3 day workout split guide and free spreadsheet
Intermediate · 3 days a week · 8 to 12 weeks, then reassess · Upper, lower and full body days for people who can train three times a week
A three-day week with an upper day, a lower day and a full body day, for people who can reliably train three times and want more than a plain full-body routine.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How 3 day workout split works
A 3 day workout split divides your training into three different sessions a week instead of repeating one full-body workout. There is no single official version, so people use a few common layouts.
Option one is push/pull/legs once a week: push on one day, pull on another, legs on the third. It is easy to learn and each session is focused, but each muscle is worked about once a week. The Jefit push/pull/legs routine we looked at runs six days, two rotations of push, pull and legs. Three days is the half version.
Option two is upper and lower. PureGym lists three-day versions: alternating upper/lower/upper and lower/upper/lower, or one full-body session plus one upper and one lower. Over two weeks the pattern evens out, but in any single week one half of the body is hit twice and the other once.
Option three is full body three times: a whole-body workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every muscle can be trained three times, but each session has to be shorter per muscle. Our Full Body Routine guide covers that layout with heavy, medium and volume days, so we did not build it here.
We picked a hybrid: Day 1 upper, Day 2 lower, Day 3 full body. Upper and lower each get a dedicated day with more exercises. The third day is a shorter pass over both halves. Chest, shoulders, quads, hamstrings and back each get two sessions a week, and the arms get a second hit from the presses and pull-ups. Calves get direct work once. PureGym recommends training each muscle at least twice a week for muscle growth, and Weightology builds its upper/lower plan around two to three sessions per muscle per week. Our layout gets most large muscles to the twice-a-week mark on three days.
Day 1 is bench press, barbell row, overhead press, lat pulldown, curls and pushdowns. Day 2 is squat, Romanian deadlift, leg press, leg curl and calf raise. Day 3 is deadlift, incline dumbbell press, pull-ups, goblet squat and lateral raise. The pull-up is in the app template but not in the sheet, because it has no weight to enter. These lifts and set counts are our own choices, not taken from a source. Keep a rest day between sessions, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Which one to pick: choose this plan if you can train three days and want dedicated upper and lower sessions with more exercises per day. Choose the Full Body Routine if you would rather train the whole body every day. Choose Push/Pull/Legs if you can train six days, and the Upper/Lower Split if you can train four.
The in-app templates match this layout, so the sample week and Start-it agree.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Every set uses the same weight, the one you can lift for the written reps.
Day 1: Upper
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 x 6 |
| Barbell row | 4 x 8 |
| Overhead press | 3 x 8 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 x 10 |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 x 12 |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 x 12 |
Day 2: Lower
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 4 x 6 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 x 8 |
| Leg press | 3 x 10 |
| Leg curl | 3 x 12 |
| Calf raise | 3 x 12 |
Day 3: Full body
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 x 5 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 x 10 |
| Goblet squat | 3 x 12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 x 15 |
Progression and stall rules
Reps first, then weight
Each lift has a target rep count. When every set reaches it with clean form, add the smallest jump you have and start the next session at that weight. These jumps are our own defaults. The sheet adds them once per session, so on accessories slow the pace and let reps climb first.
Stall rule
If a lift misses its reps for 2 to 3 sessions in a row, drop it by about 10% and build back up. That 10% is our rule, not a figure from a source.
Deload when you feel flat
When several lifts stall at once or you stop recovering between sessions, take a week at about 50% of your normal weights with the same lifts. This is our own default.
Run it for a block
We suggest 8 to 12 weeks, then reassess. Keep the same lifts through the block so each session can beat the last log.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 |
| Barbell row | 4 |
| Overhead press | 3 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 |
| Squat | 4 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 |
| Leg press | 3 |
| Leg curl | 3 |
| Calf raise | 3 |
| Deadlift | 3 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 |
| Goblet squat | 3 |
| Lateral raise | 3 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- People who can only train three days a week and want most large muscles hit twice.
- Lifters who finished a beginner full-body plan and want more exercises per muscle.
- Anyone who gets bored repeating one workout three times.
Look elsewhere if
- Brand-new lifters who can still add weight every session on a simple full-body plan. Start there.
- People who want to train four or more days. An upper/lower split or push/pull/legs fits that better.
- Lifters chasing a fixed percentage ladder. This plan runs on reps and small weight jumps.
