Upper/Lower
Fyradagarsplit med två över- och två underkroppspass. Bra balans mellan styrka och hypertrofi.
Upper/Lower is one of the most thoughtfully designed splits for lifters with experience who want a structured program with real progression. Four days per week is enough—not five, not six—and each muscle group is trained twice with different exercise selection and rep ranges.
The goal is hypertrophy with a strength foundation. You'll see this in the setup: heavy compound lifts early in each session, then higher volume toward the end. The program runs for twelve weeks, long enough to see genuine changes without getting bored of the routine.
Session Structure
Each week contains four sessions: Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, and Lower B. They don't repeat the same lifts—they complement each other.
Upper A is built around Barbell Bench Press and Bent Over Barbell Row, both heavy at 4×6–8. Then Standing Military Press 3×8–10, Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 3×10–12, and Dumbbell Bicep Curls 3×12–15 to round out the volume. Upper B flips the priority: Standing Military Press takes the heavy role at 4×6–8, Pullups are done to failure each set (AMRAP), and the rest continues with Incline Dumbbell Press, Seated Cable Rows, and Triceps Pushdowns.
The leg sessions follow the same logic. Lower A opens with Barbell Squat 4×6–8 followed by Romanian Deadlift, Leg Press, and Seated Calf Raises. Lower B introduces Barbell Deadlift 4×5–6—the heaviest rep range in the entire program—then Front Barbell Squat 3×8–10, Lying Leg Curls, and Standing Calf Raises. The two leg sessions train essentially the same musculature but demand different stability and movement patterns.
Double Progression in Practice
The progression model is simple but requires patience: you stay within the prescribed rep range and increase weight only when you hit all sets at the upper limit with solid form. If you're doing Barbell Squat 4×6–8 and reach eight reps on all four sets, then you bump the weight and restart at six.
Some sessions you'll stay at the same weight for several weeks. That's not failure—that's how the system works. When weight increases finally come, they're earned and stay within what your body can actually handle, unlike guessing week to week.
Who This Fits
The program is marked intermediate for a reason. Lifts like Barbell Deadlift, Front Barbell Squat, and Bent Over Barbell Row require you to already handle free weights with control. If you've never done these movements, technique and progression will clash.
If you can manage four training days per week and own the movement patterns of the main lifts, Upper/Lower is one of the most effective choices for muscle building. You skip hard specialization toward only strength or only volume—the design balances both.
Weekly sessions
- Barbell Bench Press4 × 6–8
- Bent Over Barbell Row4 × 6–8
- Standing Military Press3 × 8–10
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown3 × 10–12
- Dumbbell Bicep Curl3 × 12–15
- Barbell Squat4 × 6–8
- Romanian Deadlift3 × 8–10
- Leg Press3 × 10–12
- Seated Calf Raise4 × 12–15
- Standing Military Press4 × 6–8
- Pullups4 × AMRAP
- Incline Dumbbell Press3 × 8–10
- Seated Cable Rows3 × 10–12
- Triceps Pushdown3 × 12–15
- Barbell Deadlift4 × 5–6
- Front Barbell Squat3 × 8–10
- Lying Leg Curls3 × 10–12
- Standing Calf Raises4 × 12–15
Dubbel progression: håll dig i rep-intervallet, öka vikten när du når toppen på alla set.
Source: Vanlig upper/lower-struktur (allmän praxis).