear and tear over time by keeping the loads lighter

This means pre-exhaustion is suitable for people who only care about muscle mass but would not be a good option for strength gains.

Examples of pre-exhaustion supersets include:

• Cable chest fly before flat barbell bench press
• Leg extensions before leg press or barbell squat
• Lying leg curl before Romanian deadlift
• Cable pullover before bent over barbell row

Remember that this is a more advanced tactic that carries some risk. Start with a light weight on the compound lift to see how it feels, and ask someone to spot you in case you fail to do the last rep.

5. Post-Exhaustion Supersets

Post-exhaustion supersets are the opposite approach that carries less because you start with the compound lift and conclude with an isolation exercise for the primary muscle. 

For example:

• Flat barbell bench press ⇒ cable chest fly
• Barbell back squat ⇒ leg extension
• Romanian deadlift ⇒ lying leg curl
• Bent over barbell row ⇒ cable pullover

Training that way allows you to maximally stimulate the target muscle and train it with heavy and light weights, which is ideal for generating mechanical tension and metabolic stress, both essential for muscle growth.

This is a good muscle-building tactic similar to the pre-exhaustion method but would not be ideal for strength gains. To understand why, read our strength vs. hypertrophy training guide, where we outline eight key differences.

3 Benefits of Supersets

1. Time-Efficient

The biggest benefit of supersets is that they allow you to condense more training in less time and complete your workouts more quickly. While one muscle is recovering, you can train another and use your time more intelligently.

2. Cardio Benefits

By forcing you to do more work in less time, supersets raise your heart rate higher and for longer than traditional sets. This is supported by research, including Realzola et al. (2022) and Zhang et al. (2025).

The advantage over traditional sets is that this doesn’t come at the expense of excessive local fatigue that affects your set-to-set performance.

For instance, you could shorten your rest periods between regular sets to reap similar cardio benefits. The problem is that doing so would limit muscle recovery, causing your performance and total training volume to be lower.

3. Greater Workout Variety

Workout enjoyability is not discussed commonly because prevailing wisdom suggests that we should suck it up and just do the work, regardless of how we feel about it. 

But the truth is that it’s okay to enjoy your training and look for ways to make it more fun, especially when you’re bored and not looking forward to any of your workouts.

Adding supersets to your training can be a neat way to spice up your workouts, even if you keep most training variables the same.

Drawbacks of Supersets

1. Harder to Do

Even when programmed intelligently, supersets are more challenging to do. Your cardiovascular system works harder, and you need to push yourself more to continue training once you’ve done a set close to failure. 

Here’s what the authors of this paper wrote:

“…it should be noted that supersets generally induce higher internal loads, more severe muscle damage, and increased perceived exertion, potentially necessitating extended recovery times between sessions.”

This is particularly true when doing compound, pre-exhaustion, or post-exhaustion supersets. 

One way to work around this is to take slightly longer rest breaks between supersets. For example, if you typically rest for two minutes between regular sets, consider resting for 2.5 minutes between supersets. 

You can set automatic rest timers for supersets, and the timer will trigger when you mark a set as completed in Hevy.

2. More Difficult to Program

Adding an agonist/antagonist superset here and there is no big deal, but things become more complicated when you want to add multiple supersets or program more advanced options like:

• Compound with compound lift 
• Pre-exhaustion
• Post-exhaustion

This is why it’s great to log your workouts and regularly review your numbers. Doing so helps you see how changes to your training plan affect your recovery and performance and when you should scale things back.

3. Higher Risk of Technique Breakdown

As inherently more fatiguing, supersets carry a higher risk of technique breakdown, which affects muscle activation and can put you at a slightly higher injury risk.

Ways to maintain better technique include:

• Be mindful of the risk and consider filming some of your sets to see how you look from the side
  
  
• Take longer rest breaks between sets to feel recovered; as a rule, your breathing should be somewhat normalized when you start each superset
  
  
• Keep your RPE slightly lower, at least initially; if you typically aim for an RPE 8-9 for most sets, train to an RPE 7 (leaving three reps in the tank) during your initial supersets

How to Incorporate Supersets Into Your Workout Routine

Step 1: See What Exercises You Can Pair

Look at your current program and see what exercises you can pair. For example, here is an intermediate upper/lower split taken from the Hevy app’s free program library:

Here’s how it might look when you create some supersets:

This can be a good way to get some experience with supersets without making too many changes to your training plan. 

You can also add an exercise here and there to work opposing muscle groups and do extra volume without spending too much extra time at the gym. For example:

Don’t start with too many supersets because a) they are harder to do, b) they can be harder to recover from, and c) they may affect your technique as you get tired.

Step 2: Set Your Rest Timer

Take slightly longer rest pauses between supersets to allow your heart rate to decrease and your breathing to normalize. If you take two-minute rest pauses on average, add 30 extra seconds of rest between supersets.

Step 3: Tweak the Weight and RPE

As with any new addition to your workout plan, it’s important to start small, monitor how you feel, and adjust when necessary. Here’s a simple formula that could help:

• Feeling excessively tired? Reduce the number of supersets or lower the weight by 10-20% on one or both exercises.
  
  
• Struggling with form? Lower the weight or increase the rest times.
  
  
• Not feeling that challenged? Increase the weight, add an extra set, or push to slightly higher RPEs.

Common Superset Mistakes

1. Pairing the Wrong Exercises

You have a fair amount of freedom to pair different exercises for supersets. That said, here are some potentially bad combinations to be mindful of:

• Compound with compound – while doable, this is not the best option because it creates too much fatigue, and there are typically too many overlapping muscles that can get overly fatigued and limit your performance or affect your technique.
  
