Pick the plan that matches the days you can really train: 3 days of full body, 4 days of upper/lower, or 5 days mixing push, pull, legs, upper and lower. Train each muscle about twice a week, add 2 to 3 short cardio sessions, and keep at least one full rest day.
The best workout schedule is the one that fits your real week. Here are three ready plans; choose by how many days you can train without missing.
3 days a week: full body
Good for beginners and busy weeks. Each session trains the whole body.
- Sunday: Full body A (squat, bench press, row, plank)
- Tuesday: Full body B (Romanian deadlift, shoulder press, lat pulldown, lunges)
- Thursday: Full body A
- Next week start with B. Walk on the days between.
4 days a week: upper/lower
The most balanced plan for most people, with each muscle twice a week.
- Sunday: Upper (bench press, row, shoulder press, pulldown, arms)
- Monday: Lower (squat, Romanian deadlift, leg curl, calves, core)
- Wednesday: Upper (incline press, cable row, lateral raises, pull-ups, arms)
- Thursday: Lower (leg press, hip thrust, lunges, leg extension, core)
- Friday or Saturday: a long walk or a sport
5 days a week: push, pull, legs, upper, lower
For people who recover well and enjoy training most days.
- Sunday: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
- Monday: Pull (back, biceps)
- Tuesday: Legs
- Wednesday: rest
- Thursday: Upper
- Friday: Lower
- Saturday: rest or easy cardio
Missing one day of a 5-day plan every week is worse than never missing a 3-day plan.
Sets and reps for every plan
- Big lifts: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Smaller exercises: 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps
- Stop each set with about 1 to 2 reps left, and add a rep or a little weight when you can.
Where to put cardio
Two or three sessions of 20 to 40 minutes of easy cardio a week, after lifting or on rest days. Add one short interval session if you enjoy it.
How to choose
- New to the gym, or less than 4 free days: 3 days.
- Some experience and 4 free days: 4 days.
- Training is your hobby and you sleep well: 5 days.
The takeaway
Choose the number of days you can keep for months, train each muscle about twice a week, and rest at least one full day. Shulah builds your week from six questions, with programmes like push/pull/legs and upper/lower.
Want it on paper? Download a free weekly gym schedule as a PDF: 3, 4 or 6 days.