4 Day Workout Split: Ultimate Routines For Strength And Muscle Growth

When choosing the best workout program for you, you probably ask yourself: How many days per week do I have to train?

A 3 day split may be ideal for time-poor individuals and a 5 or 6-day routine is suitable for advanced lifters. The 4 day workout split might provide the happy medium you need.

This article is a comprehensive guide to the 4 day workout split. 

First, we identify what a 4 day split is or what most people perceive it to be.

We’ll break down the most popular kinds of 4 day workout split and the pros and cons of each.

There are also plenty of example 4 day split workouts for you to use, with the entire 4 days for every program later in the article.

Each 4-day split program in this article includes the complete sets, reps, and rest breaks you’ll need, along with additional tips for getting the most out of each.

This article is also jam-packed with handy hints for eating, recovering, and modifying your 4 day split routine based on your fitness goals.

What is a 4 day workout split?

The first thing we need to clarify is exactly what a 4 day split is.

A split program is any workout regime that divides the entire full-body musculature into multiple sessions.

This is usually with the primary purpose of increasing the volume for each muscle group.

If we stay true to this definition, an actual 4 day split workout is a program that separates the major muscle groups into four different training sessions.

The second way people usually think of a 4 day split is any program that involves training for four days per week.

Using this metric, a 4 day split can be a full-body program, 2 day routine, or another style of a program performed four days in one week.

As you’ll see, some of the most popular ‘4 day’ splits aren’t four unique workouts.

There’s no real issue with this, of course. It’s just worth pointing out for those who are interested.

The main thing is that the program allows you to get the results you want, within the time you can afford to spend in the gym.

So what makes a 4 day training split effective compared to other workout frequencies?

Benefits of Training 4-Day Workout Program

A 4-day workout split is a great way to train.

First, it balances the beginner level of 2-3 sessions per week and an advanced, 5-6 day program.

Second, a 4 day split can be performed in many different ways. You’ll see in this guide that there are a bunch of training options.

There is a 4 day split workout that suits almost any goal, ability level, and equipment availability.

Drawbacks of a 4 Day Split  

Related: How Many Exercises Per Work?

Some variations of a 4 day workout routine may have downsides for certain people.

For example, training four times per week with certain splits may leave you feeling like you have to stay in the gym for hours to cover every muscle group adequately.

On the other hand, a 4 day split won’t be enough to produce the results you want, depending on your training age and ability.

While not every 4 day split will suit every individual, we’ve tried to cover as many bases as possible in this article.

We’re confident you’ll find something here to suit your specific needs, so read on!

The Best 4 Day Workout Split Routines

Related: Top 10 Low Impact Cardio Exercises

4 Day Push-Pull Workout Routine

Read our detailed 4 Day Push Pull Workout Routine for the ultimate guide.

The 4 day push/pull split is a variation on one of the most popular 3 day split routines, the push/pull/legs split, or PPL for short.

While some lifters will be happy with the prospect of no leg day, we’re not quite getting away with that here.

Instead, the leg muscles are usually split up and tacked onto the push and pull days.

This is generally done by adding dominant quadriceps exercises to the push workout and hamstring or posterior chain-based movements to the pull day.

As for the upper body, push/pull refers to movement patterns, but we can also break it down by muscle group.

The upper body ‘push’ muscles include the pecs, delts, triceps and supporting muscles.

We have the lats, traps, biceps, and the deeper stabilizing and specialist muscles involved in the movements for the’ pull’ muscles.

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Push 1
• Tuesday: Pull 1
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Push 2
• Friday: Pull 2
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

Body Part Split: 

Push: Chest press, squat, overhead press, leg press, chest fly, lateral raise, tricep extension

Pull: Rows, pulldowns, one-arm rows, deadlift, glute bridge, hamstring curls, calf raise

4 Day Upper-Lower Split  

Next, we have the split that is probably most widely thought of when you hear “4 day workout split.”

The upper/lower body split program is just what it sounds like – two workouts that divide the upper and lower body muscles, repeated twice each per week for four training days.

More advanced lifters sometimes perform the upper/lower body split for three rounds – or six total training days – per week.

Since we’re focusing on 4 day splits here, we’ll stick to the upper/lower split definition.

