Upper/Lower + PPL Hybrid
A hybrid split for five training days a week. The week starts with two heavy days (upper, lower) at low reps, followed by three volume days (push, pull, legs) at higher reps. Each muscle gets hit twice per week — once heavy for strength, once with volume for hypertrophy. Recommended timeframe 12+ months, then graduate to 'Reddit PPL 6-Day' with six available training days and a pure hypertrophy focus.
Who is this plan for?
- Trainees with 12+ months of consistent training experience in Upper/Lower or similar splits
- Equipment setup: fully equipped gym with barbell, cables, and machines
- Squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press confidently performed under load
- Goal: build strength and hypertrophy in parallel with five fixed training days
How it works
- Weekly structure: Mon Upper Heavy, Tue Lower Heavy, Wed off, Thu Push, Fri Pull, Sat Legs, Sun off. The two off-days split the week into two blocks with a maximum of three consecutive training days.
- Heavy and volume days separated: Each muscle has a heavy day (6–8 reps, compounds) and a volume day (8–15 reps, more isolation) — strength and hypertrophy in parallel.
- Heavy days at the start of the week: Bench press and deadlift get performed in a fresh state, volume days follow with moderate load in the ongoing weekly rhythm.
- Deadlift on lower day, squat on legs day: The two exercises with the highest back load are separated by four days — the lower back is fully recovered for the squat.
- Double progression: First push reps up within the target range, then add weight and restart at the bottom of the rep range.
- Auto-deload on stalls: After two consecutive failed attempts the app reduces the load by 10% automatically.
Pros & Limitations
Muscles trained
Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5
Program Structure
7 exercises · 24 sets
~1h 6min
Alternative: T-bar row or machine row (chest-supported) if cable column occupied.
Alternative: seated DB shoulder press.
Alternative: weighted chin-up if lat pulldown station is occupied.
Alternative: DB preacher curl or standing barbell curl.
6 exercises · 18 sets
~50 min
Alternative: DB RDL if barbell setup occupied.
Alternative: hack squat machine.
Alternative: dumbbell step-up or lunge. Rear foot elevated, torso upright.
4 exercises · 14 sets
~38 min
Alternative: one-arm DB incline press or machine incline press.
Alternative: pec deck or DB fly on incline bench.
5 exercises · 16 sets
~43 min
Easier variation: lat pulldown.
Alternative: DB one-arm row or T-bar row.
6 exercises · 17 sets
~48 min
Alternative: front squat or hack squat if back squat is too intense after RDL day.
Alternative: machine glute bridge or single-leg hip thrust.
Talk to your doctor before starting a new training program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or haven't trained in a while. Start lighter than you think — good technique always comes before heavy weight.
Start this plan in hitPR
Free. All progression rules pre-configured.