The 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule With PDF

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Getting to the gym three or four days a week is a great achievement for the average fitness enthusiast.

However, those with the extra motivation might prefer a six-day workout program.

This article is a guide to the 6 day gym workout schedule. We’ll discuss the different ways to approach a 6 day split and the pros and cons of each.

We’ll also provide several effective 6 day workout programs for you to try based on different training outcomes.

What is the best 6 day workout split?

The best 6 day workout split will allow you to train all the major muscle groups, as well as adequate cardiovascular training, over six workout sessions.

The routine should have the optimal training frequency, volume, and intensity to move toward that person’s goals.

Popular 6 day split workouts include the Push/Pull/Legs split (performed twice weekly), an upper/lower body split with three sessions of each, or a 6 day ‘bro split’.

These commonly-used programs will be discussed in more detail below. The basic concept, however, is that a 6 day schedule involves training six days per week.

As you’ll see in the following 6 day workout split templates, there are many ways to devise a routine that will suit your needs.

But first, let’s refresh on the body parts we need to train during a workout program and how to best group them as part of a 6 day plan.

The Major Muscle Groups Targeted in the 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule

Related: Chest And Shoulder Workout

Like any effective workout split, a 6 day gym schedule should stimulate the major muscle groups.

The following are some of the primary muscles in each area of the body, with many smaller muscles playing supportive roles:

Chest: Pectoralis major: Clavicular/sternal heads, pectoralis minor
Back: Trapezius: Upper/mid/lower portions, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, erector spinae
Legs: Gluteus maximus/medius/minimus, quadriceps: VMO, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, hamstrings: Semitendinosus/semimembranosus, adductors: Magnus/brevis/longus
Calves: Gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis anterior
Shoulders: Deltoids: Anterior/mid/posterior heads, rotator cuff: supra/infraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor
Arms: Biceps brachii: short/long heads, brachialis, triceps brachii: Medial/lateral/long heads
Forearms: Brachioradialis, wrist flexors/extensors, pronators/supinators
Neck: Sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, splenius capitis
Core: Rectus abdominis, internal/external obliques, transverse abdominis, iliopsoas

The dozens of muscles listed here can be grouped in several different ways depending on the goals of your program.

Programs range from training all of the muscle groups in one session to focusing on just one muscle group in a single workout.

The following are some of the most commonly seen groupings in various gym programs, including some of the 6 day workout schedules in this article:

Chest, shoulders + triceps
Back + biceps
Legs + calves
Legs + abs
Chest + back
Chest + abs
Arms + forearms
Arms + shoulders

Training Methods

Another factor that will determine how you split up the muscle groups within a program is how you plan to train them.

Depending on your goal, you may want to train for muscle growth (hypertrophy), maximal strength, endurance, power, or weight loss.

Even aerobic training should be taken into consideration when creating a program, as athletic activities like running and swimming also recruit large muscle groups.

Specific training methods also need to be used to ensure you are progressing in your program, and not simply spinning your wheels.

These include the principle of progressive overload – increasing a given training metric session to session – and specific training for your goal.

In addition to employing the right rep ranges, rest times, and number of sets, you can also use more advanced training techniques for improved results.

Check out our article about the Arnold split program for an exhaustive list of advanced training techniques.

Next, we’ll discuss some of the important deciding factors for how to structure your 6 day workout schedule.

Things to Consider When Deciding on the 6 Day Workout Routine

Age

Resistance exercise is proven to help increase muscle strength, quality, and power in older adults.

That being said, is training six days per week too much beyond a certain age?

Research shows that resistance training twice or even three times a week is significantly better for older adults than just once per week.

For a 6 day workout split to be suitable in this case, a mix of weight training and aerobic work would allow the individual to exercise most days of the week.

This concept also applies to younger lifters who are newer to resistance training. The beginner program below is a good place to start.

This is related to what’s known as ‘training age,’ or the number of years you’ve been lifting.

A 6 day workout split in terms of 6 resistance training sessions per week is definitely better suited to intermediate to advanced trainees.

The main priority here is to ensure adequate recovery and avoid overtraining, which we’ll discuss in greater detail shortly.

Goals

Another consideration when organizing a 6 day workout program is your goals.

How your structure a program can vary significantly depending on whether maximal strength, muscle growth, or fat loss are your goal.

These different aims require not only different stimuli in the gym but varying recovery times and training frequencies.

For example, someone trying to lose weight will need more cardio work in their program than someone looking to add mass.

That being said, the weight loss client still needs to ensure adequate strength training to avoid losing weight from muscle rather than body fat.

Read on to see various ways you can perform a 6 day gym program that is optimized for these various training goals.

Availability

Of course, a 6 day workout program sounds like a great idea that should get you results.