However, the split involves two separate focus areas doesn’t mean that your upper/lower body workouts must be identical.

You’ll see in the following section an example of how to apply different focus areas to your upper/lower body workout split.

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Upper body 1
• Tuesday: Lower body 1
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Upper body 2
• Friday: Lower body 2
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

Body Part Split: 

Upper body: Bench press, push-ups, pull-ups, bent rows, pulldowns, OH press, curls

Lower body: Squats, lunges, bridges, leg extension, abductor/adductor, ham curls, calf raises

4 Day Full-Body Split

A full-body workout isn’t technically a split since you cover every muscle group in every session.

There are ways to change up your training in a 4 day split style, even when hitting the full body in one go.

For example, you can focus on different training parameters for each workout, like strength, hypertrophy, or endurance.

Alternatively, you can divide up your routines by equipment.

For example, bodyweight exercises one day, dumbbells the next, and so on.

Full-body routines are great for beginners, those focusing on weight loss, or those just exercising for general fitness and wellbeing.

What about recovery?

Is there enough time for the muscles to recuperate if you’re hitting them four times a week?

You can get away with training four times per week because the total workout volume usually adds up when doing full-body routines.

Because you have so many muscle groups to cover, it’s unlikely you’ll be overloading any one particular muscle.

Instead of performing 15 sets of chest in one session, you’re simply performing those 15 sets over four separate sessions, which requires less recovery time.

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Workout 1
• Tuesday: Workout 2
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Workout 3
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday: Workout 4
• Sunday: Rest

Body Part Split: 

Full-body movements: Push press, clean + press, lunge + curl, mountain climbers, burpees

4-Day Bodybuilding Split

Related: Arnold Split

This routine is the most authentic 4 day split on this list, as it divides the muscle groups into four separate training sessions.

The 4 day bodybuilding split example below is just one way to do it; there are many ways you can split up your exercises into four sessions.

For example, you can see that some secondary arm exercises can be included on the shoulder day.

This could be substituted for any other focus area, such as forearms, calves, or specialized neck training.

The main reason for using such a split routine would be time considerations.

Most people who want to dedicate an entire workout to one or two muscle groups typically do so with a 5 day split.

This is an excellent routine and is perfect for those transitioning to an intermediate level of training.

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Chest + Triceps
• Tuesday: Back + Biceps
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Legs + abs
• Friday: Shoulders + arms 
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

Body Part Split: 

Chest + Triceps: Incline press, decline crossover, single-arm fly, dB bench, skull crushers

Back + Biceps: Cable row, chin-ups, shrugs, incline curls, preacher curls, pullovers

Legs + Abs: Squat, side lunge, seated calf raises, leg extension, nordic curls, leg raise, plank

Shoulders: Arnold press, upright row, lateral raise, reverse fly, front raise, single-arm press

Ultimate 4 Day Split Workout Routines for Specific Goals

The trouble with some 4 day split routines is that they are simply 2 day splits, repeated twice per week.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, we wanted to provide a little more value here.

The following workouts are true 4 day split programs, each with four unique sessions for you to enjoy.

Each of these programs is targeted toward slightly different ends, whether it be the movement patterns, muscle groups, or end goal of the training.

Take your time and peruse each option, and we’re sure you’ll find something that works for you.

For consistency, each session has a main resistance training period of a maximum of four main exercises.

This is to keep the workouts at a reasonable time, allowing for a sufficient warm-up, cool-down, and any additional cardio you may want to tack on.

Feel free to add more exercises or sets if you have more time for your session.

Enjoy!

4 Day Workout Split Upper Lower

Related: 10 Best Outer Quad Exercises

The first option is those mentioned above upper/lower body split. 

We’ve mixed it up rather than just giving you two workouts to repeat over the four days.

The two upper body days divide the exercises up into more horizontal versus vertical upper body movements.

Likewise, the two lower body sessions focus slightly on squatting versus hip-hinging between workouts.

If you have up to 90 minutes on your four training days, you can always combine the two upper or lower body days into one larger workout and repeat the entire thing twice.

This might sound like a lot, but it still only equates to eight exercises in a session, which is perfectly doable.