  
• Same muscle group – unless you’re trying to do pre- or post-exhaustion, avoid doing two exercises for the same primary muscle in a superset. The first exercise will fatigue the primary muscle and force you to lift a lighter weight for fewer reps on the second movement.
  
  
• Same secondary muscle groups – some exercises target different muscle groups but involve the same secondary ones. For example, bent-over rows and reverse dumbbell flyes require the spinal erectors to engage and keep you in position.
  
  If these muscles get too fatigued during rows, you might struggle to maintain a good position for the reverse fly.
  
  
• Unilateral exercises – these are exercises that train one side at a time and take longer to complete. You can do them as part of supersets (particularly if you don’t have enough equipment), but they will make supersets less time-efficient.

2. Not Resting Enough Between Supersets

Too little rest affects your performance, limits your total training volume, and may even put you at risk of technique breakdown as a means of compensating.

So, as stated above, consider resting around 30 seconds more between supersets compared to regular sets.

Also, supersetting means doing exercises back-to-back with little or no rest. However, if the first movement gets you too fatigued and winded, it might be worth it to way 30-60 seconds before doing the second part of the superset.

It won’t be as time-efficient, but you’ll be able to perform better, which should hopefully translate into better gains in the long run.

When creating supersets in the Hevy app, you can set an automatic rest timer for the second movement or both.

3. Ignoring Proper Form

This is a fairly common mistake, given that supersets generate more fatigue. It’s one thing to do an exercise in a fully recovered state and a whole other to do it after completing another movement first.

So, be mindful of the potential risk and work hard to maintain good form. This includes:

• Maintaining a steady tempo
• Training through a full range of motion
• Breathing steadily
• Avoiding jerking motions and momentum to complete reps

Conclusion

Supersets are a simple and convenient way to do more work in less time. When done correctly, they don’t compromise technique or affect total volume and could even provide cardio benefits. 

That said, it’s important to pair the correct exercises, program supersets more sparingly (unless you’re strapped for time), rest long enough between sets, and focus on proper technique. 

With Hevy, you can pair exercises into supersets with just a couple of taps and set an automatic rest timer. Plus, as soon as you mark a set as completed, Hevy will scroll to the next exercise of the superset, so long as you have Smart Superset Scrolling enabled in the settings. So, download the app and log your first workout today.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

FAQ

1. What is the difference between a superset and a circuit?

A superset is when you pair two exercises, whereas a circuit is when you pair three or more movements and do them back-to-back.

2. Are supersets suitable for a beginner?

Supersets can work for beginners, but it might be best to do them under the supervision of a good personal trainer to monitor the technique, effort, and rest periods.

3. Do supersets work in traditional strength training?

You can add supersets to a strength program to do some accessory/isolation work for muscle gain. However, it’s typically best to do them during muscle-building phases.

4. Should I rest between exercises in a superset?

The exercises that are part of a superset are typically done back-to-back. However, you can add 30-60 seconds of rest between them if you feel particularly fatigued or winded. This can help you perform better and maintain good technique.

The post What Are Supersets And How to Use Them appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

But what does the research say? More importantly, how do we interpret the results, and what’s the consensus? Read on because we’ve broken down everything you need to know.

Key Takeaways

1. The most practical way to track your training volume is to count the weekly sets you do per muscle group.
   
   
2. The consensus is to do 10 to 20 weekly sets per muscle group to optimize muscle growth. However, that doesn’t mean fewer sets per muscle cannot be effective.
   
   
3. You should count indirect and direct sets when tracking volume for smaller muscles like the biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
   
   
4. Factors influencing how many sets you should do include your experience level, recovery capacity, how long you recover between sets, and what exercises you do.
   
   
5. Research recommends training each muscle twice per week and splitting the weekly sets instead of doing them all in one workout.
   
   
6. Higher volumes (45+ sets per muscle) have been shown to cause slightly more growth in short-term studies. However, that only works when study subjects focus on just a few muscles and don’t do much overall training. High volumes across the board are more likely to lead to overtraining and injuries.
   
   
7. Drop sets, rest-pause, supersets, and tightly controlled rest periods can be helpful if you want to do higher volumes but don’t have as much time.
   
   
8. Log your workouts in Hevy to track your sets per muscle on a customizable graph, access 25+ free training plans for all levels, and enjoy cool features like RPE logging, automatic rest timers, and supersets.

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workouts with Hevy and track your progress.

Create my workout

Hevy – Workout Tracker

Create and log your workout with Hevy and track your progress

Create my workout

What Is Training Volume and How Do We Measure It?

Resistance training volume measures the total work you do at the gym. Volume load is a common approach to monitor the amount of training you do on individual exercises. It works by multiplying the number of sets by the number of reps by the weight used. For instance, let’s say you lift 135 lbs for four sets of ten reps:

135 x 10 x 4 = 5,400 lbs of volume

Monitoring volume load can work, but you need to be purposeful about changing any of these details to get reliable data in the long run. Volume load is biased toward lower loads for more reps and can make it hard to tell if you’re progressively overloading.

For example, if you used to do sets of 8-12 reps for four sets with 135 lbs and suddenly lower the weight to 115 to do more reps, the total volume would be far higher.

135 x 10 x 4 = 5,400 lbs of volume
115 x 15 x 4 = 6,900 lbs of volume

You may lift 1,500 lbs more, but that doesn’t mean you’ve made a huge jump from one week to the next or that the latter rep/set scheme is superior in any way.

