Arnold Split

This hitPR version keeps the classic six-day rhythm: chest/back, shoulders/arms, and legs, each trained twice per week. Compared with the Level I program in the book, the exercise selection is substantially modernized and the set volume reduced; at 138 working sets per week, it is still a high-volume plan. Most exercises with added load use double progression. The bodyweight exercises pull-up, hanging leg raise, and walking lunge progress by adding reps.

Who is this plan for?

• Intermediate lifters with solid technique on the main compound lifts and experience handling higher training volume.
• Those who can reliably train six days per week.
• Lifters who prefer a classic chest/back, shoulders/arms, and legs bodybuilding split for hypertrophy.
• Those who would rather spread a large number of working sets across six sessions than pack them into fewer very long workouts.

How it works

• Six-day rhythm: Chest/back, shoulders/arms, and legs are trained in sequence, then the same three sessions repeat a second time.
• Double progression: Exercises with added load first increase reps within their configured range. Once every set reaches the top of that range, load increases by the configured step and the rep target returns to the lower bound.
• Bodyweight progression: Pull-up, hanging leg raise, and walking lunge add one rep after successful sessions. After three consecutive failed attempts, the rep target is reduced by two.
• Failed attempts: Double-progression exercises reduce load by 10% after three consecutive failed attempts, and the rep target returns to the lower bound. The plan does not use percentage weeks, AMRAP sets, or preconfigured supersets.

Pros & Limitations

Muscles trained

Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5