Advanced6 days/weekFull gym

Arnold Split (6 Days)

The classic bodybuilding split: chest & back, shoulders & arms, legs, twice a week.

Days per week: 6
Session length: ~70 min
Equipment: Full gym
Experience: Advanced
Goal: Build muscle
Run it for: 8–12 weeks

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Overview

Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous split pairs opposing muscles (chest with back, shoulders with arms) and trains everything twice a week across six days. Pairing chest and back lets one rest while the other works, so you can do a lot of volume in one session.

It's a high-volume program for experienced lifters who love the gym and recover well. Expect long, hard sessions and a serious pump.

Who it's for

Experienced lifters (1+ years) focused on building muscle
People who enjoy training six days a week
Anyone who has outgrown a push/pull/legs split and wants more variety

Not ideal if…

Beginners. The volume is too much to recover from. Start with the Beginner 3-Day Full Body.
Anyone who can't sleep 7+ hours or eat enough to recover

Weekly schedule

Chest & Back Monday and Thursday, Shoulders & Arms Tuesday and Friday, Legs Wednesday and Saturday, rest Sunday.

MonChest & Back
TueShoulders & Arms
WedLegs
ThuChest & Back
FriShoulders & Arms
SatLegs
SunRest

The workouts

Chest & Back

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell bench press	4	8
Pull-up	4	8
Incline dumbbell press	3	10
Barbell row	3	10
Dumbbell fly	3	12
Dumbbell pullover	3	12

Shoulders & Arms

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Standing overhead press	4	8
Dumbbell lateral raise	4	12
Cable rear delt fly	3	15
Barbell curl	3	10
Barbell close-grip bench press	3	10
Dumbbell incline curl	3	12
Cable overhead triceps extension	3	12

Legs

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell back squat	4	8
Barbell Romanian deadlift	3	10
Leg press	3	12
Lying leg curl	3	12
Leg extension	3	15
Standing calf raise	4	12
Hanging leg raise	3	12

How to run it

Warm up: 5 minutes of light cardio, then 2–3 lighter warm-up sets of the first exercise, building up to your working weight. Later exercises usually need just one lighter set.
Choosing a weight: Use a weight you could lift for 2–3 more reps than the target. The last set should feel hard, but your form shouldn't break down. Spend the first week or two a little lighter while you learn the movements.
Rest between sets: About 2 minutes on the first two exercises of each day; 60–90 seconds on the rest. Supersetting chest and back exercises is a classic option..
Progression: Use double progression: when you hit the target reps on every set, add weight next time. On the second session of each muscle group in the week, aim to match or beat the first. In Progress, Progressive Reps is already on for pull-up and hanging leg raise: each time you hit the target on every set, the next session's target goes up by one rep.
How long to run it: Follow it for 8–12 weeks, as long as you keep making progress. If most of your lifts stall for two weeks in a row, take an easier week at about 60% of your usual weights, then keep going.
Track every session: Write down the weight and reps for every set. You need last session's numbers to know what to do today, and seeing them climb is the best motivation there is.

Tips

Try supersetting the chest and back pairs (bench with pull-ups, incline press with rows) to save time. That's how Arnold ran it.
Keep 1–2 reps in reserve on most sets. Six days a week adds up, and grinding to failure everywhere will stall you.
If you feel run down, drop Saturday's session for a week. Missing one day won't cost you anything.

Questions

Is the Arnold split better than push/pull/legs?

Neither is better for growth; both train each muscle twice a week. The Arnold split gives arms and shoulders their own day, which many people like for aesthetics.

Can I run it four or five days a week?

Yes. Rotate through the three days in order and take a rest day whenever you need one. Each muscle will get trained a little less often, which is fine.

Did Arnold really train like this?

His version had even more volume and twice-a-day sessions. This is a modern, more recoverable take on the same structure.

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