5 Day Hybrid Training Split: Two Frameworks

Hybrid training is best defined as the simultaneous pursuit of two fitness disciplines that don’t directly support one another.

Most commonly, the result is pursuing some form of strength training and some form of endurance training simultaneously.

There is a stereotype that this requires you to work out every day or even twice daily. However, doing so is not an option for most people, nor may it be a desire.

Many people train five days a week, but fitting two distinct fitness goals (strength and endurance) into that schedule can feel intimidating.

Almost everyone I have coached has pursued strength & conditioning together in some way, shape, or form; whether that was with an evenly split focus or with one pursuit being given bias.

I’ve written hundreds of different hybrid programs that were 5 days per week.

In this article, I’d like to give you the two frameworks I’ve used the most, along with some guidance on how to customize them to your life and why you might choose one over the other.

Minimum dose of training for strength & endurance improvements

I wanted to start with this because it will leave you assured that 5 workouts per week are perfectly adequate to build your strength & conditioning.

Tell you the truth, you could probably see some progress over time with just three workouts per week with proper planning.

Nevertheless, let’s talk minimum dosage.

The minimum dose for improving strength & muscle mass is something I covered in my newsletter on April 25, 2025. You can find that edition here.

• P.S. if you thought that was helpful and want more like it, consider subscribing to the newsletter here.

The minimum dose for improving your conditioning and endurance is a bit trickier to answer. To my knowledge (as I write this), there is no evidence looking at the minimum amount you can do and still see results.

However, I have written conditioning programs for people that consisted of a 20-minute session twice per week and have seen said clients get results following this.

I give some more of my thoughts on this here.

Option 1:

The first structure I tend to opt for is a day-to-day alternation between full-body strength workouts and aerobic endurance workouts, with one of the strength workouts ending with a touch of anaerobic conditioning.

• Note: I explain the difference between aerobic and anaerobic conditioning here.

• For this article, you can just assume that “aerobic” means lower intensity and “anaerobic” means higher intensity.

Written out, the week would look like this:

• Session 1: Power, strength, and anaerobic conditioning

• Session 2: aerobic conditioning

• Session 3: strength & muscle growth only

• Session 4: aerobic conditioning

• Session 5: Strength & muscle growth only

To further clear up definitions, “power” refers to the ability to move weight quickly (e.g. less weight moved at higher speeds).

The only rule is to not perform two strength sessions two days in a row; which will be accomplished if you perform the sessions in order and take a rest day after session 5. Apart from this, you can schedule them however you’d like.

The primary reason I use this framework often is that it is about as flexible as it gets.

The volume of strength and endurance training is split up in such a way that it can allow you to miss a session here or there and it is no big deal.

For instance, say you allocate sessions 1-5 to their respective days Monday through Friday.

Say you had to spend Wednesday at the car dealership. This is no big deal because you’ll have enough strength volume on Monday and Friday.

Say you’re buried in work on Tuesday. This is also no big deal because you’ll get enough conditioning volume on Monday and Thursday.

Or, you could simply move the remaining sessions back a day in the week.

However you decide to approach it, this split can accommodate.

How you go about designing the workouts is entirely dependent on your goals.

As a result, it’s hard for me to give you clearcut examples that would be appropriate for you.

However, I’ll give you the training block a client of mine is currently running to give you an idea of what this might look like in practice.

• Session 1:

  • Pogo jumps

  • Barbell Romanian deadlifts superset with reverse nordics

  • Incline dumbbell bench press superset with dumbbell side raises

  • Concept 2 rowing: 2 sets of 2 minutes @ max effort

• Session 2:

  • 30 minute easy bike

  • 30 minute easy run

• Session 3:

  • Barbell back squat superset with neutral grip pull-ups

  • Hanging leg raises superset with push-ups

  • Seated leg curls superset with standing shoulder press

• Session 4:

  • 60 minute easy run

• Session 5:

  • Bent over dumbbell rows superset with decline bench press

  • Reverse lunges superset with windshield wipers

  • 45-degree extensions superset with crunches

Bear in mind that this programming is specific to the client’s goals, takes into account their past training, and it is written in light of what I plan to program for him next. Also, I left out a great number of details such as volume, intensity, etc.

Nevertheless, I hope it gives you an idea of how this might look.

Option 2

The second structure I’ll opt for when programming a 5-day hybrid training split goes as follows:

• Session 1: Power, strength, and anaerobic conditioning

• Session 2: Lower body low intensity aerobic conditioning

• Session 3: Upper body low intensity aerobic conditioning

• Session 4: Lower body strength

• Session 5: Upper body strength

This structure is nice if you are looking to train a mode of endurance that is predominately upper body, as the distribution of training tends to make you feel better across the week.

Examples of upper-body dependent endurance training includes swimming, using a SkiErg, paddle boarding, kayaking, etc.

There’s a hair less flexibility since with there being upper body and lower body specific sessions since you lose a larger chunk of the relative volume if you miss one of those days.

However, how you go about scheduling or shifting these sessions throughout the week is equally as feasible as the first option.

Here’s an example of a previous training block I’ve written that follows this framework:

• Session 1:

  • Kettlebell swings

  • Push press

  • Flat barbell bench press

  • Leg press

  • SkiErg: 2 sets of 1 minute @ max effort

  • Incline treadmill run: 1 set of 2 minutes @ near max effort

• Session 2:

  • 30 minute easy bike

  • 30 minute easy run

• Session 3:

  • 30 minute easy swim

• Session 4:

  • Barbell romanian deadlifts

  • Dumbbell reverse lunges

  • Windshield wipers superset with calf raises

  • Seated leg curls superset with reverse nordics

• Session 5:

  • Pull-ups & dips

  • Bench supported rows & shoulder press

  • Flat dumbbell bench press & dumbbell curls

Again, this is very specific to the client and much is left out, but I hope it paints he picture a little better.

Want this done for you?

If you want a more written-out training template that utilizes the first option of this article, then click here and I’ll give you one for free.