A Minimalistic Upper/Lower Training Split
One thing I have learned about science in the fitness world is that it simplifies. It makes things less complicated.
It allows you to simplify your training with the essentials, cutting out some of the fat of our exercises.
Today, I wanted to give you a minimalistic upper/lower body split. Once you finish reading this, you will have an evergreen training process that you can use for the rest of your fitness journey.
Let’s dive in!
Upper-Lower Rundown
Before we get into the training program, I wanted to give you information on how the program is laid out.
This program is laid out based on key terms that target our major muscle groups through specific movement patterns.
In following these exercises in this direction, you will have a program layout that you can use forever, as I continue to do.
If you’d like to skip the key terms and get to the TLDR version, scroll down to the section called “The Minimalistic Upper/Lower Split”.
This minimalistic training split can be utilized 4–6 days per week (depending on how experienced you are in training).
We will utilize it as if it was a 4 day a week program that targets each major muscle group two times per week.
Workout Key Terms
In most of our workout splits, we typically utilize terms that mean specific movement patterns. In each section, we will breakdown what each key term means, and the exercises that they are typically for.
Upper
Horizontal Push
A Horizontal Push is any exercise that utilizes direct chest work. These exercises consist of the following:
- Bench Press (Flat Bench or Decline)
- Push-Ups
- Chest Flys
Horizontal Pull
Horizontal Pulls consist of any back exercises that revolve around a rowing movement. These exercises are the following:
- Weighted Rows
- Chest Supported Machine Rows
- TRX Rows
Vertical Push
Vertical Push exercises are any type of shoulder-focused movement. These exercises are the following:
- Overhead Presses (Seated or Standing)
- Incline Bench Presses
Vertical Pull
Vertical Pulls are any back-focused exercise that moves the lats up and down. These consist of the following:
- Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups
- Lat Pulldown
Bicep Exercises
Bicep exercises consist of any exercises that curl your biceps. In training the biceps optimally, this is what we would do:
- Curls in front of your torso: Preacher Curls
- Curls behind your torso: Incline Dumbbell Curls
- Curls that bring biceps in front of you: Standing Curls
Tricep Exercises
Tricep exercises consist of any exercises that extend your triceps. In training the triceps optimally, this is what we target these muscles:
- Extensions above your head: Overhead Extensions
- Extensions pushing downwards: Dips or Tricep Extensions
- Extensions pushing your triceps back: Tricep Kickbacks
Lateral Raise or Trapezius Variations
Lateral Raises consist of any deltoid exercise that allows you to bring your arms out laterally.
Trapezius Variations consist of any exercise that targets the Trapezius muscles. These could be exercises like a dumbbell shrug or Farmer’s Walk.
Rear Delt Exercises
Rear Delt exercises consist of any shoulder movement that targets the rear deltoid muscles. These exercises consist of the following:
- Rear Delt Fly
- Face Pulls
Lower
Squat Variation
Squat Variations are any dumbbell or barbell exercise that targets the quadriceps muscles by squatting down and standing up.
These exercises consist of the following:
- Squat
- Front Squat
- Zercher Squat
Deadlift Variation
Deadlift Variations are any dumbbell or barbell exercise that targets the hamstrings through a standing variation.
These exercises consist of the following:
- Conventional or Sumo Deadlifts
- Romanian Deadlifts or Straight Legged Deadlifts (Barbell or Dumbbell)
Glute Exercises
Glute Exercises consist of any movement that kicks your legs back or thrusting your glutes upwards.
These exercises consist of the following:
- Rope Pull Throughs
- Glute Bridges
- Hip Thrusters
- Glute Kickbacks
Quadricep Isolation Exercise
Quadricep Isolation exercises consist of any front of thigh exercise that isolates that specific muscle group.
These exercises consist of the following:
- Leg Extensions
- Leg Press
- Hack Squat
Hamstring Isolation Exercise
Hamstring Isolation exercises consist of any back of thigh exercise that isolates that specific muscle group.
These exercises consist of the following:
- Leg Curls (Standing or Lying)
- Light Dumbbell Deadlifts
- Glute-Hamstring Raises
Abdominal Exercises
Abdominal exercises consist of every ab exercise you can fathom.
These abdominal exercises consist of the following:
- Crunches
- Leg Raises
- Ab Rotations
- Planks
I like to prioritize ab rotation movements because that plane of motion is typically underworked.
We also include abdominal exercises on our lower body days so that they don’t impede our heavier leg exercises.
Calf Exercise
Calf Exercises consist of any movement that targets the calves in isolation. These consist of the following:
- Standing Calf Raise (Machine or Barbell)
- Seated Calf Raise
- Calf Jumps
The Minimalistic Upper/Lower Split
We are going to give you an example of a minimalistic 4 day Upper/Lower training split.
This program will target every major muscle group 1–2 times per week.
For Reference: 3–4x6–10 = 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps
Upper (A)
- Bench Press 3–4x6–10
- Dumbbell Row 3–4x8–12
- Shoulder Press 3x8–12
- Pull Ups 4x10
- Lateral Raises 2x15–20
- Barbell Curl 3x10–15
- Tricep Rope Extensions 2x15–20
- Face Pulls 2–3x15–20
- Optional Bicep or Tricep Exercise 2x15–20
Lower (A)
- Squat 3x6–8
- Romanian Deadlift 3x10
- Glute Kickback 3x10–15
- Leg Press 3x10–15
- Seated Leg Curl 3x10–12
- Hanging Leg Raises 3–4x10–12
- Standing Calf Raise 3x10–15
Upper (B)
- Overhead Press 3–4x6–10
- Chest Supported Machine Row 3–4x8–12
- Dips 3x8–12
- Lat Pulldown 3x10–12
- Barbell Skull Crushers 3x8–12
- Preacher Curls 2x15–20
- Rear Delt Fly 2x15–20
- Optional Bicep or Tricep Exercise 2x15–20
Lower (B)
- Deadlift 3x6–8
- Front Squat 3x10
- Rope Pull Throughs 3x10–15
- Leg Extensions 2x15–20
- Lying Leg Curl 3x10–12
- Roman Chairs 3–4x10–12
- Seated Calf Raise 3x10–15
Minimal and Optimal
Minimal workouts… optimal results.
Now you have a layout that you can utilize for years to come if you would like. If you went through reading the key terms, you will see that you can even change things up to turn the program into a calisthenic or at-home workout.
The possibilities are endless for this layout.
If you have any other questions or comments, feel free to throw them below!
Until next time!
