The Ultimate 6 Day Workout Split for Constructing Muscle & Strength

Allow us to just start by saying, a 6 day workout split just isn’t for the faint of heart…a minimum of not an efficient one. But for many who have experience, determination and dedication, it could possibly be the very best training split frequency for constructing muscle and strength, for each men and girls alike.

This text will dive into the nitty gritty of the mighty 6 day workout split to show you all it’s essential know. It also incorporates a full 6 day weight training split program which you could follow in case you resolve to take the 6-days-of-working-out-a-week journey.

Table of Contents:

• What’s a 6 day split?
• Advantages of a 6 day workout split
• Can anyone do a 6 day weightlifting split?
• Methods to determine if a 6 day lifting workout plan is true for you
• Different options for six day gym workout routines
• What’s the general best 6 day split?
• Best exercises in your workout split
• The final word 6 day workout split routine
• Training & programming suggestions
• Optimizing recovery
• FAQs
• 6 day body weight workout plan info

WHAT IS A 6 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT?

A 6 day workout split is a routine that involves 6 workout sessions per week, done on 6 different days.

So, that’s 6 workouts, 6 different days, with only one rest day each week. 

If that sounds intense and prefer it’s rather a lot, that’s since it is! Figuring out 6 days per week puts you in the identical league as “The Rock”, as Dwayne Johnson’s workout regimen includes each cardio and weight lifting 6 days per week.

Point being, a 6 day split ought to be saved for more advanced lifters who really know find out how to optimize their training and recovery. 

With reference to bodyweight-only workouts, a training schedule of 6 days per week becomes more penetrable for a wide selection of fitness levels, as body weight training might be less taxing on the body. Nevertheless, optimizing each your workouts and recovery are necessary no matter whether you’re lifting weights or doing calisthenics.

BENEFITS OF A 6 DAY SPLIT

The advantages of a 6 day gym workout schedule will vary based on what sort of six day split you’re doing.

In case you are doing a 6 day split that has you training each muscle group two or 3 times per week, the fundamental profit can be maximizing the frequency of hitting each muscle.

In case you are doing a 6 day split that train each muscle group once per week, meaning your volume is opened up across the week. This lets you really hone in on a muscle group each workout to maximize the intensity. 

Then, you furthermore may have the choice with 6 day splits to program your workouts in a way that produces a great mixture of each frequency and intensity.

More advantages of a 6 day split workout routine:

• Your workouts don’t must be so high volume, as you will have 6 days to get every little thing done each week. In other words, you may get out and in of the gym (45-60 mins per session). 
• A 6 day lifting routine allows for more variety in your training, as in you may do a greater variety of exercises.
• You possibly can train 6 days per week! Once the habit for exercising is built, it becomes addicting and something to stay up for, so for a number of people, the more they will train, the higher!
• Finally, a 6 day split allows for multiple variations of splits. You possibly can create a 6 day split in many alternative ways and for many alternative goals – strength, hypertrophy, powerbuilding, fat loss, etc. So you may change up the plan every training cycle (4-12 weeks) while still keeping at six workouts per week.

CAN ANYONE DO A 6 DAY WORKOUT PLAN?

If you will have adequate training experience, you may lift 6 days per week (7 days is just an overkill for most individuals, including top tier athletes). 

For many who are more novice level, go together with a 3 day split or 4 day split. And in case you are an intermediate lifter (say, 1-3 years of coaching), a 4 or 5 day split ought to be perfectly effective.

In case you really need to coach 6 days per week, but feel lifting weights for all 6 days might be an excessive amount of for you (lifting heavy weights is taxing on the body in spite of everything), then make a few those training days a cardio, HIIT or body weight workout, fairly than simply lifting each day. You can even spend a day on things like Yoga or movement skills (agility, speed, explosiveness, etc.). 

HOW TO DECIDE IF A 6 DAY LIFTING SPLIT IS RIGHT FOR YOU

In case you are still unsure whether a 6 day split is true for you, just think concerning the following points:

• Training experience
• Your age
• Goals
• Your availability
• Your rest and recovery needs
• Your weaknesses
• Your preference 

Following the FITT principle guidelines (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type), determine if you will have the time, dedication (it could possibly be a challenge to remain consistent with each workouts and food plan & recovery when training 6 days per week), youthfulness, and experience.