Workout 1: Upper Body 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Bench press	3×10	1 min
Cable row	3×10	1 min
Lateral raise	3×12	1 min
EZ bar curl	3×12	1 min

Workout 2: Lower Body 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Squat	3×10	1 min
Reverse lunge	3×10	1 min
Seated calf raise	3×12	1 min
Hanging leg raise	3×12	1 min

Workout 3: Upper Body 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
OH press	3×10	1 min
Lat pulldown	3×10	1 min
Cable crossover	3×12	1 min
OH triceps extension	3×12	1 min

Workout 4: Lower Body 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Romanian deadlift	3×10	1 min
Leg press	3×10	1 min
Standing calf raise	3×12	1 min
Decline crunch	3×12	1 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Rest breaks: 1 min
• Rest days: 0-2 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie maintenance / deficit / surplus depending on weight goal
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, creatine, pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets), intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: Depends on goal (body weight, BF%, 10RM strength on push/pull/leg exercise)

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Upper Body 1
• Tuesday: Lower Body 1
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Upper Body 2
• Friday: Lower Body 2 
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

4 Day Push-Pull Workout Routine

Next, we have the push/pull split, performed as a 4 day training split.

Again, the lower body is partitioned between the push and pull workouts because of the lack of a dedicated leg day. 

The push days include quad-dominant leg exercises, while the pull sessions have more posterior chain-oriented moves.

This 4 day split is fun to train, especially if you’re not overly fond of training legs.

It allows you to get some great upper body work in each session and still develop your legs for a complete physique.

Workout 1: Push 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Chest press	3×10	1 min
Single-leg press	3×10	1 min
Incline bench press	3×10	1 min
Leg extension	3×12	1 min

Workout 2: Pull 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Chin ups	3xMAX	3 min
Straight-leg deadlift	3×10	1 min
Inverted row	3×10	1 min
Single-leg calf raise	3×12	1 min

Workout 3: Push 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Military press	3×10	1 min
Hack squat	3×10	1 min
Decline cable crossover	3×12	1 min
Tricep rope pushdown	3×12	1 min

Workout 4: Pull 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Bent row	3×10	1 min
Seated hamstring curl	3×10	1 min
Hammer curl	3×12	1 min
Back extension	3×12	1 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-MAX reps
• Rest breaks: 1 min
• Rest days: 0-2 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie maintenance / deficit / surplus depending on weight goal
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, creatine, pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets), intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: Depends on goal (body weight, BF%, 10RM strength on push/pull/leg exercise)

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Push 1
• Tuesday: Pull 1
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Push 2
• Friday: Pull 2 
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

4-Day Full-Body Split Workout

Now it’s time for a 4-day workout for those who don’t want to leave any muscle group behind.

These workouts include staple compound favorites, some higher-intensity work and additional core movements to tie the body together.

Again, we’ve provided four unique workouts to cover the entire body without repeatedly repeating the same monotonous workout.

Some of these sessions use just body weight, while others can be done with various equipment.

Workout 1: Full Body 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Push ups	3xMAX	1 min
Suspension row	3×10	1 min
Walking lunges	3×10	1 min
Bicycle crunch	3xMAX	1 min

Workout 2: Full Body 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Seated cable chest fly	3×10	1 min
Lying cable pullover	3×10	1 min
Smith machine squat	3×10	1 min
Supermans	3×12	1 min

Workout 3: Full Body 3

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Dips	3xMAX	1 min
Assisted pull-ups	3xMAX	1 min
Glute bridges	3×10	1 min
Plank	3xMAX	1 min

Workout 4: Full body 4

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Single-arm OH press	3×10	1 min
Seated cable row	3×10	1 min
Box jumps	3×10	1 min
Side crunches	3×20	1 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-MAX reps
• Rest breaks: 1 min
• Rest days: 0-2 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie maintenance / deficit / surplus depending on weight goal
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, creatine, pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets), intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: Depends on goal (body weight, BF%, 10RM strength on push/pull/leg exercise)

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Workout 1
• Tuesday: Workout 2
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Workout 3
• Friday: Rest 
• Saturday: Workout 4
• Sunday: Rest

4 Day Split Workout for Strength

For those who want to pick up heavy things and put them back down, we’ve got a 4 day split workout for you.

While the exercise count might seem minimalist at first, it’s for a good reason.

Each session here has two main exercises. One for maximal strength and one to metabolically overload the muscle groups needed to shift more weight in the future.

You can see that this type of session requires significantly longer inter-set rest periods.

In addition, the working sets in the table should be preceded by several warm-up sets. 

While a different kind of 4 day split, this routine is the one for those who want to increase their maximal strength.

Workout 1: Squat Strength

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Squat	5×5	3 min
Reverse lunge	4×8	3 min

Workout 2: Bench Strength

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Bench press	5×5	3 min
Weighted dips	4×8	3 min

Workout 3: Deadlift Strength

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Deadlift	5×5	3 min
Bent row	4×8	3 min

Workout 4: Overhead Strength

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
OH press	5×5	3 min
Push press	4×8	3 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 4-5 sets of 5-8 reps
• Rest breaks: 3 min
• Rest days: 0-1 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie surplus for supporting performance
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, creatine, pre-workout
• Progression: Intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: 1-5 rep max for bench press, barbell squat, and deadlift

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Squat strength
• Tuesday: Bench strength
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Deadlift strength
• Friday: Rest 
• Saturday: Overhead strength
• Sunday: Rest

4-Day Workout Split for Women

While any ladies reading can perform any of the 4 day split routines in this article, there are some common focus areas female trainees like to focus on.

This unique 4-day split focuses on four key areas:

• Butt and thighs
• Tummy
• Toning the arms
• Burning body fat

The routines can be done as straight sets for those interested in progressing their strength or muscle growth or a circuit for a higher-intensity calorie burn. 

Workout 1: Booty + Thighs 

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Squat	3×10	1 min
Smith machine bridge	3×10	1 min
Hip abductor/adductor machine	3×12	1 min
Standing calf raise	3×12	1 min

Workout 2: Abs + Core

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
90/90 crunch	3xMAX	1 min
Reverse crunch	3xMAX	1 min
Mountain climbers	3xMAX	1 min
Russian twist	3xMAX	1 min

Workout 3: Fat Burn 

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Burpees	3×1 min	30 sec
Elliptical	3×1 min	30 sec
Star jumps	3×1 min	30 sec
Stationary bike	3×1 min	30 sec

Workout 4: Upper Body Tone 

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Chest press	3×10	1 min
Cable row	3×10	1 min
Lateral raise	3×12	1 min
Curl + Kickback	3×12	1 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-MAX reps or 1 min
• Rest breaks: 30 sec – 1 min
• Rest days: 0-2 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie deficit for weight loss or maintenance for recomposition
• Supplements (optional): Pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets), intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: Bodyweight, BF%, 10RM strength on push/pull/leg exercise

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Booty + thighs
• Tuesday: Abs + core 
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Fat burn 
• Friday: Upper body tone
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

4 Day Split Workout Routines for Lean Muscle

Related: Muscle Gain Workout Plan With PDF

We have the next program for those interested in adding muscle mass to their frame.

These workouts include exercises that hit commonly lacking muscle groups to ensure your physique grows as aesthetically as possible.

Speaking of aesthetics, check out our guide to the Greek god physique for a dose of inspiration.

You’ll notice the extra arm exercises in workout four. This is simply because many lifters like to hit their arms multiple times.

This is backed up by studies showing that hitting a muscle group twice per week is superior for hypertrophic gains.

These can be replaced with any other muscle group you’d like to give some extra attention to.

Workout 1: Chest + Triceps

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Cable crossover	3×10	1 min
Incline dB press	3×10	1 min
Cable tricep extension	3×12	1 min
EZ bar French press	3×12	1 min

Workout 2: Back + Biceps

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
T-bar row	3×10	1 min
Underhand pulldown	3×10	1 min
Back extension	3×12	1 min
Incline curl	3×12	1 min

Workout 3: Legs + Abs

Related: Weighted Ab Workouts

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Hack squat	3×10	1 min
Sumo deadlift	3×10	1 min
Seated calf raise	3×12	1 min
Weighted crunch	3xMAX	1 min

Workout 4: Shoulders + arms

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Seated curl + press	3×10	1 min
Arnold press	3×10	1 min
Cable single-arm lateral raise	3×12	1 min
Alternating front raise	3×12	1 min

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-MAX reps
• Rest breaks: 1 min
• Rest days: 0-2 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie surplus depending on weight goal
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, creatine, pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets), intensity (increase weight)
• Measurement: Bodyweight, BF%, body circumferences

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Chest + triceps
• Tuesday: Back + biceps
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Legs + abs
• Friday: Shoulders + arms 
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

4 Day Workout Split for Weight Loss

Related: The Best Upper Lower Split Workout

Finally, we have a 4 day split for those focused on getting that (damn) number on the scale to decrease.

This workout will help achieve better fat burn in two main ways. First, it incorporates high-intensity exercises to enhance skeletal muscle fat oxidation.

This split includes aerobic moves and resistance exercises to increase the calories burned during the session.

While diet will play a key role in weight loss, this 4 day split will help that needle move in the right direction!

Workout 1

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Clean + press	3×10	1 min
Walking lunges	3×10	1 min
Burpees	3×1 min	30 sec
Treadmill run	3×1 min	30 sec

Workout 2

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Reverse lunge + curl	3×10	1 min
Push ups	3×10	1 min
Jump squats	3×1 min	30 sec
Rowing machine	3×1 min	30 sec

Workout 3

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Dips	3xMAX	1 min
Jump lunges	3×10	1 min
Mountain climbers	3×1 min	30 sec
Assault bike	3×1 min	30 sec

Workout 4

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest
Renegade rows	3×10	1 min
Side lunges	3×10	1 min
Wall sit	3×1 min	30 sec
Ski erg	3×1 min	30 sec

Guidelines:

• Volume: 3 sets of 10-MAX reps or 1 min
• Rest breaks: 30 sec – 1 min
• Rest days: 0-1 between sessions
• Nutrition: Calorie deficit depending on weight goal
• Supplements (optional): Protein powder, pre-workout
• Progression: Volume (increase reps / sets)
• Measurement: Bodyweight, BF%, waist circumference

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday: Workout 1
• Tuesday: Workout 2
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Workout 3
• Friday: Rest 
• Saturday: Workout 4
• Sunday: Rest

Are supplements recommended for my 4 day split workout?

Related: Wrecked Pre Workout Review

Caffeine

Related: Pride Pre Workout Review

Caffeine is an ergogenic aid that has been consistently proven to have many physical and cognitive benefits.

Review studies highlight the enhancing effects of caffeine on sports performance and resistance exercise and on memory and mood.

Caffeine is best utilized before your workout, which is why it’s often the main ingredient in many pre-workout supplements.

We’ve specified caffeine rather than specific pre-workouts because they can vary significantly in what additional ingredients they contain.

Be sure to do your research when considering taking any pre-workout supplement. 

In the meantime, your morning cup (or three) o’ Joe should be sufficient to give you an extra kick in the weight room.

Creatine

Related: How Long Does It Take For Creatine To Work?

Another commonly used (and widely studied) supplement is creatine in programs such as a 4 day split.

Creatine often comes isolated in its simplest form, creatine monohydrate; it is also included in many other supplement products.

Hundreds of studies have been done on creatine to date. It is widely accepted that creatine supplementation increases strength, power, muscle mass, and high-intensity performance.

One caveat regarding creatine is that you may not want to use it if your main goal is to lose weight.

This is because creatine causes the body to retain more water, which is great if you want to put on size and mass, but not so much if you’re looking to lean down.

Protein

If you’ve been lifting weights, you’ve probably already had some experience with protein supplements.

Whether it be powders, cookies, bars, or some other form, protein supplementation is another massive market in the fitness realm.

Fortunately, substantial evidence supports that the use of protein, particularly pre-and post-workout, causes a significant increase in muscle protein synthesis.

The most important factor in nutrition goals is still total caloric and protein intake reached consistently over a prolonged period.

While it’s always a good idea to try and reach your macronutrient goals through whole foods, protein supplements are a good way to get additional amounts you can’t get through diet.

