Most people try to cram a square peg into a round hole when choosing their training plan by:

  • Determining their optimal training split by what they feel will give them the best results instead of what is feasible for their schedule
  • Failing to consider outside factors, such as their stress levels, before choosing their training split
  • Equating hard training with better results opting for a training split that may do them a disservice
  • Seeing a fit-influencer with a great physique and assume what that person does will work for them

Instead, they should be following a sequential process that allows them to choose the right training split and training plan that will not only make their life easier and compliance higher but allow for better gains. This process is pretty straightforward and something anyone could utilize.

Let me explain.

How to Determine the Right Training Split in 5 Steps

Step 1: Determine Your Optimal Training Schedule

Determining your optimal training schedule should be the easiest step of the five because the schedule you choose is the schedule that is unique to your lifestyle and aligns best with your needs. Determining your schedule is as simple as determining what days are best for you to train on—we'll get to the sexy stuff like determining your split later. This is an important step, and although it's not sexy, it's necessary to build the foundation for all things to come. 

Here's a sample schedule (I'll warn you it's super basic, but it is this way for a reason that'll make sense in a minute):

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
TrainOFFTrainOFFTrainTrainOFF

Step 2: Determine Your Training Split

Now that you're aware of what days you're training, the next logical step is determining your split. Let's say that you've determined you're able to train with weights two days a week, but you're able to train two additional days from home performing conditioning measures. This information is important because choosing the right split should align with what you're able to do on any given day. In this scenario, training for strength for two sessions per week would mean you're likely going to need to utilize a full-body split as training an upper and lower split for two sessions a week wouldn't be optimal. 

On the other hand, let's say you're able to perform three strength sessions per week plus two conditioning sessions per week from home—you'll have more options available with higher levels of flexibility. Additionally, the examples I'm going to provide you with consist of three different styles of training: Full body sessions, Lower, Upper, Full body, and Lower and Upper splits. After working with thousands of people for almost two decades, I've found that most people tend to fall into these three buckets.

Here are sample splits:

Full Body 2x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home Option #1

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
Full BodyConditioning From HomeOFFFull BodyConditioning From HomeOFFOFF

Upper, Lower, Full Body 3x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
LowerConditioning From HomeUpperConditioning From HomeFull BodyOFFOFF

Full Body 3x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
Full BodyConditioning From HomeFull BodyConditioning From HomeFull BodyOptional Conditioning From HomeOFF

Lower/Upper 4x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home Option #1

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
LowerConditioning From HomeUpperConditioning From HomeLowerUpperOFF

Lower/Upper 4x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home Option #2

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
LowerUpperConditioning From HomeLowerUpperOFFOFF

Step 3: Determine Your Methods

Now that you've determined your optimal training split, the next step is to input your methods. These are the strategies you'll be using to facilitate your strength and conditioning gains. To keep things simple, I will choose the methods for you to easily plug and play into these templates. As I mentioned earlier, having the advantage of working with thousands of people over the last 17 years, I've found these methods prudent for most people. I'm also assuming that you have a training age of at least three years and know how to perform and train all of the foundational movement patterns, i.e., squat, hip-hinge, lunge, push, pull, and carry. 

Here are the methods and guidelines. Below you'll see two strength methods and two conditioning methods which will be plugged into your training plan using the appropriate split-sample programming to follow.

MethodExercise Selection ExamplesPurposeSetsRepsRest IntervalCNS Demand
Submaximal Effort MethodMulti-joint Movements ie. Squats, Presses, DeadliftsMaximal Strength (Mechanical Tension), Hypertrophy & Motor Pattern Improvement4-62-62:00 - 3:00HIGH
Repeated Effort MethodSingle-joint Movements ie. Triceps ExtensionsHypertrophy (Muscle Damage) & prehab2-68-2060-90sLOW
Cardiac Output MethodCyclical ie. bike, row, jogAerobic Capacity & RecoveryZone 2 - 60-70% of Max Heart Rate30-45 minutes of steady-state cyclical workN/ALOW
Mixed Modality ConditioningCombination of global, cyclical ie. thrusters, burpees, rowerAerobic capacity of varied patternsZone 4 - 80-90% of Max Heart Rate15-20 minutes of 2:00 - 3:00 intervals2:00 - 3:00MODERATE

Full Body 2x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
Full BodyConditioning From HomeOFFFull BodyConditioning From HomeOFFOFF
Submax MethodMixed Modality Conditioning Submax MethodCardiac Output Method  
Repeated Effort Method  Repeated Effort Method   

Upper, Lower, Full Body 3x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
LowerConditioning From HomeUpperConditioning From HomeFull BodyOFFOFF
Submax MethodMixed Modality ConditioningSubmax MethodCardiac Output MethodSubmax Method  
Repeated Effort Method Repeated Effort Method Repeated Effort Method  

Lower/Upper 4x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
LowerConditioning From HomeUpperConditioning From HomeLowerUpperOFF
Submax MethodMixed Modality ConditioningSubmax MethodCardiac Output MethodSubmax Method  Submax Method   
Repeated Effort Method Repeated Effort Method Repeated Effort MethodRepeated Effort Method 

Note: These templates and methods can be arranged to fit your unique schedule, but you'll want to make sure you still have at least 48-72 hours between your main strength sessions, i.e., sessions that result in higher levels of CNS fatigue (listed in the far right column.)