In case you said yes to all of those and wish to get into the very best shape of your life, then a 6 day weight training split might be great.

DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR A 6 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT

There are several ways to program a 6 day lifting routine. Below are among the hottest and effective options for six day splits.

1) 6 Day PPL Workout Split

Advanced option: 

• Day 1: Push
• Day 2: Pull
• Day 3: Legs
• Day 4: Push
• Day 5: Pull
• Day 6: Legs
• Day 7: Rest 

Intermediate-advanced option:

• Day 1: Push
• Day 2: Pull
• Day 3: Legs
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Push
• Day 6: Pull
• Day 7: Legs
• Day 8: Rest
• Repeat 

2) 6 Day Upper/Lower Workout Split

• Day 1: Upper (strength)
• Day 2: Lower (strength)
• Day 3: Upper (hypertrophy)
• Day 4: Lower (hypertrophy)
• Day 5: Upper (endurance)
• Day 6: Lower (endurance)
• Day 7: Rest

Note: You possibly can move the remaining day to any day. Also, you may focus your upper and lower days on any goal you’d like.

3) 6 Day Arnold Workout Split

• Day 1: Chest & Back
• Day 2: Legs
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms
• Day 4: Rest
• Repeat

This can be a 3 days on, 1 time without work, so essentially a 6 day training split.

4) 6 Day Workout Split Bro Split 

• Day 1: Chest & Tricep
• Day 2: Back & Bicep
• Day 3: Shoulders & Calves
• Day 4: Legs & Glutes
• Day 5: Rest
• Day 6: Chest & Tricep
• Day 7: Back & Bicep
• Day 8: Shoulders & Calves
• Day 9: Legs & Glutes
• Day 10: Rest
• Day 11: Chest & Tricep
• Day 12: Back & Bicep
• Day 13: Shoulders & Calves
• Day 14: Legs & Glutes
• Repeat 

That is your typical bro split with only one rest day in spite of everything muscles have been worked.

As you may see, on the 2 week scale, you’ve trained each muscle group 3 times. So, the “6 Day Bro Split” allows for slightly higher muscle frequency than the more standard 5 day bro split, yet it still allows for lots of rest time between each muscle group.

5) 6 Day Workout Split Athlete Routine 

• Day 1: Upper
• Day 2: Lower
• Day 3: Body weight HIIT or Cardio & Core & Movement Practice (agility, explosiveness, speed)
• Day 4: Rest
• Repeat

WHAT ABOUT CORE/ABS? 

While core wasn’t listed, you need to obviously be hitting your core. The thing is, though, in case you are doing big compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press and military press, your core might be getting loads of work. So, you won’t have to spend a complete workout on core. Just add one or two core exercises to the top of your workouts two to 3 times per week. 

One of the best core exercises so as to add to the top of a workout are:

• Hanging Leg Raises
• Planks & Side Planks (and variations of planks)
• Rotational & Anti-Rotational Exercises like Wood Choppers & Pallof Press
• Anti-Lateral Movements like Side Bends

WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?

Cardio might be done at your discretion. You might decide to do cardio after your workouts on some days or within the mornings. Cardio is optional. Cardio ought to be done if you will have cardiovascular health goals and/or you need to burn calories, as weight training doesn’t hold a candle to cardio by way of calorie burn. 

WHAT IS THE BEST 6 DAY WORKOUT PLAN? 

One of the best 6 day workout split is arguably the Push Pull Legs 6 Day Split, which was the primary option we listed above. It lets you hit each muscle group twice per week and it’s super efficient because you’re training muscles that work together at the identical time, and thus the following workout session will give attention to opposing muscles groups that don’t have any conflict by way of recovery.

Overall, it’s efficient and it facilitates recovery higher than other body part splits.

If this doesn’t make sense, allow us to explain slightly higher…

With a split just like the Bro Split, you will have chest and triceps on day 1 after which shoulders on day 3, that only gives you on rest day between muscle groups which might be often involved in the identical exercise (i.e. bench press uses the shoulders and overhead presses uses the upper chest).

The Arnold split has the identical issue. You actually need to be a beast on recovery mode to get good results with these splits, whereas the Push Pull Legs split gives you probably the most possible rest time and frequency in your muscle groups based on 6 workouts per week. Furthermore, you may even do a rest day after each one PPL, fairly than after every two PPLs.

6 DAY PPL SPLIT!

So, our ULTIMATE 6 DAY SPLIT is the . That’s the workout plan we have now laid out for you.

But before we get into it, allow us to explain the fundamentals to you regarding the exercises and workout structure.

MAIN MUSCLE GROUPS:

Push:

Pull:

• Back (i.e. Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Erector Spinae)
• Biceps
• Forearms

Legs:

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Calves 

We recommend doing a pair core exercises after your workout on either Push or Pull Days. 

MAIN EXERCISES:

Listed here are the fundamental exercises (with the first mover or movers in parenthesis)

Push:

Pull:

Legs:

ACCESSORY EXERCISES:

Accessory exercises are either assistance compound lifts or isolation exercises. These ought to be done after your fundamental compound exercise. 

Listed here are a few of the very best ones… 

Push:

• Dumbbell or Barbell Incline Bench
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Arnold Press
• Landmine Presses
• Parallel Dips
• Close Grip Bench
• Chest Flys
• Diamond Push Ups
• Tricep Kickbacks
• Tricep Dips
• Tricep Extensions
• Skull Crushers
• Dumbbell Lateral & Front Raises

Pull:

• Rack Pull
• Farmer’s Walk
• Shrug (barbell and dumbbell)
• Kroc Row
• Seated Row (different grip position – underhand, overhand, close grip)
• T-Bar Row
• Cable Pullover
• Lat Pull Down
• Lat Press Down
• Standing Single Arm Row (with Cable)
• Rear Delt Fly
• Hyperextensions
• Barbell Curl
• Variations of curls (hammer, reverse, armpit curls, etc.) 

Legs:

• Hip Thrusts
• Sumo Deadlift or Trap Bar Deadlift
• Stiff-Leg Deadlifts & RDLs
• Leg Press
• Good Mornings
• Lunges & Split Squats (variations)
• Calf Raises (standing, seated, donkey)
• Leg Curl
• Leg Extension

Core:

• Hanging Leg Raises
• Planks
• Rotational, Anti-rotational, Anti-Lateral Exercises

WORKOUT A & WORKOUT B FOR MAIN LIFTS:

Push, Pull and Leg days have two fundamental compound exercises. These fundamental lifts require high strength and energy levels and are equally necessary. They ought to be done originally of your workout.

Nonetheless, you’ll NOT being do each on the identical day. As such, you’ll split your weekly routine as such: 

• PUSH WORKOUT A
• PULL WORKOUT A
• LEGS WORKOUT A
• PUSH WORKOUT B
• PULL WORKOUT B
• LEGS WORKOUT B

A and B workouts could have one in every of the fundamental lifts, i.e.:

• PUSH A: Bench Press
• PULL A: Pull Ups
• LEGS A: Deadlifts
• PUSH B: Standing Overhead Press
• PULL B: Bent Over Rows
• LEGS B: Squats

Pull day is the exception as you may do (and can do in case you follow the plan below) bent over rows and pull ups on the identical day. You’ll just be altering which comes first.

Nonetheless, Bench Press, Deadlifts, Squats, and Standing Overhead Barbell Press are all big power movements that might be done for 1RM and will involve the heaviest loads in your entire training program, so that they shouldn’t be done on the identical day.

As for accessory exercises, you might be doing different ones on A & B workout days, but you might be doing accessory exercises that focus on all push, pull and leg muscle groups, after all.

THE ULTIMATE 6 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT PLAN 

As promised, here is your 6 day workout split – PPL style.

Now we have two options for rest days (one in every of which technically makes it an 8 day workout week). Each are good…

Option 1: 

• Day 1: Push (A)
• Day 2: Pull (A)
• Day 3: Legs (A)
• Day 4: Push (B)
• Day 5: Pull (B)
• Day 6: Legs (B)
• Day 7: Rest 

Option 2:

• Day 1: Push (A)
• Day 2: Pull (A)
• Day 3: Legs (A)
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Push (B)
• Day 6: Pull (B)
• Day 7: Legs (B)
• Day 8: Rest

Select one and keep on with the plan for 6-12 weeks (settle on what number of weeks you’ll do from the beginning and go the gap!)

