Your Training Split Doesn’t Matter
Yeah, you heard me right—I’m throwing it out there: your training split doesn’t matter.
I can already picture the chaos in your head:
“Wait a second. Isn’t this supposed to be evidence-based? This dude’s telling me my sacred PPL or bro split is pointless? Time to unfollow!”
Hold up, let’s pump the brakes. Don’t ditch me yet—I’ve got a point to make, and it might just change how you hit the gym.
People hit me up nonstop with questions like:
“Can I run this split?”
“Is it cool to train biceps on leg day?”
“Bro, I saw you hitting calves and chest together—what’s up with that?”
My answer never wavers:
If you can train hard, recover in time, and keep the gains coming, you can do whatever the hell you want.
Let’s unpack this and figure out why your split obsession might be holding you back—and how to fix it.
What’s a Training Split, Anyway?
At its core, a training split is your weekly workout roadmap. It’s how you decide what muscles to train, when to train them, and how often they get a beating. That’s it—no magic, just organization.
Here’s the quick-and-dirty on the big four splits most lifters swear by:
1. PPL (Push/Pull/Legs)
The darling of the lifting world. It’s simple, balanced, and endlessly flexible:
- Push Day: Chest, shoulders, triceps—think bench press and overhead presses.
- Pull Day: Back, biceps, rear delts—deadlifts and rows live here.
- Leg Day: Quads, hams, glutes, calves—squat ‘til you waddle.
You can run it 6 days straight with a rest day or rotate 3 days on, 1 off. It’s a go-to for gym rats who love frequent action without overcooking any one muscle group.
2. Upper/Lower (UL)
The minimalist’s dream—split your body in half:
- Upper Days: Chest, back, shoulders, arms—all the push-pull glory.
- Lower Days: Quads, hams, glutes, calves—the foundation builders.
Typically, 4-6 days a week, this setup gives you more recovery time per muscle group. It’s a fave for powerlifters or anyone who wants to hammer strength without living in the gym.
3. Full-Body
The efficiency king—every session hits everything:
- 2-4 days a week (though some maniacs push 6).
- Think squats, bench, and rows all in one go, tweaking intensity to avoid burnout.
Perfect for newbies, busy folks, or anyone who wants max muscle frequency without a daily grind.
4. The Bro Split
The ‘90s bodybuilding poster child—one muscle group, one day:
- Monday: Chest (bench press marathons).
- Tuesday: Back (lat pulldown city).
- Wednesday: Shoulders (lateral raises ‘til you cry).
- Thursday: Arms (curls for the girls).
- Friday: Legs (pray for mercy).
It’s iconic, it’s fun, but science says the low frequency can slow gains for most. Still, it’s got a vibe—can’t knock the classics entirely.
The Big Question: Which Split Is King?
Here’s the plot twist: none of them are.
They’re all just frameworks—different flavors of the same recipe: get enough volume and intensity to grow. No split is inherently “better”—they’re tools, not gospel.
So why do we argue about them like they’re the cure for skinny arms? Because we’re missing the real game-changer: how your body actually responds to training. That’s where the Stimulus-Recovery-Adaptation (SRA) curve swoops in to save the day.
The SRA Curve: Your Gains Blueprint
The SRA curve is the science behind why you grow—or why you don’t. It’s a three-step dance:
- Stimulus: You hit a muscle hard—enough reps, enough weight, close enough to failure—to tell it, “Hey, time to grow.”
- Recovery: Your body repairs the damage, refilling energy stores and mending tiny tears.
- Adaptation: The muscle doesn’t just heal—it upgrades, getting bigger and stronger for next time.
To keep the gains train rolling, you’ve got to time your next session just right:
- Too soon? You’re still wrecked—progress stalls.
- Too late? You’re twiddling your thumbs while growth potential sits idle.
Here’s the catch: every muscle has its own SRA clock—and they don’t all tick at the same speed.
Why Recovery Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Muscles aren’t created equal. Some shrug off a beating in a day; others need a week to stop whining. What decides their recovery speed?
- Size: Big muscles like quads, glutes, or lats take longer than smaller ones like biceps or side delts. More tissue, more repair time.
- Fiber Type: Slow-twitch fibers (think endurance muscles) recover faster than fast-twitch ones (powerhouses like your chest).
- Stretch Under Load: Muscles stretched hard—like hams in a Romanian deadlift or chest in a deep fly—get hit harder and need more downtime.
- Range of Motion: Long, full-range moves (squats, pull-ups) cause more damage than short ones (curls, shrugs). More damage, more recovery.
You’ve lived this without even noticing it:
- Smash your delts with lateral raises? Sore for a day, then golden.
- Annihilate your quads with heavy squats? You’re wincing down stairs ‘til Friday.
That’s the SRA curve flexing its muscle (pun intended). So why are we forcing every body part into the same rigid split? Spoiler: we shouldn’t.
How to Hack Your Split with SRA
Forget Googling “best training split 2025.” The SRA curve lets you build a program that fits your body—not some influencer’s. Here’s the playbook:
1. Know Your Recovery
- Small muscles (biceps, triceps, delts): Often good to go in 1-2 days.
- Big boys (quads, glutes, lats): Might need 3-5 days to bounce back.
- Test it: How long ‘til soreness fades and strength returns?
2. Schedule Smart
- Muscle’s ready? Hit it again.
- Still aching or weak? Chill another day.
3. Break the Mold
- Quads, biceps, and calves in one sesh? Do it.
- Chest, triceps, and abs together? Why not?
- Your body doesn’t care about “normal”—it cares about results.
Imagine this: You crush legs and shoulders on Monday, but by Wednesday, your delts are itching for action while your hams still feel like jelly. So you train delts—and save legs for Friday. That’s SRA in action, not some pre-fab split dictating your life.
The Real Takeaway: Quit Obsessing
Does your training split matter? Not as much as you think.
What does matter:
- Training Hard: Enough stimulus to spark growth.
- Recovering Fully: Letting the SRA curve do its job.
- Progressive Overload: More weight, reps, or intensity over time.
If your split checks those boxes, it’s a winner. If you’re hitting biceps while they’re still toast—or waiting a week when they’ve been ready since Tuesday—tweak it.
Want to master your SRA curves and dial in the perfect volume for your best growth? The RP Hypertrophy App guides you step-by-step, adapting to your body’s unique recovery so you can train smarter and grow faster.
So stop sweating the “perfect” split. Focus on what moves the needle:
Train like a beast. Recover like a pro. Grow like it’s your job. Now grab a barbell and make it happen
Find Trevor on…
Instagram: @Trevorxgage