So, when using volume load to measure progress, stay consistent with the weight you use. That way, if you do more reps or add extra sets in the future, you can reliably track overload:

I log my workouts in Hevy and use volume load to track my progress on some exercises, where I don’t change the set/weight scheme but simply try to do more reps over time. I can display my session volume load on a graph.

A more practical option, particularly when tracking weekly volume, is to count the number of working sets for the major muscle groups. This is a simple way to ensure you do enough productive work without worrying that changing the weight/rep target or number of sets will throw the data off.

What’s The Optimal Number of Sets Per Muscle Group Per Week?

• Studies show that 10 weekly sets can lead to twice the muscle hypertrophy compared to five or fewer sets.
  
  
• Increasing the volume beyond 10 sets continues to improve muscle growth, but the gains start to diminish, with 20 weekly sets being the upper limit for most people.
  
  
• Beyond 20 sets per muscle, you may experience recovery issues, leading to performance and muscle loss. (More on this debate toward the end of the article.)

Given the dose-dependent relationship between volume and growth, most experts agree that those who can should do more than the bare minimum number of sets.

For example, 8-10 weekly sets for the chest are likely the minimum to see decent results; 15-20 sets will likely lead to more growth, and over 20 sets can cause recovery issues and may affect your performance.

One reason why I love logging my workouts in Hevy is that it tracks my volume per muscle and displays the number of sets on a customizable graph.

I can show data for the muscles I want, organize it weekly or month-to-month, and look back at my volume from the last 30 days, three months, a year, or all-time (the latter two options are only available with Hevy Pro).

Technically, you can get some results from fewer than ten sets per muscle, but this will be below MEV for most people and unlikely to bring noticeable results. Given how clear the research is, it makes more sense to push a bit harder to cover the minimum. We’ll discuss some time-saving tactics below.

What is Overlapping Training Volume?

The above recommendations of 10 to 20 sets per muscle are not all direct sets––for example, you don’t need to do 20 sets of different curls to optimize bicep growth. Some of the volume will be overlapping or indirect. This is when one exercise trains a primary muscle (e.g., the quadriceps) while also working secondary muscles, such as the glutes. 

While you may not think about training your glutes, they will inevitably get some stimulation from exercises like the back squat, Bulgarian split squat, lunge, and even leg press. The more exercises you do that also work the glutes, the less direct work you need to do for that area to optimize its development.

There are different ways to count secondary muscle sets, but one approach that works well is to count the primary muscle as one set and the secondary muscles as half a set. For example, you do a lat pulldown set and count it as one set for the lats/upper back and 0.5 for the biceps.

This approach is not ideal because some exercises target secondary muscles better than others, offering more stimulus. However, it’s a good rule of thumb to follow on average to get reliable set per muscle numbers.

If you do ten sets of rows for your back, you can count that as five sets for your biceps. The same goes for pressing exercises that train the chest: ten sets of those can count as five sets for the triceps and front deltoids.

Let’s now look at a whole workout:

Now, you might wonder how overlapping volume would count when doing back exercises that don’t involve elbow flexion (arm bending), like the deadlift, rack pull, shrug, and pullover. In such a case, you wouldn’t count those sets toward your bicep work since there isn’t any elbow flexion.

This is where nuance comes in, and it’s important to consider what primary and secondary muscles each exercise targets.

If the stuff about overlapping volume and calculating sets for secondary muscles seems unnecessarily complicated, do the following:

• 10 to 20 sets for the major muscle groups: the back, chest, and quadriceps
• 6 to 10 sets for smaller muscles: shoulders, biceps, triceps, hamstrings, and calves

So long as you do at least a couple of exercises per major muscle group, you will get enough indirect stimulation for the secondary muscles, and adding 6-10 direct sets should cover your volume needs.

I got a slightly modified 4-day upper/lower split from our 4-day split article to show you how it works on a larger scale.

The number of asterisk symbols (*) next to individual exercises represents how many secondary muscles it counts toward.

By looking at your splits this way, you can see how many sets each muscle would get and if some areas need more or less volume.

Factors That Affect How Many Sets You Should Do

We’ve covered a lot of information regarding the optimal training volume for muscle mass, but remember that everyone is different. Multiple factors affect how much training a person can do, recover from, and adapt positively. So, let’s look at them:

1. Experience

Beginners can build muscle and see strength gains from a low-volume approach. This is simply because newbies are not used to training stress, which means they are more likely to respond to less.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that beginners start with 1-3 sets per exercise, which equals 6-9 sets if trainees aim for a standard structure of 2-3 exercises per muscle for three working sets each.

Also, research by Schoenfeld et al. (2018) suggests that 5-9 weekly sets can still promote muscle growth in beginners.

Hevy’s routine library has eight beginner programs, each having you train two or three times per week and covering these volume targets.

However, higher training volumes may lead to more growth as you gain experience. But interestingly, the more advanced you become, the more mindful you should be of your total volume. That’s because lifting more weight will make each set more fatiguing.

2. Recovery

Your ability to handle and adapt to a given weekly training volume largely depends on your recovery. Factors that play a role include:

• Sleep – adequate sleep is one of the best ways to improve your recovery capacity. Most of the tissue repair and muscle growth happens during sleep, and research links sleep deprivation to muscle loss, a performance decline, and body fat gains.
  
  Plus, poor sleep is linked to impaired cognition, loss of motivation, irritability, and other not-so-fun things, all affecting your willingness and desire to go to the gym and push yourself hard.
  
  So, aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night, preferably eight.
  
