Not sure what split you should be doing in your lifting program? Well, there are a few things to take into consideration and just about a million ways to work it but I will get you started. The biggest thing is to just get lifting. Once you are experienced, evaluate your physique as you go and fine tune your program all the while keeping your nutrition in check with this diet guide to optimize all that hard work in the gym.

In this post:

Things to consider
Beginner split
Intermediate split
Experienced split

So what is the best training split for you? There are a few things to consider.

1) General fitness and body sculpting or serious booty building, I mean bodybuilding?

If you are looking to get some curves, stay fit, feel good in your clothes and just plain look good naked, then you need to find a split that will work within your schedule.

If you are looking for some serious bodybuilding to either compete or just build all beast mode, then you need to be lifting more volumes each week.

2) Level of experience

Are you a beginner, intermediate or experienced lifter? I am not talking so much about knowledge of proper form and technique (which you should from the start- get help when first starting out). I am talking about how long you have lifted.

You have to keep in mind, newbies will build muscle no matter what split they are doing versus a more experience lifter who needs every advantage they can get to build.

Now I know ya’ll wan to squeeze out as much effort while you have all that motivation when you are starting out. But keep in mind it takes much longer for tendons and ligaments to adapt to the stress of lifting compared to muscle. So lifting like an experienced lifter right away could cause injury a few months down the road and that is a big NO NO.

A beginner is a person who has lifted less than a year.
An intermediate person has lifted 2-5 years.
An experience lifter has lifted 5+ years.

So let’s get onto splits.

Splits

The Beginner Split

A person who has been lifting less than a year
Lift each muscle group 1x per week
Rep ranges per goals
- 1-5 reps = Strength
- 6-12 = Hypertrophy (size)
- 12+ = Endurance
Starting with endurance rep ranges for a few months moving to or rotating through hypertrophy and strength rep ranges is a good way to plan your program.
Do 3-4 exercises for each muscle group.
Do 3-4 sets per exercise.
- Example: Day 1- biceps
  - 3 sets of DB bicep curls. 10-12 reps each set.
  - 3 sets of cable curls. 10-12 reps each set.
  - 3 sets of concentration curls. 10-12 reps each set.

This is a typical split where you lift each muscle group once per week. Great for newbies. These splits can be put into a 3, 4 or 5 day splits. Here is one example:

Day 1: Back
Day 2: Chest
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs and abs
Day 5: Biceps and triceps
Day 6: Shoulders
Day 7: Rest

Day 1: Back and biceps
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Chest, shoulders and triceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs and abs
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest

The Intermediate Split

A person that has lifted 2-5 years.
Lift each muscle group 2x per week for increased volumes.
Rep ranges per goals
- 1-5 reps = Strength
- 6-12 = Hypertrophy (size)
- 12+ = Endurance
Vary the rep ranges rep ranges when working muscle groups multiple times per week. (see below)
Do 3-4 exercises for each muscle group.
Do 3-4 sets per exercise.
- Example: Day 1- biceps
  - 3 sets of DB bicep curls. 10-12 reps each set.
  - 3 sets of cable curls. 10-12 reps each set.
  - 3 sets of concentration curls. 10-12 reps each set

This is a split where you work muscle groups twice per week in differing rep ranges. Great for beginners with good form and intermediate lifters. A typical example is a push/pull split:

Push movements: chest, shoulders, triceps

Pull movements: back, biceps

Workout A: Pull- Back,biceps + core – high reps 15-20
Workout B: Push- Chest, shoulders, triceps- heavy reps 6-8
Workout C: Legs – high reps 15-20
Workout D: Pull- Back, biceps + core -heavy reps 6-8
Workout E: Push- Chest, shoulders, triceps- high rep 15-20
Workout F: Legs -heavy reps 6-8
Rest

This can be done less days per week. You can even rotate through the above. For example:

Sunday: Workout A: Pull- Back,biceps + core – high reps 15-20
Monday: rest
Tuesday: Workout B: Push- Chest, shoulders, triceps- heavy reps 6-8
Wednesday: Workout C: Legs – high reps 15-20
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Workout D: Pull- Back, biceps + core -heavy reps 6-8

Sunday: Workout E: Push- Chest, shoulders, triceps- high rep 15-20
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Workout F: Legs -heavy reps 6-8
Wednesday: Workout A: Pull- Back,biceps + core – high reps 15-20
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Workout B: Push- Chest, shoulders, triceps- heavy reps 6-8

and so on.

Bikini Girl:

For the bikini girl, shoulders, back and glutes are important. Lifting volumes of those muscles groups in varying rep ranges is a priority. Here is an example:

Day 1: Back (9-12 sets, 6-8 rep range), glutes (9-12 sets, 10-12 rep range), core (3-6 sets, high reps 30+)

Day 2: Chest (3 sets total, 8-12 rep range), shoulders (2-4 sets, 10-15 rep range), biceps 2 sets 8-12 reps), triceps (2 sets, 8-12 rep range)

Day 3: Legs, core (12 sets each, 8-12 rep range)

Day 4: Shoulders (9-12 sets, 6-10 rep range), back (9 – 10 sets, 15-20 rep range)

Day 5: Glutes (9 sets, 6-10 rep range), legs (9 sets, 15-25 rep range), core

Day 6: Back (9 sets, 10-12 rep range), glutes (9 sets 20-30 rep range), shoulders (3 sets, 20-30 rep range)

Experienced Lifters’ Split

This is a great split for experienced lifters who have lifted for 5+ years to bring up weak muscle groups. You will work a weak muscle group 3x per week while continuing to lift other muscle groups 2x per week. If you have a very strong muscle group, you can bring that down to 1x per week. This helps to create overall symmetry between muscle groups.

Say you need to bring up your shoulders while your back, biceps and triceps are in a good place but your legs are da-bomb (this is my scenario). I would do something like this:

Day 1: Shoulders+ core – 15-20 rep range
Day 2: Back, biceps, triceps – 8-10 rep range
Day 3: Shoulders + core- 3-5 rep ranges
Day 4: Legs – 8-10 rep range
Day 5: Shoulders + core- 8-10 rep range
Day 6: Back, biceps, triceps – 15-20 rep range
Day 7: Rest

Got a split that is right or you? Great! Now, check out the Exercise Bank and fill in your plan with exercises!

EXERCISE BANK

What ever program you are working, pay attention to symmetry over time. See 4 Smart Ways to Balance Your Bikini Bod. You have no idea how many gals I see only lift legs and booty and not lifting upper body for fear of getting giant upper bodies. Read about that myth here: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess.