In a series of free workout routines, here I’ll share a 4 day push pull workout routine to help you build strength and mass and improve your shape.
Push/pull split involves performing push and pull exercises on alternate days.
Push exercises involve training the chest, shoulders, quads, and triceps, while pull exercises bolster the back, hamstrings, glutes, and biceps.
I’ve modified the push-pull-legs (PPL) split into a push/pull split and included leg exercises, such as squats, leg extension, leg press, and calf raises on push day and leg curl and RDL on pull day, so that you can train your each muscle group twice a week in this four-day split.
Anyone (including beginners) wanting to build strength and mass and enhance their fitness level can try this program. And I believe you’ll see some progress in the first few months.
Are Push Pull Workouts Effective?
The push/pull routine is one of the best training splits for strength and muscle building.
It allows you to perform push and pull exercises on separate days so that you can train all major muscle groups effectively.
Push-Pull split also ensures your muscles get enough time to recover between workouts.
It is also a time-efficient allowing you to complete full body training in two days and lets you train each muscle twice a week.
Training a muscle two times per week is beneficial for hypertrophy compared to once a week, showed in a study published by Sports Medicine.1 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
Overall, the push/pull split is effective for gaining mass and increasing strength. You should try this program if you want to challenge yourself and take your fitness to the next level.
Push and Pull Exercises List
Here is a list of all exercises you can integrate while creating a 4 day push/pull workout program.
| Push Workout | Pull Workout |
|---|---|
| Bench Press | Deadlift |
| Overhead Press | Pulldown |
| Leg Press | Leg Curl |
| Push up | Pull up |
| Dips | Chin-up |
| Front Raise | Inverted Row |
| Hip Thrust | Face Pull |
| Front Raise | Upright Row |
| Lateral Raises | Bicep Curl |
| Rope Pushdown | DB/Barbell Row |
| Overhead Extension | Dumbbell Pullover |
| Cable Flyes | Cable Crunch |
| Squat | Leg Raise |
| Leg Extension | Rear Delt Fly |
4 Day Push Pull Split Routine For Bodybuilding
Summary
- Sessions/week: 4
- Duration/session: 60-75 minutes
- Suggested Program Duration: 3 months
- Workout Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Target Gender: Male and Female
Schedule:
- Day 1 – Push Workout -Quadriceps, Chest, Triceps
- Day 2 – Pull Workout – Back, Biceps, and Core
- Day 3 – Push Workout – Shoulder, Chest, Quadriceps, and Glutes
- Day 4 – Pull Workout – Rear Delt, Back, Hamstrings, and Core
To complete this schedule, train for the first two days, followed by one day of rest. And then two days of workout followed by two days off. You can adjust this routine according to your lifestyle.
Day 1 – Push Workout – Quadriceps, Chest, & Triceps
Warm-up
- Ankle Hops: 15-sec x 2
- Jumping Jacks: 15-sec x 2
- Back and Forth Leg Swings: 15-sec/leg
- Mountain Climber: 15-sec x 2
- Treadmill: 2-3 min jog
Strength Training
| Push Exercises | Muscles Worked | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Back Squat | Quads | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Machine Leg Press | Quads | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Flat Barbell Bench Press | Chest | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Incline DB Bench Press | Chest | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Parallel Bar Dip | Triceps | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Rope Pushdown | Triceps | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
*When the repetitions decrease, the load will increase.
Day 2 – Pull Workout – Back, Biceps, & Wrist
Warm-up
- Ankle Hops: 15-sec x 2
- Squat Thrust: 15-sec x 2
- Shoulder Tap: 15-sec x 2
- Bicycling: 2-3 min at a moderate pace
Strength Training
| Pull Exercises | Muscle Build | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups | Back | 8 x 3 | 1-2 min |
| Front Lat Pulldown | Back | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Seated Cable Rowing | Back | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Alternate Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Hammer Curl | Biceps | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Bent-over Barbell Wrist Extension | Forearms | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
Day 3 – Push Workout – Chest, Shoulder, Quads, & Calves
Warm-up
- Jumping Jacks: 15-sec x 2
- Burpees: 10 reps
- Diver Pushup: 10 reps
- Back and Forth Leg Swings: 15-sec/leg
- Treadmill: 2-3 min jog
Strength Training
| Push Exercises | Muscles | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Bench Press | Chest | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Deficit Pushups | Chest | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Barbell Overhead Press | Shoulder | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | Shoulder | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Leg Extension | Quad | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Standing Calf Raises | Calves | 20, 15, 12 | 1-2 min |
Day 4 – Pull Workout – Back, Rear Delt, Hamstring, & Core
Warm-up
- Ankle Hops: 15-sec x 2
- Jumping Jacks: 15-sec x 2
- Curtsy Lunge: 10 reps on each side
- Inchworm: 15-sec x 2
- Bicycling: 2-3 minute
Strength Training
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bent-over Barbell Row | Back | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| V Grip Lat Pulldown | Back | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Face Pull | Trap & Rear Delt | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Rear Delt DB Raises | Trap & Rear Delt | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| DB Romanian Deadlift | Hamstrings | 10, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Machine Leg Curl | Hamstrings | 15, 12, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Hanging Knee Raise | Core | AMRAP x 2 | 1-2 min |
*AMRAP – As many reps as possible.
You can replace some exercises in the following weeks of this program. Here are examples of more push and pull exercises.
- Best Barbell Push Exercises
- Top 10 Barbell Pull Exercises
- 20 Best Dumbbell Exercises to do on Pull Day
- 12 Best Dumbbell Exercises to do on Push Day
4 Day Push Pull Workout Routine PDF
Here’s the portable file of this program. You can download and use it for a couple of months. I believe you’ll see some progress.
Is Training for 4 Days a Week Enough to Build Muscle?
Yes, this four days week push-pull split is enough to build muscle. It allows you to train your major muscle groups twice a week. And the study suggests training a muscle group twice a week is beneficial for building strength and size(1).
The Takeaway
You’ve got the 4-day push/pull split workout routine that will help you train in an organized manner.
But is this enough to get substantial results? No, to beef up your muscle and strength, you need to feed your body sufficient nutrients, especially protein, to help rebuild muscles.
To get the best results, you should consume 2-3g/kg of proteins daily, 3-5g/kg of carbohydrates, and 0.5–1.5 g/kg of fats to build an aesthetic body.2 Iraki, Juma et al. “Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review.” Sports (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 7,7 154. 26 Jun. 2019, doi:10.3390/sports7070154
Rest is equally important when it comes to bodybuilding. If you want to boost your strength and beef up muscles, allow your trained muscles 24-48 hours of rest and get sufficient sleep.
Once you think you should progress your workout, you can follow this 5-day push/pull/legs (PPL) workout schedule.
References
- 1Schoenfeld 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
- 2Iraki, Juma et al. “Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review.” Sports (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 7,7 154. 26 Jun. 2019, doi:10.3390/sports7070154
