Rep ranges and workout splits for 2 to 5 days a week

Which rep range is best for muscle and for strength?

A meta-analysis of studies where every set went to momentary muscular failure found similar muscle growth with low and high loads. Maximal strength still came out ahead with heavy loads (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). A later review proposed that muscular adaptations can be obtained "across a wide spectrum of loading zones" (Schoenfeld et al., 2021).

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8–12 repetition maximum loads for novices, and for hypertrophy, loads of 1–12 RM with an emphasis on 6–12 RM (ACSM, 2009).

How many sets per muscle per week?

More sets tend to bring more growth. A meta-analysis found a graded dose-response: each extra weekly set was associated with a slightly larger gain in muscle (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). Grouped as fewer than 5, 5–9 and 10 or more sets per muscle per week, the data showed a trend toward the higher groups, but not a firm threshold. A practical approach is to start at a weekly number you can recover from and add sets when progress slows.

How often should you train each muscle?

Two meta-analyses from the same group are worth reading together. A 2016 analysis found that training a muscle twice a week beat once a week, on equal volume (Schoenfeld et al., 2016). A larger 2019 analysis found no significant difference between higher and lower frequencies when weekly volume was equated. It concluded that, for a given volume, "individuals can choose a weekly frequency per muscle groups based on personal preference" (Schoenfeld et al., 2019). When volume was not equated, higher frequencies did modestly better. That suggests the benefit of training a muscle more often comes mostly from the extra weekly sets it makes room for.

Which split fits 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week?

A split decides which muscles share a day. Run in order, the number of times each muscle comes round per week is the days you train divided by the days in the split:

With frequency mattering little at equal volume, the deciding factors are your week and your recovery. Fewer days call for more muscles per session, and more days allow shorter sessions. The ACSM's frequency recommendation is 2–3 days a week for novices, 3–4 for intermediate lifters and 4–5 for advanced lifters.

Push, pull, legs or upper and lower?

Both are ways to spread the same weekly sets. On 4 days, an upper and lower split trains each muscle twice a week. Push, pull and legs on 3 days trains each muscle once, with longer sessions, and on 5 or 6 days it comes round more often. Pick the one whose session length and order you will keep doing.

How ArchiFit picks a split and rep range

• Up to 4 days a week: a 2-day split, so at 4 days each body part comes round about twice a week. 5 days or more: a 3-day split.
• Splits to choose from: 2-day upper and lower, 2-day push and pull, 3-day chest and triceps / back and biceps / legs and shoulders, 3-day push, pull and legs, or your own split of 2 to 6 days.
• Rep range: 6–8 reps is recommended for every direction, and 12–15 reps can be picked instead.
• Weekly sets for chest, back and legs: 12 to build muscle, 10 to lose body fat, 4 to keep the current body. Smaller body parts get half. These are ArchiFit's defaults, not thresholds from research.
• The plan goes in order, not by weekday, so a missed day shifts the plan instead of skipping a body part.

See how the plan is picked, how long to rest between sets, or how to choose bulk, maintain or cut from an InBody result.

General fitness information, not medical advice.