The Ultimate 5-Day Workout Split for Building Strength & Power
My tried and true method of splitting up strength workouts throughout the week.
When it comes to building strength and muscle, strategically splitting up your workouts can lead to major results. Planning a workout split that targets different muscle groups each day can help us train harder for longer, while allowing our muscles to rebuild and recover.
If you’re wanting to get serious about strength training but don’t know where to start, I’ve laid out a 5-day workout split that has helped me see incredible results.
The 5-Day Split:
Session #1: Upper Body Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Session #2: Anterior Chain Lower Body (Quads)
Session #3: Upper Body Pull (Back, Biceps)
Session #4: Posterior Chain Lower Body + Shoulders (Hamstrings, Glutes)
Session #5: Full Body Power & HIIT
Session #1: Upper Body Push
This upper body session will focus on our “push” muscles - aka our chest, shoulders and triceps. Exercises we’ll do will often resemble a pushing and pressing motion.
Exercise examples: Push-Ups, Shoulder Press, Bench Press, Tricep Dips
Session #2: Anterior Chain Lower Body
This lower body session should focus on building quad strength and power. I like to superset heavy compound lifts and plyometric exercises to really burn out the legs.
Exercise examples: Back Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges, Goblet Squats, Front Squat
Session #3: Upper Body Pull
Our second upper body workout will focus on our “pull” muscles, which are mostly made up of the muscles of the back as well as our biceps. Movements in this session will resemble a pulling motion and might challenge our grip.
Exercise examples: Pull-Ups, Barbell Row, Bicep Curl, Reverse Fly, Lat Pull Down
Session #4: Posterior Chain Lower Body
The next lower body session focuses on the muscles in the back (posterior) of our legs: our hamstrings and glutes! We’ll do a lot of hinging movement patterns on this day.
Exercise examples: Romanian Deadlift, Sumo Squat, Hip Thrust, Kettlebell Swings
Session #5: Full Body HIIT & Power
Incorporating at least one high intensity workout into your routine can provide so many benefits for overall cardiovascular health, muscular endurance and full body power! The workout might involve lighter weights than the other sessions, but will be faster paced and higher volume. I like to mix cardio machines (ski, row, bike, tread) with weights to get the most out of my session.
Exercise examples: Burpees, Dumbbell Thrusters, Box Step Overs, Dumbbell Snatch, Power Cleans
Extra Credit
Zone 2 Cardio
On days that I strength train, I like to add 30-75min. of zone 2 cardio into my routine (preferably after lifting) to get in an extra sweat and some extra steps into my day. My go-to zone 2 cardio method is incline walking on the treadmill.
HIIT Finishers
I like to end my strength sessions with 10-30min. of high intensity work that focuses on the same muscle groups as my lift.
Progressive Overload
As you continue to strength train, your muscles will adapt to the load. Therefore, progressively overloading your workouts by continuing to lift heavier and heavier weights each week is key!
Question? Comments? Feel free to reach out!