Quick notes before starting:

• Warm Up: Spend roughly 5 minutes doing a dynamic warm before each workout. Concentrate on the joints and muscles that might be worked on that day.
• Warm Up Sets: You have to to do warm up sets that bring you as much as your working weight for the fundamental lift originally of your workout. It might take 2-4 sets to warm as much as your working weight. Increase the load with each set, but don’t bring yourself to close failure like you’d with a working set. These sets are simply to prep your muscles and joints for the heavy working sets. 

Push Workout A: 

Pull Workout A:

Legs Workout A:

Push Workout B:

Pull Workout B:

Legs Workout B:

Core: Either select 1 core exercise to do at the top of each workout or do 2-3 core exercises for one A and one B workout.

• Hanging Leg Raises
• Planks & Side Planks
• (Rotational, Anti-rotational, Anti-Lateral Exercises)

Static Stretching: While weightlifting itself is a type of stretching and mobility training (in case you are moving in a full range of motion), static stretching is great for many who need to enhance their range of motion and adaptability. Furthermore, it could possibly help with recovery. You possibly can do short 5-10 min static stretching sessions after each workout, specializing in the fundamental muscles and joints of that workout, or a pair times per week specializing in the entire body.

6 DAY WORKOUT ROUTINE TRAINING TIPS

Listed here are a number of final things to find out about your six day workout plan…

a) Hierarchy of exercises:

Do the massive lifts first, then the accessory compound lifts, and at last, isolation exercises. 

1. Important Lifts
2. Accessory Assistance Lifts
3. Accessory Isolation Exercises

You have to more energy and strength in your big compound movements as you might be using heavy loads and these are the actual result producers, so you need to put your all into them.

b) Reps & Weight Load:

Generally speaking, listed here are the goals based on reps & weight load: 

• 1-6 reps with 80-95% 1RM (strength)
• 6-15 reps with 60-80% 1RM (hypertrophy)
• 12-20+ reps with  ≥60% 1RM (endurance)

That said, you may construct pure size in any rep range so long as you’re bringing your muscles near failure. That’s what it takes to construct muscle. So, there might be a crossover between all three goals regardless of what rep range you’re employed in.

We recommend that you just work in all rep ranges to construct versatility and well-roundedness. 

Nonetheless, listed here are the very best rep ranges to work in based on the exercises at hand:

• Important Lifts (1-15 reps for 3-5 sets)
• Accessory Assistance Lifts (6-15 reps for 2-3 sets)
• Accessory Isolation Exercises (8-20 reps for 2-3 sets)

The wide rep ranges for every will assist you to progressive overload, perform pyramid schemes, alter weight loads for specific goals, and so forth. 

c) Rest Time: 

• Important Lifts (1-15 reps for 3-5 sets): Rest 90-120 seconds between sets, but in case you are lifting with heavy loads for lower reps i.e. 1-5 reps, you may take more time if needed
• Accessory Assistance Lifts (6-15 reps for 2-3 sets): 90 seconds between sets
• Accessory Isolation Exercises (8-20 reps for 2-3 sets): 30-60 seconds between sets.

For a more in-depth have a look at optimizing rest time for hypertrophy and strength, try this text.

d) Progressive Overload: 

Progressive overload involves steadily increasing the intensity of your workouts over the course of your training period. By doing this, you’ll have the ability to construct muscle or strength because your muscles might be adequately stressed for continual adaptation. 

Progressive Overload Methods Include:

• Increase weight load
• Increasing reps
• Increasing sets
• Decreasing rest
• Increasing Intensity (i.e. slower tempo or greater range of motion)
• Progression exercises

If the plan we have now for you involves an excessive amount of volume, you may adjust by making it 3 sets as a substitute of 4, or 2 sets as a substitute of three, then you definitely can progress by adding sets to the exercises.

