Walking into the gym without a plan can feel overwhelming, but having a set routine helps you stay focused and consistent so you can train with purpose instead of guessing. This is where a workout split comes in, a way to organise your training by muscle groups to maximise energy, output, and strength. But having a split isn’t enough, it needs to be the right one for your goals.

Where to begin?

Before creating your workout split, start by looking at what you want to achieve. Ask yourself:

• What are my fitness goals?
  

• How many days can I realistically train each week?
  

• What equipment or space do I have access to, eg- a gym, home weights?
  

Once you have determined these things you can start planning how you are going to train each muscle group on each day.

Beginners often start with full-body workouts around  three days a week. Spacing these sessions out gives your muscles enough time to recover and adapt, helping you see progress faster.

As you gain experience, you might move towards a body-part split, which typically trains two muscle groups per session.

Example: 5-Day Split

• Day 1: Chest & Triceps

• Day 2: Back & Biceps

• Day 3: Legs & Glutes

• Day 4: Shoulders & Abs

• Day 5: Glutes & Hamstrings

Another popular option is a Push, Pull, Legs split, which groups muscles by movement pattern. This type of training supports muscle growth and overall balance, and works well for a variety of goals.  

Example: 3-Day Push, Pull, Legs Split

• Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
  

• Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps, Rear Delts)
  

• Day 3: Legs

How to Decide on Exercises and Reps?

Determining your goal will help you figure out which exercises and rep ranges work best for your split.

• Muscle growth (hypertrophy): Focus on compound lifts with a few isolation moves, aiming for 8–12 reps per set.
  

• Strength: Prioritise heavier compound lifts with 4–6 reps per set.
  

• Toning and definition: Go for 12–15 reps with lighter weights, shorter rest periods, and more isolation work.

It’s also important to balance your muscle groups, avoid overtraining one area while neglecting another. 

A simple, effective structure for each session is to include:

• 1–2 compound exercises → build overall strength and size
  

• 2–3 isolation exercises → refine, shape, and target smaller muscle

With a strong split and a clear plan, you’ll feel more confident stepping into the gym and getting the most out of every session.

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