Start with the days you have
A workout split is simply a way to distribute training across sessions. It is not a measure of how serious you are. Two dependable sessions are a more useful starting point than a six-day schedule that repeatedly falls apart.
Write down the days you can usually train, including travel and changing time. Leave room for the activities you already enjoy. Your gym programme does not need to occupy every spare evening.
Match the structure to your week
| Available days | A practical starting point | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Two | Full body on both days | Cover the main movement patterns without cramming in every variation. |
| Three | Alternating full-body sessions | Avoid making the third day essential to training one entire muscle group. |
| Four | Upper/lower repeated | Useful if you prefer shorter lists of exercises in each session. |
| Five | Upper/lower plus push/pull/legs | More sessions require more recovery and organisation, not just more enthusiasm. |
These are examples, not rankings. A familiar routine that you can progress may be a better choice than changing splits because somebody else’s looks more advanced.
Test it for a few weeks
Keep the exercise selection reasonably stable while you learn what the programme asks of you. Note whether sessions fit the time available, whether performance recovers between them and which exercises you consistently skip.
If one session repeatedly runs over, remove a lower-priority accessory or redistribute it. If you miss the same day each week, change the schedule rather than trying to catch up with two exhausting sessions together.
Keep a usable record
In Gorivo, save each session as its own workout and organise related workouts into a group. Give them names you can recognise at a glance: “Upper A” is easier to find than “Monday workout version 4”. Record your actual sets, then compare the same exercise under similar conditions.
For a concrete starting point, see the two-day full-body plan or four-day upper/lower plan.
Gorivo editorial · General guidance for adults. Adapt training and food choices to your circumstances.