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Arnold Split Workout: 6 Day Plan Explained

October 30, 2026 · GymPilot Team

The arnold split trains chest and back together on one day, shoulders and arms together on a second day, and legs on a third, then repeats that same three-day rotation a second time for six training sessions a week. This guide gives you the complete six day plan, exercises, sets, reps and rest for both times through the rotation. The name refers to the historical training style associated with it, not an endorsement of GymPilot by anyone.

Key takeaways

• The arnold split pairs chest and back on one day, shoulders and arms on a second day, and trains legs on a third, then repeats the cycle for six sessions a week.
• Pairing two muscle groups a day, rather than one, is what separates it from a traditional five day bro split.
• One rest day is typical, placed after the second full rotation through chest and back, shoulders and arms, and legs.
• It suits lifters who already recover well from frequent training, more than someone newer to structured lifting.
• Varying the exercises between the first and second time through the rotation keeps six sessions from feeling like three days copied twice.

What the arnold split groups together

Most splits group muscles by function: push muscles together, pull muscles together, upper body together. The arnold split instead pairs chest with back and shoulders with arms, then gives legs their own day. Training chest and back in the same session works because a pressing movement and a pulling movement do not compete much for the same muscles, so working sets for one do not blunt the quality of sets for the other later in the same session. The same logic applies to pairing shoulders with arms, since a lot of shoulder pressing already recruits the triceps and a lot of pulling work already recruits the biceps, so grouping them together keeps related muscle groups working in the same session instead of splitting them across different days.

Running that three-day rotation twice in a week means chest, back, shoulders, arms and legs all get trained twice instead of once, which is the main reason this split carries as much total weekly volume as it does.

First time through: days 1 to 3

Day 1: Chest and back A

Close the session with a Chest And Front Of Shoulder Stretch rather than adding more working sets.

Day 2: Shoulders and arms A

Finish with an Upper Back Stretch to close the session.

Day 3: Legs A

Close with an Upper Back-Leg Grab stretch for the hamstrings and glutes.

Second time through: days 4 to 6

Running the same three muscle groupings again with a different exercise selection keeps six sessions from feeling like three days copied and pasted twice.

Day 4: Chest and back B

Close again with a Chest And Front Of Shoulder Stretch rather than adding more working sets.

Day 5: Shoulders and arms B

Finish with an Upper Back Stretch to close the session.

Day 6: Legs B

Close with an Upper Back-Leg Grab stretch, the same as the first legs day.

That is six sessions with one rest day worked in after Legs B, though splitting that rest into two shorter breaks across the week also works if a single full day off does not fit your schedule.

Who the arnold split actually suits

Six training days a week is a real commitment, and this split asks for good recovery on top of that commitment since each muscle group gets hit twice with real volume rather than once. Lifters who already sleep and eat consistently, and who have some training experience behind them, tend to handle this frequency better than someone just starting out. If you are newer to structured lifting, a full body or upper lower split will very likely get you further before you consider stepping up to six days a week.

Recovery is the real limiter here, not motivation. It is entirely possible to show up for all six sessions and still make slower progress than a well run four day plan, if the volume outpaces how well you are actually recovering between chest and back A and chest and back B. Watching how you feel walking into the second time through the rotation each week is a better signal than simply completing every session on the calendar.

Progression across six sessions

Because chest, back, shoulders, arms and legs each appear twice a week, you get two chances every week to test whether last week's working weight still challenges you at the top of its rep range. Add a small amount of weight to an exercise once you complete every set at the top of the plan's rep range, the same rule that applies to any other split. Keep the A and B version of each day meaningfully different in exercise selection, the way the plan above pairs a bench press with a one-arm dumbbell press and a barbell row with a cable row, so the extra frequency covers more of each muscle group rather than repeating the exact same stimulus twice.

Save this six day plan in GymPilot and put chest and back A on your calendar for your next training day: try GymPilot.

Where to go next

The arnold split is one of several ways to reach six training days a week, or fewer if that fits your schedule better. Workout Splits Explained: PPL, Upper Lower, Full Body, Bro compares it against full body, upper lower and push pull legs splits side by side. Upper Lower Split: 4 Day Plan With Sets and Reps covers a lower frequency, four day alternative. PPL UL Split: The 5 Day Hybrid Explained sits between four and six days a week. Push Pull Legs Routine: 3 and 6 Day Plans covers a six day option that groups muscles by movement pattern instead of by the pairings used here.

Fitness content on this page is general information, not medical advice: consult a professional if you have a condition or injury.