Bodybuilding 4 Day Split Gym Workout Plan (PDF Included)

4 Day Gym Workout Schedule For Muscle Gain

Program Summary

Program Duration8-12 Weeks
Split TypeHybrid Split (Upper Lower Mixed)
FrequencyFour Days a Week
Day 1Chest & Triceps
Day 2Quads, Glute, & Calves
Day 3Back, Biceps, & Forearms
Day 4Delts, Hamstrings, & Abs
Workout GoalStrength and Mass Building
Target GenderMale and Female
Difficulty LevelBeginners to Intermediate
Duration/Session60-90 Minutes
Alternate Routine4 Day Full Body Routine

Workout Routine Description

This program is based on a hybrid split which involves training both upper and lower parts in each session.

It allows you to work on entire muscle groups within four sessions while providing enough rest between workouts.

This 4 day workout split also involves supersets and drop sets, the different rep-set schemes, that target multiple muscles in a limited time while enhancing your endurance.

If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-follow, and effective gym workout plan to build muscle and strength, you should try this for a few months.

Pairing this schedule with a good meal program will help you quickly reach your desired fitness goal.

Bodybuilding 4 Day Split for Building Strength and Mass

4 day split workout plan
  • Day 1 – Chest and Triceps
  • Day 2 – Quads, Glute, and Calves
  • Day 3 OFF
  • Day 4 – Back, Biceps, and Forearms
  • Day 5 – Shoulder, Hamstring, and Core
  • Day 6 OFF
  • Day 7 – OFF

Warm-up: Start your training with 10 minutes of warm-up exercises. Warming-up helps enhance performance and minimize the risk of injuries.

Day 1 – Chest and Triceps

Perform shoulder pass-through, banded pull-apart, and dive bomber push-ups, two sets of 10 reps, to activate your chest and shoulder muscles. Then move to the bench press and perform 20 reps with an empty barbell or light plates. That’s your warm-up for this day.

ExercisesSetsRepsRest
Flat Bench Press312, 10, 8, 102-3 min
Incline DB Bench Press412, 10, 8, 102-3 min
Pec Deck / Cable Fly415, 12, 10, 102-3 min
DB Pullover / Bar Dips310 / failure1-2 min
Triceps Pushdown315, 12, 101-2 min
Overhead Triceps Extension315, 12, 101-2 min

After completing all the sets and reps, you can walk on an inclined treadmill for 5 minutes and do 5 minutes of upper body stretching to end your workout. However, it is optional, and it entirely depends on you.

Day 2 – Quads, Glute, and Calves

Perform front leg swings, lateral leg swings, reverse lunges, and archer squats, two sets of 8-10 reps per side, to improve blood flow around your legs, and then start the following resistance exercises.

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Leg Extension415, 12, 10, 101-2 min
Back Squat / Hack Squat412, 10, 8, 63-4 min
Machine Leg Press315, 12, 102-3 min
Walking Lunges210 per leg1-2 min
Barbell Hip Thrust315, 12, 102-3 min
Cable Pull Through312, 10, 102-3 min
Standing Calf Raises320, 15, 151-2 min

Take appropriate rest between sets. The goal here is to build muscle and strength, not endurance. So, focus on each set and rep and try to engage your muscles as efficiently as possible.

This leg day can be overwhelming because I’ve done this and it made me exhausted. So, I recommend performing this workout after breakfast if you train in the morning because doing it on an empty stomach can make you weary.

Day 3 – Back, Biceps, and Forearms

Start your third day with two sets of cat-cow stretches (5 reps each), three sets of resistance band deadlifts (10-15 reps), and four sets of three sets of pull-ups (as many reps as possible).

These exercises activate your back muscles and prepare you for intense pull-day exercises.

ExercisesSetsRepsRest
Lat Pulldown (Prone Grip)315, 12, 102-3 min
Lat Pulldown (Neutral Grip)315, 12, 102-3 min
Bent-over Barbell Row315, 12, 102-3 min
Seated Cable Rowing412, 10, 102-3 min
Low Back Extension320, 15, 151-2 min
Barbell Curl (your any fav exercise)315, 12, 101-2 min
Preacher Curl / Concentration Curl210/arm1-2 min
Wrist Extension310-151-2 min

The back exercises list is extensive but I’ve included only basic but effective ones that most professional bodybuilders use to build thick and broad back. However, you can replace them with ones that work better for you.

After finishing your back and biceps workouts, do these optional stationary bicycling and battle ropes, 5 minutes each, to end your day.

Day 4 – Shoulder, Hamstring, and Core

You’ll focus on your delts, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles in this final session of this 4 day split workout. To train these muscles effectively, I recommend completing this warm-up before going into the main workout:

Single-arm overhead press (1 set of 15 reps per side), single-arm cable lateral raises (1 set of 10 reps per side), high cable reverse fly (1 set of 15 reps), and leg curl (1 set of 20 reps).

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Seated Dumbbell Press315, 12, 102-3 min
Smith Machine Overhead Press312, 10, 82-3 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raises415, 12, 10, 102-3 min
Rear Delt Machine Fly415, 12, 10, 102-3 min
Shoulder Shrug + DB Romanian DL315, 12, 101-2 min
Lying/Seated Leg Curl420, 18, 16, 121-2 min
Knee Raises + H2L Chop (Superset)215 & 10/side45-sec
Cable Crunch + Reverse Crunches215-2045-sec

Superset shoulder shrug with Romanian deadlift, knee raises with high-to-low cable chop, and kneeling cable crunches with reverse cable crunches. This super-setting will help you train your delts, hamstrings, and abs in a limited time.

Additional Instructions to Use Program Efficiently

  1. After each set, increase the load by 10 to 15 percent.
  2. Use weights that are heavy enough for doing the suggested reps and sets, but ensure you maintain good form and feel the contraction during each rep.
  3. If any exercise is challenging to perform, you can replace it.
  4. If you need to do more exercises on any training day, you can add them.
  5. By repeating the same pattern, you will be able to develop strength and mass over time.
  6. Start this 5-day gym workout schedule if you want to increase your lifting frequency.
  7. It would be best to replace some exercises in the following weeks. For example, you can do an incline machine press instead of the dumbbell press and cable fly instead of the pec deck fly for the chest muscles.

List of exercises you can use in this 4 days workout plan:

Download The 4 Day Workout Plan PDF



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. Is 4 Days a Week Enough to Build Muscle?

    Yes, a well-organized 4 day workout routine can help you get strong and muscular if you train consistently, eat nutritious food and supplements (whey protein and creatine monohydrate), and rest well.

  2. Can You Do Cardio on Rest Days?

    Yes, if you aim to enhance your cardiovascular fitness or shed some fat, you should do steady cardio on rest days. Cardio will also help you improve your performance during weightlifting.

  3. Is This Workout Plan Good for Fat Loss?

    This 4 day workout schedule can help you bolster your strength and increase your fat-free mass. However, it won’t speed up your fat loss. If you want to get lean and improve your aesthetic, I urge checking this low-calorie meal plan and body recomposition workout.

  4. How to Maximize Muscle Growth?

    Getting the noticeable result takes time, typically four to six months, depending on how your body responds and how you follow the process.
    Here are a few things you should take care of to achieve optimal results:

    1. Progressive Overload: Increasing load over time is known as progressive overload. It is crucial for muscle growth. To apply this, increase the weight you lift over time or the number of forced sets to promote muscular hypertrophy.

    2. Nutrition: Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscles, or look and feel good, your diet should be your top priority. I suggest designing a meal plan using this nutritional recommendation, published on the National Institute of Health website.

    3. Recovery: Rest days are as important as training. Rest days help recover trained muscles, reduce the risk of injuries, and enhance performance.

I’ve also designed a customized 12-week Workout plan for serious fitness enthusiasts who want to grow mass, increase strength, and build a defined physique.

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Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
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About Me

Murshid Akram, Author at The Fitness Phantom

I’m Murshid Akram, a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I primarily design workout plans and share science-based and practical information that can help you become stronger, functional, and healthier.

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