Training split
Upper body days train everything above the waist in one session: the chest, back, shoulders and arms. They are half of the popular upper/lower split.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
An upper/lower split alternates upper-body days with lower-body days, usually four sessions a week, so each muscle is trained twice weekly with a rest day or a lower-body day in between. It's a common next step after full-body training because each session can include more exercises per area.
02
Balance pushes and pulls: pair a horizontal press (bench press or push-ups) with a horizontal pull (a row), and a vertical press (overhead press) with a vertical pull (pull-up or pulldown). Add one or two arm or shoulder isolation moves at the end. Alternating push and pull exercises also lets one group rest while the other works.
03
A balanced upper day has two presses, two pulls and one or two arm or delt exercises. Swap exercises every few weeks if you like variety, but keep the push/pull balance.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound kettlebell exercise for the middle back, also working the shoulders and lower back.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the traps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the obliques.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the shoulders and traps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the triceps, also working the shoulders.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats, shoulders and lower back.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats, shoulders and lower back.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the forearms.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the biceps and lats, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the hamstrings.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the traps.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the triceps and chest, also working the shoulders.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the triceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the chest.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats and shoulders.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the traps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the obliques.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the triceps, also working the abs, glutes and hamstrings.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats and shoulders.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the triceps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the calves, glutes, shoulders, adductors and abductors.
Beginner compound kettlebell exercise for the middle back, also working the shoulders and lower back.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and traps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Beginner isolation lat pulldown machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms and biceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Beginner isolation chest fly machine exercise for the chest.
Beginner compound chest press machine exercise for the chest, also working the triceps.
Beginner isolation preacher curl machine exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound shoulder press machine exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats and shoulders.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the forearms.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the forearms.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the middle back and traps.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats, shoulders and lower back.
Beginner isolation reverse fly machine exercise for the shoulders, also working the middle back and traps.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings and lower back, also working the shoulders.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the triceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the forearms.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the middle back and traps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the shoulders, glutes and quadriceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the triceps.
Beginner compound smith machine exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the middle back, also working the lats and shoulders.
Beginner isolation smith machine exercise for the traps.
Beginner compound barbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the forearms.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and triceps.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the lats, lower back and middle back, also working the shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the triceps, also working the chest.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the triceps.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Beginner compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Beginner isolation cable machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms and biceps.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the abs.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the lats, also working the biceps and forearms.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the obliques.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Intermediate compound barbell exercise for the middle back, also working the lats, shoulders and lower back.
Intermediate isolation lat pulldown machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms and biceps.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the triceps, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the chest.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the shoulders, also working the traps and middle back.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the chest.
Intermediate compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation barbell exercise for the triceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the triceps, also working the chest and shoulders.
Intermediate isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the glutes.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders and triceps.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the triceps, also working the chest, shoulders and abs.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the triceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the quadriceps.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the chest.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the middle back.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate compound cable row machine exercise for the middle back, also working the forearms and biceps.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation plate exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate compound barbell exercise for the abs, also working the shoulders and triceps.
Intermediate isolation smith machine exercise for the traps.
Intermediate isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation plate exercise for the biceps and forearms.
Intermediate isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the triceps.
Intermediate isolation exercise ball exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate compound cable row machine exercise for the middle back, also working the forearms and biceps.
Intermediate isolation barbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs and quadriceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, obliques, shoulders and abductors, also working the adductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Intermediate compound smith machine exercise for the middle back, also working the lats, shoulders and lower back.
Intermediate compound smith machine exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Intermediate compound smith machine exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
Intermediate compound smith machine exercise for the shoulders and traps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate compound dumbbell exercise for the chest.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the triceps, also working the shoulders.
Intermediate isolation dumbbell exercise for the biceps, also working the forearms.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Advanced isolation bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the lats.
Advanced compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, also working the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
Advanced compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Advanced compound bodyweight exercise for the chest, also working the shoulders, triceps and abs.
Free GymStreak calculators that go with upper body training.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
