Which Workout Split Is Actually Best? (Science-Based)

Push/Pull/Legs (PPL)00:00:00

The Push/Pull/Legs split is effective but heavily upper body-focused and can be too intense for beginners at 6 days a week. It's placed in A-tier.

Bro Split00:00:10

The Bro Split is less efficient because muscles don't need seven days to recover, and it's too upper body-focused. It's ranked as C-tier.

Full Body Splits00:00:19

Full body workouts two to three times a week are excellent for busy lifters. For advanced lifters, a high-frequency full-body approach is great if volume per session is managed. This split is placed in S-tier.

6-Day Upper/Lower Split00:00:30

This split is ideal for advanced lifters requiring high volume, but three leg days can be brutal and overwhelming for beginners. It's rated as high B-tier.

4-Day Upper/Lower Split00:00:39

The speaker currently uses a 4-day upper/lower split, with an added arm and shoulder day, and highly recommends it, placing it in S-tier.

ULPPPPL Split00:00:45

The ULPPPPL split, used by the speaker for a 365-day experiment, resulted in significant gains, earning it an S-tier plus ranking.

Conclusion00:00:54

Ultimately, any split will be effective as long as you adhere to it consistently. The best split is the one you can stick with.