  
• Stress – stress directly impacts your body’s ability to recover from and adapt to difficult workouts. The more stressed you are outside the gym (e.g., demanding job, long commute, family obligations, a newborn, etc.), the more your ability and desire to train diminish.
  
  Some stress is unavoidable, so adjust your training temporarily if you feel particularly drained. For example, let’s say you’ve had a brutal week but have a heavy leg day scheduled for Saturday.
  
  In this case, you can a) reduce the number of sets, lower the weight, or train at a lower RPE, b) do an easier workout on Saturday and leave your heavy leg day for a time when you feel better, or c) take the day off and do that workout on Sunday or Monday.
  
  You can side-step short-term stress with basic tweaks to your training plan. However, if you’re dealing with something long-term (for example, starting a more demanding job farther from home), you may need to reduce the number of sets you do across the board to stay within your recovery limits.
  
  
• Diet – what and how much you eat also affects where your training volume’s upper limit lies.
  
  Most notably, you must eat enough total calories to at least maintain your weight over time. Being in a calorie deficit limits your body’s recovery capacity, especially as you do it for an extended period, such as when losing fat.
  
  Similarly, you must eat enough protein (research recommends 1.6-2.2 grams of protein/kg or 0.7-1 gram/lb) to provide your muscles with the amino acids they need for repair and growth.
  
  Carbohydrates also help replenish glycogen (the complex carb form stored in your muscles), which also supports muscle protein synthesis.
  
  Lastly, dietary fats support hormone production, including maintaining healthy testosterone levels. A good intake to aim for is 0.35-0.45 grams per lb; someone who weighs 160 lbs should aim for 56 to 72 grams of fats daily.

3. Training Quality

Most people focus on the number of sets because that’s specific and easy to track. But, how you approach each workout, exercise, set, and even rep can play a role in how stimulative and fatiguing your training plan is and, thus, how many sets you can handle. 

Things that fall under the ‘training quality’ umbrella include:

• Effort (typically tracked through RPE) – the harder you train, the more stimulative each set is and the more fatiguing. Research finds that training close to failure is far less taxing than going all out and doesn’t affect post-training recovery to the same degree.
  
  According to data and expert opinion, we should aim to train at an RPE 7-8 (leaving two to three reps in the tank) most of the time.
  
  The Hevy app allows you to log your RPE on any set. Simply log your reps and RPE, mark the set as complete, and the app will record your effort so you can review it later and more effectively track your progress.

• Tempo – rep quality is another major factor to consider. It takes tremendous discipline and mindfulness to keep your reps identical and good throughout each workout.
  
  A good rep consists of a controlled eccentric (negative; muscle lengthening under load), an explosive concentric (muscle shortening), and a stable isometric (pause) contraction to maximize muscle activation.
  
  Here’s 6-time Olympia winner Chris Bumstead demonstrating what that looks like:

• Notice how he does his best to keep the reps looking identical even as his legs get tired.
  
  The more attention you pay to each phase of every rep, the more effectively you will train the target muscles and the fewer total sets you will need to provide an adequate stimulus.
  
  In contrast, the more you go through the motions and only move the weight from point A to B, the less effective each set will be, and the more sets you will need to train the muscle well to optimize growth.
  
  
• Range of motion – the range of motion you use will also significantly impact the stimulative effect of each set. A longer range of motion will stretch the target muscles better and require more effort.
  
  We also know that the eccentric contraction is more fatiguing because it places the muscle under greater mechanical tension and creates more muscle damage (Proske & Morgan, 2001).
  
  For example, during a deep squat, the quads and glutes are stretched more and experience higher tension at the bottom. In contrast, a partial squat doesn’t require as much energy, doesn’t stretch the target muscles as much, and doesn’t create the same amount of tension.
  
  So, while you could log part of your workout as “Barbell Squats – 5 sets x 10 reps w/ 100 kg,” the range of motion can affect the overall stimulus and effectiveness.

Many people who say that 20 sets per muscle per week don’t seem like enough are probably not paying attention to the quality of each set and could stand to train harder.

4. Exercise Selection & Loading

Each exercise comes with a fatigue cost––that is, how much it tires you out. Another way to classify is through the stimulus-to-fatigue ratio, which is the muscle-building effect a movement has versus the fatigue it generates.

Fatigue comes from the effort it takes to do the exercise as well as to set up for it and clean up after yourself. 

It’s one thing to do barbell squats, another to do leg presses, and yet another to do seated leg extensions. All three exercises target the same muscle, but each tires you out differently because of its impact on your body and the time it takes to set up.

To do a barbell squat, you need to load weight plates on the bar, brace your entire body, and pay careful attention to your technique. In contrast, to do a leg extension, you simply need to sit down, use the pins to select the weight, adjust the back support and shin pad, and do your reps.

This isn’t to say you should only do simple machine exercises, but it’s important to consider the cost of each movement and build your workouts in a way where some exercises are less challenging than others.

Loading also plays a huge role. The heavier the weight, the more effort it takes to complete each set, and the more mindful you need to be of the total number of sets you do. We’ve discussed this at length in our strength vs. hypertrophy training article. 

As a rule, the more free-weight exercises you do with heavier weights in lower rep ranges (say, 3-6, 6-8), the more tiring your workouts are likely to feel. In contrast, the more machine and isolation exercises you do with moderately heavy weights for more reps (say, 8-12, 12-15+), the less demanding each set will feel.

5. Rest Between Sets

Adequate rest between sets leads to higher quality training, muscle growth, strength gains, and improved capacity to handle more sets. 

