Bro Split: Is it an Effective 5-Day Routine?
Introduction
The “bro split” is one of the most renowned and popular workout routines within the fitness culture. It’s a key workout style to primarily work one-to-two muscle groups per session, spread throughout a typical 5-day split. Although many enthusiasts challenge this split and favor the Push-Pull-Leg (PPL) routine, bro splits remain a staple for certain people. It raises the question: Is it truly effective, and how can we benefit from it the most? In this blog, we’ll break down the pros, cons, and an exceptional routine to use.
What is a Bro Split?
The function of the Bro Split is to divide specific muscle groups into dedicated days.
A 5-day split could target all these muscle groups in one split:
- Back Day
- Chest Day
- Leg Day
- Shoulder Day
- Arm Day
Our Recommended 5-Day Bro Split (Sets x Reps)
Day 1: Chest
- Bench Press 5×5
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3×12-15
- Dips 3×15
- Chest Fly Machine 3×12-15
- Cable Crossover 3×15
Day 2: Back
- Lat Pulldowns 3×12
- Seated Cable Rows 3×15
- Straight Arm Pushdown 3×12-15
- Pull-ups until failure x3 or assisted pull-ups 3×15
Day 3: Legs
- Squat 5×5-7
- Leg Press 3×12
- Romanian Deadlifts 3×10
- Quad Extensions 3×15
- Standing Calf Raises 3×40
Day 4: Biceps and Triceps
- Hammer Curls 3×20 each arm
- Barbell Curls 3×15-20
- Cable Tricep Pushdowns 3×12-20
- Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extensions 3×12-15
- Seated Dumbbell Curls 3×10-12
Day 5: Shoulders and Abs
- Dumbbell Shoulder Overhead Press 3×10-12
- Cable Lateral Raises 3×15-20 each arm
- Cable Front Raise 3×15-20 each arm
- Shrugs 3×12-15
- Cable Crunches 3×20
Here’s a list of many cable shoulder workouts you can try!
Is The Bro Split Effective?
Fundamentally, Bro Splits can be effective, as long as you are receiving an adequate impulse to grow muscle, while also having enough time to recover between days. Incorporating progressive overload– increasing intensity and volume over time- is crucial for strength improvement and should be applied in order to see the best results. It’s also important to understand how you feel when using the split, get a feel of different routines and the effect it has on your body.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Targeting Single Muscle Groups – Allows you to target a specific muscle group a day, allowing you to focus on maximizing hypertrophy (increasing muscle mass)
- Sufficient Recovery – With the right split, you can train hard and have enough time to rest your muscles for another day.
- Effective for Aesthetics – Since you’re training one-to-two muscle groups each workout, you can include workouts that isolate specific parts of that muscle group. Example: hitting the upper chest with incline press, lower chest with flat press, and lower chest with decline press.
- Less Workout Conflict – Unlike full-body or upper/lower workout splits, the bro split specifies 1 muscle group per day, which could eliminate overlapping muscle fatigue
Cons:
- Longer Workout Duration – If you’re a person with a tight schedule, you may find it difficult to plan a full week of this split as it requires longer sessions over 3-5 consecutive days
- Not Ideal for Beginners – It may feel like too much volume and intensity
Summary
The bro split can be extremely effective for muscle hypertrophy, especially for those who can commit to longer, specialized workouts. The goal of this split is to target and balance the development of each muscle group applying high volume and intensity. By working one muscle group per day, it’ll guarantee a quality stimulus to grow strength over time.
If your fitness goals align with more overall strength or more compound, time-management workouts, you may benefit from a traditional split like the PPL split. At then end of the day, it’s important to weigh out the benefits of certain routines, and how your body reacts to them. Choose one that allows you to stay consistent to a routine, while also challenging yourself.
Have you ever tried the Bro Split? Let us know in the comments.
