Which Routine Should You Run?

Overview

The best routine is the one you will still be running in four months.

That single sentence eliminates most of the agonising. A six day split you abandon in week three is worse than a three day plan you never miss. Before comparing anything below, decide honestly how many days a week you will train on a bad week, not a good one.

Quick Answer

Choose a routine by how many days a week you can realistically train, what equipment you have, and how long you have been lifting. Beginners should start with full body training three days a week. Most intermediates do best on an upper lower split four days a week.

Key Points

Days per week you can sustain is the first filter, not the last.
Beginners belong on full body, whatever the internet says.
More days is not better if it means missing half of them.
Equipment constrains exercise choice, not results.
Run any routine for 8 to 12 weeks before judging it.

Start with days per week

Days you can genuinely train	Routine to run
2	[Two Day a Week Routine](/wiki/articles/two-day-a-week-routine)
3	[Beginner Full Body](/wiki/articles/beginner-full-body-routine)
4	[Upper Lower 4 Day](/wiki/articles/upper-lower-4-day-routine)
5	[Advanced Hypertrophy Block](/wiki/articles/advanced-hypertrophy-block)
6	[Push Pull Legs 6 Day](/wiki/articles/push-pull-legs-6-day-routine)

Every routine compared

Routine	Level	Days	Equipment	Main goal
[Beginner Full Body](/wiki/articles/beginner-full-body-routine)	Beginner	3	Full gym	Learn the lifts, general strength
[Dumbbell Only](/wiki/articles/dumbbell-only-routine)	Beginner	3	Dumbbells, bench	Home training
[Bodyweight Only](/wiki/articles/bodyweight-routine)	Beginner	3 to 4	None	No equipment at all
[Two Day a Week](/wiki/articles/two-day-a-week-routine)	Any	2	Full gym	Minimum effective dose
[Upper Lower 4 Day](/wiki/articles/upper-lower-4-day-routine)	Intermediate	4	Full gym	Muscle and strength
[Push Pull Legs 6 Day](/wiki/articles/push-pull-legs-6-day-routine)	Intermediate	6	Full gym	Maximum volume
[Intermediate Strength](/wiki/articles/intermediate-strength-routine)	Intermediate	4	Barbell gym	Squat, bench, deadlift
[Fat Loss Training](/wiki/articles/fat-loss-training-routine)	Any	4	Full gym	Hold muscle while dieting
[Lower Body Emphasis](/wiki/articles/lower-body-emphasis-routine)	Intermediate	4	Full gym	Glutes, quads, hamstrings
[Advanced Hypertrophy Block](/wiki/articles/advanced-hypertrophy-block)	Advanced	5	Full gym	Maximum muscle
[Powerlifting Peaking Block](/wiki/articles/powerlifting-peaking-block)	Advanced	4	Barbell gym	Peak for a meet or test
[Weak Point Specialisation](/wiki/articles/weak-point-specialisation-block)	Advanced	4 to 5	Full gym	Bring up a lagging muscle
[Hybrid Strength and Endurance](/wiki/articles/hybrid-strength-endurance-routine)	Intermediate	5 to 6	Gym plus running	Lift and run at once

Where you actually are

Training age is not how long you have held a gym membership. It is how long you have trained consistently and progressively.

You are a	If
Beginner	Under 6 months of consistent training, or still adding weight most sessions
Intermediate	6 months to 2 years, progressing over weeks rather than sessions
Advanced	2 years plus, progressing across whole training blocks

Someone who has been going to the gym for five years without ever writing anything down or adding weight is, in training terms, a beginner. That is not an insult; it means the fastest progress of their life is still available.

Equipment

What you have	What is genuinely off the table
Full commercial gym	Nothing
Barbell, rack, bench	Cable work, some machines
Dumbbells and a bench	Heavy lower body loading
Bands and bodyweight	Heavy loading generally
Nothing	Progressive loading past a point

Less equipment means slower progress at the top end, not no progress. A beginner with two dumbbells has a year of gains in front of them before equipment becomes the limiting factor.

Before you start

-Read [progressive overload](/wiki/articles/progressive-overload). Without it, no routine works.
-Write your sessions down. A routine you do not log is a routine you cannot progress.
-Give it 8 to 12 weeks before changing anything. See [programme hopping](/wiki/articles/program-hopping).
-Get your protein sorted. See [protein intake](/wiki/articles/protein-intake-guide).

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why it causes problems	Better approach
Choosing by how impressive it looks	Six days a week you cannot sustain	Choose by days you will actually train
Starting on an advanced split	Volume you cannot recover from	Earn it over a year
Changing routine every month	Nothing gets progressed	Commit to a block
Running two routines at once	Volume becomes unmanageable	One at a time
Skipping the lower body days	Half the body untrained	They are not optional

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days a week should I train?

Three is enough for excellent progress as a beginner. Four is the sweet spot for most intermediates. Six is for people whose schedule and recovery genuinely support it.

Can I switch routines if I get bored?

Rotate accessory exercises within a routine rather than changing the whole thing. Boredom is best treated with variety in the accessories, not by resetting your main lifts.

Do I need to do cardio as well?

For health, yes. Two or three moderate sessions a week alongside any of these routines will not interfere with your lifting. See [cardio and muscle growth](/wiki/articles/cardio-and-muscle-growth).

What if I miss a session?

Do it the next day and shift the week, or simply skip it and carry on. One missed session in a twelve week block is statistically irrelevant. A pattern of missed sessions means you picked the wrong routine.