Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. What is Upper Lower Split
3. Benefits & Drawbacks of Upper Lower Splits
4. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Days/Week - Pros & Cons
5. Upper Lower Split FAQs
6. Best Exercises
7. Program Variables
8. 2 Day Upper Lower Split Program
9. 3 Day Upper Lower Split Program
10. 4 Day Upper Lower Split Program
11. 5 Day Upper Lower Split Program
12. 6 Day Upper Lower Split Program
13 Deload
In this program, you are going to learn
everything you need to know about the upper
lower split. That way you can determine if it is
right for you.
And, if you do decide to go for the upper lower
split, we have complete upper lower workout
programs for 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 training days per
week, so you can choose what best fits your
schedule and fitness level.
Without further ado, let’s get started...
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
The upper lower split is probably the most
popular workout routine across the board, and
surely one of the most effective.
www.setforset.com
A “split” is a way of organizing muscle groups
or body parts into separate training days. This
makes planning workouts strategic so you can
stay on track and reach long term goals.
Furthermore, a good split will allow you to
mitigate fatigue and optimize recovery, as you’ll
strategically let certain muscles rest as you
train other areas of your body.
So, an upper lower routine is simply a split that
divides your workouts into upper body workout
days and lower body workout days.
Upper body workouts will train all of your
upper body muscles (chest, back, shoulders,
biceps, triceps).
Lower body workouts will train all of your
lower body muscles (glutes, quads, hamstrings,
calves).
www.setforset.com
As for your core, think of it as a connection
between your upper and lower body. While you
can train core at the end of upper and/or lower
body days, this program has core exercises on
lower body days specifically because your
upper body workouts already have more
volume since there are more muscles to hit.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
WHAT IS AN UPPER LOWER
SPLIT?
The beauty of an upper lower workout split is
that it is so versatile, meaning it can be
adjusted to your schedule and fitness level.
You could do a 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 6 day upper
lower split.
We will be giving you a plan for each after we
run through all of the pertinent information
about upper lower workout splits.
But first, here’s how things will look based on
the different training days per week…
2 Day Upper Lower Split:
• Monday: Upper
• Thursday: Lower
You can choose any two days during the week,
but spacing them out as much as possible will
allow you to bring the most intensity each time.
3 Day Upper Lower Split:
www.setforset.com
• Monday: Upper
• Wednesday: Lower
• Friday: Upper
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HOW MANY DAYS PER WEEK IS
AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT?
4 Day Upper Lower Split:
•
•
•
•
Monday: Upper
Tuesday: Lower
Thursday: Upper
Friday: Lower
This is the most popular upper lower split
option. You can space out your rest days as
you wish, but we don’t recommend doing all 4
workouts consecutively.
All in all, there’s a lot of flexibility, just make
sure you do all 4 workouts each week.
5 Day Upper Lower Split:
•
•
•
•
•
Monday: Upper
Tuesday: Lower
Thursday: Upper
Friday: Lower
Saturday: Upper
www.setforset.com
Then the following week you would start where
you left off (Lower).
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
The following week on Monday, you would
start with lower, and continue like this. So, one
week will have two upper body days and the
next week will have two lower body days.
6 Day Upper Lower Split:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monday: Upper
Tuesday: Lower
Wednesday: Upper
Friday: Lower
Satuday: Upper
Sunday: Lower
Then, you’d rest on the following Monday and
repeat. So, it’s not technically a 6 day split, as
it is based on 8 days, but for all intents and
purposes, it is.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
So, with a 5 day split, each week you will have
either one more upper or lower body workout.
As for the rest days, you can place them as
you wish - i.e., two consecutive rest days at
the end of the week if you want to have
weekends off or something.
www.setforset.com
4 days is the most popular and standard
upper lower split routine as it optimizes
frequency, volume, and rest.
However, which is best for you will depend on
your schedule and fitness level.
We can’t determine what the best schedule is
for you, so you will have to decide on that for
yourself.
Remember, you can play around with the rest
days and working days.
In terms of fitness level, a 2 day or 3 day
upper lower split will be best for beginners to
start, although some beginners can opt for the
more common and popular 4 day upper lower
split right away, so long as they are able to
recover well enough.
www.setforset.com
As for everyone else, the 4 day upper lower
split is the best choice, with the exception of
some advanced lifters who may opt for a 5 or
6 day split because they want more volume
and their recovery practices are on point.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HOW MANY DAYS PER WEEK
FOR AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT
IS BEST?
With a 4 day split, you can train for both
strength and hypertrophy, really pushing your
limits each workout as you should have
enough recovery time.
In terms of fitness goals…
A 3 day split can be really good for strength &
power training, a 4 day split will be best for
strength and hypertrophy, and a 5-6 day split
can be good for hypertrophy and fat loss if
done appropriately.
So, if you are an intermediate lifter, like many
people are, and you are trying to bulk up, stay
lean and get stronger, go for a 4 day upper
lower split.
However, if you are looking to cut (get
shredded) and you simply want more days in
the gym, then a 5 or 6 day upper lower split
may be doable.
www.setforset.com
We hope these insights help in deciding on
how many days per week to choose. Be
honest with yourself about what is right for
you.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
With a 5 and 6 day split, workouts are going to
be programmed with less recovery days in
mind, so they won’t be as intense as a 4 day
split.
2, 3, 5 and 6 day upper lower splits are not the
norm. The norm is a 4 day split, which is
perfect for bodybuilders and powerlifters alike.
So, most of the following benefits are based
on the classic 4 day upper lower split.
After we go through the general benefits of an
upper lower split, we will make note of the
specific pros and cons for the 2, 3, 5 and 6
day options.
1. Versatile (Fitness Level, Schedule,
Exercises, & Goals):
The upper lower split is extremely versatile. It’s
going to work for all fitness levels and all
schedules.
You can tailor your training toward strength
and hypertrophy or fat loss.
www.setforset.com
Most upper lower splits are at least 3 days and
usually 4 or 5 days, so you will have different
upper body and lower body workouts each
week. This will allow you to have a good
amount of variety in regards to exercise
selection and rep ranges.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
BENEFITS OF UPPER LOWER
SPLIT:
For example, you could have one upper body
and lower body day for hypertrophy where you
do high volume with lower intensity and one
upper body and lower body day for strength
with low volume and high intensity.
The point is, an upper lower split is easily
tailored to your demands pretty much on all
fronts.
2. Perfect Mix of High Frequency &
Volume:
A body part split (or "bro split") maximizes
volume at the sacrifice of frequency. A full body
routine maximizes frequency at the sacrifice of
volume. An upper lower split gives you the
perfect amount of both.
Volume = sets x reps x load for each muscle, and
frequency is the number of times you hit your
muscle groups each week.
www.setforset.com
Studies show that training each muscle group
twice a week is best for hypertrophy and
strength. Nevertheless, volume is an essential
component. Without adequate volume, your
muscles can’t grow (i.e. if you did just one set of
10 reps multiple times a week, that’s obviously
not enough).
