Workout planner

Planning a workout split requires aligning your schedule with your fitness goals and recovery needs. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you design an effective workout split:

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Your workout split will vary based on what you want to achieve:

  • Build Muscle (Hypertrophy): Focus on resistance training with 8–12 reps per set.

  • Improve Strength: Use heavier weights and lower reps (4–6 per set).

  • Lose Fat: Combine strength training with cardio.

  • General Fitness: Mix strength, cardio, and flexibility work.

Step 2: Decide on Your Weekly Workout Frequency

Choose how many days per week you can realistically train:

  • 2–3 Days: Full-body workouts each session.

  • 4 Days: Upper/lower body split or push/pull.

  • 5–6 Days: More specific splits like push/pull/legs (PPL) or body part-focused days.

  • 7 Days: Include active recovery like yoga or light cardio.

Step 3: Choose a Workout Split

Here are examples for different schedules:

3-Day Split (Full Body)

  • Day 1: Full-body strength

  • Day 2: Rest or active recovery

  • Day 3: Full-body hypertrophy

  • Day 4: Rest

  • Day 5: Full-body endurance

  • Day 6 & 7: Rest or light activity

4-Day Split (Upper/Lower)

  • Day 1: Upper body (chest, back, shoulders, arms)

  • Day 2: Lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves)

  • Day 3: Rest

  • Day 4: Upper body (focus on different angles/movements)

  • Day 5: Lower body (different focus or higher reps)

  • Day 6 & 7: Rest or light cardio

5-Day Split (Push/Pull/Legs)

  • Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)

  • Day 2: Pull (back, biceps)

  • Day 3: Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves)

  • Day 4: Rest

  • Day 5: Repeat Day 1

  • Day 6: Repeat Day 2

  • Day 7: Rest or active recovery

6-Day Split (Body Part Focused)

  • Day 1: Chest

  • Day 2: Back

  • Day 3: Legs

  • Day 4: Shoulders

  • Day 5: Arms

  • Day 6: Core or mobility

  • Day 7: Rest

Step 4: Plan Your Exercises

For each workout, aim for:

  • 3–4 compound lifts (e.g., squats, deadlifts, bench press).

  • 2–3 isolation exercises (e.g., bicep curls, tricep extensions).

  • Optional cardio or flexibility work depending on goals.

Step 5: Monitor Recovery

  • Listen to your body: Adjust rest days if you feel fatigued.

  • Ensure you’re sleeping well and eating enough to support recovery.

Step 6: Reassess and Adjust

  • After 4–6 weeks, evaluate your progress.

  • Increase weights, change exercises, or adjust splits to keep improving.