However, dedicating time six days per week to training isn’t something everyone can do.

For those with less time due to a busy work or family schedule, check out our articles on popular 3 day split workout.

For those who can prioritize and find time for six trips to the gym each week, there are several options for how to go about it.

As you’ll see in the example programs, you can organize your 6 sessions to hit everything you need over the week without overly lengthy workout times.

For example, the weight loss 6 day workout program involves short, isolated workouts for each muscle group, followed by cardio.

The strength training portion of these sessions can be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes, and the cardio can be fit in afterward or throughout the day.

In the beginner program, strength training is done on three days, with the other three being allotted to aerobic conditioning.

These sessions can be done outside the gym. For example, you can take a walk at the park with your partner, or go for a bike ride while catching up with a friend.

Types of Training Splits for 6 Days

Related: Best Cardio For Weight Loss

PPL

One of the most popular training splits for a 6 day schedule is the Push/Pull/Legs program.

Technically a 3 day split program, PPL can be performed twice weekly for a complete 6 day schedule.

What can make the PPL style workout more of a 6 day split is if you have two different push, pull, and leg workouts.

These can prioritize different muscles within certain groups. For example, a horizontal push day for the chest, and a vertical push day for more focus on the deltoids.

The 6 day gym schedule for muscle growth below is programmed in this way.

It involves six unique sessions – two each for push, pull, and legs – and uses different equipment, exercises, and techniques to ensure every muscle is stimulated.

Upper/Lower

Next is another popular program style that can be a good transition from beginner to intermediate level.

The upper/lower body split divides the body into – you guessed it – the upper body and the legs.

In this type of program, the core or trunk muscles can be included with the lower body day.

One challenge with the upper/ lower split is that there are many muscle groups and movements to train in the upper body.

This can make it tricky to program enough volume for the chest, back, shoulders, and arms into a single workout (without it being two hours long).

That being said, the advantage of an upper/lower body split is that as a 6 day program, you’ll hit each muscle group three times per week.

This higher frequency can give you the added stimulus you need to force muscle growth – provided you can recover between workouts.

Bro Split

Of all the programs on this list, the bro split is the only technically true 6 day split program.

This is because a 6 day split should cover each muscle group over six unique sessions.

The bro split is more commonly done as a 5 day split from Monday to Friday, with the weekends saved for rest and recovery.

As a 6 day gym program, the bro spit can provide a dedicated session to work on any lagging muscle groups you may have.

The most forgotten muscle groups people neglect in the gym include the neck, forearms, calves, and core.

Calves and abs are often tacked on to the end of sessions when the individual is already exhausted, while the neck and forearms often get forgotten entirely.

While these muscles do get trained indirectly through other exercises, giving them some more focused training can make a marked difference to your physique.

In fact, training these forgotten muscle groups is a way for more experienced lifters to enjoy ‘newbie gains’, as they work new muscle groups more consistently.

Take a look at our 6 day gym workout schedule for weight loss below – this provides a 6 day bro split with added cardio to get you shredded in no time.

Number of Exercises Per Day

The 6 day programs provided here involve anywhere from three to five resistance exercises, as well as warm-ups and aerobic work.

Sometimes, these exercises are divided between multiple muscle groups. On other days, there will be several for a single muscle.

The number of sets and repetitions given to each muscle group in a workout affect the adaptations of those muscles, which matters depending on your aim in the gym.

The programs offered here aim to provide enough working sets to allow you to train hard and promote muscle growth and increased strength while avoiding fatigue and injury risk.

Before we dive into the specifics of each program, we’ll discuss in more detail the negative effects associated with training too much, both per session and over the long term.

What are the benefits of a 6 day workout split?

As mentioned previously, the 6 day workout schedule allows you a lot of creative freedom when it comes to designing your program.

If you prefer the bro split style of training, having a 6 day gym split lets you dedicate an entire session to each muscle group, training every portion of the muscle.

For example, when you have to train chest, back, arms, and shoulders in a single session, each muscle group may only get one or two exercises.

In a 6 day bro split chest session, however, you can have specific exercises for the clavicular head (upper portion), sternal head (lower chest), stretched position, and adducted position.

As for other 6 day routines such as PPL, a 6 day split allows you to get more frequency to each muscle group, stimulating growth more often.

In addition, a 6 day version of PPL lets you have six unique sessions, keeping your training more interesting and motivating.

We’re close to the good part – the actual training programs! But first, let’s quickly cover how to monitor for and avoid symptoms of overtraining.

The Most Common Signs of Overtraining – And How to Avoid it

One challenge of the 6 day gym split is that although we’re splitting up the muscle groups, the body is still performing hard work on six consecutive days.

Continual progression in performance can only be done over the long term with adequate periods of recovery.

