Arnold Split: A 6-Day Workout Plan, Volume and Progression
The Arnold split is a bodybuilding schedule associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger: chest and back, shoulders and arms, then legs, repeated across six weekly training days. Its appeal is the pairing of opposing muscle groups and the room it gives each workout. The version below is an independent, modern example, not a verified copy of Arnold’s personal routine or an endorsed program.
Six days is a substantial commitment. This guide explains the schedule, provides a scaled exercise example, checks the weekly workload, and shows how to progress it. The split is an option for experienced lifters who enjoy it; its name and frequency do not make it more effective than a recoverable four- or five-day plan.
What Is the Arnold Split?
The Arnold split is a 6-day-per-week training schedule that groups muscles into three sessions, each performed twice per week:
Day 1 & 4: Chest + Back
Day 2 & 5: Shoulders + Arms (biceps, triceps, sometimes forearms)
Day 3 & 6: Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves) + Core
Day 7: Rest
Each session occurs twice a week, although pressing and pulling also train arm and shoulder muscles on other days. A meta-analysis of 25 studies found no meaningful hypertrophy advantage from higher frequency when weekly volume was matched. Twice weekly is a convenient way to distribute work, not a proven sweet spot. Count both direct work and overlap before adding sets.
For a different full-body approach, see Arnold’s Golden Six. Keep the choice tied to the time and workload you can sustain.
Why Pair Chest and Back?
Alternating a press with a pull can make the session practical, but it needs sensible rest:
Optional antagonist pairs: Perform a press, rest, then a row, and rest before repeating. This can use waiting time efficiently, but the second exercise still adds fatigue. Keep straight sets if pairing reduces repetitions or technique.
A pump is feedback, not a growth test. Chest/back training can feel demanding without proving it produced more hypertrophy than another schedule.
Compare performance: Start with the same loads and rep targets you use for straight sets. If pairing makes those targets harder, lengthen the rest or separate the exercises rather than assuming an automatic strength boost.
The main cost is overlapping fatigue. Chest pressing on Day 1 also involves the triceps and front delts that you train on Day 2. Start the shoulder/arm day conservatively and insert another rest day if that overlap limits performance.
Volume and Frequency: What the Evidence Supports
The important variables are the work you can repeat, the effort of your sets, and progression over time. Research on volume and frequency does not test this entire named split against every alternative.
Weekly set volume matters. The 2017 volume meta-analysis found a dose-response association across the included studies. That does not establish an unlimited linear benefit or a universal minimum for advanced lifters. The example below is a starting plan to adjust, not a research-derived optimum.
Use frequency to divide that workload into manageable sessions. Training a muscle twice weekly does not automatically outperform once or three times weekly at the same total volume.
Soreness is not the target. Choose loads you can control, retain useful repetitions, and avoid adding work just to feel exhausted.
The split provides an organizing structure. Its results depend on how you use that structure, including exercise selection, workload, rest, food and sleep.
The Full Arnold Split Workout (Modernized)
This example is for a healthy lifter already comfortable with these movements. Sets are working sets, excluding warm-ups; use as many progressively heavier warm-up sets as needed for the first demanding lift. Keep about 1–3 repetitions in reserve, and do not require failure on every final set. Rest about 2–3 minutes for demanding compound sets and 1–2 minutes for smaller exercises, extending rest when needed. If this exceeds your recent workload, start with fewer exercises or sets.
Day 1 & 4 — Chest + Back
Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
Barbell Bench Press | 3 x 6–8 |
Barbell Bent-Over Row | 3 x 6–8 |
Incline Dumbbell Press | 2 x 8–10 |
Weighted Pull-Up (or Lat Pulldown) | 2 x 8–10 |
Dumbbell Fly (or Pec Deck) | 2 x 10–12 |
Seated Cable Row | 2 x 10–12 |
Cable Crossover | 2 x 12–15 |
Straight-Arm Pulldown | 2 x 12–15 |
Day 2 & 5 — Shoulders + Arms
Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
Seated Overhead Press (DB or BB) | 3 x 6–8 |
Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 x 10–15 |
Rear-Delt Cable Fly (or Reverse Pec Deck) | 2 x 12–15 |
Barbell Curl | 2 x 8–10 |
Close-Grip Bench Press | 2 x 8–10 |
Incline Dumbbell Curl | 2 x 10–12 |
Overhead Cable Triceps Extension | 2 x 10–12 |
Hammer Curl + Cable Pushdown (superset) | 1 x 12–15 each |
Day 3 & 6 — Legs + Core
Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
Back Squat | 3 x 6–8 |
Romanian Deadlift | 3 x 6–8 |
Leg Press | 2 x 10–12 |
Lying or Seated Leg Curl | 2 x 10–12 |
Walking Lunge or Bulgarian Split Squat | 2 x 10/leg |
Standing or Seated Calf Raise | 3 x 8–12 |
Hanging Leg Raise | 2 x 10–15 |
Cable Crunch | 2 x 12–15 |
Day 7 — Rest
Take a day off demanding lifting. Easy walking is optional. In this example, each chest/back day has 18 working sets: 9 chest and 9 back, or 18 weekly sets for each. Each shoulder/arm day has 18 sets: 8 shoulder, 5 biceps and 5 triceps, before counting indirect work. Each leg/core day has 19 sets, including 4 core sets. The full week totals 110 exercise sets; unilateral sets are counted per exercise, not doubled for two legs. That is a substantial workload, so reduce it if you cannot recover.
