Arnold Split
The six-day double split: chest/back, shoulders/arms, legs/lower back - repeat, rest day 7, every muscle trained twice a week.
What it is
The Arnold Split is the six-day double split from Arnold Schwarzenegger's volume routines: chest and back, shoulders and arms, legs and lower back, each trained twice a week, with day 7 off.
What you need
It needs a full gym: barbell, rack, bench, dumbbells, cables, machines and a pull-up bar. Days run 7 to 11 exercises.
The schedule
Six training days: chest & back, shoulders & arms, legs & lower back - then repeat the rotation and rest on day 7. High volume throughout, around 3-4 sets per exercise.
Chest and back work in the 6 to 12 rep range close to failure; shoulders, arms and legs use 10 reps.
| Workout | Exercises (sets × reps) |
|---|---|
| Chest & Back (Day 1) | Bench press 4 × 6-12; Incline bench press 3 × 6-12; Dumbbell pullover 3 × 6-12; Chin-up 3 × 6-12; Bent-over row 3 × 6-12; Deadlift 3 × 6-12; and 1 more |
| Shoulders & Arms (Day 2) | Clean and press 4 × 10; Dumbbell lateral raise 3 × 10; Upright barbell row 3 × 10; Standing military press 3 × 10; Wide-grip standing barbell curl 3 × 10; Seated dumbbell curl 3 × 10; and 5 more |
| Legs & Lower Back (Day 3) | Barbell squat 4 × 10; Barbell lunge 3 × 10; Lying leg curl 3 × 10; Stiff-legged barbell deadlift 3 × 10; Good morning 3 × 10; Standing calf raise 3 × 10; and 1 more |
How progression works
Push each working set close to failure around 10 reps, then add weight when you can exceed the target across all sets. This is a volume program - progress comes from adding reps first, then load.
The days
- Chest & Back (Day 1)
Chest and back. Work to failure in the 6-12 rep range on each exercise.
- Shoulders & Arms (Day 2)
Shoulders and arms. 4 × 10 on the clean and press, 3 × 10 on everything else.
- Legs & Lower Back (Day 3)
Legs and lower back. 4 × 10 on the squat, 3 × 10 on everything else.
Questions about Arnold Split
How many days a week is the Arnold Split?
Six. The three workouts run twice a week, and day 7 is rest.
How often does the Arnold Split train each muscle?
Twice a week: each of the three workouts comes around twice in the six training days.
What rep range does the Arnold Split use?
Chest and back are 6 to 12 reps close to failure. Shoulders, arms and legs are 10 reps, with 25 on some ab work.
How many exercises are in each Arnold Split workout?
7 to 11, depending on the day.
This program was adapted from Arnold’s volume routines on Muscle & Strength.