By committing to a 3 day workout routine, you will begin to set yourself up for success in your fitness goals.
There’s a lot you can accomplish in 3 workouts per week.
And there’s a lot of different training styles you can implement if you have 3 days per week to dedicate to resistance training.
Of course, some will be more optimal than others, but all will provide you benefits such as increasing your physical activity and promoting muscle growth.
In this guide, we will break down several different workout splits you can use in a 3 day per week workout program. We’ll also answer some of the most common questions about 3 day workout routines.
How to split your workouts in a 3 day workout routine
Let’s start off by discussing the many ways you can split your workouts up throughout 3 days a week.
Similarly to 2 day workout routines, full body workouts are going to be the most optimal training style.
With that said, adding the additional training session in each week allows for a little more customization in how you build your workout program.
For instance, you can perform a rotating workout schedule using upper/lower workouts. To do this you perform one upper body workout, rest, a lower body workout, rest, and begin the cycle again with the upper body workout.
You can set up push/pull workout routines the same way.
Lastly, you can also perform a traditional push/pull/legs workout routine with 3 workout days per week. This might be the least optimal of the choices due to the training frequency for each individual muscle group – but if it’s something you enjoy and can stick with better over the long run, it might be the most optimal option for you.
The actual days you work out on are totally up to you. Most people see success by keeping to a Monday, Wednesday, Friday cadence. This weekly schedule could look something like this:
- Monday: Workout 1
- Tuesday: Off/Cardio
- Wednesday: Workout 2
- Thursday: Off/Cardio
- Friday: Workout 3
- Weekends: Off/Cardio
Now that we’ve explained several different styles of splits you can use when working out 3 days per week and how to fit them into your weekly schedule, let’s provide an example for each of them.
3 Day Full Body Workout Routine
This first option will likely be the most optimal option for most. Full body workouts, especially performed 3 days per week, will allows lifters to train muscles at a frequency that will help with muscle growth.
With any workout program, it is important to prioritize compound movements. The exercises selected below are merely for demonstration purposes. Feel free to alter the example template to include exercises you are comfortable with and will help you maintain your 3 day routine over a long period of time. Consistency is key.
Day: 1 Full Body Workout
| Exercises | Sets | Rep Range |
| Barbell Squat | 3 | 5 |
| Barbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Hammer Strength Machine Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 2: Full Body Workout
| Exercises | Sets | Rep Range |
| Barbell Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
| Goblet Squat | 3 | 8-12 |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Barbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Pull Up | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 3: Full Body Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Range |
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 5 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Close Grip Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8-12 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 8-12 |
3 Day Upper/Lower Workout Routine
Upper/lower workout splits can also be used during 3 day workout programs. To do this successfully, you will need to alternate workouts like so:
- Monday: Workout A
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Workout B
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Workout A
- Weekends: Rest/Cardio
The following week you would begin with workout B, like so:
- Monday: Workout B
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Workout A
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Workout B
- Weekends: Rest/Cardio
The example workouts below can be used and tailored to your specific preferences and goals.
Workout A: Upper Body Workout
| Exercises | Sets | Rep Range |
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 5-8 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dips | 3 | 8-12 |
Workout B: Lower Body Workout
| Exercises | Sets | Rep Range |
| Squat | 3 | 5-8 |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-12 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 8-12 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 8-12 |
| Hamstring Curls | 3 | 8-12 |
3 Day Push/Pull Workout Routine
Push/pull workout splits will also need to alternate workouts like so:
- Monday: Workout A
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Workout B
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Workout A
- Weekends: Rest/Cardio
The following week you would begin with workout B:
- Monday: Workout B
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Workout A
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Workout B
- Weekends: Rest/Cardio
The example workouts below can be used and tailored to your specific preferences and goals.
Workout A: Push Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Range |
| Squat | 3 | 6-8 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10-15 |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 6-8 |
| Machine Press | 3 | 10-15 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 6-8 |
| Dip | 3 | 10-15 |
Workout B: Pull Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Range |
| Deadlift | 3 | 6-8 |
| Leg Curl | 3 | 10-15 |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 6-8 |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10-15 |
| Pull Up | 3 | 6-8 |
| Lat Pull Down | 3 | 10-15 |
3 Day Push Pull Leg Workout
This final example is probably the least optimal in terms of training frequency. However, it might be an enjoyable split for some. And if that encourages long-term consistent adherence, I am all for it.
An example week of a 3 day push pull leg workout can look like this:
- Monday: Push Workout
- Tuesday: Rest/Cardio
- Wednesday: Pull Workout
- Thursday: Rest/Cardio
- Friday: Leg Workout
- Weekends: Rest/Cardio
Day 1: Push Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Range |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dip | 3 | 8-12 |
| Cable Tricep Extension | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 2: Pull Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Range |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Pull Up | 3 | 8-12 |
| Hammer Strength Machine Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 8-12 |
Day 3: Legs Workout
Additional 3 Day Workout Examples:
- 3 Day Full Body Superset Workout
- 3 Day Glute Focused Workout Split
- 3 Day Planet Fitness Workout Split
- 3 Day Push Pull Legs Workout Routine
- 3 Day Full Body Superset Workout Routine
- 3 Day Dumbbell Push/Pull/Legs Workout Routine
- 3 Day Total-Body Dumbbell Workout
3 Day Workout Routine FAQs
Listed below are some of the most common questions from people looking to begin a 3 day workout routine. Read through them and if you don’t see your question, please leave a comment below and we will try to answer it.
Are 3 day workouts effective?
3 day workouts can be extremely effective if you put forth an effort during your training sessions. They can be optimized through full body workouts which will allow you to hit every muscle group at a 3 times per week training frequency. This sort of training frequency will elicit muscle growth. That said, any sort of split that will encourage you to exercise is more optimal than not exercising at all – thus making it an effective workout program.
What is a good 3 day workout schedule?
Listed above are several workout schedules. The most common being the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. That said, you can alter it to fit your own schedule and slot in your training sessions whenever you have the open availability to make it to the gym. If you can’t keep a day separating training sessions, you might be better off with something other than a full body training protocol.
Can you get ripped working out 3 days per week?
Yes, you can with dedication to your training, diet, and lifestyle. Weight training, especially full body training 3 days per week will allow you to build and sustain lean muscle mass. If you set up your nutrition in a way that prioritizes protein and allows you to lose body fat, you can certainly get “ripped”.
Will I lose weight working out 3 days per week?
It is possible to lose weight while working out 3 days per week. To do so, you will need to make sound nutritional choices, manage your stress, and get roughly 7-10 hours of sleep each night.
Can I build muscle working out 3 days per week?
It is possible to build muscle while working out 3 days per week. As mentioned, the training frequency used in full body workouts 3 days per week is an optimal training frequency for most lifters. When this is paired with other lifestyle factors conducive to muscle growth such as proper nutrition, rest, and stress management, you can see some great results.