Who Should Run the Arnold Split?
Consider this schedule if these conditions fit:
You have enough lifting experience to choose appropriate loads and judge effort, and your recent training supports the planned workload.
You can train six days per week without regularly sacrificing sleep, recovery or other commitments.
You can eat enough to support training, include adequate protein, and maintain regular sleep. There is no nutrition threshold that makes six hard days automatically recoverable.
You prefer the chest/back and shoulder/arm pairings and can maintain useful performance despite their overlap.
Beginners usually have a simpler starting point in a few full-body sessions. If your time or recovery is limited, a push/pull/legs schedule can also be arranged with fewer weekly sessions. Neither age, family commitments nor a specific number of months training determines whether this split is appropriate.
For a different four-day arrangement, see the four-day bro split guide. Compare its actual workload as well as its number of days.
Programming Progressive Overload on the Arnold Split
Use double progression as one practical way to manage the example. Keep the exercises and rest reasonably consistent so you can compare sessions:
Pick a rep range (e.g., 6–8 for compounds).
Hit the top of the range on all working sets at 1–2 RIR → next session, add the smallest load increment.
If you miss the bottom of the range, check rest and technique. Reduce the load when needed to restore the target repetitions; do not force missed reps.
Plan an easier week when accumulated fatigue makes normal sessions difficult, or around a predictable busy period. For example, temporarily reduce sets by about a third to a half and leave more reps in reserve. This is an adjustable programming option, not a mandatory five-to-seven-week biological deadline.
For the deeper mechanics, see Master Progressive Overload for Muscle Growth.
Common Mistakes That Wreck Arnold Split Results
Maxing out every set: Keep most work short of failure. A failed heavy compound set is not needed to validate the session.
Changing exercises too often: Retain comfortable movements long enough to measure progress. Substitute an exercise when equipment, persistent discomfort or your goals warrant it, not because a fixed rotation date arrives.
Ignoring recovery: Keep the rest day and add another when needed. There is no universal week when this program becomes unmanageable.
Double-counting arm work: Presses and pulls already involve the arms. The direct biceps and triceps work here totals 10 sets each per week, with additional overlap; more is not automatically better.
Chasing workload after poor sleep: A rough night is a reason to reassess the session, not to compensate with extra sets.
How to Apply This in Setgraph
Use a log to keep the three sessions comparable. The aim is to record the training you actually complete:
Organize three workouts: Chest + Back, Shoulders + Arms, and Legs + Core. Record exercise, load and repetitions, and compare with your previous session before choosing the next weight.
Keep rest consistent: Use a timer as a reference, following the rest-interval guide. Extend rest if you are not ready for a controlled next set.
Note effort: For example, record “bench 60 kg: 8, 8, 7; about 2 RIR.” Next time, aim for 8, 8, 8 at similar effort before adding the smallest available load.
Count weekly sets: Keep the direct-work totals above beside your log and account for pressing/pulling overlap. A volume chart alone cannot identify junk volume, measure recovery, or dictate a deload.
Review the schedule: Compare planned sessions with completed sessions. If six days repeatedly crowds out recovery or other commitments, reduce the frequency rather than training just to maintain a streak.
For help organizing a multi-day routine, see How to Create a Workout Plan.
FAQ
Q: Is the Arnold split better than PPL?
Neither split is inherently better. A six-day PPL schedule and this six-day Arnold schedule both repeat three sessions twice weekly. Other PPL schedules use fewer days. Compare exercise overlap, session length, weekly workload and your ability to recover rather than the name.
Q: Can I run the Arnold split as a 5-day version?
Yes. Train Monday to Friday, rest on the weekend, and continue cycling A (chest/back), B (shoulders/arms), C (legs/core). Three weeks look like A-B-C-A-B, C-A-B-C-A, then B-C-A-B-C. Each session occurs five times in 21 days, averaging about 1.67 times per week. A three-days-on/one-day-off cycle is a different option: it averages 5.25 sessions and 1.75 exposures to each session per week.
Q: How long should each session take?
Session length depends on your warm-ups, rest and equipment access. This example has 18–19 working sets per session and may take well over an hour. If it does not fit, remove an accessory exercise or lower the set count rather than rushing heavy sets.
Q: Will the Arnold split build strength too?
It can improve strength in the lifts you practice. If a specific one-repetition maximum is your main goal, prioritize that lift and adjust the workload around it. A powerlifting plan is not defined by a universal three-day frequency, and this split is not a guarantee of any strength outcome.
Q: Is chest + back same day too much volume?
It depends on the dose. This example has 9 direct chest and 9 back sets each session, repeated twice weekly. That is 18 sets per week for each, before other overlap. Reduce the starting dose if it is a large increase or performance on following days suffers.
Q: How long should I run the Arnold split before changing?
Keep it while it fits your schedule and training is progressing. Review the log over several comparable sessions; if progress stalls, check load, effort, sleep and workload before switching programs. There is no required eight-to-twelve-week expiration date.
Bottom Line
The Arnold split is a recognizable way to organize six training days. Use the worked schedule, count the overlap, and adjust the dose to what you can sustain. A smaller plan done consistently can be a better choice than forcing the full example.
Record your next session and compare it with your last using Setgraph.
