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The Best Workout Split for Women: 3, 4 and 5-Day Options
The best workout split for women is the one that fits the days you can actually train. A split is just how you divide your exercises across the week, and every good one does the same job: trains each muscle about twice a week, with enough rest in between to recover.
Updated · 7 min read · By the HerShape team
Here are the four splits that work best, who each one suits, and a sample week for each.
Workout splits compared
| Split | Days a week | Best for | Each muscle trained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full body | 2-3 | Beginners, busy weeks, getting back into it | 2-3x a week |
| Upper/lower | 4 | Most women who can train four days | 2x a week |
| Glute-focused (lower x2, upper x2, optional extra) | 4-5 | Women whose main goal is glute and leg development | Glutes 2-3x, upper body 2x |
| Push/pull/legs | 5-6 | Experienced lifters with time to train most days | 2x a week if you run it twice |
The old "bro split" (chest day, back day, arm day, leg day, shoulder day) trains each muscle once a week. Training each muscle at least twice a week is a more common recommendation for building muscle, and it's easier to recover from.
How to choose your split
- Count the days you can reliably train, not the days you'd like to. Plan for a normal week, not your best one.
- Match the split to that number. Three days: full body. Four: upper/lower or glute-focused. Five or six: push/pull/legs or glute-focused with an extra day.
- Run it for at least 4-8 weeks before judging it, and log your weights so you can see progress.
- Keep a backup. A 3-day full-body version for weeks when life gets in the way.
3-day full-body split
Each session has a squat or leg press, a hinge, a push, a pull and some core.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full body A: squat, bench press, row, Romanian deadlift, plank |
| Wednesday | Full body B: hip thrust, lat pulldown, shoulder press, lunge, dead bug |
| Friday | Full body A again; next week runs B, A, B |
| Other days | Walk, rest or easy cardio |
New to lifting? Start with our weight lifting for beginners guide, which uses this structure for your first 8 weeks.
4-day upper/lower split
The most popular split for a reason: each muscle twice a week, sessions of 45-60 minutes, and lower-body days kept apart.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower A: squat and hamstrings |
| Tuesday | Upper A: press and row |
| Wednesday | Rest or cardio |
| Thursday | Lower B: hinge and glutes |
| Friday | Upper B: pulldown and overhead press |
| Weekend | Rest or an easy walk |
Our gym workout plan for women gives you this split exercise by exercise, with sets, reps and a 4-week progression.
Glute-focused split (4-5 days)
If glutes are the priority, give them two dedicated days and keep upper body at two.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Glutes A: hip thrust focus |
| Tuesday | Upper A |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Glutes B: squat focus |
| Friday | Upper B |
| Saturday (optional) | Short glute and hamstring session: 3-4 exercises |
Keep the optional day short and lighter than the main two. The full program is in our glute workout plan for women.
5-6 day push/pull/legs split
Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps, rear shoulders), legs. Run it twice a week with one rest day, or five days in rotation.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Push |
| Tuesday | Pull |
| Wednesday | Legs (quad focus) |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Push |
| Saturday | Pull |
| Sunday | Legs (glute and hamstring focus) |
It's a lot of gym time. Choose it only if you can keep it up for months; a missed day pushes the whole week out of shape.
How much to do per session
| Session length | Exercises | Hard sets |
|---|---|---|
| 30-40 min | 4 | 10-12 |
| 45-60 min | 5-6 | 14-18 |
| 60-75 min | 6-7 | 18-22 |
Stop most sets with 1-3 reps in reserve (RIR): close to failure, but not grinding. Rest 2-3 minutes after the big lifts and 60-90 seconds after smaller ones.
When your week changes
- Lost a day? Drop to the 3-day full-body version for that week instead of skipping a whole muscle group.
- Low energy? Do the first three exercises only, one fewer set each. Energy can shift with sleep, stress and, for some women, cycle phase. Evidence on cycle syncing is limited and mixed, so treat it as one input.
- Travelling? Two full-body dumbbell or bodyweight sessions keep you ticking over. See our dumbbell workout plan for women.
How HerShape helps
HerShape picks a split for you from the days you can train, your equipment and your goal, then writes every session with sets, reps and form videos. Tell it you lost a day or you're low on energy and the week adapts, including to your progress, life stage and cycle phase. With Pro, you can regenerate your plan and ask Coach Sarah (the AI coach) why it changed.
Download HerShapeYour first plan is free. Pro is $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year. See what is included
Frequently asked questions
What is the best workout split for beginners?
A 3-day full-body split. You practice each movement three times a week, which speeds up learning, and missing a session doesn't leave a muscle untrained.
Is a 4-day upper/lower split good for women?
Yes. It trains each muscle twice a week, keeps sessions under an hour, and gives the lower body a rest day between sessions. It's a strong default for anyone who can train four days.
What is the best workout split for glutes?
Two glute-focused lower-body days a week plus two upper-body days. Add a short third glute session only if you recover well.
How many rest days should I take?
At least one or two full rest days a week, plus easy days like walking. If your lifts stall and you feel run down, add rest before cutting effort.
Can I train the same muscle two days in a row?
Occasionally, yes, if the sessions are different and not too hard. In general, leaving 48 hours between hard sessions for the same muscle makes recovery easier.