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Upper Lower Split Logbook Template: 4-Day Tracking Made Simple
Four days, two templates. Upper and lower pages look different because the training demands are different.
Why this matters
A logbook template for the upper/lower training split, covering how to organize upper day and lower day pages, track progression across both sessions, and manage the higher exercise count per page.
The upper/lower split gives you four training days with two days focused on everything above the waist and two on everything below. Each page covers more exercises than a PPL day but fewer than a full-body day. The sweet spot is 6-8 exercises per session, which means your page needs to be efficient without being cramped. Here is how to set it up.
Training days
4/week
Upper 1, Lower 1, rest, Upper 2, Lower 2, rest, rest.
Exercises per session
6-8
More exercises than PPL per session, fewer than full body.
Templates needed
2
One upper template and one lower template. Simple.
Upper Day Layout
Setting Up Your Upper Day Page
Upper days combine pushing and pulling. A typical session includes bench press, barbell rows, overhead press or incline press, pull-ups or lat pulldowns, lateral raises, and arm work. That is 6-8 exercises covering chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps.
Organize the page by movement pattern. Top half: one primary push and one primary pull with full tracking (weight, reps, RPE). Bottom half: secondary movements and isolation work with shorthand. This keeps the page structured even though you are mixing push and pull on the same day.
Lower Day Layout
Setting Up Your Lower Day Page
Lower days cover quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. A typical session includes squats or deadlifts, a secondary compound (front squats, Romanian deadlifts, leg press), and 2-3 accessories (leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises). Fewer exercises than upper day, but the primary lifts are heavier and more demanding.
Give the squat or deadlift more page space than any other exercise. These lifts warrant full tracking plus warm-up notation. The secondary compound gets full tracking but can skip warm-up detail. Accessories get shorthand.
Progression
Tracking Progress Across Upper and Lower Days
Compare Upper 1 to Upper 1 and Upper 2 to Upper 2. If your two upper days use different primary lifts (bench on day 1, OHP on day 2), each lift progresses independently. The logbook shows this clearly as long as you label pages: U1, L1, U2, L2.
Weekly volume tracking is useful for upper/lower splits. Total your pushing sets and pulling sets from both upper days. Total your quad sets and hip hinge sets from both lower days. If one category is significantly lower than the others, add a set or two. Your logbook makes these volume audits easy when the data is organized by movement pattern.
Example Pages
What Upper and Lower Pages Look Like Filled In
Upper Day 1: BP 215x5x3 @8, BB Row 175x8x3 @7, Inc DB Press 60sx10/10/9, Lat Pulldown 140x10x3, LR 25sx12/12/10, HC 35sx12/11/10, Rope Pushdown 50x15/14/13. Session RPE: 7.
Lower Day 1: SQ 295x5x3 @8, RDL 245x8x3 @7, Leg Press 360x12x3, LC 100x12/12/10, Calf Raise 180x15/15/14. Session RPE: 7.5. Note: squat felt smooth, bump to 300 next week.
Action checklist
Deploy it this week
Create two templates
Upper template (6-8 rows, push/pull sections) and lower template (5-6 rows, squat/hinge sections).
Label pages U1, L1, U2, L2
Clear labels prevent comparing different training days.
Full tracking on 2 primary lifts per day
Weight, reps, RPE on bench/rows (upper) or squat/deadlift (lower). Shorthand on everything else.
Audit weekly volume by movement pattern
Total push, pull, quad, and hip hinge sets from both sessions. Balance across patterns.
Remember
3 takeaways to screenshot
- ⚡Upper/lower splits need two page templates. Upper days combine push and pull. Lower days combine squat and hinge.
- ⚡Label pages clearly (U1, L1, U2, L2) and compare like with like. Never compare Upper 1 data to Upper 2 data.
- ⚡Weekly volume audits by movement pattern keep training balanced across push, pull, quad, and hip hinge work.
FAQs
Readers keep asking…
Should both upper days have the same exercises?
They can, but most lifters vary the primary lifts. Upper 1 might focus on bench and barbell rows. Upper 2 might focus on OHP and pull-ups. This provides more exercise variety while hitting every muscle group twice per week.
How is upper/lower different from PHUL?
PHUL is a specific upper/lower program that separates power days (heavy, low rep) from hypertrophy days (moderate, high rep). A generic upper/lower split does not make this distinction. PHUL needs two templates per body region (power upper vs hypertrophy upper), while generic U/L needs just two total.
Can I train 3 days on upper/lower instead of 4?
Yes, by alternating. Week 1: U-L-U. Week 2: L-U-L. This reduces frequency per muscle group to 1.5x per week, which is slightly less than optimal but still effective.
Where do I put ab work?
Add 1-2 ab exercises at the end of lower days with shorthand notation. Alternatively, alternate between upper and lower days. Log them like any other accessory.
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