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Upper/Lower: a 4-day upper lower split

The classic after your first year, with every exercise, set and rest period.

  • 4Workouts in rotation
  • 4Sessions per week
  • 55Minutes per session
  • 3Sets per exercise

Shown for muscle growth with some experience, in a gym. Tarvo adjusts the plan to your answers.

The upper lower split alternates upper and lower body, with two different workouts each: Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B. Training 4 days a week, you hit every muscle twice.

A week with four workouts

  1. MonUpper Body A
  2. TueLower Body A
  3. WedRest
  4. ThuUpper Body B
  5. FriLower Body B
  6. SatRest
  7. SunRest

The four workouts

Upper Body A

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. Bench PressBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  2. Seated RowCable3 × 8–122:00
  3. Chest FlyMachine3 × 12–201:30
  4. Lat PulldownCable3 × 8–122:00
  5. Lateral RaiseDumbbells3 × 12–201:30
  6. Triceps PushdownCable3 × 12–201:30

Lower Body A

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. SquatBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  2. Romanian DeadliftBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  3. Leg PressMachine3 × 8–122:00
  4. Seated Leg CurlMachine3 × 12–201:30
  5. Calf RaiseMachine3 × 12–201:30
  6. CrunchCable3 × 12–201:30

Upper Body B

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. Incline Bench PressDumbbells3 × 8–122:00
  2. Pull UpBodyweight3 × 6–102:30
  3. Chest FlyCable3 × 12–201:30
  4. Chest Supported RowDumbbells3 × 8–122:00
  5. Lateral RaiseMachine3 × 12–201:30
  6. Bicep CurlDumbbells3 × 12–201:30

Lower Body B

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. Hack SquatMachine3 × 8–122:00
  2. Hip ThrustBarbell3 × 8–122:00
  3. Lying Leg CurlMachine3 × 12–201:30
  4. Leg ExtensionMachine3 × 12–201:30
  5. Seated Calf RaiseMachine3 × 12–201:30
  6. Hanging Leg RaiseBodyweight3 × 12–201:30

Who is the upper lower split for?

For anyone training 4 days a week. In Tarvo, the plan is called “The classic after your first year”: once you know the compound lifts, you spread your sets over four shorter workouts instead of three long ones.

With 2 to 3 days, Full body fits; with 5 to 6, Push, Pull, Legs.

Why is the plan built this way?

  • Twice a week per muscle. With the same number of sets, frequency doesn’t matter for growth [1]; two sessions per muscle spread the sets so none gets out of hand [2].
  • 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 [3, 4].
  • Rest by exercise: compound lifts 2:30 min, medium 2:00 min, small 1:30 min. Above 90 seconds, rest makes no visible difference for growth [5].

Can I change the plan?

Yes. In Tarvo it’s a regular plan: swap exercises and change sets and rep ranges. Sets per exercise follow your experience: 2 if you’re new, 3 with some experience, 4 if you’re experienced.

Beginners get lat pulldowns instead of pull-ups. If you train at home with dumbbells or only a barbell, Tarvo picks exercises that work with your equipment.

Questions

How many days a week for upper lower?

Four: twice upper body, twice lower body. That way every muscle gets trained twice a week.

Why two different upper body workouts?

It adds more different exercises to your week: on day A, bench press and lat pulldown, for example; on day B, incline dumbbell press and pull-ups.

How long does a workout take?

About 55 minutes with 6 exercises and 3 sets each. That’s how Tarvo estimates duration from the number of sets.

Upper lower or push pull legs?

Go by your days: 4 days upper/lower, 5 to 6 days push, pull, legs. With the same number of sets, muscles grow equally with both [1].

Sources

  1. [1]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.
  2. [2]Helms, Fitschen, Aragon, Cronin, Schoenfeld (2015). Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govReview for natural bodybuilding. Most reps between 6 and 12, each muscle at least twice a week.
  3. [3]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.
  4. [4]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.
  5. [5]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.

Other plans

PlanPush, Pull, LegsExercisePull-upLearnWorkout splitLearnRest between sets

Upper/Lower is built into Tarvo.

As a starter plan, with a target for every set that rises week by week.

One email when Tarvo launches. Nothing else. Privacy

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