Step 4: Plug in Sets, Reps, and Rest Intervals (SRRI)

Now that we know the method we'll be using, it's time to plug in the sets, reps, and rest intervals (SRRI). In addition to SRRI, I'll be plugging in the appropriate exercises that will give you ideas of what variations you can utilize, how to use them, and provide the framework for your future programming.

Full Body 2x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home Option #1

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
1a) Front Squat: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.4 Rounds of:OFF1a) Trap Bar Deadlift: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.30-40 Minutes of Low-intensity Cardio:OFFOFF
1b) Close Grip Bench Press: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.15 Calorie Air Bike 1b) Push Press: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.Bike or Rowing Machine  
2a) Split Squat: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.15 Russian KBS 2a) Glute Ham Raises: 3 x 6-8. Rest 60s.At 60-70% of MHR  
2b) Chin-up: 3 x 8-10. Rest 60s.15 No Push-up Burpees 2b) T-Bar Rows: 3 x 10-12. Rest 60s.   
3a) Farmer Carry: 4 x 100 ft. Rest 60s.Rest 2:00 3a) Front Rack KB Carry: 4 x 100 ft. Rest 60s.   
3b) 1-Arm KB Rows: 4 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.  3b) Rope Pushdowns: 4 x 12-15. Rest 60s.   

Upper, Lower, Full Body 3x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
1) Front Squat: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 3:004 Rounds of:1) Floor Press: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 2:0030-40 Minutes of Low intensity Cardio:1a) Trap Bar Deadlift: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.OFFOFF
2) RDL: 4 x 8-10 Rest 90s.15 Calorie Air Bike2a) Chin-up: 3 x 8-10. Rest 60s.Bike or Rowing Machine1b) Push Press: 5 x 5. Rest 90s.  
3) Split Squat: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.15 Russian KBS2b) Landmine Press: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.At 60-70% of MHR2a) Glute Ham Raises: 3 x 6-8. Rest 60s.  
4) Back Raise: 3 x 15-20. Rest 60s.15 No Push-up Burpees3) Cable Facepulls: 3 x 12-15. Rest 60s. 2b) T-Bar Rows: 3 x 10-12. Rest 60s.  
5) Deadbug + Reverse Crunch: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.Rest 2:004) Cable High to Low Chop: 4 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s. 3a) Front Rack KB Carry: 4 x 100 ft. Rest 60s.  
    3b) Rope Pushdowns: 4 x 12-15. Rest 60s.  

Lower/Upper 4x Per Week + 2 Conditioning Sessions Per Week From Home Option #1

MondayTuesWedThursFriSatSun
1) Front Squat: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 3:004 Rounds of:1) Floor Press: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 2:0030-40 Minutes of Low intensity Cardio:1) Trap Bar Deadlift: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 3:001) Weighted Neutral Grip Pull-up: 5RM in 5 sets. Rest 2:00OFF
2) RDL: 4 x 8-10 Rest 90s.15 Calorie Air Bike2a) 1-Arm KB Rows: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.Bike or Rowing Machine2) Glute Ham Raises: 3 x 6-8. Rest 90s.2a) Machine Chest Press: 3 x 12-15. Rest 60s. 
3) Split Squat: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.15 Russian KBS2b) Landmine Press: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.At 60-70% of MHR3) Goblet Squat: 3 x 10-12. Rest 60s.2b) T-Bar Rows: 3 x 10-12. Rest 60s. 
4) Back Raise: 3 x 15-20. Rest 60s.15 No Push-up Burpees3) Cable Facepulls: 3 x 12-15. Rest 60s. 4) Reverse Hyper: 3 x 15-20. Rest 60s.3) Seated DB Lateral Raises: 3 x 12-15. Rest 60s. 
5) Deadbug + Reverse Crunch: 3 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s.Rest 2:004) Cable High to Low Chop: 4 x 8-10 each. Rest 60s. 5) Stir The Pot: 3 x 30s on/60s off.4) Zottaman Curls: 3 x 8-10. Rest 60s. 
       

Step 5: After Action Review

Now it's time to take inventory of your first week of programming. Went well? What did you learn? What didn't go well? Making adjustments on the fly will likely be necessary as you get comfortable plugging in the right programming and as you get to understand what makes you tick better. Last but not least, perform each training split for a minimum of four weeks to ensure the best results. This timeframe will allow you to build motor patterns, figure out what works and what does not, and learn more about yourself in the process.

Closing 

When you're using the right training split and training plan, remember that it's more about what aligns with your needs—your goals, training schedule, training age (experience). It's NOT what looks the best or what worked for some IG fitfluencers. At the end of the day, no cookie-cutter approach works for everyone. If there was, I wouldn't have a job.

Jason has been involved with the fitness industry for close to 17 years working with individuals and coaches. He is the owner of Jason Brown Coaching specializing in working with 35+ guys as well as providing education for strength and conditioning coaches to improve their programming. He has a Master's of Science degree in Exercise Science, is a CSCS, and is a Certified Special Strengths Coach through Westside Barbell.