Day 1: Chest Day
Chest| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 4 | 6–10 | 2 | 3 min |
| Incline DB Press | 4 | 8–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| Machine Chest Press | 3 | 10–12 | 2 | 1:30 |
| Cable Fly | 3 | 12–15 | 1 | 1 min |
| Dips | 3 | 8–12 | 1 | 1:30 |
Free program · Intermediate
5-Day Bro Split
One major muscle group per day across five sessions. It trades frequency for focus: each muscle is trained once a week, but with lots of sets and variety in that one session.
- Days per week
- 5
- Frequency
- 1x per muscle/week
- Session length
- ~60 min
- Weekly working sets
- 94
- Level
- Intermediate
Run this program in Surpass
On your iPhone with Surpass installed, tap Add to Surpass to copy every day, exercise, rep range, RIR target, and rest time into an editable plan. Each set then shows what you lifted last time and a target to beat.
The workouts
RIR means reps in reserve: how many more clean reps you could have done. Start each lift at the bottom of its rep range.
Day 2: Back Day
Back| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional Deadlift | 4 | 5–8 | 2 | 4 min |
| Pull-ups | 4 | 6–10 | 2 | 3 min |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 8–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10–12 | 1 | 1:30 |
| Cable Row | 3 | 12–15 | 1 | 1 min |
Day 3: Shoulders Day
Shoulders| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead Press | 4 | 6–10 | 2 | 3 min |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 12–15 | 1 | 1 min |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Reverse Fly | 4 | 15–20 | 1 | 1 min |
| Face Pull | 3 | 15–20 | 1 | 1 min |
Day 4: Legs Day
Legs| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 6–10 | 2 | 3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 8–12 | 2 | 2 min |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10–15 | 2 | 2 min |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1 | 1 min |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 12–15 | 1 | 1 min |
| Standing Calf Raise | 5 | 12–15 | 1 | 1 min |
Day 5: Arms Day
Biceps, Triceps| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Curl | 4 | 8–12 | 2 | 1:30 |
| Skull Crusher | 4 | 8–12 | 2 | 1:30 |
| Incline Curl | 3 | 10–12 | 1 | 1 min |
| Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10–15 | 1 | 1 min |
| Hammer Curl | 3 | 10–12 | 1 | 1 min |
| Overhead Extension | 3 | 10–15 | 1 | 1 min |
Who it is for
- Lifters who like focused, single-muscle sessions and a predictable weekly rhythm.
- People who train five weekdays and rest at the weekend.
- Experienced lifters who want a change from higher-frequency splits.
Weekly schedule
Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, Arms on five days, then two rest days.
How to progress
Because each muscle is trained once a week, make every session count: log every set and beat last week by a rep or a small load jump wherever you can.
Direct sets per muscle each week
Counts sets where the muscle is a primary mover. Compound lifts also train secondary muscles.
Questions
Is a bro split bad for muscle growth?
Not bad, but usually less efficient. Most evidence favors training a muscle at least twice a week for the same total volume. A bro split still works if weekly volume and effort are high.
Should I switch from a bro split to PPL?
If progress has stalled, moving to a twice-a-week split like PPL or upper/lower is a sensible next experiment.
How many sets per session on a bro split?
This plan uses 17 to 22 working sets per session. Because each muscle is trained only once a week, that single session has to carry most of its weekly volume.
Share it with a training partner
The link opens this exact plan. Anyone with Surpass can copy it into their own plan, and anyone without it can still read it.
Other free programs
12-Week Physique Plan4 days a week · IntermediatePush Pull Legs (6-Day PPL)6 days a week · IntermediateUpper/Lower Split (4 Days)4 days a week · Beginner3-Day Full Body Workout3 days a week · BeginnerArnold Split (6 Days)6 days a week · AdvancedPPL + Upper/Lower Hybrid (5 Days)5 days a week · Intermediate