Free program

Bro Split

The classic body-part split: one muscle group per training day, five days a week, weekends off. Each muscle gets hammered with high volume once a week — simple to follow, easy to recover from, and satisfying to train.

Days / week5LevelIntermediateGoalHypertrophySession~60 min

Day 1 — chest

Exercise
Sets × RepsRest
4 × 5–82–3 min
3 × 8–122 min
Chest Dipadd weight once 12 reps are easy
3 × 8–122 min
Chest Fly (Machine)or Chest Fly (Dumbbell)
3 × 10–1590 s
3 × 12–1560–90 s

Day 2 — back

Exercise
Sets × RepsRest
3 × 53–4 min
4 × 8–102 min
3 × 8–102 min
3 × 10–1290 s
3 × 12–1560–90 s
3 × 12–1560 s

Day 3 — shoulders

Exercise
Sets × RepsRest
4 × 6–82–3 min
4 × 12–1560–90 s
3 × 12–1560–90 s
2 × 12–1560 s
3 × 15–2060 s
3 × 10–1290 s

Day 4 — legs

Exercise
Sets × RepsRest
4 × 6–83 min
3 × 10–122 min
3 × 8–102–3 min
3 × 12–1590 s
3 × 12–1590 s
4 × 10–1560–90 s

Day 5 — arms

Exercise
Sets × RepsRest
4 × 6–102 min
4 × 8–1290 s
3 × 10–1290 s
3 × 10–1260–90 s
3 × 12–1560 s
2 × 12–1560 s

Progression

Use double progression: work in the given rep range, and when you hit the top of the range on every set, add weight (+2.5 kg / 5 lb upper body, +5 kg / 10 lb lower body) and build back up. Because each muscle is only trained once a week, effort matters — take most sets within 1–2 reps of failure. Run Monday–Friday and rest the weekend, or spread the five days across the week however your calendar allows.

Substitutions

Any exercise can be swapped for another that hits the same muscle — the exercise directory lists alternatives by muscle and equipment. Keep the compound lift that opens each day heavy, and treat everything after it as interchangeable volume.

FAQ

Is a bro split effective?

Yes, if the weekly volume and effort are there. Training each muscle twice a week has a slight edge in most studies, but plenty of lifters have built impressive physiques on one hard day per muscle. If you enjoy it, you will be consistent — and consistency wins.

Can a beginner run a bro split?

You can, but a beginner progresses faster on higher frequency — squatting once a week means only 52 practice sessions a year. Start with Full-Body 3x or the 5x5 program, then move to a bro split once your lifts slow down.

What happens if I miss a day?

Just push the remaining days forward — do not skip a muscle group. The order matters less than hitting all five days over the week. If you regularly only manage four days, run Upper/Lower instead.

Build it in FYL in one tap

Recreate this program as a routine in FYL and every session logs itself against it — sets, PRs, estimated 1RM and weekly volume per muscle. Free on iOS, or build it on the web.

Get FYL free All free programs

More free programs: Push / Pull / Legs · Arnold Split · Upper / Lower · Powerbuilding