EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING

Designed for maximum hypertrophy

The Upper-Focused
6-Day Split
Upper-body priority · integrated leg volume · full gym

This program is built around the strongest current evidence for muscle growth: sufficient weekly volume per
muscle, a training frequency of roughly twice per week per muscle, sets taken close to failure, full range of
motion with an emphasis on the stretched position, long-enough rest, and steady progressive overload. The
structure prioritises the upper body across all six sessions while folding the highest-return leg exercises into
each day so your legs still receive a growth-driving stimulus.

Split Frequency Session length

Push / Pull alternation + integrated legs 6 days/week (1 rest day) ~70–85 minutes

Read the principles section first — the numbers in the tables only work if you apply the rules behind them. A note on safety
appears at the end.
 1 · The Principles Behind the Numbers
Volume — the primary driver
Weekly hard-set volume per muscle is the variable most tightly linked to growth, in a roughly dose-dependent
way up to a point. The practical sweet spot for most trainees is about 10–20 hard sets per muscle per
week, with prioritised muscles living at the upper end and a smaller maintenance dose still producing growth.
This program puts your upper-body muscles in the 14–20 range and your legs in a focused 11–14 range —
enough to grow well without competing with your upper-body recovery.

Frequency — spread the volume

When weekly volume is equated, training a muscle about twice per week tends to match or modestly beat
once per week, mainly because splitting volume keeps per-session quality high and fatigue manageable.
Every muscle here is trained 2–3× per week. Frequency is a tool for distributing volume, not a magic variable
on its own.

Proximity to failure & load

Growth is similar across a wide rep range (roughly 5–30 reps) as long as sets are taken close to failure.
Working with 0–3 reps in reserve (RIR) captures nearly all the benefit while controlling fatigue and injury
risk. Heavier compounds are programmed in lower reps (leaving 1–3 RIR); isolation work is pushed harder
(0–2 RIR) because the risk is low. RIR = how many more reps you could have done with good form before
failing.

Range of motion & the stretch

Full range of motion generally beats partial range, and loading the muscle in its lengthened (stretched)
position appears especially potent for growth. That is why exercises like incline curls, overhead triceps
extensions, Romanian deadlifts, deep leg presses and squats are emphasised — they load the target muscle
where it is long. Control the lowering phase (~2 seconds) and own the stretch.

Rest periods
Longer rest supports hypertrophy by preserving the load and reps you can perform in later sets. Use 2–3
minutes for heavy compound lifts and ~1.5 minutes for isolation work. Resting too little on big lifts
trades growth for time saved.

Progressive overload
Do more over time. The simplest reliable method is double progression: pick the rep range listed, and once
you hit the top of the range for all sets with good form at your target RIR, add a small increment of weight
(~2.5 kg upper / ~5 kg lower) and work back up. Log every session — progression you do not track is
progression you cannot guarantee.

Two more levers worth knowing: the long head of the triceps grows best from overhead (stretched) positions, and the side
delts tolerate and respond to high volumes — both are reflected in the exercise choices below.

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 2

 2 · Weekly Layout
Day Session Upper focus Integrated legs

Mon Upper A Push (chest / shoulders / triceps) Quads (squat + extension)

Tue Upper B Pull (back / rear delts / biceps) Hamstrings (RDL + curl)

Wed Upper C Push (incline / delts / chest) Quads + calves (leg press)

Thu Upper D Pull (lats / mid-back / biceps) Hamstrings + calves (curl)

Fri Upper E Shoulders & arms emphasis Quads (hack squat + ext.)

Sat Upper F Back & arms emphasis Hamstrings + calves (RDL)

Sun Rest Full recovery Walk / mobility optional

The rest day can be moved (e.g. Thursday) but keep no more than three hard days in a row to protect recovery. Rows shaded
green in the daily tables are your leg work.

Approximate weekly hard sets per muscle

Muscle Sets/wk Muscle Sets/wk

Chest 15–18 Back (lats/mid) 18–22

Side delts 14–16 Rear delts 8–10

Triceps 12–14 Biceps 14–16

Quads 12–14 Hamstrings 11–13

Calves 10–12 Glutes (via squat/RDL) incidental+

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 3

 3 · The Sessions
Warm-up (every session): 5 min light cardio, then 2–3 ramp-up sets on your first compound lift, building to your working weight.
Green rows = leg work. RIR = reps in reserve.

MON Upper A — Push + Quads

Heavy horizontal & vertical pressing, side-delt volume, hack squat + leg extension.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

1–
Barbell Bench Press 3 5–8 3 min
2

2–3 1–
Incline Dumbbell Press 3 8–12
min 2

2–3 1–
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 6–10
min 2

1.5 0–
Cable Lateral Raise 4 12–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Triceps Rope Pushdown 3 10–15
min 2

1.5 0–
Overhead Cable Triceps Extension 2 10–15
min 1

1–
Hack Squat Machine 3 6–10 3 min
3

1.5–2 0–
Leg Extension Machine 2 12–20
min 1

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 4

 TUE Upper B — Pull + Hamstrings
Vertical & horizontal pulling, rear delts, biceps, lying + seated leg curl.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

2–3 1–
Weighted Pull-Up or Lat Pulldown 3 6–10
min 2

2–3 1–
Chest-Supported Row 3 8–12
min 2

0–
Seated Cable Row 3 10–15 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Reverse Pec Deck (rear delt) 3 15–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 8–12
min 2

1.5 0–
Cable Curl 2 10–15
min 1

2–3 1–
Lying Leg Curl Machine 3 8–12
min 2

1.5–2 0–
Seated Leg Curl Machine 3 10–15
min 1

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 5

 WED Upper C — Push + Quads/Calves
Incline & machine pressing, more side delts, leg press (deep) + calf raise machine.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

