3 day workout split
Three days is the most common choice and the most convenient: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, with a rest day between sessions. There are five options, and their volume differs a lot.
Who it's for
Almost everyone: beginners, intermediates and anyone without time for four or five workouts. Three days give you both frequency and rest: a day off between sessions and enough sets over the week to grow. The key is picking the option that fits your goal, not the name.
1Full Body — 3 Days Program in the bot
The classic starting split. Three similar full-body sessions a week (Mon/Wed/Fri works). Compound lifts, minimal isolation — you groove the technique fast and add weight just as fast.
The week, day by day
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Mon | Full Body — Day 1 |
| Tue | rest |
| Wed | Full Body — Day 2 |
| Thu | rest |
| Fri | Full Body — Day 3 |
| Sat | rest |
| Sun | rest |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Sets a week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 9 |
| Back | 13 |
| Shoulders | 6 |
| Side delts | 3 |
| Rear delts | 0 |
| Biceps | 4 |
| Triceps | 3 |
| Quads | 6 |
| Hamstrings | 0.5 |
| Glutes | 0.5 |
| Calves | 0 |
| Abs | 9 |
2Strength 5×5 — A/B Program in the bot
Five sets of five, three big lifts a session, alternating day A and day B: A-B-A one week, B-A-B the next. Deadlifts get a single work set of five — they're the heaviest lift here and take the most out of you. No isolation on purpose — the whole point is adding a little weight to the bar every session, for as long as it keeps going up.
The week, day by day
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Strength — Day A | Strength — Day B |
| Tue | rest | rest |
| Wed | Strength — Day B | Strength — Day A |
| Thu | rest | rest |
| Fri | Strength — Day A | Strength — Day B |
| Sat | rest | rest |
| Sun | rest | rest |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Sets a week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 7.5 |
| Back | 8.2 |
| Shoulders | 7.5 |
| Side delts | 0 |
| Rear delts | 0 |
| Biceps | 0 |
| Triceps | 0 |
| Quads | 15 |
| Hamstrings | 0.4 |
| Glutes | 0.4 |
| Calves | 0 |
| Abs | 0 |
33-Day Split Program in the bot
Bro split: every workout is its own pair of muscle groups. Chest with triceps, back with biceps, legs with shoulders. Heavy volume on the target muscles and a full week to recover each.
The week, day by day
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Mon | Chest + Triceps |
| Tue | rest |
| Wed | Back + Biceps |
| Thu | rest |
| Fri | Legs + Shoulders |
| Sat | rest |
| Sun | rest |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Sets a week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 10 |
| Back | 11 |
| Shoulders | 6 |
| Side delts | 3 |
| Rear delts | 0 |
| Biceps | 6 |
| Triceps | 6 |
| Quads | 7 |
| Hamstrings | 3 |
| Glutes | 0 |
| Calves | 0 |
| Abs | 0 |
4Push / Pull / Legs Program in the bot
Push / Pull / Legs. Workouts split by function: pressing muscles, pulling muscles, legs. Run the cycle 3 or 6 times a week — it flexes to whatever your schedule allows.
The week, day by day
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Mon | Push |
| Tue | rest |
| Wed | Pull |
| Thu | rest |
| Fri | Legs |
| Sat | rest |
| Sun | rest |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Sets a week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 7 |
| Back | 11.5 |
| Shoulders | 6 |
| Side delts | 3 |
| Rear delts | 0 |
| Biceps | 6 |
| Triceps | 6 |
| Quads | 7 |
| Hamstrings | 6.8 |
| Glutes | 0.8 |
| Calves | 4 |
| Abs | 3 |
5Glutes & Legs — 3 Days Program in the bot
Lower body gets three days, upper body the bare minimum so it doesn't fall behind. Glutes work in two modes: bridges and kickbacks hit them directly, deadlifts and lunges stretch them under load. Upper body stays light and goes last — it shouldn't eat into leg strength.
The week, day by day
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Mon | Glutes — Heavy Day |
| Tue | rest |
| Wed | Legs — Quads |
| Thu | rest |
| Fri | Glutes + Light Upper |
| Sat | rest |
| Sun | rest |
Sets per muscle per week
| Muscle | Sets a week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 0 |
| Back | 6 |
| Shoulders | 3 |
| Side delts | 0 |
| Rear delts | 0 |
| Biceps | 0 |
| Triceps | 0 |
| Quads | 16 |
| Hamstrings | 7 |
| Glutes | 13 |
| Calves | 4 |
| Abs | 3 |
I count working sets from the program's schemes with the same rule the diary uses: a set goes in full to the exercise's muscle, and a deadlift set is split half to the back and half to the hamstrings and glutes. Muscles that only assist (triceps in a press) aren't counted. Volume targets are in the sets-per-week guide, and you can check your own plan with the volume calculator.
How to choose
- Beginner who wants a bit of everything — full body three days: every muscle three times a week, the fastest way to learn technique.
- Beginner who wants strength — 5×5: three big lifts and weight that goes up every session.
- Intermediate who likes a day per muscle — the 3-day split: two groups per workout with plenty of sets.
- Want push, pull and legs — push/pull/legs, one round a week.
- Glutes and legs come first — glutes and legs three days.
Look at the volume tables: 5×5 has almost no direct arm or delt work, the split has lots of chest and back but all of it once a week. That's neither good nor bad — they're different tools.
How to progress
Any program works as long as the load keeps going up. The simplest way is double progression: in a "3×8–12" scheme, push the reps to 12 on every set, then add weight and start again at 8. Heavy compounds for 3–6 reps grow by weight: 2.5 kg at a time on presses and 5 kg on squats and pulls, while it keeps working.
When the weight stalls for 2–3 weeks, don't scrap the program — check sleep, food and technique first, then take a deload. More in the progressive overload guide. If you log your sets, I suggest a target for each one from your last workout.
Take a program into your diary and start with day one — in the bot it's under Programs → Ready-made programs → Add it. The days land in your diary, and at every workout I'll suggest the weight from last time.
Prefer Telegram? Open the bot — same diary.