Upper Lower Split
Four days, everything trained twice a week. The best return per hour of any split here.
Who it’s for
If you can train four days a week and want one recommendation, this is it. You get the twice-weekly frequency that drives progress without the six-day commitment PPL asks for, and the sessions are short enough to actually finish. It works from your first serious training block through to fairly advanced.
How the week runs
Upper, lower, rest, upper, lower — commonly Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. The A and B sessions use different movements so you are not repeating the same exercises twice a week, which spreads the stress across joints as well as muscles.
The program
All 4 sessions and 23 exercises, exactly as they arrive in the app. Rep ranges and rest are the defaults — change any of them once it is yours.
Upper A
6 exercises| Exercise | Muscle | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench PressBarbell · compound | Chest | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Barbell RowBarbell · compound | Upper back | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| DB Shoulder PressDumbbell · compound | Shoulders | 3 | 8–12 | 120s |
| PulldownsCable · compound | Lats | 3 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Incline Dumbbell CurlDumbbell · isolation | Biceps | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| Triceps PushdownCable · isolation | Triceps | 3 | 10–15 | 60s |
Lower A
5 exercises| Exercise | Muscle | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SquatBarbell · compound | Quads | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Romanian DeadliftBarbell · compound | Hamstrings | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Leg PressPlate machine · compound | Quads | 3 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Seated Leg CurlMachine · isolation | Hamstrings | 3 | 10–15 | 75s |
| Standing Calf RaiseBodyweight · isolation | Calves | 4 | 10–15 | 90s |
Upper B
7 exercises| Exercise | Muscle | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell PressDumbbell · compound | Chest | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Pull UpBodyweight · compound | Lats | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Cable CrossoversCable · isolation | Chest | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| Seated Cable RowCable · compound | Upper back | 3 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Dumbbell Lateral RaisesDumbbell · isolation | Shoulders | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| Preacher CurlsBarbell · isolation | Biceps | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| SkullcrushersBarbell · isolation | Triceps | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
Lower B
5 exercises| Exercise | Muscle | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hack Squat MachineMachine · compound | Quads | 4 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Romanian DeadliftBarbell · compound | Hamstrings | 3 | 8–12 | 120s |
| Leg ExtensionsMachine · isolation | Quads | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| Lying Leg CurlMachine · isolation | Hamstrings | 3 | 10–15 | 90s |
| Seated Calf RaisesMachine · isolation | Calves | 4 | 10–15 | 90s |
Run it without typing any of it in
This split is built into Gym Journal. Star it and it becomes your week — the app knows what today’s session is, tracks every set, and tells you when to add weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is upper/lower better than push pull legs?
On four days a week, yes — it gets each muscle twice with fewer sessions. PPL only pulls ahead when you can reliably train six days.
Can I do upper/lower 3 days a week?
Yes, by alternating: upper, lower, upper one week, then lower, upper, lower the next. Frequency drops to roughly 1.5× a week per muscle.
Which days should I train?
Anything with a rest day between the second and third session. Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday is the usual arrangement.