This is important both to allow the body’s systems to adapt to the training and improve, but also to avoid them becoming overloaded.

For those who don’t recover properly, symptoms of overreaching can occur. If left unaddressed, these can progress into overtraining syndrome.

Symptoms of these conditions include excessive fatigue, mood changes, and decreased performance in the gym.

When transitioning to a high volume program like a 6 day split, you must prioritize your recovery methods.

This includes optimal nutrition, hydration, sleep, and taking rest or low-intensity days whenever your body tells you it’s necessary.

While overtraining can be serious, by following the steps above and by paying attention to how your body feels on a given day, you can avoid it and keep the gains coming.

With all the prep work out of the way, here are three awesome versions of a 6 day gym workout schedule for you to try!

Muscle Growth 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule

The first 6 day program is based on a PPL split, with two versions of each workout.

This program provides a frequency of twice per week for each major muscle group, as this has been found to improve muscle hypertrophy.

Some of the larger compound movements have slightly longer rest periods to allow recovery to push heavier loads.

The rest day is scheduled for Sunday, after two cycles through PPL. However, if you feel fatigued after the first three sessions, simply include a rest day before continuing.

If you have been training with a full-body program, or even with a bro split, get ready for some serious muscle gains with this schedule.

And for those top-heavy lifters, embrace the two leg days per week and reap the benefits for your overall strength and physique.

Good luck!

Workout Schedule:

Day 1: Push session 1
Day 2: Pull session 1
Day 3: Legs session 1
Day 4: Push session 2
Day 5: Pull session 2
Day 6: Legs session 2
Day 7: Rest

Day 1

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x arm circles forward/backward
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Bench press	3×8-12	2-3 min
Incline dB press	3×8-12	2-3 min
Decline cable crossover	3×8-12	1 min
Lateral Raise	4×8-12	1 min
OH tricep extension	4-5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Day 2

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x arm circles forward/backward
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Underhand lat pulldown	3×8-12	1 min
Wide grip pulldown	3×8-12	1 min
dB pullovers	3×8-12	1 min
Cable straight arm pushdowns	3×8-12	1 min
Reverse grip EZ bar curl	4-5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Day 3

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x leg swings forward/backward + sideways
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Barbell / smith squat	3×8-12	2-3 min
Narrow stance leg press	3×8-12	2-3 min
Bulgarian split squat	3×8-12	1 min
Leg extension	3×8-12	1 min
Standing calf raise	5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Day 4

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x arm circles forward/backward
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
dB chest press	3×8-12	2-3 min
Military press	4×8-12	2-3 min
Low cable fly	3×8-12	1 min
Plate bus drivers	3×8-12	1 min
Rope cable triceps pushdown	4-5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Day 5

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x arm circles forward/backward
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Bent row	3×8-12	2-3 min
Seated cable row	3×8-12	1 min
dB one arm row	3×8-12	1 min
Barbell shrugs	4-5×8-12	1 min
Hammer curls	4-5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Day 6

Warm-Up:

5 mins general warm-up
10x leg swings forward/backward + sideways
2-3x warm-up sets of first exercise

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Deadlift	3×8-12	2-3 min
Barbell glute bridge	3×8-12	1 min
Adductor machine	3×8-12	1 min
Leg curls	3×8-12	1 min
Seated calf raise	5×8-12	1 min

Estimated Workout Duration: 45-60 mins

Weight Loss 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule

Looking to lose weight? Check out the popular Beyond Body review.

The next program can be used by those who want to cut body fat while preserving – or even building – muscle mass.

This 6 day program is a slightly lower-volume bro split, with the six sessions being dedicated to different muscle groups.

As promised, this split has a sixth session focused on some of the neglected muscle groups, such as the neck and forearms.

Staying consistent with these workouts will help you grow muscles you didn’t even know you had, all while trimming down body fat.

If you’re not the biggest fan of cardio, hear us out before trying to lose weight solely with diet.

Research has shown the ability of aerobic exercise alone to decrease body weight without the need to restrict calories.

In addition, cardio is one of the best ways to keep the weight off once you’ve lost it, avoiding the cursed ‘rebound effect’.

If you have been relying mainly on diet to lose body fat, definitely give this program a try.

While it can of course be used in conjunction with a slight calorie deficit to accelerate the process, this program will allow you to get shredded without hating life.

One final tip before you start: make sure you have some episodes of your favorite Netflix shows or podcasts downloaded, and the cardio will fly by!

Workout Schedule:

Day 1: Chest + cardio
Day 2: Back + cardio
Day 3: Legs + cardio
Day 4: Shoulders + cardio
Day 5: Arms + cardio
Day 6: Neck/forearms/abs + cardio
Day 7: Rest