First, by resting long enough between sets, your target muscles recover better, allowing you to do more reps from set to set and maintain better form. Second, while fatigue builds up, it’s more manageable than taking shorter breaks between sets. 

As such, you can do more sets in each workout without feeling overly exerted. There are ways to shorten your workouts – we’ll discuss them below.

6. Prioritizing Weak Points

You can structure your training to emphasize a lagging muscle group for a while. To do that, you can increase the number of sets to 20+ (so long as the area recovers in time for each workout and isn’t excessively sore) while keeping the number of sets for other muscles lower––say, around 10-15/week.

This helps control overall fatigue and allows you to prioritize some muscles you want to bring up to par with the rest of your body.

For example, let’s say your arms have always been a weak point compared to the rest of your upper body. You can run a specialization phase for a couple of months, gradually increasing your total sets (direct and indirect) for the biceps and triceps while keeping the volume for all other muscle groups lower.

How Training Frequency Relates to Optimal Volume

Training each muscle twice weekly is generally considered better because it allows for better volume allocation. 

Instead of doing 10 to 20 sets for each muscle in one workout, which can be exhausting, you can split the volume into two sessions and make it more manageable. This helps you train harder across all sets and potentially build more muscle. 

Plus, research shows that protein synthesis rates return to almost baseline within 36 hours of training. So, by training a muscle twice weekly, protein synthesis rates increase more frequently.

Let’s look at how that might look in practice for someone doing 15 weekly sets for their chest. First, we have a classic 4-day upper/lower split:

Next up, we have a more advanced 6-day push/pull/legs split:

As you can see, this is identical to the 4-day split. But since we have six weekly workouts instead of four, we can do fewer total sets in each session. 

Now, let’s look at the final example: a 3-day full-body program.

Training each muscle three times per week instead of two is likely not better, but it can work because it naturally fits into the typical full-body workout.

Download the Hevy app and explore the 25+ complete training plans in the library (Workout tab > Explore). Access push/pull/legs and upper/lower splits, as well as full-body 5×5 and PHUL programs.

How About Training Muscles Once Per Week?

Training muscles once per week can also work and can even be the better option for people who prefer a bro split. The advantage is that you would do many sets for each muscle, which can help with the mind-muscle connection and lead to better pumps. 

As one Reddit user noted, “I get amazing pumps from bro splits and feel way more motivated to go to the gym when I’m only hitting a single muscle group.”

Plus, even if you follow a traditional bro split, your frequency per muscle would still not be precisely once per week. For example, if you train your chest, shoulders, and triceps on separate days, you’d hit the triceps, shoulders, and possibly even the chest two or three times, thanks to the indirect sets we discussed above.

That said, there are trade-offs to this approach. Most notably:

• Your muscles should be fully healed within two to four days, but you’d only train them once every seven days
  
• Set quality will decrease as you get tired, so your latter sets won’t be as productive or stimulative as the first ones
  
• Given the high concentration of training coupled with a low frequency, you may experience more pronounced soreness

More advanced trainees are almost always better off splitting their total weekly volume into two sessions.

How to Tell If You’re Doing Enough Sets

These are some of the signs to look for:

• Your workouts feel hard enough, and the muscles you’ve trained are weaker at the end of each session. However, you’re recovering well for each upcoming session.
  
  
• You experience some soreness, but it doesn’t take longer than two to three days to clear up and doesn’t affect the quality of your subsequent workouts.
  
  
• You’re getting stronger across the board. You see yourself adding weight on some exercises and reps on others. But when you look back at your volume, the weight you use, and your performance on specific lifts, there is a clear upward trend.
  
  
• You’re steadily gaining weight. Newbie = 1-1.5% body weight/month; Intermediate = 0.5-1% body weight/month; Advanced = 0.25-0.5% body weight/month.
  
  
• Circumference measurements are improving in all the right places: arms, chest, and thighs.
  
  
• You’re visually more muscular. You look better in the mirror, and monthly progress photos show modest improvements.

Download Hevy and start logging your workouts. The app keeps track of your performance (including on individual lifts), allows you to record your weight and circumference measurements, and upload progress photos (as well as compare them).

Signs You May Need or Can Benefit From More Sets

Some signs to look for include:

• Your workouts feel too easy. Sure, there is some challenge from set to set, but you don’t feel tired at the end of a session.
  
  
• You rarely feel sore. Soreness doesn’t equal or predict muscle growth, but it can indicate that you’ve caused a disruption that can contribute to hypertrophy. Never feeling sore likely means you could do more sets or train harder.
  
  
• Your muscles recover within a day, and you feel like you can do the same workout.
  
  
• Your performance doesn’t improve meaningfully across the board. When looking back at workouts from three, four, or even five months ago, you see the same numbers as you do now.
  
  
• Your body composition isn’t improving. The mirror and progress photos don’t show visual improvements, and circumference measurements in key areas like the upper arms, chest, and thighs don’t increase.

These could also be just signs that you’re not working hard enough. So, if you’re doing a decent number of sets (close to 10 per muscle, including overlapping volume), try pushing harder on each set first.

How to Tell If You’re Doing too Much

Doing too much in the short term will not likely create any issues. However, if you’ve been on a high-volume plan for at least a few weeks, look for these signs:

• You feel tired, but you can’t sleep well at night. It’s hard to fall asleep in the evening, or you wake up frequently.
  
  
• You don’t feel as motivated to train. The thought of going to the gym doesn’t excite you anymore.
  
  
• Your grip weakens, and you struggle to hold on to heavier weights.
  
  
• Your warm-up sets feel heavier than usual. As you add weight to the bar, you often ask yourself if you can lift the same weight you did last week.
  
  
• Your performance overall is trending downward. For example, when looking at specific exercises in Hevy, you notice that you’re lifting less weight than before, and your total set/session volume is trending downward.

• You pick up more aches than before, and they impact your workouts.
  
  
• Muscle soreness is more intense and persists longer. If soreness used to clear up within a couple of days before, it now takes three, four, or even five days to go away.
  
  
• You feel more tired in your daily life. Everyday tasks feel more taxing, and it’s harder to stay concentrated.

“45 Sets Per Muscle” – Why Some Studies Show Crazy High Volume Works

If you look at a study like the one by Schoenfeld et al. from 2019, you might conclude that 20 weekly sets per muscle are not the upper limit and that we can and should do a lot more to grow optimally.

In that paper, 45 lifters were divided into three groups: low-, moderate-, and high-volume. The 11 trained lifters in the high-volume group did three weekly workouts, each including three quad and four upper body exercises for five sets each (35 total sets per session). The subjects performed 8-12 reps per set to failure, then rested for 90 seconds.

Their total weekly volume was 45 sets for the quadriceps and 30 for the biceps and triceps.

Compared to low and moderate-volume approaches, the 45-set group saw significantly more growth (12 to 13.7% increase in quad size). 

There was a clear dose-dependent relationship where more volume led to more growth. The most significant jump was seen when comparing the low and moderate-volume groups––6 and 9 sets versus 18 and 27 sets for the arms and quads, respectively. 

Results showed diminishing returns from moderate to high volumes, meaning that per-set growth goes down, but can still add up if a muscle is hammered with enough training.

So, what does this mean? Should we all jack up the volume to 30, 40, or 50 weekly sets per muscle since it seems to work? 

No, because the goal of this paper was to look at individual muscles’ response to different training volumes in isolation, not as part of a well-balanced training plan that includes enough sets for all major muscle groups. 

The subjects did 45 direct sets to failure for the quadriceps, which is intense. But they didn’t do much else, and their workouts lasted around 68 minutes. That’s around 3.5 hours of weekly training, roughly what you would do on a normal, balanced 3- or 4-day split.

If anything, the paper highlights the difference between total and local recovery capacity. You can subject a single body part to a lot of training and see it grow. But doing that across the board would generate too much systemic fatigue and push you into overtraining territory fast.

Now, let’s say you’re unhappy with a particular body part. In this case, you can gradually increase the number of weekly sets for that muscle while reducing the number of sets for other body parts to compensate for it and avoid recovery issues.

Time-Saving Strategies for High-Volume Training

Here are some strategies to do more work in less time:

1. Do Supersets

Supersets are a popular method for doing more work in less time by pairing exercises and doing them one after the other with little to no rest in between. 

Standard superset options include:

• Pairing isolation exercises (e.g., tricep pushdowns with bicep curls)
• Pairing a compound with an isolation exercise (e.g., a bench press with face pulls)

It’s best to pair exercises that train agonist-antagonist muscles (e.g., the biceps and triceps) or unrelated muscles (e.g., the chest and hamstrings). Pairing two exercises for the same muscle into a superset is generally not the best idea because the first movement exhausts the muscle and affects your performance on the second.

In contrast, by doing exercises for different muscles, you can perform better and do more high-quality sets.

To create a superset in Hevy, tap the three dots next to an exercise, select + Add To Superset, and tap the movement you want to pair it with.

2. Do Drop Sets

Drop sets are a technique where you lift a weight close to failure, immediately decrease the weight by 10-30%, and do as many additional reps as possible. You can stop here or reduce the load several times within the same drop set. 

For example, let’s say you’re doing leg extensions with 175 lbs. Do the set close to failure, reduce the weight to 150 lbs, do as many sets as you can, reduce the weight to 125 lbs, train to failure, drop to 100 lbs, and do one final set. 

That way, instead of four straight sets that take you 6+ minutes with the rest in between, you can do more volume in half or even a third of the time. 

Is that as effective as traditional sets? A 2022 meta-analysis suggests so.

That said, it’s best to do drop sets on exercises where it’s easy to reduce the weight and fatigue doesn’t put you at risk of hurting yourself. So, leg extensions and other machine exercises are fine, but back squats and many other barbell exercises are not.

By the way, you can label sets as drop sets in Hevy for effortless workout logging and to review your progress later.

3. Do Rest-Pause

Rest pause is similar to drop sets in that it allows you to do more work in less time. Instead of reducing the weight to push a muscle beyond failure, you take multiple mini-breaks throughout a long set. 

For example, you do 12 reps to failure, rest for 10-15 seconds, do 4-5 reps to failure, rest for 10-15 seconds, do 2-3 reps to failure, and then take a longer break. The load, tempo, and range of motion stay the same.

The advantage of rest-pause is that you don’t have to reduce the weight multiple times and can use the same setup throughout. This makes rest pause more applicable to a broader range of exercises, including compound lifts like the bent-over row and machine chest press. 

As with drop sets, it’s not recommended to do rest-pause on exercises where failing to complete a rep could get you hurt. The bench, squat, and shoulder press are exercises where you should not do rest-pause.

4. Control Your Rest Periods

Keeping track of your rest periods and adhering to them might not seem significant, but 10 seconds here and 30 seconds there can add up to several minutes within a single workout.

In Hevy, you can set a default rest timer in the settings and adjust it for any exercise you add to any workout. When you mark a set as complete, the timer starts, and you’re notified when it’s time to do the next set.

