The plan
Five days in a row, two days off. The first two days are heavier and train the whole upper body, then the whole lower body. The last three days use more reps and split the work by push, pull and legs. Every muscle gets trained twice a week.
| Day | Session | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Upper | Heavy, 5–8 reps on the first lifts | 60 min |
| Tuesday | Lower | Heavy squat and hinge | 60 min |
| Wednesday | Push | Chest, shoulders, triceps, 8–15 reps | 55 min |
| Thursday | Pull | Back, rear shoulders, biceps, 8–15 reps | 55 min |
| Friday | Legs | Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, 8–15 reps | 60 min |
| Saturday | Rest or easy cardio | – | – |
| Sunday | Rest | – | – |
Monday: Upper (heavy)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 × 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Barbell row | 4 × 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| Standing overhead press | 3 × 6–8 | 2 min |
| Lat pulldown | 3 × 8–10 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 × 10–12 | 60 sec |
| Triceps rope pushdown | 2 × 10–12 | 60 sec |
Tuesday: Lower (heavy)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 4 × 5–8 | 3 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| Walking lunge | 3 × 8 per leg | 90 sec |
| Lying leg curl | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Standing calf raise | 4 × 8–12 | 60 sec |
Wednesday: Push
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Incline dumbbell press | 4 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Machine chest press | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Cable lateral raise | 4 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Overhead cable triceps extension | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
Thursday: Pull
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or assisted pull-up | 4 × 6–10 | 2 min |
| Chest-supported dumbbell row | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Seated cable row | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Cable face pull | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 × 10–12 | 60 sec |
| Hammer curl | 2 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
Friday: Legs
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Leg press | 4 × 10–12 | 2 min |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 × 10 per leg | 90 sec |
| Hip thrust | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Leg extension | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Seated leg curl | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Seated calf raise | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
That adds up to about 12 to 16 hard sets per muscle a week. The 2026 ACSM position stand sets at least 10 weekly sets as the floor for growth, and a 2017 meta-analysis linked each extra weekly set to about 0.37% more gain. So five days isn't magic. It's a way to fit more quality sets into sessions that stay around an hour.
Is twice a week better than once? When total sets are equal, a 2019 meta-analysis found no significant difference. Five days earns its keep by letting you do more sets without 90-minute sessions.
Get this week built for your gym.
Plan your workout
How to pick the weight and reps
Pick a weight you could lift 1 to 3 more times at the end of each set. Write it down, because Friday's numbers should beat last Friday's.
- Heavy days (Monday, Tuesday). First two lifts at 5 to 8 reps, rest 2 to 3 minutes. A 2016 study of trained men found 3-minute rests built more squat and bench strength than 1-minute rests.
- Volume days (Wednesday to Friday). 8 to 15 reps, rest 60 to 120 seconds.
- Add weight at the top of the range. When all sets hit the top, add 5 lb (2 kg) on upper-body lifts or 5 to 10 lb (2 to 5 kg) on squats, deadlifts and leg press, then work back up.
- Keep two reps in the tank on the big lifts. Go closer to the limit on curls, raises and machines.
Example: leg press at 270 lb (122 kg) for 4 × 12 on Friday. Next Friday load 290 lb (132 kg) and aim for 4 × 10.
Swaps that keep the split working
| If you planned | Swap to | When |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | Hack squat or goblet squat | No rack, or the squat doesn't feel right |
| Barbell row | Chest-supported dumbbell row | Lower back still tired from Tuesday |
| Standing overhead press | Seated dumbbell press | Barbell press doesn't feel right on your shoulders |
| Pull-up | Lat pulldown | You can't do 6 clean reps yet |
| Hip thrust | Glute bridge with a dumbbell | No bench open |
| Bulgarian split squat | Reverse lunge or step-up | Balance is off |
| Five gym days | Merge push and pull into one upper day | A busy week; you're back to four days |
Same sets and reps after the swap. Stop the set if form breaks, and pick a lighter weight next set.
How Nuvela builds a 5-day week
Tell Nuvela your goal, experience, where you train, how many days and how many minutes, and it lays out the week. Choose five days and you get a five-day split; change it to four next month and the plan follows. It sets every weight and adjusts it as you log, so the go-up-at-the-top-of-the-range rule happens for you. Swap any move in one tap, and watch the video for any move you haven't done before. Strength, cardio and yoga can sit in the same weekly plan, so Saturday's easy ride or a 20-minute yoga session has a spot too. Build your week to see your version.
New to splits? Start with the push pull legs guide, which this plan builds on. And if you add cardio, here's whether to do it before or after weights.
Prefer fewer days? The 4 day workout split covers the same muscles in four sessions, and the chest and tricep workout shows a single push day in detail.
Common questions
What is a good 5 day workout split?
Upper, lower, push, pull, legs is a strong default because it trains every muscle twice a week. A body-part split (chest, back, shoulders, legs, arms) also works if you keep total weekly sets high, but each muscle only gets one session. If strength is the main goal, run upper, lower, upper, lower, plus a lighter full-body day.
Is a 5 day workout split too much?
Not if sessions stay near an hour and you stop most sets with 1 to 3 reps left. If your lifts stall for two weeks running or you dread every session, drop a day or cut one set from each exercise.
Can a beginner do a 5 day split?
You can, but you don't need to. Beginners progress well on three full-body days. Move to five days when your three-day sessions start running past 75 minutes.
Which days should I rest on a 5 day split?
Two in a row works well, usually the weekend. If you'd rather split them up, rest after Tuesday's lower day and after Friday's legs.
Sources
- How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? Journal of Sports Sciences (2019). When weekly volume was equal, training a muscle more or less often made no significant difference to growth; pick the frequency you prefer.
- Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass, Journal of Sports Sciences (2017). 15 studies: each extra weekly set went with about 0.37% more muscle growth.
- ACSM Position Stand, Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2026). At least 10 sets per muscle per week for growth; for strength, loads of 80% of 1RM or more, 2 to 3 sets, early in the session.
- Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2016). 21 trained men: 3-minute rests gave more squat and bench press strength than 1-minute rests.
Related guides
- Chest Workouts With Dumbbells: Home and Gym Plan
- Push Pull Legs: 6-Day PPL Plan With Sets and Reps
- Upper Lower Split: 4-Day Plan With Sets and Reps
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