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
You can also play around with progression and
different types of periodization…
More to the point of volume...Since you won’t
be placing all your total weekly volume into
one workout like you will with a body part split,
your muscles will recover faster and DOMS
will be less severe.
3. Efficient & Effective (Big Lifts Without
Much Fluff):
Upper lower splits are highly efficient. You will
be focusing on the best and most productive
exercises, as if you didn’t, you’d be in the gym
for hours on end, being that you need to hit
multiple muscle groups each workout.
So, you will be sticking to the best compound
exercises and then adding in some assistance
and accessory exercises where needed to
ensure you are giving each muscle group
enough attention.
Basically, you will build your workouts around
the big four: Bench press, Overhead Press,
Squats, Deadlifts.
www.setforset.com
Plus, pull ups and rows. Anything additional is
a bonus.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
So, the upper lower split optimizes both,
making it a great choice for those who want to
build muscle and strength in the most efficient
manner.
Very simple, very efficient, very effective.
What’s more, you can work antagonistic
muscle groups together. For example, you
could superset a back exercise with a chest
exercise (for one of the assistance/accessory
exercises) to get your volume up without
wasting time.
You'd still be able to give both exercise good
force as they are opposing actions. They work
well together, as there’s no conflict.
So, you can keep moving throughout your
workout if you want to speed things up and
keep calorie burn high.
4. Reduces Overlap For Best Recovery:
www.setforset.com
You won’t have any overlap in the muscles you
are training with an upper lower split. All of
your upper body push and pull muscles will be
working on the same day, rather than doing
shoulders one day and chest another day,
where if your shoulders are sore, your chest
workout will be less productive.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
These big compound exercises will provide
you the biggest bang for your buck. They are
the best for building overall strength, muscle
mass, bur ning calories, and boosting
androgenic hormones.
In terms of recovery, with a 4 day split, you have
plenty of time to let your muscles get back to
100%. Generally speaking, you’ll have 72-96
hours of rest between training the same muscle
again.
Think about it, if you do a workout on Monday
for upper body, then you won’t be doing
another workout for your upper body until at the
earliest Thursday, which is plenty of time for
your muscles to recover, especially since the
total weekly volume is spread out between the
two workouts, not all in one day.
Again, this keeps DOMS to a minimum (which
doesn’t make it any less effective for building
muscle according to studies).
www.setforset.com
Beyond all that, the upper lower split has other
notable benefits for specific individuals and
demographics too. The upper lower split is the
most popular split for athletes as it is perfectly
geared towards that type of fitness (a lot of big
compound movements) and allows time for
other more sport specific training.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
With an upper lower split, the muscles that work
together (agonist) will be resting together. Other
splits usually have a bigger overlap, especially a
body part split, as agonist muscles are plentiful
(i.e. your lats are actually an agonist to your pec
major).
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
DOWNFALL OF AN UPPER
LOWER SPLIT:
All training splits have some downfalls.
Nothing is perfect, not even the upper lower
split. That said, there are really only two cons
of an upper lower workout split, so let’s
discuss them…
1. Upper body workouts can be on the
longer side as you have many muscles to
train.
On one hand, big compound lifts like bent
over rows, bench press, and overhead press
can take care of that. But on the other hand,
these take a lot of energy. It’ll be hard to do all
of them at your best each upper body
workout.
www.setforset.com
This means you’ll have to emphasize certain
lifts one day and the others on the second
upper body session of the week.
This kind of relates to the point above, and it
may be a pro rather than a con for you…
With an upper lower split, you will get plenty of
volume for your legs, but you may end up a
little short on your upper body. This is great for
someone who’s legs are lagging behind, but
not so much for someone who’s upper body is
lagging behind.
All in all, this is not a huge deal if you program
correctly, which we will do for you below when
we get to the workout plan. For the most part,
you will get the volume you need for your
upper body just fine. This especially true if you
are a beginner to intermediate.
Generally speaking, because of point number
2, advanced bodybuilders won’t use an upper
lower split.
Be that as it may, for everyone else, the upper
lower split is usually far more effective than a
body part split.
www.setforset.com
Note: If you do deadlifts, which you should,
then technically you are getting some crucial
upper body work on lower body days too.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
2. You’ll have a bit more volume for your
lower body muscles than your upper
body muscles.
Let’s look at the pros and cons specifically for
the different available training days per week.
By understanding the advantages and
disadvantages each have, you can better
determine which schedule is right for you.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
PROS & CONS OF 2, 3,
4, 5 AND 6 DAY UPPER
LOWER SPLITS
www.setforset.com
Pros:
Cons:
Good for beginners
just starting out.
Not enough volume or
frequency.
Very easy to manage.
Effective for building
strength.
*Essentially, it’s good for those just starting out
or people who simply want to maintain and
have other fitness activities/sports going on in
their life.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
2 Day Upper Lower - Pros and Cons:
www.setforset.com
Pros:
Cons:
Not quite enough
Good for beginners
volume or frequency
and some
for best hypertrophy
intermediate lifters
results, especially for
with a busy schedule.
intermediate or
advanced lifters.
Effective for building
strength and weight
loss, depending on
your goal.
Easy to manage.
www.setforset.com
*Makes sense for late-beginners and people
with busy schedules or those who do other
physical activities too, such as a sport or HIIT.
Because of the latter, even some more
advanced fitness enthusiasts choose a 3 day
upper lower workout split*
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
3 Day Upper Lower - Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Cons:
It is going to be
Optimizes frequency
somewhat heavier on
and volume, without
leg training than upper
sacrificing recovery.
body muscle groups.
Versatile in pretty
much every way
thinkable.
Great for building
muscle and strength.
Still enough time for
other activities.
Still easy to manage.
www.setforset.com
*This is a great option if you are serious about
building muscle and strength but still want a
split that is easy to manage. It provides plenty
of recovery time and the right amount of
volume and frequency. It’s the classic number
of days for an upper lower split*
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
4 Day Upper Lower - Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Cons:
Harder to manage (but
if you do miss a day,
it’s not such a big deal
Maximizes frequency
since you would have
and volume.
already hit upper and
lower twice that week,
which in fact is a pro).
Not exactly ideal for
strength as it’s hard to
have 5 intense days
Good for building
per week, but this can
muscle and fat loss.
be fixed by doing
some high volume/low
load and low volume/
high load days (DUP).
Versatile.
Can be hard in terms
of recovery.
www.setforset.com
*This makes the most sense for dedicated
intermediate to advanced lifters who need or
want more training volume and frequency than
the 4 day provides, and who know how to
optimize recovery through sleep and diet*
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
5 Day Upper Lower - Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Cons:
Pretty much the same
Absolutely maximizes
cons as a 5 day upper
frequency and volume.
lower split.
Good for fat loss, and
if recovery practices
are good (sleep and
eating), building
muscle.
