You do an upper and a lower day, rest a day, then push, pull and leg days, so you train every muscle twice a week. For how this split compares with others, see Push pull legs vs upper lower vs full body.
Workout Routine Examples
Upper body dayChest, back, shoulders and arms · 7 exercises
Lower body dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves · 6 exercises
Push dayChest, shoulders and triceps · 6 exercises
Pull dayBack, rear shoulders and biceps · 6 exercises
Leg dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves · 6 exercises
Track macros and calories
5-Day Upper Lower and Push Pull Legs Routine Example
An example of a 5-day upper lower and push pull legs week, with a full workout for every training day.
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Upper body dayChest, back, shoulders and arms |
| Tuesday | Lower body dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Push dayChest, shoulders and triceps |
| Friday | Pull dayBack, rear shoulders and biceps |
| Saturday | Leg dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves |
| Sunday | Rest |
This is an example of what a training week can look like, not a prescription or medical advice. Start with weights you can lift with good form, and if you have an injury or a health condition, check with your doctor first.
The workouts
Upper body dayChest, back, shoulders and arms · 7 exercises
Lower body dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves · 6 exercises
Push dayChest, shoulders and triceps · 6 exercises
Pull dayBack, rear shoulders and biceps · 6 exercises
Leg dayQuads, hamstrings, glutes and calves · 6 exercises
Want to track this routine?
In Somatics, you can save any workout as a template, then log your sets, reps and weight as you go, plus RIR (Reps in Reserve) with Pro.
Who is this for?
This example can work well for you if:
- you like upper lower and push pull legs and want both in one week
- you can train 5 days a week, for about 45 to 60 minutes each time
- you've been lifting for a while and know the main lifts
- you train at a gym with barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines
If 5 days is too many, the 4-day upper lower example drops the push, pull and leg days. For 6 days, see the push pull legs example.
Common questions
Why mix two splits in one week?
The upper and lower days cover your whole body early in the week, and the push, pull and leg days add a second, more focused round. You train every muscle twice in 5 days instead of 6.
How many sets per week does the 5-day upper lower and push pull legs example give each muscle?
About 13 for chest and quads, 15 for back and 12 for hamstrings. That's inside the 10 to 20 sets a week that research links to muscle growth. See How many sets per week to build muscle.
Track macros and calories
with Somatics
