Upper Body Workout Plan for Mass
Build a bigger upper body with three dedicated sessions a week for chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Compound pressing and pulling plus targeted arm and shoulder volume, with progression across two phases.
Program Overview
This program is built for one goal: adding size to your upper body. If your chest, back, shoulders, and arms are the priority, three dedicated upper-body sessions per week drive far more growth than a general split that trains them once or twice.
The three sessions each emphasise a different area while covering the whole upper body: a push-focused day, a pull-focused day, and a day built around the arms and shoulders. This gives your chest and back high frequency and volume, while ensuring your shoulders and arms get direct, prioritised work rather than being trained tired at the end of a bigger session. It is an efficient way to bring up your whole upper body at once.
Sessions run 45 to 60 minutes. To keep your physique balanced and healthy, add one or two lower-body sessions per week alongside this if your legs are not being trained elsewhere.
This is a specialised upper-body program. Training only your upper body leaves your physique unbalanced and misses the benefits of leg work. Add one or two lower-body sessions per week, or run this as the upper portion of an upper/lower approach. Related plans: Intermediate Upper Lower Split and 4-Day Upper Lower Dumbbell Plan.
Who Is This For?
This program is for lifters who want to prioritise upper-body size.
This plan is right for you if:
- You want to build your chest, back, shoulders, and arms
- You have at least six months of consistent training
- You can train three days per week for upper body
- You are willing to add leg training separately
- You want high frequency on your upper body
If you want equal upper and lower development in one plan, our upper/lower muscle gain plans split your week evenly. Choose this program specifically when your upper body is the priority.
Weekly Schedule
Phase 1: Accumulate Volume (Weeks 1-4)
Three upper-body sessions per week. The push day leads with heavy pressing, the pull day with heavy rowing, and the third prioritises arms and shoulders. Rest 2 minutes on compounds, 60 to 90 on isolation.
Start with 2 to 3 reps in reserve on compounds, 1 to 2 on isolation. Add weight when you hit the top of the range on all sets.
Flat bench, lower to your chest, press to lockout.
Barbell at shoulder height, brace, press overhead.
Bench inclined, press up, deep stretch.
Bring your hands together, squeeze.
Push down, spread the rope, squeeze.
Row the bar to your lower chest, squeeze.
Pull your chin over the bar, lower with control. Assisted if needed.
Pull to your lower chest, squeeze.
Pull to your face, elbows high.
Curl on an incline, slow descent.
Dumbbells rotating palms-in to palms-forward as you press.
Raise to shoulder height, slight elbow bend.
Curl without swinging.
Dumbbell overhead, lower, extend.
Neutral grip curls.
Low-intensity walking on non-training days supports recovery, digestion, and daily energy expenditure without adding fatigue to your working muscles.
Light stretching and mobility for the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Ten focused minutes keeps the tight spots from heavy training in check.
Phase 2: Intensify (Weeks 5-8)
Phase 2 adds a set to the primary press and pull and drops the rep ranges for heavier loading. The arm and shoulder volume holds since those are the priority.
Add a set to the first exercise on the push and pull days and push the loads up. Keep the arm and shoulder volume high.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier weight.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier weight.
Add weight with a belt, lower reps.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Reps before weight.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Small increase if strict.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Low-intensity walking on non-training days supports recovery, digestion, and daily energy expenditure without adding fatigue to your working muscles.
Light stretching and mobility for the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Ten focused minutes keeps the tight spots from heavy training in check.
Nutrition Guidance
Training creates the stimulus; nutrition determines the result. Whatever your goal, your calories and protein have to line up with it. Our macro calculator sets your targets, and our high protein recipes make hitting them easier. For the nutrition side, our guides on building muscle while minimizing fat gain and increasing your daily protein intake are worth a read.
The Basics
- Calories: Eat in a slight surplus of 200 to 400 calories per day to build muscle while minimising fat gain. Our macro calculator sets your starting point.
- Protein: 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of bodyweight daily. Protein drives recovery and muscle retention. Browse our high protein recipes for ideas.
- Hydration: Drink water consistently, especially on training days.
- Sleep: Seven to nine hours per night. Recovery happens between sessions, not during them.
Use the macro calculator to set your calories and protein for your goal, then track your bodyweight as a weekly average and adjust in small increments based on the trend.