Versatile & tons of
variety.
www.setforset.com
*We don’t recommend 6 day upper lower
splits, but they can be done. The only time we
think this kind of split makes sense is if you
are on a cutting phase or if you are an
advanced lifter with a strategic plan (in which
case you know exactly how to formulate your
workouts to your goals)*
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
6 Day Upper Lower - Pros and Cons:
You can also play around with 5 and 6 day
upper lower splits where they are essentially a
4 day upper lower split with one or two
additional days for other things like a full body
workout, an accessory day for lagging body
parts, low intensity long duration cardio, or
HIIT.
If you like this idea, then choose the 2, 3 or 4
day split and add 1-3 cardio/HIIT days.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
2, 3 or 4 Day Upper Lower Split +
Additional Days:
www.setforset.com
Before we get into the nitty gritty of the upper
lower split, where we actually teach you how
we selected exercises and the structure of the
workouts, let us answer a few common
questions.
This may help you determine whether doing
an upper lower split is right for you at the
current time.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
UPPER LOWER
SPLIT FAQ
www.setforset.com
An upper lower split is good for literally
anybody and everybody. Because of its
versatility, it works for all schedules and fitness
levels.
A beginner can do a 2, 3 or 4 day upper lower
split with an appropriate workout structure and
an intermediate lifter can do a 3, 4 or 5 day
upper lower split.
There are plenty advanced powerlifters,
bodybuilders, and athletes who use an upper
lower split too.
The only demographic that may not do well
with an upper lower split is an advanced
bodybuilder who needs more volume for each
muscle group of the upper body.
Overall, the upper lower split is a fantastic
option for building muscle, getting stronger
and losing fat.
www.setforset.com
For most amateur bodybuilders and your
average fitness enthusiast, the upper lower
split is a better choice than a bro split. The only
other option that can compete with an upper
lower split for most intermediate trainees is
a Push Pull Leg split.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
WHO IS AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT
GOOD FOR?
You can do an upper lower split indefinitely.
Some people stay on an upper lower split for
12+ months, with deload weeks and slight reprogramming every couple months.
So, there really is no maximum amount of time
for staying on an upper lower split. If it’s
working, you can stick with it.
As for a minimum amount of time, we’d say 4-6
weeks would be an absolute minimum.
Anything less and you won’t be able to measure
any significant results.
Do at least 8-12 weeks and then assess.
This should be enough time to see how it’s
working for your specific goal and schedule.
With an upper lower split, you can always
switch up variables (i.e. exercises, volume,
intensity) every 4-12 weeks yet you are still
sticking with an upper lower split.
www.setforset.com
If you’d like to change up splits completely, say
to something like a PPL, you can do so just as
easy. A lot of trainees like to switch between
splits every few months. You can always come
back to the upper lower split after doing a
different training split for a few months.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HOW LONG SHOULD & CAN YOU DO
AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT FOR?
An upper lower workout split can be good for
fat loss depending on your workouts and diet.
Assuming the goal is to lose fat while
maintaining muscle mass, it’s important that
you train relatively heavy while on a calorie
deficit.
Most people’s upper lower workout routines
revolve around big compound exercises, which
are the best at burning calories and mitigating
muscle loss when eating at a deficit.
Our workout programs are structured in a way
that it’s perfect for building muscle or losing fat,
or even both if you are a beginner, but this will
only be possible if you diet correctly.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
IS AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT GOOD
FOR FAT LOSS?
www.setforset.com
The upper lower split is great for building
muscle and gaining strength. Studies show
that training muscles group twice a week is
best for hypertrophy.
Protein synthesis, which is a process
for building muscle, occurs for up to 48 hours
after a workout.
So if you wait a week (which is 168 hours), you
are missing out on growth potential.
In other words, a frequency of two times per
week is more efficient for building muscle as
well as strength progression.
The only way an upper lower split wouldn’t be
good for building muscle specifically, is if you
are advanced and your muscles are already
quite big.
www.setforset.com
This is because you’d need more volume to
overload your muscle and bigger muscles take
longer to recover. But for beginners and
intermediate trainees, it most certainly is
effective for building muscle.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
IS AN UPPER LOWER SPLIT GOOD
FOR BUILDING MUSCLE &
STRENGTH?
There are plenty of bodybuilders who use an
upper lower split (at least certain times of the
year or their career).
Bodybuilders know the benefit of higher
frequency programs, which the upper lower
split is, so they use it to their advantage to
build muscle.
So, in short, yes, bodybuilders also use upper
lower splits.
As for elite strength athletes and athletes in
pro sports, the upper lower split is the most
popular training split. It is geared perfectly
towards athletes and powerlifters.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
SHOULD BODYBUILDERS USE AN
UPPER LOWER SPLIT?
www.setforset.com
Now that we have a clear understanding of
what an upper lower split is, let’s discuss
exercise selection and exercise hierarchy.
Note: This program emphasizes an upper
lower split for serious mass and strength
gains, which requires heavier loads. So, you’ll
need access to a gym or plenty of free weights
to properly run this program.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
BEST EXERCISES
FOR AN UPPER
LOWER SPLIT
www.setforset.com
Although you can choose any exercises you
like, we highly recommend that you build your
upper lower split around several big compound
lifts.
Compound exercises will give you the biggest
bang for your buck. You can target multiple
muscle groups at the same time and use
heavier weights, which provides all kinds of
benefits such as building better overall
strength, muscle, and athleticism.
So, our upper lower splits will be based around
six fundamental body movements…
1. Horizontal Push (Bench Press)
2. Horizontal Pull (Barbell Row)
3. Vertical Push (Overhead Press)
4. Vertical Pull (Chin Up/Pull Up)
5. Quad Dominant Movements (Squats &
Lunges)
6. Hip Dominant Movements (Deadlifts &
Hip Thrusts)
www.setforset.com
The Big Six will allow you to target all the
muscle groups in your body through all the
most fundamental movement patterns.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
THE BIG SIX MOVEMENTS:
So, with The Big Six, you will choose the most
effective and efficient exercises for each and
base your workouts around them.
The following pages cover the most important
compound exercises categorized by The Big
Six.
HORIZONTAL PUSH
VERTICAL PUSH
HORIZONTAL PULL
VERTICAL PULL
QUAD DOMINANT
HIP DOMINANT
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Note: Rotation & Core based exercises will be
included as well.
www.setforset.com
Horizontal pushing exercises involve pressing
a weight straight out in front of you or to an
angle in that direction.
In ranking order we have:
1. Bench Press*
2. Incline Bench Press
3. Decline Bench Press
4. Flat/Incline/Decline Flyes
Every good upper lower plan will involve the
bench press. Beginners can opt for dumbbell
bench press or even push ups (which is the
bodyweight version of a bench press).
Note: There are various grips that can be done
to change the dynamics of the exercise as
well. For example, a close grip bench press
will target your triceps more.
But, let’s not worry too much about this as the
big compound lifts in our program will do well
hitting all the primary movers effectively as is.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HORIZONTAL PUSH:
www.setforset.com
A vertical pushing exercise involves moving a
weight up vertically in relation to your torso.
So, pressing a weight overhead or in the
upward direction.
In ranking order we have:
1. Overhead Shoulder Press*
2. Chest Dips
3. Lateral Raises
4. Front Raises
Different grips and body poisonings apply, but
we won’t get into this too much.
If you stick with the standard lifts, they will be
effective for strength and hypertrophy goals as
a beginner or intermediate lifter.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
VERTICAL PUSH:
www.setforset.com
A horizontal pulling exercise involves pulling a
weight toward your body. So, you’ll be moving
a weight toward your torso horizontally.
Horizontal pulls are basically rows, and the
ranking order for strength & hypertrophy
training is as follows:
1. Bent Over Row*
2. T-Bar Row
3. Single Arm Row
4. Seated Cable Row
5. Reverse Flys
With rows, you have different grip options as
well. You may use underhand, overhand or
neutral grips depending on the equipment
being used.
It’s good to train with different grip positions
as it will affect the muscles that are being
emphasized.
www.setforset.com
As we lay out our upper lower workout plan,
we will be sure to have the right variety to hit
your back from all angles as to ensure best
possible development of all your muscles.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HORIZONTAL PULL:
A vertical pulling exercise involves moving a
weight down vertically in relation to your torso
(or pulling yourself up).
Essentially, it’s any exercise where you are
pulling down from overhead.
In ranking order we have:
1. Pull Ups/Chin Ups* (weighted if advanced)
2. Lat Pulldowns
3. Straight Arm Lat Pushdowns & Pullovers
Like with horizontal pulls, there are different
grip positioning as well as grip width which
can change the emphasis of the muscles
worked.
The most important are wider overhand pulls
and underhand close grip pulls.
We will accommodate our upper lower splits
for this.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
VERTICAL PULL:
www.setforset.com
Quad dominant exercises are exactly as they
sound - exercises that have the quads as the
primary mover. Your glutes will also be a
primary mover for most of these as well.
In ranking order:
1. Barbell Back Squats*
2. Front Squats
3. Split Squats
4. Lunges
5. Leg Press
6. Leg Extensions
Beginners can opt for exercises like dumbbell
or kettlebell goblet squats until they learn how
to do barbell back squats correctly.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
QUAD DOMINANT MOVEMENTS
www.setforset.com
Hip dominant exercises are based on hip
hinging exercises, such as deadlifts and hip
thrusts.
Hip dominant exercises can be vertical
(deadlifts) or horizontal (hip thrusts) as well.
In either case, the primary movers will be your
hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, and
posterior chain as a whole.
In ranking order:
1. Deadlifts* (and variations)
2. Hip Thrusts/Glute Ham Raises
3. Good Mornings
4. Hyperextensions
For reference, exercises like leg curls will fall
into this category since they are hamstring
focused even through they don’t act on the
hips.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
HIP DOMINANT MOVEMENTS
www.setforset.com
If you were to only do all the exercises that we
bolded* in the Big Six sections, it would be
enough.
This is especially true for beginners and even
most intermediate lifters.
However, to ensure each muscle group is
getting enough attention, our upper lower
workout programs include assistance and
accessory exercises after your main lifts…
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
FYI:
www.setforset.com
You will begin your workouts with your main
lifts. Your main lifts are big-bang-for-yourbuck compound exercises that require your
energy to be high, so they should be done
first.
Your main lifts will be:
•
•
•
•
Bench Press
Bent Over Row (Underhand/Overhand)
Overhead Press
Pull Ups/Chin Ups (do both, switch
between)
• Back Squats
• Deadlifts
Note: If certain exercises won’t work for you
due to some limitation, this can be altered, but
choose a similar big compound exercise.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
MAIN LIFTS
www.setforset.com
Technically, an assistance lift is an exercise
that helps you to improve strength in a
targeted way for a main lift (i.e. the leg press is
an assistance lift to help you back squat
more).
Accessory exercises ensure each muscle gets
the attention (volume) it needs to grow and get
stronger (i.e. bicep curls to build bigger arms
and improve elbow flexion strength).
Assistance Lift = Smaller Compound Lift
Accessory Lift = Isolation Exercise
However, if you are training with the purpose
of simply getting into good shape, then you
can consider assistance and accessory
exercises the same thing, as it’s really just
semantics. The purpose of both is to fill the
gaps from your main lifts.
www.setforset.com
It’s important to note that accessory/
assistance exercises are more flexible than
your main lifts. You can switch them up
frequently if you wanted, whereas your main
lifts must stay consistent so you can progress
in strength, and thus size.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
ACCESSORY & ASSISTANCE
LIFTS
Some of the best accessory/assistance
exercises are the non-bolded exercises from
the Big Six section, which we’ve included in
your program.
While there are so many worthy exercises, we
picked the ones that provide the most well
rounded workout plan for an upper lower split.
You can change them up as you see fit. Such
as, if you want to put more attention on a
lagging muscle group or movement pattern.
On the following page, we have a big list of the
best accessory/assistance lifts.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
For simplicity, we kept the same accessory/
assistance exercises throughout the plan.
Ideally, you want to stick with them until you
see diminishing returns, then switch it up.
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Upper:
Lower:
Incline Bench (BB or DB)
Front Squat
Chest Fly
Split Squat
Dips
Bulgarian Split Squat
Close Grip Bench Press
Lunge Variations
Reverse Grip Incline Bench
Leg Press
Arnold Press
Hack Squat
Lateral/Front Raises
Reverse Hack Squat
T-Bar Row
Stiff Leg Deadlift & RDL
Rack Pull
Good Mornings
Seated Row
BB Hip Thrust
Upright Row
Single Leg Deadlift
Reverse Fly
Leg Extension
Lat Pulldown Variations
Leg Curl
Biceps Curls
Hyperextensions
Triceps Extensions
Hip Abduction/Adduction
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Best Accessory/Assistance Lifts
Your main lifts will be done first as they require
the most energy. Essentially, you do your
biggest compound exercises first, then
isolation (or more isolated) exercises after at
the end.
The hierarchy of your workouts should always
be:
1.Main Lift(s)
2.Assistance Lifts (Small Compound)
3.Accessory Lifts (Isolation Exercises)
Here’s an example of how it will look for a
lower body day:
1.Squat
2.Deadlift
3.Split Squat
4.Hip Thrust
5.Leg Curl/Extension
6.Core Exercise
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
EXERCISE HEIRARCHY
www.setforset.com
Since your core will be worked with many big
compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench
press, overhead press, and renegade rows,
you will not need much additional accessory
work.
We programmed core exercises on lower body
days as upper body days are already busy.
We chose core movements specifically based
on strength patterns that are missing from our
big lifts, such as rotational core exercises,
anti-lateral core exercises, and spinal/hip
flexion.
The best core exercises:
• Hanging Leg Raises (or Lying Leg Raises
for beginners)
• Planks & Side Planks (or Single Arm
Farmer's Walks)
• Rotation & Anti-Rotation Core
Exercises like Woodchoppers, Pallof
Presses, and Resistance Band/Cable Ab
Twists).
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
CORE
www.setforset.com
Now, the final things to discuss before we get
into the workout plan are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rep Ranges & Loads
Rest Time Between Sets
Total Weekly Volume
Progressive Overload
Diet & Recovery
Cardio
Note: After we run through the program, we
will also go over deload weeks.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
PROGRAM
VARIABLES
www.setforset.com
For reference, rep ranges mean nothing
without consideration for the weight load.
Essentially, when discussing reps, you are
saying to use a weight load that is challenging
in that range (to near failure).
This program works across the whole
spectrum of reps, and thus, weight loads.
This means low reps with heavier weight,
medium reps with moderate weight, and high
reps with moderate-to-light weight.
Even professional lifters use an entire range as
there is an obvious relationship between
hypertrophy (muscle growth) and strength or
power development.
A bigger muscle allows for a stronger muscle
and a stronger muscle allows for a bigger
muscle. Moreover, pure size and strength can
be achieved through all rep ranges.
www.setforset.com
Basically, you want to be well-rounded and
give your muscles the best potential for
strength and hypertrophy, so you should play
around in all rep ranges (which we do in these
upper lower splits).
The following page has a guideline to follow…
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
REP RANGES & LOADS
•
•
•
•
Power: 1-3 reps w/ 70-95% 1RM
Strength: 4-6 reps w/ 80-90% 1RM
Hypertrophy: 8-15+ reps w/ 75-65% 1RM
Endurance: 15+ reps w/ 50-60+% 1RM
Note: Endurance will still be gained in the
hypertrophy range, as will hypertrophy in the
strength range and vice versa.
Certain muscle groups do better in specific
ranges for hypertrophy simply because of the
muscle fibers slow and fast twitch ratio.
Your pecs, quads, and hamstrings (fast twitch
dominant muscles) do best with heavier
weight and low-to-moderate reps.
Your deltoids, biceps, triceps, traps, and
calves (slow twitch dominant) do well with a
range of reps/loads, but require moderate
loads/higher reps to reach full exhaustion and
overload.
www.setforset.com
Then you have the lats and glutes (50/50 slow
and fast twitch) which are right down the
middle.
This program takes all this into consideration.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Guideline for repetitions based on specific
goals:
For certain main lifts, the rep range for “heavy”
will be different.
Among your main lifts, some lifts will do best
in the 3-5 or 3-8 range, while others better in
the 6-10 rep range, still with heavy weight
relative to the movement.
For example, deadlifts and squats can be
effective in the 1-8 rep range, but bent over
rows will be better in the 6-12 rep range.
Generally speaking, squats and deadlifts will
be your heaviest lift, followed by bench press,
and then bent over rows, overhead press
(OHP) and pull ups (you can and should do
weighted pull ups when able).
Point being, back squat and deadlift rep
ranges will be slightly lower than bench press,
which will be slightly lower than bent over
rows, OHP, and pull ups.
www.setforset.com
That said, we will also target the upper body
with higher rep ranges as well using
assistance lifts. For example, flat barbell
bench press will be 6-10 reps, but db bench
press will be 10-15 reps. This will allow you to
work the various rep ranges discussed.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lifts —> Rep Ranges:
For most people, simply sticking to the
strength and hypertrophy range is enough to
get all the results you could want.
That’s exactly what we did with this program.
Typically speaking, a good rule of thumb is to
have:
• 2-3 Exercises: 4-6 rep range
• 1-3 Exercises: 8 rep range
• 1-4 exercises: 12+ rep range
With that, each workout will have focus on
both strength and hypertrophy.
Remember, training for both strength and
hypertrophy is smart because having more
strength means better potential for building
muscle, and vice versa.
You can alter this a bit based on your goals,
but just be sure to have at least 1 exercise in
each rep range for each muscle group.
Power sets (1-3 reps) are completely optional.
www.setforset.com
On the following page we will show you how
this looks for the upper lower programs.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
# of Exercises —> Rep Range
• 1-2 Horizontal Push Exercises (Chest &
Triceps)
• 1-2 Horizontal Pull Exercises (Back &
Biceps)
• 1-2 Vertical Push Exercise (Shoulders &
Triceps)
• 1-2 Vertical Pull Exercises (Back/Lats &
Biceps)
Lower Body Workout Days:
• 1-3 Quad Dominant Exercises (Quads &
Glutes)
• 1-3 Hip Dominant Exercise (Hamstrings &
Glutes)
• 1 Calves (Calves)
• 1 Core (Abs, Obliques, Low Back, etc)
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout Days:
www.setforset.com
The rest time you take between sets will
depend on the rep range/intensity. You will
need more rest time with lower rep ranges
because they involve heavier loads.
• 4-5 Rep Range: Use 4-5 sets with 2:00 of
rest
• 6 Rep Range: Use 4 sets with 2:00 of rest
• 8 Rep Range: Use 3 sets with 1:30-2:00 of
rest
• 12+: Use 2-3 sets with :30-1:00 of rest
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
REST TIME BETWEEN SETS
www.setforset.com
Volume = sets x reps x load
If you want to build muscle, then having an
upward trend of total volume for each muscle
group is vital.
The easiest way to increase the total volume of
your workouts (and thus progress) is to first
reach the top of the given rep range, then add
weight.
So, if we list an exercise at 3 sets x 10-15 rep,
when you are able to do all 3 sets for 15 reps,
add weight the next week. Ideally, you want to
add an amount that puts your back around 10
reps, then again start working up to the top of
the given range.
As for sets, you can add sets if you want as a
way to increase volume, but this means your
workouts will take longer and longer, so use this
tactic smartly or simply just focus on maximizing
the rep range and increasing load.
www.setforset.com
Note: If you are a beginner to intermediate lifter,
by focusing on increasing volume, you will also
build strength. This program is for building both
strength and hypertrophy. If you want something
strength specific, then adjustments will need to
be made, which an advanced lifter will know
exactly how to do.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
TOTAL WEEKLY VOLUME
Progressive overload is simply the process of
increasing the difficulty of your workouts over
time so that you are continually overloading
your muscles with adequate stress to force
them to adapt (or in other words, get bigger
and stronger).
If your workouts are getting easier, you are not
doing progressive overload correctly.
Progression won’t be perfectly linear at all
times, especially as you become more
advanced (gains are harder to make!).
However, in the long run, you will make big
improvements to size and strength.
The best way to employ progressive overload
with this upper lower workout program is to
add weight.
You don’t have to add weight each week, but
you should constantly be working on it.
www.setforset.com
For most, you will make incredible strength
and muscle gains by simply increasing the
weight load once you are hitting the top of
your rep range for all the sets for any given
exercise.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
This program does not have periodization as it is
meant to be a perfect mix of strength and
hypertrophy training, but it can be adjusted to
that if you know what you are doing.
We have an extensive program specifically for
strength training that does apply strengthspecific periodization tactics. You can check that
out here. If you are not very adept in
programming for strength training, you’ll need a
program like that for best results.
Also, for progression to continue it’s important to
take a deload week every once and a while to
allow your body to fully recover. You’ll know
when you really need one (more on this later).
After you come back from a deload week, you
can do things like swapping out exercises,
changing the order of your exercises, and
altering your rep schemes. This will allow you to
provide your muscles with new stimulus.
www.setforset.com
Note: If your efforts are mainly for fat loss, that
just comes down to eating a slight caloric deficit.
But it’s important to also attempt progressive
overload so that you minimize muscle loss during
your deficit.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
If you are a more advanced lifter and specifically
want to get stronger, then having some form of
periodization like DUP (daily undulating
periodization) is best.
We won’t go into too much details on diet, but
if your goal is to build muscle and strength,
then you will need to eat in a calorie surplus,
and if your goal is to lose fat, then you will
need to eat in a calorie deficit.
For beginners, you may also be able to “body
recomp” which is body recomposition. With
the right diet and training, studies show that
beginners can actually lose fat and build
muscle at the same time.
All in all, don’t expect to lose fat or gain
muscle without eating right and getting your
macros on point.
The same goes with sleeping. If you are
training hard 4-5 days a week, you will need
7-9 hours of sleep (aim for the higher end) to
ensure your muscles are efficiently recovering.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
DIET & RECOVERY
www.setforset.com
Cardio is optional.
If you are trying to lose fat, cardio is a great
way to help with that process as you’ll burn
more calories, which will help you stay at a
deficit…not to mention, eat a little more (more
protein!)
If you don’t care much about fat loss, cardio is
a way to improve your cardiovascular health
(very important aspect of health). Plus who
doesn’t want to stay lean?
30-40 minutes of long duration low intensity
cardio 1-3 times per week is ideal. Do it if you
can.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
What About Cardio?
www.setforset.com
2 Day Split
3 Day Split
4 Day Split
5 Day Split
6 Day Split
www.setforset.com
*Click to be taken to the program or scroll down*
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
UPPER
LOWER
WORKOUT
PROGRAMS
The 2 day option has you doing one upper body
workout and one lower body workout each
week.
Ideally, you will want to schedule them with a
couple days of rest between the two sessions.
For example...
Day 1: Upper
Day 2-3: Rest
Day 4: Lower
Day 5-7: Rest
Which actual days of the week those are is up to
you (i.e. it could be M, Thu or W, Sa).
All in all, the scheduling is really flexible with the
2 day split so you can line it up as your schedule
demands.
We just recommend at least one day of rest
between the upper and lower body workouts so
you can really bring the intensity.
Workouts:
www.setforset.com
As you are only doing 2 workouts per week, for
variety purposes, you will have a workout A and
workout B for both upper and lower body days.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
2 DAY UPPER LOWER
SPLIT PROGRAM
With that, we need to look on a biweekly
timescale. So, the workout plan below is biweekly, which will start back at week 1 every
two weeks.
Just to be clear:
Week 1 = A workouts
Week 2 = B workouts
Week 3 = A workouts
Week 4 = B workouts
And so on...So, you have a workout A & B that
you do biweekly.
On the next pages you will find your workout
charts to follow for your 2 day workout split.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
This will allow you to alternate the order of the
main lifts and have more variety in your
movement practice.
www.setforset.com
Barbell Bench
Press
4 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row
4 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell
Shoulder Press
4 sets
10-15 reps
Wide Grip Lat
Pulldown
4 sets
8-12 reps
Dips (weighted if
needed)
2 sets
6-12 reps
Lateral Raise
2 sets
15-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Back Squats
4 sets
6-10 reps
Deadlift
4 sets
3-5 reps
Lunges
3 sets
8-12 reps
Barbell Hip
Thrusts
3 sets
8-12 reps
Standing Calf
Raise
2 sets
10-20 reps
Leg Raises
2 sets
8-12 reps
Side Plank
2 sets
30-60 sec hold
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Chin Ups
(weighted if
needed)
4 sets
6-12 reps
Standing
Overhead Press
4 sets
6-10 reps
T-Bar Row
4 sets
8-12 reps
DB Bench Press
4 sets
10-15 reps
Rear Delt Fly
2 sets
10-20 reps
Cable Chest Fly
2 sets
10-15 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout B:
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Deadlift
4 sets
5-8 reps
Back Squats
4 sets
8-12 reps
Good Mornings
3 sets
10-15 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Calf
Raises
2 sets
12-20 reps
Plank
2 sets
30-60 sec hold
Woodchoppers
2 sets
10 reps each
direction
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout B:
A 3 day upper lower split will require that you
start where you left off each week. So, week 1
will have two upper body days and one lower
body day, and week 2 will have two lower body
days and one upper body day, and it will
continue like this for the duration of the plan.
As for scheduling, it is recommended that you
have at least one rest day between workouts.
i.e.
Day 1: Upper
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Lower
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Upper
Day 6-7: Rest
Then on the following week you start the week
with Lower Body and continue on.
Workouts:
www.setforset.com
You will have a workout A and a workout B for
both upper and lower body workout days. This
will ensure that you can alternate which main
lift comes first to keep your training balanced.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
3 DAY UPPER LOWER
SPLIT PROGRAM
Week 1:
Week 2:
• Upper Body A
• Lower Body B
• Lower Body A
• Upper Body A
• Upper Body B
• Lower Body A
Week 3:
Week 4:
• Upper Body B
• Lower Body A
• Lower Body B
• Upper Body B
• Upper Body A
• Lower Body B
Then on week 5 you are full circle back to
week 1. As such, you should keep with this
plan in 4 week increments.
So, do this upper lower split for 4, 8, 12, or 16
weeks to keep things balanced (although it’s
not a huge deal either way and a deload week
can be added in on any week needed).
On the next pages you will find your workout
charts to follow for your 3 day workout split.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Here’s how this looks...
www.setforset.com
Pull Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Standing
Overhead Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row (underhand
grip)
3 sets
8-12 reps
DB Bench Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Cable Chest Fly
3 sets
10-15 reps
Rear Delt Fly
2 sets
15-20 reps
Lateral Raise
2 sets
15-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Back Squats
4 sets
6-10 reps
Deadlift
3 sets
4-6 reps
Lunges
3 sets
8-12 reps
Barbell Hip
Thrusts
3 sets
8-12 reps
Standing Calf
Raise
2 sets
10-20 reps
Single Leg
Deadlift
2 sets
8-12 reps
Hanging Leg
Raises
2 sets
6-12 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout A:
Barbell Bench
Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row (overhand
grip)
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell
Shoulder Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Chin Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Dips (weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Triceps Kickback
2 sets
15-20 reps
Biceps Curl
2 sets
15-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout B:
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Deadlift
4 sets
5-8 reps
Back Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Romanian
Deadlift
3 sets
8-12 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Calf
Raises
2 sets
10-20 reps
Plank
2 sets
30-60 sec hold
2 sets
10 reps each
direction
Cable Oblique
Twist
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout B:
For a 4 day upper lower split, you can
organize it however you see fit for your
schedule, but upper body days should always
be followed by a lower body day (i.e. don’t do
two upper body days in a row and then two
lower body days).
Most people do a schedule as such:
Day 1: Upper Workout #1
Day 2: Lower Workout #1
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Upper Workout #2
Day 5: Lower Workout #2
Day 6-7: Rest
This is perfect for recovery. Which actual days
of the week those are is up to you (i.e. it could
be M, Tu, Th, F or W, Th, Sa, Su).
Either way, spacing your workout sessions like
this is ideal.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
4 DAY UPPER LOWER
SPLIT PROGRAM
www.setforset.com
Barbell Bench
Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell
Shoulder Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Close Grip Lat
Pulldown
3 sets
10-15 reps
Cable Chest Fly 2 sets (1 set each
(High & Low)
angle)
10-15 reps
www.setforset.com
Cable Lateral
Raise
2 sets
8-12 reps
DB Pullovers
2 sets
8-12 reps
Biceps Curl x
Tricep Extension
(Superset Choose Any
Variation - alt.
weekly)
2 sets
10-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Back Squats
4 sets
5-8 reps
Romanian
Deadlift
3 sets
8-12 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Barbell Hip
Thrusts
3 sets
8-12 reps
Standing Calf
Raise
3 sets
10-20 reps
Hanging Leg
Raises
3 sets
6-12 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Pull Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
5-12 reps
Standing
Overhead Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
T-Bar Row or
Kroc Row
3 sets
8-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell
Bench Press
3 sets
8-12 reps
Reverse Fly
3 sets
10-15 reps
Dips (weighted if
needed)
2 sets
6-12 reps
Renegade Rows
2 sets
10-15 reps each
side
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout B:
www.setforset.com
Deadlift
4 sets
4-8 reps
Leg Press
3 sets
15-20 reps
Glute Ham Raise
3 sets
8-12 reps
Lunges
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Calf
Raises
3 sets
12-20 reps
Single Arm
Farmer’s Carry
2 sets/each side
~30-50 yards
Cable Ab Twist
2 sets
10-12 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout B:
The 5 day option will be similar to the 3 day in that
you will have to start where you left off each week.
Schedule:
Day 1: Upper
Day 2: Lower
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Upper
Day 5: Lower
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Upper
With a scheduling like the above, for each week
the actual days (i.e. Monday-Sunday) of rest will
differ.
…or you could do a schedule like this..
Day 1: Upper
Day 2: Lower
Day 3: Upper
Day 4: Lower
Day 5: Upper
Day 6-7: Rest
www.setforset.com
Then start on Day 1 where you left off, always
leaving 2 days of rest together. This will keep your
weekly days of working out the same. In any case,
do what works for you.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
5 DAY UPPER LOWER
SPLIT PROGRAM
As for workouts, you will have a Workout A
and Workout B, just like the 3 day workout
split.
Note: You could just have one upper and one
lower workout that you alternate between, but
we prefer a workout A and workout B to keep
your main lifts balanced. So, with a workout A
and workout B, it’ll look like this.
Week 1:
•
•
•
•
•
Upper Body A
Lower Body A
Upper Body B
Lower Body B
Upper Body A
Week 3:
www.setforset.com
•
•
•
•
•
Upper Body B
Lower Body B
Upper Body A
Lower Body A
Upper Body B
Week 2:
•
•
•
•
•
Lower Body A
Upper Body B
Lower Body B
Upper Body A
Lower Body A
Week 4:
•
•
•
•
•
Lower Body B
Upper Body A
Lower Body A
Upper Body B
Lower Body B
Then you are back full circle on Week 5.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Workouts:
www.setforset.com
Barbell Bench
Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row
3 sets
6-10 reps
Seated Dumbbell
Shoulder Press
3 sets
8-12 reps
Close Grip Lat
Pulldown
3 sets
8-12 reps
Cable Chest Fly
(High & Low)
2 sets
10-15 reps
Lateral Raise
2 sets
15-20 reps
Barbell Biceps
Curl
2 sets
10-15 reps
Triceps
Pressdown
2 sets
10-15 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Back Squats
4 sets
5-8 reps
Barbell Hip
Thrusts
3 sets
6-10 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
10-15 reps
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
3 sets
10-15 reps
Standing Calf
Raise
3 sets
12-20 reps
Hanging Leg
Raises
3 sets
6-12 reps
Landmine or
Russian Ab Twist
1 set
15 reps each
direction
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
Pull Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-10 reps
Standing
Overhead Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
T-Bar Row
3 sets
8-15 reps
Incline Dumbbell
Bench Press (low
incline)
3 sets
8-12 reps
Dips (weighted if
needed)
2 sets
6-12 reps
Upright Rows
2 sets
10-15 reps
Face Pulls
2 sets
8-12 reps
Hammer Curls
2 sets
10-15 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout B:
www.setforset.com
Deadlift
5 sets
1-5 reps
Leg Press
3 sets
15-20 reps
Glute Ham Raise
3 sets
8-12 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Calf
Raises
3 sets
12-20 reps
Single Arm
Farmer’s Carry
2 sets/each side
30-60 yards
Side Bends
2 sets
10 reps each side
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout B:
We really don’t recommend a 6 day upper
lower split unless you are advanced.
If you do decide to do a 6 day upper lower
split, it will be structured similar to your 3 day
split, with an upper and lower body A workout
and an upper and lower body B workout.
But with 6 days, you are doing both A and B
workouts each week.
e.g.
Day 1: Upper A
Day 2: Lower A
Day 3: Upper B
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Lower B
Day 6: Upper A
Day 7: Lower A
On the next pages you will find your workout
charts to follow for your 3 day workout split.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
6 DAY UPPER LOWER
SPLIT PROGRAM
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Barbell Bench
Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Barbell Bent Over
Row (overhand
grip)
3 sets
8-12 reps
Seated Dumbbell
Shoulder Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Chin Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Dips (weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Triceps Kickback
3 sets
15-20 reps
Biceps Curl
3 sets
15-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout A:
Back Squats
4 sets
6-10 reps
Lunges
3 sets
8-12 reps
Barbell Hip
Thrusts
3 sets
8-12 reps
Standing Calf
Raise
3 sets
10-20 reps
Single Leg
Deadlift
3 sets
8-12 reps
Hanging Leg
Raises
3 sets
6-12 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout A:
www.setforset.com
www.setforset.com
Pull Ups
(weighted if
needed)
3 sets
6-12 reps
Standing
Overhead Press
3 sets
6-10 reps
Yates Row or TBar Row
3 sets
8-12 reps
DB Bench Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Cable Chest Fly x
Reverse Fly
(superset)
2 sets
10-15 reps
Lateral Raise
2 sets
20 reps
Tricep x Biceps
(superset- any
variation)
2 sets
15-20 reps
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Upper Body Workout B:
Deadlift
4 sets
5-8 reps
Romanian
Deadlift
3 sets
8-12 reps
Split Squats
3 sets
8-12 reps
Leg Press
3 sets
10-15 reps
Seated Calf
Raises
3 sets
10-20 reps
Cable Ab Twist
3 sets
10 reps each
direction
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Lower Body Workout B:
www.setforset.com
Day 1: Upper A
Day 2: Lower A
Day 3: Upper B
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Lower B
Day 6: Upper C
Day 7: Lower C
This will give you even more variety. Both
options will work fine.