Common mistakes
Skipping the rest days
Three days only works if you recover between them. Stacking all three on consecutive days leaves your legs tired for Day 3 and ruins the deadlift.
Treating Day 3 as a throwaway
The full body day supplies the second weekly hit on most muscles. Log it and try to beat it like the other days.
Going heavy on deadlift after a hard squat day
Day 2 loads your back and hamstrings. Start Day 3 deadlifts conservatively and add weight only when form stays clean.
Adding sets because you have time
Extra sets feel productive, but you lose the ability to tell what works. Run the plan as written for the block, then change one thing.
Changing exercises every week
You cannot tell if you are progressing if the lifts keep changing. Keep them fixed for 8 to 12 weeks.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Weight you use for your working sets. The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Day 1: Upper
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 135 |
| 2 | 6 | 135 |
| 3 | 6 | 135 |
| 4 | 6 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 115 |
| 2 | 8 | 115 |
| 3 | 8 | 115 |
| 4 | 8 | 115 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 85 |
| 2 | 8 | 85 |
| 3 | 8 | 85 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 100 |
| 2 | 10 | 100 |
| 3 | 10 | 100 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 20 |
| 2 | 12 | 20 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 40 |
| 2 | 12 | 40 |
Day 2: Lower
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 185 |
| 2 | 6 | 185 |
| 3 | 6 | 185 |
| 4 | 6 | 185 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 135 |
| 2 | 8 | 135 |
| 3 | 8 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 200 |
| 2 | 10 | 200 |
| 3 | 10 | 200 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 70 |
| 2 | 12 | 70 |
| 3 | 12 | 70 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 95 |
| 2 | 12 | 95 |
| 3 | 12 | 95 |
Day 3: Full body
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 225 |
| 2 | 5 | 225 |
| 3 | 5 | 225 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 40 |
| 2 | 10 | 40 |
| 3 | 10 | 40 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 35 |
| 2 | 12 | 35 |
| 3 | 12 | 35 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 | 15 |
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Open it in Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx file above.
- Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
- Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
- Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
3 day workout split vs Push/Pull/Legs
Push/pull/legs gives each muscle group its own day. At three days that is once a week per muscle; the usual version runs six days. Our split gets most large muscles to twice a week in three days. Read the Push/Pull/Legs guide.
3 day workout split vs Full body workout routine
Also three days a week, but every session trains the whole body, with a heavy, a medium and a volume day. Pick it if you prefer full body sessions; pick this plan if you prefer dedicated upper and lower days. Read the Full body workout routine guide.
3 day workout split vs Upper/lower split
Same upper and lower idea, but four days with two of each. Pick it if you can train a fourth day; pick this plan if three is your limit. Read the Upper/lower split guide.
Load 3 day workout split into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthCommon questions
What is the best 3 day workout split?
It depends on your goal and recovery. Push/pull/legs gives focused days but hits each muscle about once a week. Full body three times hits everything often. We use upper, lower, then full body, so most large muscles are trained twice.
Can I do push/pull/legs in three days?
Yes, one push, one pull and one legs day. The catch is frequency: each muscle gets one session a week. If you can train six days, running it twice a week works better; see our Push/Pull/Legs guide.
Is a 3 day split enough to build muscle?
Three well-run sessions can work if you train hard and progress your weights. Weightology's four-day plan sits at 12 sets per muscle per week, and ours is a little lower, so add a fourth day if you want more volume.
How is this different from the upper/lower split?
The upper/lower split is four days with two upper and two lower sessions. This one has three days and uses a full body session as the third. See our Upper/Lower Split guide if you can train four times.
What days should I train?
Monday, Wednesday and Friday is the simplest, with a rest day between each. Any pattern that avoids back-to-back days works.
Do the in-app templates match this?
Yes. Start-it loads the three 3 Day Split templates with the same lifts, sets and reps shown in the sample week.
Know where you stand
Before you start, check how your lifts compare on the strength standards, estimate a max with the one-rep max calculator, or score your total with the DOTS calculator.
Sources and credit
The 3 day split is our own program. It draws on common split structures with no single creator, described in our own words from PureGym, Weightology and Jefit. The in-app templates are our own.
- Upper/lower split: what it is and how to do it (PureGym)
- 4-6 day per week upper/lower hypertrophy split (Weightology)
- Metallicadpa's PPL (Jefit)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with PureGym, Weightology or Jefit. Program names are used only to identify the programs.