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Programming
Programming

Upper / Lower Split Program

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Program example
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A four-day split alternating upper-body and lower-body sessions, giving each muscle ~2× weekly frequency — the balanced default for intermediates with four days.

Detail

The upper/lower split divides the body into two sessions, run twice each per week (4 days total), so every muscle is trained ~2×/week — the frequency sweet spot for hypertrophy and strength (see Training Frequency Considerations, Training Splits Compared). It is the most balanced split for the common 4-day availability.

Typical week (e.g., Mon Upper / Tue Lower / Thu Upper / Fri Lower):

A common scheme runs the two sessions of each type differently — one heavier/lower-rep (strength bias, ~4–6 reps) and one lighter/higher-rep (hypertrophy bias, ~8–12), a simple form of weekly undulation. Compounds first; rest 2–3 min compounds, 1–2 min accessories.

Acute variables: distribute weekly sets per muscle across the two same-type days. Strengths: ~2× frequency on only 4 days; balanced; flexible across strength and size by rep range. Compared to 6-day PPL, it reaches the same ~2× frequency with fewer sessions, making it the higher-value choice when you can't train 6 days. It is the modern, balanced instance of Split Routine System.

Key facts

  • Two sessions (upper, lower) run twice/week = 4 days; each muscle ~2×/week.
  • Best fit for 4-day availability; the balanced default for intermediates.
  • Common scheme: one heavy/low-rep + one lighter/high-rep day of each type (weekly undulation).
  • Compounds first; rest 2–3 min compounds, 1–2 min accessories.
  • Reaches ~2× frequency in fewer sessions than 6-day PPL.

Connections

Sources

Cited in text — not yet linked
Established upper/lower split-design consensus (NSCA; frequency literature).

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Atlas Connections

Back Squats
The high-bar back squat: the bar sits across the upper back, and the three vasti, gluteus maximus and adductor magnus drive you up from as deep as you can control.
Bicep Curls (Barbell)
The basic barbell (or cable) biceps curl — the major-muscle-balance biceps exercise in the FSU strength-conditioning program.
Bench Press
Flat horizontal-adduction press driven by the sternal pectoralis major, with anterior deltoid, triceps and serratus anterior assisting; the chest mass exercise and one of the three powerlifts.
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Hinge forward with a neutral back and pull the bar to your lower ribs. The lats and teres major drive the pull, the rear delts and mid-back finish it, and your back muscles hold the hinge the whole time, so it is a heavy row with a real low-back demand.
Deadlifts (bent knee)
Lift a bar from the floor to standing by pushing the floor away and driving your hips forward, with straight arms and a braced back that holds its natural curve. Hips, knees and back all work hard. Start with a trap bar or a light load from blocks, and add weight only while your back position holds.
Lat Pulldown
Pull the bar to your upper chest in front of your face, with your shoulder blades drawn down. An overhand grip one to two times shoulder width works the lats about equally well, so pick the width that lets you use full range, and skip behind-the-neck pulls.
Lateral Raises
Standing/seated arm abduction raise emphasizing the medial deltoid (true abduction involving all three heads plus supraspinatus).
Leg Curl (Hamstring Curl)
Machine knee-flexion exercise isolating the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus), with the hip stabilized.
Leg Presses (45 degree)
45-degree leg press working the quads and adductors; a supplementary substitute for the squat with no spinal compression.
Strict Overhead Press (Military Press)
Stand tall, brace, and press the bar from your collarbones to straight arms overhead with no leg drive, moving your head out of the way and back under the bar. The front deltoid leads, the side deltoid, triceps and the muscles that rotate the shoulder blade upward help, and your trunk holds you rigid.
Standing Calf Raises
Straight-knee calf raise that loads the gastrocnemius (which becomes ineffective when the knee is flexed) via plantar flexion.
Tricep Pushdowns
Cable triceps pushdown working all three heads; the basic/major-muscle triceps exercise and a novice selection.
Training Frequency Considerations
How often to train each muscle or movement per week — driven by how weekly volume is distributed and how long each muscle needs to recover, not by a magic number.
Muscle Hypertrophy ProgramClosely related
Train each muscle with about 10–20 hard sets a week, split over roughly two sessions. Use mostly 6–15 reps stopped 1–3 reps short of failure, rest at least 1.5–2 minutes, add reps or load as you get stronger, and eat enough protein and energy to grow.
Push / Pull / Legs (PPL) ProgramClosely related
A split that groups the body by function — pushing muscles, pulling muscles, legs — run 3 or 6 days a week, giving balanced coverage and (at 6 days) ~2× frequency.
Exercise Order Within a Session
The default sequence — power, then heavy compounds, then assistance, then isolation/core — that puts the most neurally demanding work where you are freshest.
Training Splits ComparedClosely related
How the main ways of dividing the body across the week — full-body, upper/lower, push-pull-legs, body-part — trade off per-muscle frequency, session length, and weekly availability.
Undulating Periodization (DUP / WUP)
A nonlinear model that varies volume and intensity frequently — within a week (WUP) or session to session (DUP) — so several qualities are trained in the same period rather than in long sequential blocks.
Split Routine System
Different body parts are trained on alternate days so each can be worked thoroughly at high intensity without overtraining.