Progress should seem like this: 

So, if the plan has an exercise that calls for 5-8 reps of 4-5 sets. Then it’s possible you’ll start with 5-6 reps and eventually work as much as 8 reps, then add an extra set, then finally increase the load load. 

Learn all about find out how to progressive overload.

Optimizing Your Recovery

With regards to lifting 6 days per week, recovery becomes much more paramount (albeit, it’s necessary for all workout splits).

1. Weight loss plan: You might want to eat healthy foods with the fitting macros and micros. High protein and adequate fats and carbs are essential.
2. Sleep: The typical adults needs 7-8 hours of sleep, but that’s not factoring in intense workouts. In case you are lifting 6 days per week, it’s essential bump that as much as 9 hours ideally if you need to recovery in time in your next workout. Sleep is ESSENTIAL. 
3. Hydration: Hydration is just as necessary as eating, and on so many levels. You might want to be drinking a minimum of one ounce per half pound of body weight every day. So, in case you weigh 200lbs, you wish 100 ounces of water (or 3 liters)…and even that’s slightly low.
4. Stress: Stress is killer on the immune system and a healthy immune system is significant to recovery. So, do every little thing you may do reduce stress and keep your immune system strong. Lifting will lower your immune system because it is so taxing in your body, so it’s essential combat this with great recovery!
5. Supplementation: One of the best supplements you may take in case you are a serious lifter who trains 6 days per week is protein powder and creatine. Protein powder is commonly needed to complement your food plan so that you just are getting enough protein intake and creatine will aid you with performance and recovery on so many levels. All other supplements are unnecessary in case your food plan is on point. That said, you may take multivitamins as well in case you feel the necessity or you’re on a special food plan (i.e. vegan food plan). Pre-workout can be great if you need to give your workouts an additional boost.

FAQs about training 6 days per week:

Below are a number of common questions we frequently get asked regarding understanding 6 days per week.

HOW LONG SHOULD I DO A 6 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT FOR TO SEE RESULTS?

You need to keep on with the plan for 8-12 weeks. In case you do that, you will notice great results beginning to occur at week 4. If properly recovering, gains in strength and stamina might be apparent quickly. As for hypertrophy gains, you need to definitely see good results after a training cycle (8-12 weeks).

After 8-12 weeks, take a rest period of 1-2 weeks, then start a recent plan. You possibly can keep the identical plan in case you’d like as well, or simply make small adjustments just like the order of your workout or the rep scheme. For instance, it’s possible you’ll simply just wish to do reps of 10-15 for you big lifts fairly than reps of 5-8. You might also wish to try different accessory exercises. An important thing is that you just take per week or two off to let your body fully get better from the training cycle and to avoid overtraining. You have to be doing this every 8-12 weeks, yr round.

How long should 6 day split workouts last? 

Your workouts should last not than 60 minutes, which incorporates warm up and warm up sets. That is the proper time zone for a metabolic workout, which is what you wish for hypertrophy and fat loss.

You workout should consist of mainly compound exercises, with one or two fundamental lifts per workout, followed by accessory compound lifts, and if there’s time and it’s needed, some isolation work. 

IS A 6 DAY TRAINING SPLIT EFFECTIVE? 

A 6 day split is probably the most effective workout splits for accelerating and maximizing muscle growth and strength. Nonetheless, this is frequently only true for many who have a solid foundation in fitness. In case you are recent to lifting weights, a 3 day, 4 day, and at most, 5 day workout split is often higher because it allows for enough recovery time.

In case your workouts are intense, you will have more time to get better. Experienced lifters understand find out how to optimize each their workouts and recovery to permit for six days of coaching per week.

Without a superb understanding of find out how to structure your workouts, control intensity/weight load/rep ranges, and get better properly, 6 days of weightlifting per week can result in overtraining and even injury, which is clearly counterproductive. 

On the flip side, low intensity workouts 6 days per week, which a beginner could manage, is not going to be as effective as 3 high intensity workouts. So, there’s no point to coach more often for worse results. 

As such, not all 6 day training splits are created equal…

There are lots of ways to go about making a 6 day workout split. A 6 day workout split can involve training each muscle group once, twice and even 3 times per week.

