Upper Lower PPL Split: A 5-Day Workout Plan
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Who Is This Hybrid Split For?
It is a useful option if you enjoy frequent gym visits, already perform the exercises confidently and want more focused sessions than a full-body routine. It is less practical when five sessions are an aspiration you rarely complete.
With three reliable days, start with full body. With four, the upper/lower guide already provides a complete plan. You do not need to move through these splits as if they were beginner, intermediate and advanced ranks.
Here, “hybrid” means combining lifting splits. It does not mean a lifting-and-running or HYROX program. Sport practice and running would need to be considered separately when choosing the total workload.
Choose a Sample Schedule
Move the days to suit your week while preserving a workable sequence and rest. The names of the weekdays are examples, not part of the training effect.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Upper |
| Tuesday | Lower |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Push |
| Friday | Pull |
| Saturday | Legs |
| Sunday | Rest |
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| 1 | Upper |
| 2 | Lower |
| 3 | Rest |
| 4 | Push |
| 5 | Pull |
| 6 | Rest |
| 7 | Legs |
| 8 | Rest |
| 9 | Start the cycle again with Upper |
The eight-day cycle contains the same five sessions over a longer period. It averages about 4.4 lifting sessions per seven days, with two main exposures for the chest, back and legs every eight days—about 1.75 per seven days. Its calendar days move from one week to the next.
The Five-Day Upper Lower PPL Workout Plan
This is a new, moderate-volume example built around the scheduling constraints Alex describes. It is not his exact former routine. The exercise order, sets and rep ranges are starting choices to adjust to your experience.
- Tables show working sets. Warm-up sets are additional; build up gradually before demanding lifts.
- RIR means reps in reserve: 2 RIR means you estimate two more repetitions with the intended technique.
- Allow roughly 2–3 minutes between demanding compound sets and 1–2 minutes for smaller isolation exercises. Take longer if needed to repeat useful work.
- If this is more work than you currently tolerate, start with two sets on the three-set exercises and use the higher RIR targets.
- Stop a movement that causes sharp or persistent pain. Do not force its prescribed load or range.
The loading and rest guidance is a practical application of hypertrophy programming recommendations.3 You do not need to reach failure on every set to follow the template.
Upper — a compact first exposure
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 2 | 6–10 | 2 |
| Chest-supported row | 2 | 8–12 | 1–2 |
| Lat pulldown | 2 | 8–12 | 1–2 |
| Cable lateral raise | 2 | 12–20 | 1–2 |
| Cable curl | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Overhead cable triceps extension | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
There are 12 working sets here. This is a compact upper session, not a complete push workout followed by a complete pull workout. Keep the two-set prescription initially; adding a third set to every exercise would substantially change the plan.
Lower — knee-dominant work plus a hinge
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hack squat | 3 | 6–10 | 2–3 |
| Romanian deadlift | 2 | 8–10 | 2–3 |
| Seated leg curl | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
Ten working sets cover different lower-body roles. A leg curl does not replace the hip-hinge role of the Romanian deadlift. Use a repeatable range of motion and leave enough reserve to control the final repetitions.
Push — chest, side delts and triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | 1–2 |
| Machine chest press | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Cable lateral raise | 2 | 12–20 | 1–2 |
| Cable triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
Nine working sets. There is no mandatory overhead press: pressing already trains the front delts. If overhead pressing is a personal priority, replace a pressing slot and reassess the workload instead of automatically adding another exercise.
Pull — back, rear delts and biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–12 | 1–2 |
| Chest-supported row | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Reverse pec deck | 2 | 12–20 | 1–2 |
| Cable or dumbbell curl | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
Nine working sets. A supported row keeps the exercise distinct from extra unsupported hip-hinge work before the next leg session. Log this session separately from Upper because exercise order and preceding work differ.
Legs — a second lower-body exposure
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg press | 3 | 8–12 | 2 |
| Hip thrust | 2 | 8–12 | 1–2 |
| Lying leg curl | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Leg extension | 2 | 10–15 | 1–2 |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 12–20 | 1–2 |
Twelve working sets. The leg press, hip thrust, curl and extension have different jobs. Choose comfortable equipment and keep the session bounded. Optional abdominal work is not included in the set totals; add it only if it fits your priorities and recovery.