1–
Incline Barbell (or Smith) Press 3 6–10 3 min
2

0–
Machine Chest Press 3 10–15 2 min
2

1–
Machine Shoulder Press 3 8–12 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Cable Lateral Raise 4 12–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Cable Fly / Pec Deck 3 12–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Weighted / Machine Dip 3 8–12
min 2

2–3 1–
Leg Press Machine (deep ROM) 4 10–15
min 2

1.5 0–
Standing Calf Raise Machine 4 8–15
min 1

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 6

 THU Upper D — Pull + Hamstrings/Calves
Lat-focused pulling, rows, face pulls, lying leg curl + seated calf raise machine.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

1–
Lat Pulldown (neutral/wide) 3 8–12 2 min
2

2–3 1–
Barbell or T-Bar Row 3 8–12
min 2

0–
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 10–15 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Face Pull 3 15–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Hammer Curl 3 10–15
min 2

1.5 0–
Reverse Pec Deck (rear delt) 2 15–20
min 1

1.5–2 0–
Lying Leg Curl Machine 4 10–15
min 1

1.5 0–
Seated Calf Raise Machine 3 12–20
min 1

FRI Upper E — Shoulders & Arms + Quads

Overhead pressing, lateral-raise volume, triceps, hack squat + leg extension.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

1–
Overhead Barbell Press 3 5–8 3 min
2

1–
Machine / Dumbbell Chest Press 3 8–12 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 4 12–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Triceps Pushdown 3 10–15
min 2

1.5 0–
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Ext. 2 10–15
min 1

2–3 1–
Hack Squat Machine 4 8–12
min 2

1.5 0–
Leg Extension Machine 3 15–20
min 1

Hypertrophy Program · Upper-Body Emphasis · 6-Day Page 7

 SAT Upper F — Back & Arms + Hamstrings
Row/pulldown back work, biceps emphasis, seated leg curl + calf raise machine.

RI
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
R

2–3 1–
Chest-Supported Row 3 8–12
min 2

0–
Lat Pulldown 3 10–15 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Rear Delt Cable Fly 3 15–20
min 1

1.5 0–
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 8–12
min 2

1.5 0–
Preacher / Cable Curl 3 10–15
min 1

1.5 0–
Hammer Curl 2 12–15
min 1

1–
Seated Leg Curl Machine 3 8–12 2 min
2

1.5 0–
Standing Calf Raise Machine 4 8–15
min 1

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 4 · Running the Program
Progression (double progression)
• Stay inside the listed rep range at the listed RIR.
• When you hit the top of the range on all sets of an exercise with clean form, add the smallest available
load next time (~2.5 kg upper body, ~5 kg lower body) and rebuild toward the top.
• If a heavy compound stalls for 2–3 sessions, drop ~10% and run it back up — small resets beat grinding.

Effort & technique

• Lower under control (~2 s), pause briefly in the stretch, drive up with intent.
• Compounds: stop with 1–3 reps left. Isolations: 0–2 reps left, occasionally to failure on the last set.
• Full range of motion always beats adding weight you can only half-move.

Recovery
• Protein ~1.6–2.2 g per kg of bodyweight per day; eat enough total food to fuel growth.
• Sleep 7–9 hours — it is where adaptation actually happens.
• Deload every 6–8 weeks: keep the exercises, cut sets ~40% and stay 3–4 RIR for one week.

If a session runs long

Trim from the bottom of the upper-body list first (the last isolation), never the leg compound — that is your leg
growth driver for the day. Sessions are designed for ~70–85 minutes at the prescribed rest times.

Safety note. This is general fitness information, not individual medical or coaching advice. If you are still growing, new to heavy
barbell training, or unsure about technique on the squat, deadlift or overhead press, get a qualified coach to check your form,
start lighter than you think, and build up gradually. Stop and seek advice if you get sharp joint pain (as opposed to normal
muscular fatigue).

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 5 · Evidence & Further Reading
The program reflects the consensus of the references below. Exact effect sizes vary between studies and
individuals — treat these as the well-supported direction of the evidence rather than precise guarantees.

1. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW (2017). Dose–response relationship between weekly resistance training volume
and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences — higher weekly volume
is associated with greater hypertrophy (basis for the 10–20 set range).
2. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW (2016). Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle
hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine — training a muscle ~2×/week tends to outperform
1×/week when volume is equated.
3. Schoenfeld BJ, et al. (2016). Longer inter-set rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in
resistance-trained men. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research — 3-minute rest produced more growth than 1-minute
rest (basis for longer rest on compounds).
4. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, et al. (2021). Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance. /
related load meta-analyses — hypertrophy is similar across a broad rep range when sets are taken near failure.
5. Refalo MC, Helms ER, et al. (2023). Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on muscle hypertrophy: a
systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine — growth is comparable across a range of RIR provided effort is
reasonably high (basis for 0–3 RIR).
6. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J (2020). Effects of range of motion on muscle development. / full vs partial ROM reviews — fuller
range of motion generally favours hypertrophy.
7. Maeo S, et al. (2021). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the
overhead vs the neutral arm position. European Journal of Sport Science — supports overhead triceps work for the long
head.
8. Maeo S, et al. (2023); Pedrosa GF, et al. (2022). Resistance training at long muscle lengths / lengthened partials. —
training that emphasises the stretched position can match or exceed conventional training for growth (basis for stretch
emphasis).
9. Morton RW, et al. (2018). A systematic review and meta-analysis of protein supplementation and resistance training.
British Journal of Sports Medicine — supports ~1.6 g/kg/day protein as a practical target.

Prepared as general, evidence-based training guidance. Adjust to your own recovery, schedule and any guidance from a coach
or clinician.

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