5-Day Workout Split
The bodybuilder's split — one muscle group per day, high volume, and the most popular structure for physique athletes.
What is a 5-Day split?
A 5-day workout split typically dedicates one day to each major muscle group (chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs) — the classic bodybuilder 'bro split.' It allows the highest per-session volume for each muscle and is the most popular split among physique athletes who want maximum stimulus per muscle group.
Overview
Modern variants include 5-day PPL-core (push, pull, legs, upper, lower), PHAT, and custom 5-day bodybuilding splits. Frequency per muscle varies: classic bro split hits each muscle once per week; modern 5-day splits hit most muscles twice.
5-day splits require a steady schedule and strong recovery. They're ideal for committed intermediates and advanced lifters who have the time.
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Chest |
| Tuesday | Back |
| Wednesday | Shoulders |
| Thursday | Arms |
| Friday | Legs |
| Saturday | Rest |
| Sunday | Rest |
Sample Workouts
Chest Day
All three pec regions
- Bench press — 4×6–8
- Incline dumbbell press — 3×8–12
- Cable flye — 3×10–15
- Dips — 3×8–12
- Push-ups (drop set finisher) — 2×AMRAP
Back Day
Lats, mid-back, rear delts
- Deadlift — 3×5
- Pull-ups — 3×8
- Barbell row — 3×8
- Lat pulldown — 3×10–12
- Seated cable row — 3×10–12
- Face pulls — 4×12–15
Shoulders Day
Front, side, rear delts + traps
- Overhead press — 4×6–8
- Dumbbell lateral raise — 4×10–15
- Dumbbell rear-delt flye — 3×12–15
- Face pulls — 3×12
- Barbell shrug — 3×10–12
Arms Day
Biceps + triceps volume
- Close-grip bench press — 3×8–10
- Barbell curl — 3×8–10
- Skull crushers — 3×10–12
- Hammer curls — 3×10–12
- Tricep pushdowns — 3×12–15
- Preacher curls — 3×12–15
Legs Day
Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
- Squat — 4×6–8
- Romanian deadlift — 3×8–10
- Leg press — 3×10–15
- Bulgarian split squat — 3×8 per leg
- Leg curl — 3×10–12
- Standing calf raise — 4×10–12
Best For
- + Physique-focused intermediate/advanced lifters
- + Anyone who can commit 5 days per week
- + Lifters chasing specific lagging muscle groups
- + Pre-contest bodybuilders
Not For
- − Beginners (too much volume, not enough frequency per muscle)
- − Anyone with less than 5 days per week available
- − Strength-focused lifters (lower frequency limits strength carryover)
Pros
- + Maximum volume per muscle group per session
- + Built-in recovery focus (one muscle, full week to recover)
- + Popular — lots of proven bodybuilding programs
- + Good for chasing physique specifics (lagging muscles get full days)
Cons
- − Once-per-week frequency is suboptimal for muscle growth (research favors 2x)
- − Long sessions
- − Demands 5 reliable training days
- − Not the best structure for strength-first goals
Best 5-Day Programs
Proven free programs that follow this split structure:
Run a 5-Day split in Fitloop
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 5-day workout split?
A 5-day split typically trains one major muscle group per day: chest Monday, back Tuesday, shoulders Wednesday, arms Thursday, legs Friday. Each muscle gets high per-session volume but only once per week. It's the classic bodybuilder 'bro split.'
Is a 5-day split good for muscle growth?
It works, but research suggests 2x-per-week frequency (via 4-day upper/lower or 6-day PPL) produces slightly faster muscle growth in most lifters. 5-day bro splits are still excellent — just not optimal on paper.
Can beginners do a 5-day split?
Not recommended. Beginners grow best with high-frequency compound practice (3-day full-body). Running a 5-day bro split as a beginner wastes the rapid-growth window you only get in the first 6–12 months.
How long should 5-day workouts take?
60–75 minutes on average. Larger muscle groups (back, legs) take closer to 75 min; smaller days (arms, shoulders) can be 45–60 min.
What's the best 5-day split program?
PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training) by Layne Norton is the most popular structured 5-day program. It combines power days (3×3–5 on heavy lifts) with hypertrophy days for balanced strength + size. For physique-only, custom bro splits work well.