Additionally, to be as productive with your time as possible, plan your workouts ahead of time to know what you’ll be doing from the moment you step into the gym. You’d be surprised how much time you could save by going in with a plan versus trying to figure it out on the go.

Conclusion

There is a clear relationship between training volume and growth. More sets tend to work better, but up to a point and if you can handle and recover from that training. Beyond that, the stimulus provided is negligible compared to the additional fatigue extra sets generate.

So, it’s essential to find your sweet spot, typically between 10 and 20 direct and indirect sets per muscle, where workouts feel challenging, you’re making steady progress, and recovery isn’t an issue. 

Since you’ve made it to the end, download Hevy to log your workouts. Easily create reusable workout templates, log your sessions, monitor your set count per muscle group, and take advantage of cool features like automatic rest timers, RPE logging, the ability to create supersets, and more.

FAQ

1. What’s the difference between “minimum effective volume” and “maximum recoverable volume”?

Minimum effective volume (MEV) is the smallest amount of training you can do to build muscle and get stronger. Maximum recoverable volume (MRV) is the maximum amount of training you can do, recover from, and adapt to. You should find the sweet spot between the two for the best results.

2. Do smaller and larger muscle groups require different numbers of sets?

Regardless of size, all muscles will generally benefit from the same number of sets. However, you can do fewer direct sets for smaller muscles like the biceps and triceps because they receive plenty of indirect stimulation from compound exercises like the bench press and barbell row.

The post How Many Sets Per Muscle Group For Optimal Growth? appeared first on Hevy - #1 Workout Tracker & Planner Gym Log App.

However, as research and practical experience grew, we learned that leaving reps in the tank was not detrimental and could even help us train more productively, stay more consistent, and keep injuries at bay.

RPE is one of the best tools to track our effort and ensure we stay within that sweet spot of just enough but not too much. So, let’s learn what RPE is, how it works, and how to use it in your training.

Key Takeaways

1. RPE is a 10-point scale traditionally used in weight training to track perceived exertion and reps in reserve on individual sets. An RPE 10 means you couldn’t have done more reps; RPEs 9, 8, 7, and 6 mean you had one, two, three, or four reps in the tank, respectively.
   
   
2. RPE was originally a 6-20 scale created in the 1960s to track exertion during cardio training. Mike Tuchscherer, a renowned powerlifter and coach, developed the 1-10 scale based on reps left in the tank that’s widely used today.
   
   
3. Tracking RPE is generally a net positive because it helps you more accurately track your gym performance. However, beginners lack the experience to use RPE effectively and would be better off without it during their first one to two years of training.
   
   
4. You should generally try to stay within an RPE 7-8 (two or three reps in the tank) on most of your sets to promote muscle and strength gains while managing fatigue.
   
   
5. The Hevy app allows you to record your RPE for any set you want and monitor your effort when reviewing workout details later.

What is RPE?

RPE stands for rate of perceived exertion and is a subjective scale used to measure exercise intensity and effort. In traditional weight training, the scale goes from 1 to 10 and works like this:

• RPE 10 – couldn’t do any more reps
• RPE 9 – could have done one more rep
• RPE 8 – could have done two more reps
• RPE 7 – could have done three more reps
• RPE 6 – could have done four more reps

Anything below an RPE of 6 falls into the less challenging training category, is difficult to estimate, and is not worth logging. 

As a subjective scale, RPE requires you to determine the rating for each scale, which can sometimes be unclear. For example, you may finish a set and conclude that you could have done one or two extra reps. In such cases, you can use 0.5, as in:

• RPE 9.5 – maybe could have done one more reps
• RPE 8.5 – one rep left in the tank, maybe two
• RPE 7.5 – two reps left in the tank, maybe three

The Original Borg RPE Scale

The Swedish researcher Gunnar Borg developed the original RPE scale in the 1960s to track perceived exertion levels during physical activity. It went from 6 to 20 and scaled with heart rate. An RPE 6 corresponded with a resting heart rate of around 60 beats per minute (no exertion), and an RPE 20 was the equivalent of 200 beats per minute (maximal exertion).

Borg later made a simplified RPE scale that went from 1 to 10. Like his original scale, the objective was to measure exertion, with one being no exertion and ten meaning maximum effort.

Mike Tuchscherer, an IPF champion and renowned powerlifting coach, revamped the 1-10 RPE scale in 2005 and made it into the modern, more weight-training-specific version widely used today.

His book The Reactive Training Manual introduced the modified RPE scale discussed above.

Should You Bother With Tracking RPE?

At first glance, you might wonder if you should bother with the perceived exertion scale or leave that layer of complexity to more advanced trainees.

To answer your question briefly, yes. Logging RPE will typically be a net positive because the scale allows you to track your effort. This makes it easier to work out hard enough to see progress without constantly training to failure and risking overtraining.

Research shows that training close to failure is just as beneficial as training to failure but doesn’t generate as much fatigue or affect your set-to-set performance.

For example, when logging my workouts in Hevy, I can record my RPE on any set I want and leave the value blank when I want to. I typically log my RPE on compound lifts where I try to stay at an average of two reps from failure but leave the value blank on isolation exercises like the bicep curl.

That way, besides ensuring I train hard enough, I can more effectively track my gym numbers and how they relate to my effort. 

Let’s say I did four sets of 10 reps with 60 kg at an average RPE of 8 on the bent-over row last week. If I can add a rep on each set this week while keeping my RPE the same, it probably means I’ve gotten stronger.

Of course, week-to-week performance can fluctuate, so it’s better to look at long-term trends. However, having an RPE value next to each set can provide additional valuable information and help me determine if I’m improving or just putting more effort into each set.

