The Perfect Split To Sculpt & Balance Your Upper & Lower Body
Most lifters train each muscle once a week and wonder why they stall. MAPS Upper Lower trains your whole body twice a week across a simple 4 day split, the training frequency the research keeps pointing back to for building muscle. Three phases carry you from foundation, to volume, to raw strength. No gimmicks. No guru nonsense. Just the way muscle is actually built.
Why Most Lifters Stop Growing
Here's the truth most routines get backwards: training a muscle once a week is not enough to grow it the way you want. The classic bro split, chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, arms on Wednesday, feels productive because you walk out sore. But soreness is not growth, and a muscle you train once every seven days spends most of the week doing nothing.
Muscle responds to frequency. When you train the same muscle twice a week with the right volume, you send the build signal twice as often, and the research on this is about as settled as exercise science gets. That is the entire logic of an upper/lower split. Two upper days, two lower days, every muscle trained twice, full recovery in between.
MAPS Upper Lower is not a random pile of exercises. It is a 9 week progression. You start by building a foundation and grooving technique, then you push volume to drive size, then you go heavy to build strength. Each phase sets up the next. Follow it in order and you keep adapting instead of spinning your wheels.
The 3 Phases Of Upper Lower
Nine weeks, three phases, one clear progression. Each phase builds on the last so your body keeps adapting instead of stalling.
Foundation
Build a base of lean muscle and lock in flawless technique across the upper/lower split. Moderate reps drive growth while you master every movement. 3 sets, 8 to 10 reps.
Volume
Ramp up training volume and time under tension to maximize muscle growth and build work capacity. Fuller, rounder muscle and better endurance. 3 sets, 10 to 12 reps.
Strength
Shift to heavy 5x5 training to build maximal strength and raw power. Denser, harder muscle as your body adapts to heavier loads. 5 sets, 5 reps.
Why You Won't See Any Before & Afters Here
The fitness industry runs on shame. Sweaty, defeated "before" photos next to triumphant, contoured "afters" are built to do one thing: make you feel small enough about your body to swipe your card.
We refuse to sell that way. MAPS Upper Lower isn't here to remind you of what you hate. It's a clear, no-nonsense system that respects your intelligence and your time.
I'm not selling you a fantasy body. I'm selling you a method. The same training principles I have used with clients for two decades. If you want it, it's yours. If you don't, you should keep your money. Either way, we're not going to body-shame you into buying.
I'd been running the same body-part split for years and my lifts hadn't moved. Switching to training everything twice a week was the change I didn't know I needed. By the end of Phase 3 my squat and bench were the highest they've ever been, and I finally look like I lift.MAPS Upper Lower Customer
Inside The Program
Everything you need to train every muscle twice a week and build real, lasting muscle and strength.
Foundation. Build lean muscle and master technique across four upper/lower workouts. 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. The base that makes everything after it work.
Volume. Higher reps and shorter rest to maximize growth and work capacity. 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. This is where the size comes.
Strength. Heavy 5x5 training to build maximal strength and power. Denser, harder muscle under heavier loads.
Every Day Is Planned For You
No wondering what to train or when. MAPS Upper Lower lays out all nine weeks on one simple calendar. Two upper days, two lower days, a rest day in the middle, and the weekend to recover. Open it, see today's workout, and go. The thinking is already done.
- All 3 phases mapped out week by week
- Two upper and two lower workouts every week
- Every exercise, set, and rep written out for you
- A full at-home version using only dumbbells and bodyweight
Is This For You?
We'd rather you not buy this than waste your money. Read both columns honestly. Make the call.
✓ This Is For You
- You can train 4 days a week and want every session to count
- You have access to a barbell and dumbbells, or you'll use the at-home version
- You've been lifting a while and stopped seeing progress
- You want a clear plan and a real progression, not random workouts
- You want to build both muscle and genuine strength
- You're done with bro splits, guru hacks, and endless variety for its own sake
✗ This Is Not For You
- You want a 10 minute a day shortcut with no real effort
- You won't commit to four workouts a week for nine weeks
- You refuse to progressively add weight over time
- You want endless variety over a proven, structured progression
- You want validation, not a plan
- You're looking to get strong without lifting heavy
Here's EVERYTHING That's Included
- The complete 9-week MAPS Upper Lower program, all 3 phases
- Four workouts every week fully written out, every exercise, set, and rep
- Step-by-step video demonstrations & coaching cues for every movement
- A full at-home version using only dumbbells and bodyweight
- The MAPS Upper Lower blueprint & 9-week training calendar
- Printable workout logs to track every session
- Mobile & desktop access from any device
- Lifetime access, yours forever, no subscription
- 30-Day 100% Money-Back Guarantee
Frequently Asked Questions
The standard program uses a barbell, dumbbells, and a bench. If you train at home, the included at-home version swaps every barbell and machine movement for a dumbbell or bodyweight version, so a set of dumbbells is enough to run the whole thing.
Four. Two upper body days and two lower body days, with a rest day in the middle of the week and the weekend to recover. Each workout runs about 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes, as long as you're willing to learn the lifts. Phase 1 is built to groove your technique with moderate weight before anything gets heavy, and every exercise comes with a demo video and coaching cues. If you're brand new, start light and focus on form.
No. The at-home version is included and uses only dumbbells and bodyweight. The full version is ideal if you have a barbell and a rack, but you can run the entire program from home.
A body-part or "bro" split trains each muscle once a week. MAPS Upper Lower trains your whole body twice a week, which is the frequency that tends to build more muscle for natural lifters. You also move through three structured phases instead of doing the same thing forever.
The program runs nine weeks. Most people feel stronger and get better pumps within the first couple of weeks. Visible size and strength build over the full progression. How fast depends on your training history, your nutrition, and your recovery. No hype.
No. It's a one-time payment, and with code LAUNCH you pay $112.20. You own the program forever. No recurring charges, no auto-renewals, lifetime access on any device.
Email us within 30 days and get every penny back. No questions, no forms, no proof required. We'd rather refund you than have you sitting on something you're not using.
Build Muscle & Strength In 9 Weeks
Start Phase 1 This Week.
Four workouts a week. Nine weeks. Every set written out for you. MAPS Upper Lower gives you the exact training progression Sal has used to build muscle and strength with clients for over two decades.
Get The Program →
100% Money-Back Guarantee
Try it for 30 days. If you don't love it, email us. We'll refund every penny. No questions asked.
Mind Pump.
Four guys. Decades of combined experience. One of the most listened to fitness podcasts on earth. Sal created the MAPS programs, but everything we build is forged in real world coaching by real fitness professionals.
Sal Di Stefano
20+ years coaching real people to lean, strong, healthy bodies. Creator of the MAPS programs.
Adam Schafer
Former pro physique competitor. Translates muscle-building science into protocols regular people can actually follow.
Justin Andrews
Mobility and movement specialist. Keeps training sustainable, joint-friendly, and built for the long haul.
Doug Egge
The voice of the listener. Asks the questions you're thinking and makes sure no advice is left unexplained.
Copyright 2025 | MAPS Fitness Products