Workout Splits Compared: Full Body vs Upper/Lower vs PPL vs Bro Split

If you want the best workout split compared fairly, here is the honest answer: the research does not crown a winner. When the number of hard weekly sets per muscle is matched, full body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs (PPL) and body-part “bro” splits tend to produce broadly similar muscle growth. The split mostly decides how your sets are spread across the week, and whether you can stick to it.

That makes this a scheduling decision more than a biology one. (For the full framework on session design, see our complete guide to workout splits and session architecture.) Below we compare the four big options, show what the studies actually found, and help you choose.

Which workout split builds the most muscle?

Let’s start with the study most people skip. A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 25 studies on training frequency. It found no significant difference between higher and lower frequency when volume was equated, including in resistance-trained people and for both upper and lower body. The authors concluded that, for a given volume, people can choose a weekly frequency per muscle based on personal preference (Schoenfeld et al., 2019).

So why does the internet insist twice a week is better? Because an earlier analysis of 10 studies found that training a muscle twice a week gave a greater effect size than once a week (0.49 vs 0.30), and concluded that major muscles should be trained at least twice weekly (Schoenfeld et al., 2016). Why the conflict? The later review pooled 25 studies instead of 10, and it separated volume-equated comparisons from the rest. The 2019 authors also noted that when volume was not equated, higher frequencies did show a modest edge, probably because they let people do more total work.

Does weekly volume matter more than the split?

It looks that way. A meta-regression of 15 studies found a graded dose-response: more weekly sets were associated with more muscle growth, with each additional set linked to about 0.37% more gain (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). That is an average across mostly short studies, so treat the number as a direction, not a promise.

Strength tells a similar story. In a 6 week trial of 28 resistance-trained men, training 3 days a week and 6 days a week produced similar gains in squat, bench, deadlift and fat-free mass when volume and intensity were equated (Colquhoun et al., 2018). Six weeks is short, and the sample was small, so it fits the pattern rather than proving it.

If you want to see where your own numbers land, our weekly set volume dose-response guide and the free training volume calculator are the next stops.

Full body vs upper/lower vs PPL vs bro split at a glance

Here is the practical comparison. The table assumes you are aiming for the same weekly volume on each plan.

Split	Typical days	Times per muscle	Main strength	Main catch
Full body	2-3	2-3x	Forgives missed days, flexible	Long sessions if you pack in too many exercises
Upper/lower	4	2x	Balanced, easy to progress	Needs 4 reliable days
PPL (6 day)	6	2x	High volume, short focused sessions	Needs 6 days and good recovery
PPL (3 day)	3	1x	Simple, easy to learn	Each muscle only trained once, so weekly sets must fit in one session
Bro split	5	1x	Lots of attention per muscle, fun	One missed day leaves a muscle untrained for about 2 weeks

Full body split: the forgiving one

Full body means you train most major muscles every session, usually 2-3 days a week. Each muscle gets hit often, so weekly sets are split into small chunks.

The strengths are flexibility and recovery rhythm. If you miss Wednesday, you do not lose “chest day.” The weakness is session length. Squat, press, row, hinge and a few accessories can easily stretch past 90 minutes if you are not strict. For a ready-made template, see our 3 day full body hypertrophy plan.

In a 10 week trial of 21 resistance-trained men, a total body group and a split routine group both improved strength and muscle thickness. Total body did better on one strength test (a slow-speed isokinetic bench press), while the split group gained more in vastus lateralis thickness (Bartolomei et al., 2021). That is a tiny study with mixed results, so it does not crown either format.

Upper/lower split: the balanced 4 day option

Upper/lower alternates upper-body days with lower-body days, run 4 days a week (for example Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri). Every muscle is trained twice, and sessions are a manageable length.

For most people with 4 days available, this is where I would start. It is easy to progress, easy to recover from, and flexible if life interrupts. The downside is that upper-body days can get crowded (chest, back, shoulders and arms in one session). Full details are in our upper/lower split guide.

PPL: flexible between 3 and 6 days

Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps) and legs. Run it six days, and each muscle gets trained twice weekly with short, focused sessions. Run it three days, and each muscle gets trained once, which is less ideal for spreading volume.

Six day PPL gives plenty of room for volume, but it also demands six days of life and enough sleep and food. If you want to try it, use our free push day, pull day and leg day templates, and read the PPL variations guide to choose a version.

Bro split: is it as bad as people say?

A bro split trains one muscle (or pair) per day, once a week: chest Monday, back Tuesday, shoulders Wednesday, and so on. It gets mocked online, but the evidence does not say it fails.

In the 10 week trial above, the split routine group gained slightly more vastus lateralis thickness than total body (Bartolomei et al., 2021). And in a 6 week trial of 18 recreationally trained men with equalized weekly volume, a high volume, low frequency group (2 days a week) increased arm circumference and elbow flexor thickness, while the low volume, high frequency group (4 days) did not, though both gained fat-free mass and lower body thickness (Yue et al., 2018). Small, short studies in young men, so treat them as hints that training a muscle less often is not a dead end, not as proof that bro splits are better.

A within-subject study of 24 strength-trained men had each person train one leg once a week and the other leg three times a week on a single exercise (the leg press). Over 9 weeks, both legs gained similar strength and quadriceps size, whether or not volume was equalized (Neves et al., 2022). When the higher frequency allowed more total volume, effect sizes were somewhat larger, though the difference was not statistically significant.

So the real problems with the bro split are practical, not mystical:

• All of a muscle’s weekly volume lands in one session, which can mean heavy, tiring, repetitive sets.
• A missed day leaves that muscle untrained for nearly two weeks.
• Smaller muscles, like arms, can end up with little direct work unless you plan for it.

Which split should you choose?

Start with how many days you can actually train for the next 6 months, not the best week you can imagine.

• 2-3 days: full body. Our 2 day per week routine for busy professionals shows how to make that work.
• 4 days: upper/lower.
• 5 days: upper/lower plus a fifth session, or a bro split if you enjoy it and keep volume matched.
• 6 days: PPL twice.
• Shift work or high stress: see splits for high stress careers and shift work.

How to set up your sets per session

Once you pick a split, count weekly hard sets per muscle and divide by the number of sessions that train it. Many lifters start around 10-12 hard sets per muscle per week and adjust from there. That is an experience-based starting point, not a rule from the studies above.

So for a muscle trained twice a week, that is about 5-6 sets per session. Once a week, that jumps to 10-12 in a single session, and the later sets tend to be lower quality. Our guide to per session set caps covers where those diminishing returns appear.

Pair your split with enough protein too. For vegetarians in India, dal, paneer, curd, soya chunks and eggs (if you eat them) can all contribute. Use the protein calculator to get a daily number.

When to see a doctor

If a split leaves you with persistent joint pain, sharp pain during lifts, dizziness, or soreness that does not settle after several days, stop and speak with a doctor or physiotherapist. More days do not need to mean more pain.

The bottom line

Full body, upper/lower, PPL and bro splits can all build muscle when weekly volume is matched and effort is high. Twice-a-week training is a sensible default because it spreads volume out and forgives a missed session, but the evidence does not show it is magic. Pick the split that fits your calendar, count your weekly sets, add weight or reps over time, and stay with it for at least a few months before judging.