Free 5-Day Gym Split

Five days in the gym only works if every session has a job. This split gives each day a clear focus so you walk in knowing exactly what you're doing and why, with recovery built into the week instead of bolted on.

Download the 5-Day Split — Free PDF
Reading on your phone? Get the phone-formatted version →

The full 5-day split

Push, pull, legs, then two specialisation days. Written for lifters with a year or two behind them, not a first week. The PDF above is the same thing formatted for the gym floor, so you do not need to download anything to use this.

Day 1 — Push

• Bench Press — 4 sets of 6–8
• Overhead Press — 3 sets of 8–10
• Incline DB Press — 3 sets of 10–12
• Lateral Raise — 4 sets of 15
• Tricep Pushdown — 3 sets of 15

Day 2 — Pull

• Deadlift — 4 sets of 4–5
• Barbell Row — 3 sets of 8–10
• Pull-Ups — 3 sets of 8–10
• Face Pull — 3 sets of 15
• Hammer Curl — 3 sets of 12

Day 3 — Legs

• Back Squat — 4 sets of 6–8
• Romanian Deadlift — 3 sets of 8–10
• Leg Press — 3 sets of 12
• Leg Curl — 3 sets of 12
• Calf Raise — 4 sets of 20

Day 4 — Upper Specialisation

• Close Grip Bench — 3 sets of 8–10
• Weighted Pull-Ups — 3 sets of 6–8
• Cable Fly — 3 sets of 12–15
• Preacher Curl — 3 sets of 12

Day 5 — Lower Specialisation

• Front Squat — 3 sets of 6–8
• Good Morning — 3 sets of 10
• Step-Ups — 3 sets of 12 each leg
• Nordic Curl — 3 sets of 8

How to actually progress on it

Progressive overload is the whole game. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add a small amount of weight next session and start again at the bottom of the range. Log every session, because memory lies. More on that in progressive overload explained.

Recovery matters more at five days a week than it does at three. If sleep is short and food is loose, this volume will bury you rather than build you. Training only works alongside the eating, so sort the food with the free calorie tracker or a free AI meal plan before you add a fifth day.

Train fewer days?

The best split is the one that fits your week. Both of these are free too:

• 3-Day Gym Split (PDF) (phone version) — full body, ideal starting out
• 4-Day Gym Split (PDF) (phone version) — upper/lower, the sweet spot for most

New to this? Read how to build muscle as a beginner before choosing five days. If the week will not hold it, use the training-split recommender and pick fewer.