Whether you want to lose weight or build muscle, workout and diet programs are necessary to achieve your desired fitness goal.
A good muscle-building workout program will allow you to train in an organized manner and help you put on mass.
In this article, I’ve shared an ultimate 4 day gym workout schedule that includes exercises for every muscle group and will help you put on mass.
So, if you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-follow, and effective gym workout routine for muscle gain, you can follow this program for a few months.
Pairing this schedule with the best meal program will help you reach your desired fitness goal over time.
Workout Program Summary
| Program Duration | 8-12 Weeks |
| Sessions/week | Five |
| Main Goal | Muscle Building |
| Routine Type | Hybrid Split |
| Target Gender | Male and Female |
| Difficulty Level | Beginners to Intermediate |
| Duration of a Session | 60-75 Minutes |
| Program to Follow Next | 5 Day Gym Workout Plan |
| Alternate Routine | 4 Day Full Body Routine |
4 Day Gym Workout Schedule for Strength and Size
- Monday – Chest and Triceps
- Tuesday – Quadriceps, Glute, and Calves
- Wednesday – Rest/OFF
- Thursday – Back, Biceps, and Forearms
- Friday – Shoulder, Hamstring, and Core
- Saturday – Rest/OFF
- Sunday – Rest/OFF
Warm-up: Start your training with 10 minutes of warm-up exercises. Warming-up helps enhance performance and minimize the risk of injuries.
Here are a couple of examples of dynamic warm-up sessions:
| Warm-up 1 | Warm-up 2 |
|---|---|
| Front Leg Swings (10 reps/leg) | 5-min Foam Rolling |
| Jumping Jacks (15-sec) | Jumping Jacks (15-sec) |
| Mountain Climber (15-sec) | Lateral Leg Swings (10 reps/leg) |
| High Knees (15-sec) | Mountain Climber (15-sec) |
| Bear Crawls (30-sec) | High Knees (15-sec) |
| Treadmill (5 min) | Stationary Bike (5 min) |
Day 1 – Chest and Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 10 | 1-3 min |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 10 | 1-3 min |
| Pec Deck/High-to-Low Cable Fly | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-2 min |
| DB Pullover/Bar Dips | 3 | 10/failure | 1-2 min |
| Rope/Bar Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Incline Dumbbell Kickback | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
Day 2 – Quadriceps, Glute, and Calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine/Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 min |
| Stationary Front Lunges | 2 | 10/leg | 1-2 min |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-3 min |
| Long Leg March | 2 | 10/leg | 1-2 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Standing Calf Raises | 3 | 20, 15, 12 | 1-2 min |
Day 3 – Back, Biceps, and Forearms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pullups or Deadlift | 3 | Failure/ 10, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Medium Grip Lat Pulldown | 4 | 15, 12, 8, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-2 min |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-2 min |
| Barbell Biceps Curl | 2 | 10-20 | 1-2 min |
| Hammer Curl + Wrist Extension | 2 | 10-20 | 1-2 min |
Day 4 – Shoulder, Hamstring, and Core
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Overhead Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 min |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 3 | 10-12 | 1-2 min |
| Rear Delt Machine Fly | 3 | 10-12 | 1-2 min |
| Shoulder Shrug | 3 | 10-12 | 1-2 min |
| Leg Curl/DB RDL | 4 | 10-15 | 1-2 min |
| Knee Raises + H2L Chop (Superset) | 2 | 10-12 | 30-sec |
| Decline Crunch + Plank (Superset) | 2 | 10 + 45-sec | 30-sec |
Additional Information:
- After each set, increase the load by 10 to 15 percent of your 1RM.
- Use weights that are heavy enough for doing the suggested reps and sets but make sure you maintain good form and feel the contraction during each rep.
- If any exercise is challenging to perform, you can replace it.
- If you need to do more exercises on any training day, you can add them.
- By repeating the same pattern, you will be able to gain strength and mass over time.
- Once you feel like increasing workout frequency per week, you can start this 5 day gym workout schedule.
- Read FnQ below for more answers related to this program.
- 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.
Here is the list of exercises you can incorporate into this 4 day gym routine:
- The Ultimate Barbell Exercises List By Muscle Group
- List of Dumbbell Exercises for Each Muscle
- 30+ Best Smith Machine Exercises of All Time
- The Ultimate List of Cable Machine Exercises
Download The 4 Day Gym Workout Plan PDF
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-
Is 4 Days Workout a Week Enough to Build Muscle?
Working out 4 days a week will help you build strength and mass over time. However, it is not as effective as the five or six days workout routine, which involves two training sessions for large muscle groups per week. A study has shown training muscle groups twice a week stimulates more muscle growth than only once a week. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
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Can You Do Cardio On Rest Days?
Yes, if your goal is to enhance your cardiovascular fitness or shed some fat, you can perform cardio workouts on rest days. The intensity and workout duration will entirely depend on your fitness level and goal.
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Can This Workout Routine Promote Weight Loss?
No, this 4 day workout routine is for strength and muscle gain. If you want to increase weight loss and improve your shape, you can check out this weight loss program. But do not solely depend on lifting weights to lose fat. Instead, cut your calories or consult with a nutritionist if you’re serious about shedding your excess kilos.
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How to Maximize Muscle Growth?
Well, 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, and it is crucial for muscle growth. So it will best for you to increase the load, or if that isn’t possible, increase the number of forced sets to promote muscular hypertrophy.
2. Nutrition: Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscles, or just look and feel good, your diet should be your top priority. You can research what and how much you should eat for better results. And if it’s difficult for you, get a nutritionist consultation. Moreover, you can check out nutritional recommendations on the National Institute of Health website to gain some insights.
3. Recovery: Rest days are as important as training days. For example, rest days allow time for muscle recovery, reduce the risk of injuries, and enhance performance. An article published on Healthline.com, a fitness website, has outlined as many as 15 benefits of recovery days that explain why you should prioritize the recovery days.
4. Repetition: Repetition is one of the primary reasons why some people build muscles (those who repeat) and some fail (the inconsistent ones). You can also call it discipline, and it is crucial for achieving a desired goal, whether it is related to fitness or life.
Moreover, you can check out the article “How Long Does It Take To Build Noticeable Muscle?” where I’ve shared some of the important factors for muscle growth.
The Alternative Workout Programs
- Full Body 4 Day Workout Routine
- Push Pull 4 Day Split Workout Program
- 4 Day Upper Lower Split Training
- The Ultimate 4 Day Bro Split Plan
I’ve also designed a customized 12-Week Workout plan for serious fitness enthusiasts who want to put on mass, increase strength, and build a defined physique.