That said, while a valuable metric to keep track of, beginners tend to be bad at estimating their RPE. This is simply because a gym newbie won’t have as much experience or understand what it feels to train to failure (or close to it) to accurately gauge how close they are to their limit on each set.

So, if you are relatively new to training, focus on the basics like learning proper form, training hard enough, gradually adding weight to the bar, and occasionally taking a set to failure to learn what it feels like, preferably on less complex exercises like curls, tricep pushdowns, and leg extensions.

How to Use RPE in Your Training

Training close to failure is stimulative and doesn’t generate as much fatigue as taking sets to failure. This means you should aim for an RPE 7-8 on most sets, regardless of whether your main goal is building muscle or getting stronger.

By controlling RPE, you can do more productive volume, recover better, and get more out of your training. Here’s a simple example:

Let’s say you’ve put 200 lbs on the bar, and that’s around 80% of your 1RM. You do a set of squats to failure and get 8 reps. The first set is so exhausting that your following sets look like this:

• Set 2 – 200 lbs x 3 reps
• Set 3 – 200 lbs x 3 reps
• Set 4 – 200 lbs x 2 reps
• Set 5 – 200 lbs x 2 reps

Mind you, this likely means training to failure across all sets. You get 18 reps total and are ready to call it a day before doing other exercises. In contrast, if you stop at five reps, your RPE for the first set will be around 7. You won’t get as fatigued, and you can get five reps across all sets, even if you climb to an RPE 9 on the last set. 

As a result, you would get seven more total reps and arguably feel fresher to continue your workout. Plus, you’d be at a smaller risk of technique breakdown.

Things are not that different if you primarily train for muscle growth. Leaving one to three reps in the tank means you get most of the gains from each set while controlling fatigue. That way, you can do more total volume, recover more quickly, train each muscle the recommended two times per week, and likely grow better in the long run.

As a quick side note, stopping two or three reps shy of failure (a genuine RPE 7-8) is still hard training, especially on heavy compound lifts like the deadlift and low-bar back squat. Jeff Nippard recorded what a genuine RPE 10 looks like on multiple exercises, so you can see how much effort it takes to complete the last 2-3 reps.

Setting an RPE Cap

An RPE cap is a pre-determined effort limit that helps you maintain a high training quality without pushing yourself beyond your recovery capacity. 

As noted above, that would generally mean staying between one to three reps away from failure. However, this cap can be a good way to autoregulate your training during more stressful phases of life. 

For example, let’s say you’re going through a rough time (stress at work, poor sleep, newborn baby, etc.) but still want to stay consistent with your training. In such a case, you can set a lower RPE cap of around 6 and adjust your workouts to stay at a more moderate intensity. 

To do that in Hevy, you can start a new workout and write your RPE values beforehand. That way, you’d get a constant reminder not to push too hard, and you can see how hard you trained when reviewing your workouts later.

Is RPE Better Than Percentage-Based Training?

Percentage-based programming is an old-school approach where you calculate your training weights based on your 1RM. For example, if your bench press 1RM is 225 lbs and a program calls for 5×5@80%, that would mean lifting 180 lbs (225 * 0.8). 

You could also work up to a heavy single in each workout (close to that day’s max) and calculate percentages.

That said, programming based on RPE tends to be better because it’s more intuitive and allows trainees to autoregulate based on daily readiness. Rather than prescribing a percentage, you go by RPE targets, which always feel the same. 

For example, you can program your strength sets like 5×5@RPE 8. Rather than programming percentage, you adjust the load to fit within those rules. 

Another factor in favor of RPE over percentage-based programming is that the number of reps people can do at different percentages of 1RM varies. One person might do 15 reps at 70% of 1RM, whereas another might only be able to do 8. 

A personal trainer or coach might give a blanket recommendation of 5×5@80% of 1RM, which might feel super heavy for one person (dangerously close to failure), just right for another, and on the light side for a third person.

In contrast, 5×5@RPE 7 or 8 will require the same amount of effort by every trainee, and it’s just the weight that changes. Check out the table below for rough estimates on the number of reps you should be able to do at different percentages of 1RM and RPE targets:

Conclusion

RPE is an effective tool to measure effort and ensure you’re training hard enough without generating too much muscle fatigue. The original Borg rating went from 6 to 20 and scaled with heart rate, which made it more suitable for monitoring exertion in cardio training. 

However, the scale was made to work based on reps in reserve and is now universally used in weight training thanks to the early changes by Gunnar Borg and the later modification by Mike Tuchscherer.

Monitoring your RPE on big compound lifts can put your numbers into perspective when reviewing progress later. You can use Hevy to log your workouts, record your RPE on the sets, and exercise where it matters most. 

Download the app to see how it works, or click here to learn how the RPE feature works.

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FAQ

1. How does RPE help with fatigue management?

RPE allows you to train hard enough without taking sets to failure. This helps you progress in your training without pushing yourself to your limit all the time. As such, you can keep fatigue under control, maintain your performance better throughout each workout, and recover better between sessions.

2. Should beginners use the RPE scale?

RPE is subjective and not as helpful for beginners because they don’t have as much experience and can’t accurately tell how many reps they have in the tank. As a beginner, focus on the fundamentals for the first year or two, then start looking into RPE tracking.

3. What’s the difference between RPE and reps in reserve (RIR)?

RPE and RIR measure the same thing: how many reps you have in the tank at the end of a training set. The only difference is that RPE goes up with 10 meaning you’ve taken a set to failure, whereas RIR goes down with 0 meaning you couldn’t have done any more reps.

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