Check the Whole Cycle, Not Just One Workout
| Area | Sets | Included work |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 7 | Bench, incline and machine chest presses |
| Back | 9 | Rows and pulldowns; different back muscles share the work |
| Quads | 8 | Hack squat, leg press and leg extension |
| Hamstrings | 6 | Romanian deadlift and two leg-curl sessions |
| Side / rear delts | 4 / 2 | Lateral raises / reverse pec deck |
| Biceps / triceps | 4 / 4 | Isolation sets only |
| Calves | 6 | Standing and seated calf raises |
The template contains 52 working sets across all five sessions, including two hip-thrust sets. Presses and pulls also train the arms; hinges, presses and squats involve overlapping regions. These counts do not treat every compound as a full set for every involved muscle. If you choose the eight-day cycle, the totals cover eight days rather than seven.
Higher weekly volume is associated with more growth on average, with diminishing returns. Recent dose-response research also highlights the importance of distinguishing direct from indirect work.2 This does not identify your individual optimum or make a specific number of sets compulsory.
Is the Hybrid Better Than PPL or Upper/Lower?
There is no basis here for calling this exact combination superior. Frequency research finds little independent hypertrophy benefit when volume is matched; more frequent sessions can still be useful for distributing the work.1, 2 The practical appeal is combining focused PPL days with another upper and lower exposure.
Compare it with the six-session PPL plan if you enjoy a dedicated push, pull and legs sequence. Choose upper/lower if the fifth visit makes the whole week less reliable. A plan you repeatedly complete gives you better information than a more elaborate one you keep restarting.
Progress Without Adding Exercises Every Week
Use double progression: improve repetitions within the range, then increase the load. Keep technique, range of motion and the intended effort comparable.
| Comparable session | Repetitions | Next decision |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier session | 10 / 9 | Keep the load and build reps |
| Later session | 12 / 11 | Keep building within the effort target |
| Later session | 12 / 12 | Try the smallest practical load increase next time |
| After increasing load | 9 / 8, for example | Rebuild reps with the same technique and effort |
This sequence may take several sessions; it is not a weekly promise. Keep separate log entries when the same exercise appears at a different point in Upper and Pull. Read progressive overload for the broader principle.
Keep the Workouts Recoverable
| Problem | First adjustment |
|---|---|
| Sessions keep running long | Remove the lowest-priority accessory or a set before rushing every rest period |
| Repeatedly falling performance | Check sleep, food, stress and the workload; reduce sets or use the eight-day cycle |
| You miss a session | Continue with the next session when you return; do not merge two full sessions |
| Only four days are reliably available | Use the four-day upper/lower plan rather than repeatedly abandoning the fifth session |
| An exercise is uncomfortable or unavailable | Replace its training role and establish a new working load |
| You want more arm work | Redistribute existing isolation work first; add sets only if progress and recovery justify it |
A late set is not automatically “junk.” Ask whether it still provides controlled, challenging work that you can recover from. Adding exercises just to feel more exhausted is a poor way to decide your dose. For broader troubleshooting, use recovery and muscle growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start the cycle with Push instead of Upper?
Yes, but review where the two upper- and lower-body exposures fall. Reordering the names does not remove overlapping fatigue. Keep rest days where they make the sequence workable.
Is five-day rolling PPL the same thing?
No. Repeating Push → Pull → Legs over five weekly gym visits averages about 1.67 of each session per week. This plan deliberately includes an Upper and a Lower session as well as Push, Pull and Legs.
Can I add all of my old PPL accessories?
Only after evaluating their purpose and the resulting workload. The Upper and Lower sessions already supply additional work. Combining two full programs would create a different prescription.
How long should I follow it?
A six- to eight-week review point is a practical way to organize your log, not an expiry date. Continue while the plan fits and progress is useful; adjust sooner if the workload or an exercise clearly does not suit you.
Want to build your own version? Use the program-design guide and exercise library to understand each slot.
Prefer a dedicated chest, back, leg, shoulder and arm day? Compare the five-day bro split before choosing your schedule.
References
The research informs the principles. The workout tables and progression examples are editorial applications, not a research-tested package. Coach notes adapt Alex’s own reported experience; the sample prescriptions are not a reconstruction of his old training logs.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Krieger J. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? Journal of Sports Sciences. 2019;37:1286–1295.
- Pelland JC, et al. The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains. Sports Medicine. 2026;56:481–505.
- Schoenfeld BJ, et al. Resistance Training Recommendations to Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy in an Athletic Population: Position Stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 2021.
