Smarter Splits: Choosing the Right Training Format for Your Athletes
#33 – Strength & Speed Coaching – Pursuing Your Best ⚡
Not all training splits are created equal.
Especially in schools—where time, space, and athlete schedules collide—the way you organize your training can either get you real progress or add unnecessary struggles.
This issue is about designing splits that fit your school, your athletes, and your goals.
We’ll cover:
The most common strength training splits for athletes
When and why to use each
Why training structure matters as much as training content
Uncommon or hybrid approaches worth considering
Let’s build better systems—by starting with better structure.
Why Your Split Matters
Your training split isn’t just a schedule.
It’s a framework that determines:
How often you hit each movement pattern
How athletes recover across the week
How sprinting, lifting, and sport fit together
How consistent your in-season vs. off-season work can be
The right split brings clarity to your plan.
The wrong one? Confusion, inconsistency, or (worst of all) athletes not getting what they need.
Common Strength Splits for Athletes
These are the most widely used formats in high school strength programs:
2-Day Total Body
Great for low-frequency programs, off-seasons with multiple sports, or districts with tight PE schedules.
Example: Tuesday/Thursday
Focus: Strength + power + movement each day
Easy to balance
High exposure to priority lifts
Adaptable for in-season
3-Day Total Body
Train full body Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Day 1: Lower Focus / Total Body
Day 2: Upper Focus / Total Body
Day 3: Total or Posterior Focus / Total Body
Balanced exposure to all major patterns (Movement-based vs. muscle-based = more athletic)
Easy to plug in speed, jump, or tempo elements as needed
Great for in-season or off-season groups
4-Day Upper/Lower Split
Split the week into:
Monday/Thursday = Lower Body
Tuesday/Friday = Upper Body
Great for experienced or high-training-age athletes
Could support heavier training density
Allows for pairing with sprint sessions
Quick Disclaimer: There Are More Than These
These three options are the most common starting points—but they’re not the only ones.
Some lesser-used—but still valid—splits include:
Front Side / Back Side (quad-dominant vs. posterior-chain)
Push / Pull / Legs (more common in general population)
Athlete-Driven Split (adapt training days around fluctuating practice/game schedules)
Neural vs. Structural Days (alternate between high-CNS days and lower-intensity, volume-focused days)
Rotating Format (e.g., a 4 day program that is implemented on 3 days per week causing a natural rotation)
The point: there’s no single “right” answer—just the one that fits your program.
What to Consider When Choosing a Split
Ask yourself:
How many days can we train consistently?
How much time do I have per session?
What season are we in—and what matters most right now?
Can I match this split to sprint/sport demands?
What’s the training age of the group?
Your split should be a support—not a stressor.
If your setup causes scheduling nightmares or confuses your athletes, it’s not helping.
Final Thoughts
Your program doesn’t need more lifts—it needs better structure.
Build your training split around:
Your goals
Your schedule
Your coaching bandwidth
Your athletes' readiness
That’s how good programs stay consistent, even when everything else changes.
What’s Next?
Coming up in Part 2 of the Training Split series:
Total Body vs. Upper/Lower: Which One Fits Best?
We’ll break down the pros and cons of these two go-to formats and help you decide which fits your athletes, your school day, and your in-season/off-season transitions best. You'll get templates, tips, and a clear decision-making guide.
Want Help Structuring Your Training Split?
I offer consulting for PE teachers and Strength & Speed coaches looking to:
Build class-based or team-based training templates
Match training to sport + academic calendars
Rework a confusing or outdated program
Let’s build a system that fits your school—not someone else’s.
Just reply or shoot me a message and we’ll talk shop.
Until then, keep pursuing excellence.
— Preston ⚡️