A 6 day workout split that involves training each muscle group about once per week can be something a more novice lifter could manage because it allows for enough recovery time based on each muscle group. 

Nonetheless, the final consensus is that probably the most effective 6 day split might be one which trains each muscle group a minimum of twice per week. That is what makes a 6 day split so appealing.

For many who have good recovery practice, they will capitalize on protein synthesis with a 6 day split.

Muscle protein synthesis (which is a naturally occurring process for repairing muscle and hypertrophy) levels off at around 36-48 hours after a superb workout. So, ideally, you can hit the identical muscle group every third day and consistently keep that process going while not letting DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) get in the way in which. That is rather a lot easier said than done. Again, a superb workout formula and good recovery practices (sleep, food plan, hydration) are key to achieving this. 

Our goal is to show you find out how to do that. That said, we really need to emphasize that our 6 day training split just isn’t for newbies. In case you are a beginner, get on one in every of our 3 day, 4 day or 5 day splits for a pair months. 

IS WORKING OUT 6 DAYS A WEEK TOO MUCH?

It is determined by whether you’re adequately recovering between workouts for every muscle group, how intense your workouts are, how long your sessions are, are you doing every other sort of training (sports, running, yoga, etc). It really just depends.

In case you are doing effective workouts, just about just sticking to weight lifting, and you’re recovery properly, then it’s perfectly effective to lift 6 days per week…

But you wish the fitting plan (which we have now for you below). It must be designed in a way that’s intense and effective enough to see great results yet allows each muscle group enough recovery time. This takes a rather more effective tuned balance between the 2 than it does with 3 or 4 day splits.

In case you enjoy lifting, then you definitely could make it work. Numerous people love lifting 6 days per week since it makes them feel great!

Nonetheless, one big issue is it’s not all the time obvious whether you getting enough rest. Your lifestyle will really determine if lifting 6 days per week is nice for you. This includes your eating habits, sleep schedule, and stress. 

In case you usually are not eating well, sleeping well, you’re stressed from work, and you’re lifting rattling near each day for long workout sessions, it’ll be a recipe for disaster, or in other words, overtraining. 

What are the signs of overtraining?

Probably the most common signs of overtraining are: 

• Unusual fatigue and lethargy, inside and out of doors of the gym.
• Plateau or decline in workout performance and progress.
• Overly prolonged muscle soreness
• Joint pain and injury

Some people may even experience a lack of sex drive, insomnia, depression, reduced appetite, and the list goes on.

Unnecessary to say, this is totally counterproductive. It’s far worse than undertraining.

In case you feel you’re overtraining, it’s essential take a rest from lifting. Even advanced trainees will experience overtraining, as lifestyle changes can creep up on you.

One of the best solution to avoid overtraining is to decide on the fitting workout split that works along with your lifestyle. And in case you do resolve to do a 6 day workout split, then take 1-2 weeks off from training every 8-12 weeks. This known as periodization and it’s vital to avoiding overtraining, regardless of what fitness level you’re.

6 DAY BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT PLAN

You possibly can structure a 6 day body weight split exactly just like the above splits. You’ll just be doing body weight exercises.

For body weight training, you likely have to do high reps to work your muscles to close failure. You may even have to give attention to progressive overload methods like decreasing rest time and increasing volume more. But overall, you need to see great results with a 6 day body weight split. You won’t get massive, but you may get into improbable shape, constructing a lean and mean athletic body.

Listed here are the very best body weight exercises to give attention to:

• Squats (and jumping squats)
• Push Ups (this might even be included as a Important Compound Exercise above)
• Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Neutral Grip Pull Ups
• Inverted Rows
• Parallel Dips (this might even be included as a Important Compound Exercise above)
• Pike Push Ups
• Handstand
• Glute Bridges (in addition to single leg glute bridges and elevated glute bridges)
• Tricep Dips
• Planks (and all variations)
• Hanging Leg Raises
• Lunges (and all variations, corresponding to side lunges, curtsy lunges, reverse lunges, etc.)
• Tuck Jumps
• Burpees

The list goes on, however the above all are musts in our opinion.

Have questions on 6 day workout splits? Be happy to succeed in out to us by email or leave a comment below. 

Other Training Splits: