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Workout plans for muscle growth

Four plans, from 2 to 6 days a week. Each with every exercise, set and rest period.

A hypertrophy workout plan gives every muscle enough hard sets per week, close to failure, and raises them week by week [1, 2]. Which of the four plans fits depends mainly on how many days you train.

The plans

Full body workout plan for 2 to 3 days a weekTwo alternating workouts, for starting out and for little time.2 Workouts in rotation · 2–3 Sessions per week · 55 Minutes per sessionUpper/Lower: a 4-day upper lower splitThe classic after your first year, with every exercise, set and rest period.4 Workouts in rotation · 4 Sessions per week · 55 Minutes per sessionPush, Pull, Legs: a workout plan for 5 to 6 daysPush pull legs for muscle growth, with every exercise, set and rest period.3 Workouts in rotation · 5–6 Sessions per week · 45–55 Minutes per sessionCompound Lifts: a strength training programFew exercises, heavy sets. For 2 to 3 days a week.2 Workouts in rotation · 2–3 Sessions per week · 30–40 Minutes per session

Which plan fits me?

With the same number of sets, it doesn’t matter for growth how often per week you train a muscle [3]. So the plan follows your days:

Days per weekPlanWorkouts in rotation
2–3Full Body2
4Upper and Lower Body4
5–6Push, Pull, Legs3
up to 3, goal strengthCompound Lifts2

What do all plans have in common?

  • Rep ranges by exercise: compound lifts 6–10, medium exercises 8–12, small exercises 12–20 reps. Muscles grow across a wide range of loads as long as the set gets close to failure [4, 5].
  • Sets by experience: 2, 3 or 4 per exercise, for about 8, 12 or 16 hard sets per muscle per week [1].
  • Rest by exercise: compound lifts 2:30 min, medium 2:00 min, small 1:30 min [6].
  • Progression: reps first, then weight. How it works is covered in Progressive overload.

Questions

What is the best workout plan for muscle growth?

The one you stick with for months. With the same number of sets, muscles grow equally with any split [3]; what counts is enough hard sets and progression [1].

How many days a week to build muscle?

Two are enough to start. More days add more sets, and more sets bring more growth, with diminishing returns [1].

Can I use the plans without Tarvo?

Yes. Every plan is here in full, to read and copy. Tarvo adds a target for every set that rises week by week.

Sources

  1. [1]Pelland, Remmert, Robinson, Hinson, Zourdos (2024). The Resistance Training Dose-Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gain. SportRxiv (Vorabfassung). sportrxiv.orgMeta-regression of 67 studies. More sets bring more growth with diminishing returns; secondary muscles fit best counted as half.
  2. [2]Robinson, Pelland, Remmert, Refalo, Jukic, Steele et al. (2024). Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy. Sports Med. doi 10.1007/s40279-024-02069-2Meta-regression. The closer to failure, the more growth; strength grew similarly across a wide range.
  3. [3]Schoenfeld, Grgic, Krieger (2019). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy?. J Sports Sci. doi 10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906Meta-analysis of 25 studies. With the same number of sets, muscles grew equally regardless of weekly frequency.
  4. [4]Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn, Krieger (2017). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training. J Strength Cond Res. doi 10.1519/jsc.0000000000002200Meta-analysis of 21 studies. Muscles grew equally with light and heavy loads; strength grew more with heavy loads.
  5. [5]Lopez et al. (2021). Resistance Training Load Effects on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gain: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. doi 10.1249/mss.0000000000002585Network meta-analysis of 28 studies. No difference in growth between light, moderate and heavy loads; heavy loads win for strength.
  6. [6]Singer, Wolf et al. (2024). Give it a rest: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy. Front Sports Act Living. doi 10.3389/fspor.2024.1429789Meta-analysis of 9 studies. A small edge above 60 seconds, no visible difference for growth above 90 seconds.

Keep going

LearnWorkout splitLearnHow many sets per muscle?ExercisesAll exercisesTarvoHow Tarvo progresses

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