Bro splits are one of the most widely recognized training routines in the fitness world, often associated with bodybuilders and casual gym-goers alike. But what exactly is a bro split, and is it an effective way to build muscle and strength? While some lifters swear by them, others argue that they aren’t the most efficient training method.
In this guide, we’ll define what a bro split is, how it compares to other training styles, and whether or not it’s the best approach for muscle growth.
Table of Contents
What Is a Bro Split?
A bro split is a training style that focuses on isolating major muscle groups on different days of the week. Unlike powerlifting or full-body training splits, which group muscle movements together (such as push, pull, and legs), a bro split dedicates an entire workout to just one muscle group.
A common example of a 5-day bro split follows this format:
- Monday: Chest
- Tuesday: Back
- Wednesday: Legs, Calves, Abs
- Thursday: Shoulders
- Friday: Arm Day
This approach allows for focused work on each muscle group, often using a mix of compound and isolation exercises. However, bro splits tend to prioritize isolation movements over compound lifts, making them fundamentally different from strength-based training routines.
Saturday and Sunday, in this example, are rest days. And we've talked about why most powerlifters don't work out every day.
How Do Bro Splits Compare to Other Training Styles?
Bro Split vs. Powerlifting Split: Powerlifting splits are designed around compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These workout routines focus on push, pull, and leg days, ensuring multiple muscle groups are trained frequently throughout the week. It's kind of similar to how a Romanian deadlift compares to a standard deadlift. They can both work for a lifter. They just serve different purposes.
Powerlifters might do:
- Push Day: Bench Press, Shoulder Press, Triceps
- Pull Day: Deadlifts, Rows, Biceps
- Leg Day: Squats, Leg Press, Hamstrings (all your lower body muscles)
Note that this isn't just upper-body day and lower-body day. It's much more targeted to the types of movements used in powerlifting.
In contrast, bro splits isolate muscles to a greater degree but train them only once per week—which can be a disadvantage for muscle growth.
Here's a 12-week powerlifting program designed for maximum gains.
Bro Split vs. Bodybuilding Split: At first glance, a bro split routine and a bodybuilding split may look the same, but there are key differences. Bodybuilders tend to integrate more compound lifts into their training, rather than relying solely on isolation movements.
For example, while a bro split chest day might look like this:
- Flat Bench Press: Targets overall chest development, with a focus on the middle portion of the pecs.
- Incline Dumbbell Press: Emphasize the upper chest and improve pressing strength from different angles.
- Cable Flys: Isolates the chest and create tension throughout the entire range of motion for better muscle contraction.
- Chest Dips: Targets the lower chest and triceps while also improving pressing power.
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research analyzed how different dip variations affect muscle activation and movement mechanics. The research found that ring dips require the highest muscle activation due to the added stability demands, while bar dips provide a strong balance of chest, shoulder, and triceps engagement.
Bench dips, though easier to perform, primarily target the triceps with less overall muscle recruitment. This is important for lifters following a bro split because it highlights how exercise selection can impact results.
A bodybuilding split would likely include varied angles and rep ranges, such as:
- Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 5-8 reps. This should be your primary strength-building movement. Start heavy and focus on progressive overload over time.
- Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets of 8-12 reps. Dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion, helping to build the upper chest and correct muscle imbalances.
- Weighted Chest Dips – 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Dips are often underutilized but are great for lower chest activation. Add weight for increased intensity.
- Cable Flys – 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Focus on slow, controlled reps and peak contraction to fully engage the pecs.
- Machine Press (or Smith Machine Press) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Machines provide stability, allowing for controlled muscle fatigue without worrying about stabilizers.
- Decline Push-Ups (Burnout Set) – 3 sets to failure. Ending with a bodyweight exercise for maximum blood flow and pump before finishing your session.
Bodybuilders could also train certain muscles twice per week for added muscle mass, making their approach more effective for hypertrophy.
If you like bro splits, focusing on volume, intensity, and proper exercise order will help you maximize chest growth while avoiding the common pitfalls of low-frequency training.
Is a Bro Split Effective for Muscle Growth?
The biggest downside of a bro split is that it trains each muscle group only once per week. Studies suggest that hitting a muscle group twice per week is more effective for hypertrophy (muscle growth) than training it only once. So if you're hitting a bench press plateau, that could be one reason.
For example, compare these two approaches for chest growth:
- Bro Split: Chest trained once per week on Monday
- Upper/Lower Split: Chest trained twice per week (Monday & Thursday)
The second approach ensures more frequent muscle stimulation, leading to faster growth over time. Additionally, compound exercises generate more hormonal responses, such as testosterone and growth hormone, which help drive muscle development.
That being said, bro splits can still be effective if structured properly. If you enjoy training this way, one way to make it more efficient is to:
- Start with a heavy compound movement (e.g., deadlifts for back day or squats for leg day).
- Integrate multi-joint exercises before moving to isolations.
- Reduce rest times to keep the workout intense.
How to Improve a Bro Split (And Other Answers)
If you like the structure of a bro split but want to maximize muscle growth, there are a few modifications you can make to make it more effective. The first and most important change is to add more compound movements to your workouts. Instead of focusing solely on isolation exercises, start each session with a big, multi-joint lift.
Here's an example: On back day, begin with deadlifts instead of lat pulldowns. On chest day, prioritize the barbell bench press rather than starting with dumbbell flies. For leg day, start with squats instead of leg extensions.
Increased Frequency
Another way to improve a bro split is to increase training frequency by working each muscle group at least twice per week. One simple way to do this is by combining arm training with another muscle group—for example, training triceps on chest day and biceps on back day instead of giving arms their own day.
You could train legs twice per week, with one day focused on heavy strength work and another using higher-rep, hypertrophy-focused movements. Another strategy is to take advantage of overlapping movements. The bench press works both the chest and triceps, meaning that by programming bench on chest day and overhead pressing on shoulder day, you effectively train triceps twice per week.
Rest Periods
Adjusting rest periods is another crucial way to make a bro split more effective. While powerlifters often rest 3-5 minutes between heavy sets to maximize strength output, bodybuilders and those focused on muscle growth should keep their rest times shorter, anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds, to keep the muscles under tension longer and increase fatigue.
For example, after squatting, a powerlifter might take 3-5 minutes to recover before the next set, while a bodybuilder aiming for hypertrophy would rest only 60-90 seconds to maintain intensity and muscle engagement.
Rest days are just as important as training days when it comes to muscle growth and recovery. Since a bro split typically trains each muscle group once per week, proper rest day placement can prevent fatigue buildup and maximize performance in each session.
The key is balancing workload, recovery, and training intensity to ensure muscles have enough time to rebuild before being trained again.
Track Progress
The other big thing? Track your progress. Then, make adjustments. If you're only training a muscle once per week, progressive overload becomes even more important. Keep a log of your weights, reps, and how many sets you do. And consider tracking how you feel too.
With that information, you can modify your plans to maximize gains. It's also key to preventing plateaus. That's one key to transforming a traditional bro split into something much more effective.
Who Should Do Bro Splits?
Bro splits are a solid option for bodybuilders and physique-focused lifters who want to isolate specific muscle groups and put maximum effort into individual muscle days. If you prefer training one muscle group at a time and enjoy longer sessions focused on detail work, a bro split can work well. It's also a good fit for beginners who need time to build strength and learn proper technique without worrying about complex training splits.
For intermediate and advanced lifters, a bro split can still be effective, but only if it includes progressive overload, compound lifts, and proper training volume. This means including heavy compound movements, progressive overload, and training intensity rather than relying only on isolation exercises.
Why Do Bro Splits Have a Bad Rep?
Bro splits get criticized because they only train each muscle group once per week, which isn't the most efficient way to build muscle. Research shows that hitting a muscle twice per week leads to better hypertrophy and strength gains.
Another reason bro splits have a bad reputation is that many people use them inefficiently. A lot of lifters overload their workouts with isolation exercises and skip the heavy compound movements that stimulate the most muscle growth. If your chest day is built around bench press, dips, and incline presses, you're in a good spot. But if you're spending an hour doing fly variations and machine presses, you’re not getting the same level of muscle activation.
Here's the worst thing: Bro splits are often associated with casual lifters. But that shouldn't always be the case. A well-designed bro split can still be effective, but only if it's programmed with progressive overload and compound lifts.
Can You Gain Muscle With a Bro Split?
Yes, you can absolutely gain muscle with a bro split, but you need to train with the right intensity and structure. If you hit each muscle group once a week with high volume, heavy compound lifts, and controlled rest periods, you can still see solid hypertrophy. The key is making sure you're training to failure, using progressive overload, and keeping rest times in check to maximize muscle fatigue.
Should You Use a Bro Split?
While bro splits have been a staple in bodybuilding culture, they aren’t the most effective way to build muscle compared to training splits that hit muscle groups multiple times per week. However, they can still work—especially if you integrate compound lifts, increase training intensity, and reduce rest times.
If you’re looking for optimal muscle growth, consider modifying your split to train muscles more frequently while still maintaining the isolation focus that bro splits are known for.
