How to Structure the Perfect Training Split for Your Fitness Goals
When it comes to achieving your fitness goals, whether it’s building muscle, losing fat, or preparing for a bodybuilding contest, one of the most important factors is how you structure your training split. A well-designed split can maximize recovery, enhance performance, and accelerate results, but the wrong one can leave you spinning your wheels. In this post, I’ll break down how to create an effective training split tailored to your goal, backed by the latest research and practical experience.
What is a Training Split?
A training split is how you organize your workouts throughout the week. It determines how often you train different muscle groups or movement patterns and how your recovery is structured. The most common splits include full-body workouts, upper/lower splits, push/pull/legs (PPL), and body-part (bro) splits. Each has unique benefits, and the right one depends on your goal, experience level, and available training days.
What Does the Science Say?
Recent studies show that training each muscle group at least twice per week can lead to superior hypertrophy (muscle growth) compared to once-per-week frequencies (Schoenfeld et al., 2016). Additionally, higher training frequency allows for greater total training volume, which is a key driver of muscle growth (Grgic et al., 2018). For fat loss, resistance training combined with moderate cardio improves fat-free mass retention compared to cardio alone (Clark et al., 2022). Contest prep athletes should aim to preserve muscle mass by maintaining relatively high training volumes and frequencies while adjusting intensity and cardio progressively (Helms et al., 2014).
Structuring a Training Split Based on Your Goal
1. For Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)
Key principles:
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Train each muscle 2x per week
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Focus on progressive overload
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Moderate-high volume (10–20 sets per muscle group/week)
Recommended Splits:
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Upper/Lower (4 days/week)
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Push/Pull/Legs (5–6 days/week)
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Full-body (3 days/week)
Example 5-Day PPL Split (for Muscle Growth):
Monday: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Tuesday: Pull (Back, Biceps)
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Push
Friday: Pull
Saturday/Sunday: Rest or Active Recovery
2. For Fat Loss
Key principles:
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Retain muscle mass with strength training
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Incorporate cardio strategically
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Maintain or slightly reduce training volume
Recommended Splits:
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Upper/Lower with Cardio (4–5 days/week)
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PPL (5–6 days/week) with 2–3 cardio sessions
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Full-body (3–4 days/week) with interval training
Example 4-Day Upper/Lower Split (for Fat Loss):
Monday: Upper Body Strength + 20 min LISS
Tuesday: Lower Body Strength + 15 min HIIT
Thursday: Upper Body Hypertrophy + 20 min LISS
Friday: Lower Body Hypertrophy + 15 min HIIT
3. For Contest Prep
Key principles:
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Maintain muscle with high-frequency training
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Gradually increase cardio volume
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Manage fatigue and recovery
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Prioritize weak points
Recommended Splits:
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Modified PPL or Upper/Lower (5–6 days/week)
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Split adjustments based on individual feedback and fatigue management
Example 6-Day Contest Prep Split:
Monday: Upper Strength (Push & Pull)
Tuesday: Lower Strength
Wednesday: Shoulders & Arms + 30 min LISS
Thursday: Upper Hypertrophy (Chest, Back, Arms)
Friday: Lower Hypertrophy
Saturday: Weak Point Focus (Glutes/Delts/Back) + 30 min LISS
Sunday: Rest or Posing Practice
Note: Cardio and posing sessions are progressively increased as contest day approaches.
Final Thoughts
There’s no “perfect” split for everyone, but there is a perfect split for your current goal, schedule, and recovery ability. The key is training each muscle group frequently enough, adjusting volume and intensity appropriately, and allowing for adequate recovery. Back your plan with science and consistent progress tracking, and you’ll set yourself up for lasting results, whether you're building muscle, cutting fat, or stepping on stage.
Take Action
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s what you can do:
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Pick a split based on your goal and weekly availability
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Track your performance and recovery
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Adjust volume, frequency, and cardio based on progress
Need a custom training split designed for your physique and goals? Reach out, and I'll offer a personalized coaching programs for muscle building, fat loss, and contest prep.
