What the ABC split is
It is a split routine: instead of training your whole body every session, you spread your muscles over three different days, called A, B and C. Each day works one group of muscles with several exercises while the others rest.
The most common version groups the pushing muscles, the pulling muscles and the legs. That is why the ABC split looks a lot like a push pull legs routine: the name changes, the idea does not.
| Day | Muscles | Typical exercises |
|---|---|---|
| A | Chest, shoulders and triceps | Bench press, shoulder press, cable pushdown |
| B | Back and biceps | Lat pulldown, row, barbell curl |
| C | Legs | Squat, Romanian deadlift, leg press |
How many times a week to run the ABC split
The ABC split does not set the days for you: what changes is how many times each muscle comes up in a week. There are three usual ways to lay it out.
| Layout | Days per week | Times per muscle |
|---|---|---|
| ABC (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) | 3 | Once a week |
| ABC plus a rest day, on a rolling basis | 5 to 6 | Every 4 days, about 1.75 a week (7 ÷ 4) |
| ABCABC | 6 | Twice a week |
Does training each muscle once or twice matter? One meta-analysis found more growth from training each muscle twice a week than once (Schoenfeld et al., 2016). A later one, with 25 studies, found that when weekly sets are the same, frequency barely changes the result (Schoenfeld et al., 2019). In other words, what adds up is your total sets for the week, and repeating the days is an easy way to do more.
For strength, frequency seems to matter a bit more. An analysis of 67 studies and 2,058 people found that strength goes up with more days per muscle, although each extra day adds less than the one before (Pelland et al., 2026).
Does the ABC split work?
Yes. A meta-analysis of 14 studies and 392 people compared split routines with full-body routines and found no differences in strength or muscle when volume was the same. Its conclusion: you can pick the one you prefer (Ramos-Campo et al., 2024).
A trial in 50 women who did not lift shows it well. For 12 weeks, one group did full body 2 days a week and the other a split over 4 days, with the same exercises and sets. Both improved almost equally: bench press went up 25.5% and 30.0%, with no real difference between groups (Pedersen et al., 2022).
The weak spot of the ABC split shows up when you run it only 3 days: each muscle is trained once a week. In experienced men, a split of that kind grew the arm flexors less than a full-body routine done 3 days a week, although strength was similar (Schoenfeld et al., 2015).
What moves the needle most is volume. Each extra weekly set per muscle was linked to a little more growth, about 0.37% per set (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). To work out how many to do, see the guide to sets and reps for hypertrophy.
Example ABC split for the gym
If you run it once a week, your chest gets 6 direct sets (the two presses on day A). With ABCABC that becomes 12, twice as many, without making any session longer. Rest periods follow the recommendation of 1 to 2 minutes for building muscle and a bit more on the heavy lifts (American College of Sports Medicine, 2009); more detail in the guide to rest between sets.
Who the ABC split is for
- You can train 4 to 6 days. This is where it fits best, because each muscle gets worked again in the same week. General recommendations call for 3 to 4 days a week at an intermediate level and 4 to 5 at an advanced one (American College of Sports Medicine, 2009).
- You only have 2 or 3 days? Think twice. With so few days, a full body routine trains each muscle more often. Beginners are advised to train 2 to 3 days a week (American College of Sports Medicine, 2009).
- You like to focus on a few muscles. Many people prefer sessions with more exercises for one group. Since the results are similar, picking the routine you will stick with is a good reason (Ramos-Campo et al., 2024).
If you want to swap out day A or B, there are full chest and tricep, back and bicep and leg workouts.
Common mistakes
- Skipping day C. Legs are half your body. If you miss a day, shift the routine instead of jumping back to day A.
- Always lifting the same weight. Without progressive overload your body stops adapting. Add weight or reps once you complete every set. Estimate your max with the 1RM calculator.
- Thinking the split is what matters. The ABC split does not build more muscle than another routine with the same volume. What counts is doing enough sets, close to failure, week after week.
Questions
What is the difference between the ABC split and push pull legs?
In its most common version, none: A is push (chest, shoulders and triceps), B is pull (back and biceps) and C is legs. The ABC split can also group muscles differently, for example chest and biceps on A and back and triceps on B.
Is the ABC split or full body better?
Neither is better if you do the same sets per week: strength and muscle results are similar (Ramos-Campo et al., 2024). Full body fits 2 or 3 days a week better and the ABC split fits 4 to 6.
Is the ABC split good for beginners?
It works, but run 3 days a week it trains each muscle only once. If you are just starting and have few days, a full-body beginner routine usually makes better use of them.
How many exercises should I do on each ABC day?
The example in this guide has 5 exercises and 15 sets per day, about 3 sets per exercise. More than the number of exercises, what matters is the total weekly sets for each muscle.
Sources
- Ramos-Campo DJ, Benito-Peinado PJ, Andreu-Caravaca L, Rojo-Tirado MA, Rubio-Arias JÁ. Efficacy of split versus full-body resistance training on strength and muscle growth: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2024;38(7):1330-1340. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004774
- Pedersen H, Fimland MS, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. A randomized trial on the efficacy of split-body versus full-body resistance training in non-resistance trained women. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022;14(1):87. doi:10.1186/s13102-022-00481-7
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ratamess NA, Peterson MD, Contreras B, Tiryaki-Sonmez G. Influence of resistance training frequency on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(7):1821-1829. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000970
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Krieger J. How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency. J Sports Sci. 2019;37(11):1286-1295. doi:10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906
- Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Robinson ZP, Hinson SR, Zourdos MC. The resistance training dose response: meta-regressions exploring the effects of weekly volume and frequency on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. Sports Med. 2026;56(2):481-505. doi:10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017;35(11):1073-1082. doi:10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197
- American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670
This guide is for information only and does not replace advice from a health professional.