There’s a lot of flexibility with this kind of
routine in terms of exercises, order, volume,
intensity, and so on.
You could have A workouts for Power, B
workouts for Hypertrophy and C workouts for
Strength (or in whatever order).
In any case, all of the same principles of the
upper lower split that we have discussed in
this program.
www.setforset.com
If you are advanced enough to do this, you
don’t need us to chart the workouts for you,
so we will leave it here. Better you do your
own more personalized.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
For the 6 day split, you could also do an A, B,
C workout, e.g.:
The following notes apply to all of the programs
above.
• The number of sets is based on your working
weight sets, not warm up sets. The main lifts
will require some warm up sets before you get
into your working weight. Use low reps for
warm up sets and work up to your working
weight.
• For exercises that are unilateral or one
direction, do the rep count on each side (i.e.
lunges for 3 sets x 12-20 reps each side).
• Take a deload week every 6-12 weeks (see
deload info further below).
• Feel free to switch up accessory exercises as
you see fit, especially if they are showing
diminishing returns.
• For progression, the best option is to increase
weight load (see the progression info further
below).
• Supersets can be done to speed up your
workouts (this may make sense for at least
some exercises on upper body days).
www.setforset.com
• For rest times, see the rest time section further
above. Rest time will vary based on the rep
range/load.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
WORKOUT NOTES:
A deload week is a week where you take a
break from hard training.
On a deload week, you perform the same
routine with lower intensity. So, rather than
doing an exercise at 80% your 1RM, you do it
at 50%, with the same reps. You can also do
less total volume by cutting down your sets
and/or reps (for example, do 2 sets rather than
3 sets).
A deload week can also just be a complete
week off (which is actually a rest week).
When to do a deload week?
This is going to depend on how you feel.
If after 8 weeks you notice you are exhausted
and your workouts are suffering, it’s time for a
deload week or a rest week. But generally
speaking, you should time your deload weeks
to avoid this (and thus avoid overtraining).
For beginners, schedule a deload week every
8-12 weeks (it’s going to depend on you, your
lifestyle and how well you are recovering).
www.setforset.com
For more advanced lifters, you will have a
deload week more frequently, usually around
every 4-8 weeks.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
DELOAD WEEK
For example, if you do a deload week at week
8, then at week 16, maybe do a complete
week of active recovery, where you don’t do
your upper lower workout split, but rather you
do some outdoor activities, yoga, or a sport
you like. After the active recovery week (or
complete rest week), get back to it.
Deloading is shown to be highly effective for
keeping progression on track as it ensure your
body is recovered and healthy and you can
alway train at your best. Moreover, it’s a nice
mental break, which is a big aspect of fitness.
Note: Deload weeks are really not necessary
for 2 and even 3 day upper lower splits.
Eventually you should aim to work up to the 4
day upper lower split, at which point you can
implement deload weeks.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
You can also take a complete rest week every
few months.
www.setforset.com
Absolutely. You can alter the exercises, rep
ranges & loads, and total workout volume.
You’ll have to use your best judgement on this.
1. Exercise Selection:
If you alter exercise selection, you should still
fill your training out based on the Big Six and
focus on big compound lifts if you can.
If your workouts are all isolation exercises, you
won’t see great results and your workouts will
likely take much longer.
2. Rep Range & Load:
You don’t have to lift heavy loads if you are
worried about injury.
Sometimes, the high risk isn’t worth the high
reward.
If you decide to use moderate to light loads,
stick to the higher rep ranges and always use a
full range of motion.
www.setforset.com
Light weight with a full range of motion can be
just as effective for building muscle.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
CAN I ALTER THE UPPER
LOWER TRAINING PLANS AT
ALL?
If doing 6-7 exercises is too much for you
each workout (or too little), you can adjust the
number of exercises OR you can do less or
more sets per exercise.
In the end, just aim for a minimum of 12 sets
per muscle group per week (remember,
muscles like your triceps are working during
presses and biceps during pulls).
There really is no max, but you don’t want to
overtrain, so listen to your body carefully. If
your progress is starting to stall and your are
feeling tired, then take a deload week and
maybe consider lowering your total weekly
volume and then slowly increasing it from
there.
IT’S GO TIME!
This is all you need to know about the highly
effective upper lower workout split. If you
don't follow our plan, at the very least use the
info above as baseline while critiquing your
plan to fit your needs. As long as you keep the
fundamental ideas of the upper lower workout
split, you will see fantastic results.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
3. Total Workout Volume:
www.setforset.com
Our team is #alwaysready to answer any of your
questions or concerns.
Click here to speak to a member of our Squad
HYPERTROPHY PROGRAM
VIEW
STRENGTH PROGRAM
www.setforset.com
VIEW
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
Have Questions?
SET FOR SET, LLC always recommends that you consult
with your physician or professional medical care provider
before beginning any diet, exercise program or
supplementation.
SET FOR SET is not a licensed medical care provider, doctor
or dietician and represents that it has no expertise in
diagnosing, examining, or treating medical conditions of any
kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise, diet
or supplementation on a medical condition. None of the
contents in this document should be considered medical
advice.
You should understand that when engaging in any exercise or
exercise program, supplementation regimen or diet, there is
the possibility of damages included but not limited to;
economic loss, physical injury, illness or even death. If you
engage in the contents of this program, you agree that you do
so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these
activities, assume all risk of previously mentioned potential
damages, injury to yourself or death, and agree to release
and discharge SET FOR SET, and any and all of its founders
and members from any and all claims or causes of action,
known or unknown, arising out of SET FOR SET, LLC.’s
negligence.
All that said, just be safe, train hard, and treat your body with
respect. All will be stellar.
www.setforset.com
All documents included or exchanged between SET FOR
SET and the Client are the intellectual property of SET FOR
SET FITNESS LLC and are not to be copied, sold, published,
posted, or redistributed either in part or in full without written
consent of SET FOR SET LLC. All violations will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law where applicable.
SET FOR SET Upper Lower Workout Program
DISCLAIMER: