Workout splits at a glance
| Days a week | Best split | Glute sessions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Full body × 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Full body × 3, glute-focused | 3 |
| 4 | Upper / lower × 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Lower / upper / glutes / upper / lower | 3 |
| 6 | Lower / upper / glutes, twice | 4 |
The rule behind every option: train each muscle at least twice a week. Twice a week grew muscle more than once a week, for the same total work (Schoenfeld et al., 2016).
2-day workout split
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full body: hip thrust, goblet squat, row, shoulder press, abduction |
| Thursday | Full body: Romanian deadlift, split squat, lat pulldown, push-ups, core |
Best for beginners or busy weeks. Leave at least two days between sessions.
3-day workout split
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full body, heavy glutes: hip thrust, Romanian deadlift, row, press |
| Wednesday | Full body, single leg: split squat, step-up, pulldown, push-ups |
| Friday | Full body, glute pump: glute bridge, kickbacks, abduction, arms, core |
The most popular choice for glute growth: three glute sessions with the upper body covered.
4-day workout split
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower: hip thrust, Romanian deadlift, split squat, abduction |
| Tuesday | Upper: rows, presses, pulldowns, arms |
| Thursday | Lower: squat, single-leg Romanian deadlift, kickbacks, back extension |
| Friday | Upper and core |
A balanced split with two strong lower-body days.
5-day workout split
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower: hip thrust, Romanian deadlift, split squat |
| Tuesday | Upper |
| Wednesday | Glutes: bridges, kickbacks, abduction, side planks |
| Friday | Upper and core |
| Saturday | Lower: squat, step-ups, back extension, abduction |
Three glute-focused days, for people who enjoy training most days.
6-day workout split
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower |
| Tuesday | Upper |
| Wednesday | Glutes |
| Thursday | Lower |
| Friday | Upper |
| Saturday | Glutes, lighter |
Only for experienced lifters who recover well. Keep one glute day lighter, and take a full rest day each week.
How to choose your split
- Be honest about your week. A 3-day plan you stick to beats a 5-day plan you keep missing.
- Beginners: start with 2 or 3 days.
- Want faster glute progress: pick the split with 3 glute sessions, as long as you can recover.
- Rest: never train the same muscles hard two days in a row.