Rest and Recovery Tips Between 4 Day Training Splits

No matter how good your workout split is, it won’t produce the desired results unless you properly rest and recover between sessions.

The following tips will help maximize the muscle gain, fat loss, and increased performance you may be striving for with a 4 day workout split.

Remember, even when training four days per week, you’ll spend more time out of the gym than in.

While the workouts in this guide will be the stimulus, the fuel and maintenance you recuperate with will get you to your goals. 

Nutrition

Related: 1000 Calorie Meals For Muscle Growth

Of course, the often neglected twin brother of training is our nutrition. 

While many people enjoy the feeling of training, not so many are enthusiastic about swapping pizza for salad.

Without going too in-depth into nutrition principles, we’ll focus on getting more of the good stuff.

Overall, calories and protein will be the main concern for weight loss or weight gain goals.

A healthy diet will mean cutting out some junk for those who want to lose weight or body fat.

Once this balance is covered, simply try to get as many serves of healthy food groups as possible.

Take the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating as one example of getting sufficient portions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy foods into your diet.

Cool-Down

While it’s always tempting to finish your last set of curls and run out the door, a proper cool-down has many benefits in terms of proper recovery.

According to the research, here are some of the main reasons you should stick around for a proper cool-down after these 4 days split sessions:

• Faster removal of lactate (waste products) from the blood post-workout
• Smoother reduction of body temperature and blood flow
• Dampens nervous system activity and promotes better sleep
• It prevents immune system dysfunction from being vulnerable post-exercise

The workouts in this guide are concise to allow sufficient time to include a proper active cool-down after your resistance exercise.

Hydration

Another critical component of exercise performance and recovery is hydration.

In your 4 day workout split, you must ensure you’re consuming enough fluids throughout your workout and the rest of the day.

While none of the workouts in this guide are long enough to warrant any special advice for inter-workout hydration, simply consume adequate water to replace any loss through sweat.

For the rest of the day, try to get your fluids through healthy options rather than calorie-dense sweet drinks (or alcohol).

Massage and Stretching

Massage is a widely-used treatment for athletes and regular gym-goers alike.

Massage therapy has been found to reduce muscle soreness (DOMS) by around 30%.

If you don’t feel like going to a professional masseuse, you can always self-treat with tools like foam rollers or massage balls to work through any tight areas.

As for static stretching, focus on areas that inhibit you from performing exercises with good form.

Lengthening the muscle to safely and optimally move through its full range of motion will allow you to get the most benefit out of every exercise you do.

Cold-Water Immersion

Finally, your workout split may be improved by using hydrotherapy techniques such as cold water therapy.

Cold-water immersion is becoming increasingly popular through online personalities such as Wim Hof.

This kind of treatment is supported by evidence, with cold-water immersion improving recovery and restoration of physical performance.

Frequently asked question

Related: Bro Split vs PPL

Are 4 days a week enough to build muscle?

You can achieve muscle hypertrophy with a 4 day workout split, taking advantage of the ideal training parameters.

Assuming you are eating a sufficient calorie surplus and enough protein, the push/pull, upper/lower, or lean muscle 4 day split routines would be ideal for gaining size.

Remember, no workout split will magically grow your muscles without the proper fundamentals such as effort, consistency, nutrition, and recovery.

Is a 4 day split better than a 5 day split?

A 4 day bodybuilding split is very similar to a 5 day split. It adds a couple of additional exercises to each workout to save having to perform a fifth session.

Take a look at this example:

4-day split	5-day split
Chest + Triceps	Chest
Back + Biceps	Back
Legs + Abs	Legs
Shoulders + Arms	Shoulders
	Arms + Abs

In this case, the main choice here would be between training four or five days per week. 

You can see that each muscle group is trained once per week, with the arms getting some secondary work in the 4 day split example.

As for which is better, that will be something for you to determine individually through your experimentation.

Is a 4-day split good for beginners?

While a true 4 day split would not be my first recommendation for a beginner lifter, many of the options in this article are perfectly suitable for newbies.

From the examples above, the 4 day full body split or the 4-day workout split for weight loss would be better if you’re just starting.

As for which days to train, here are two choices that would provide the best work to recovery ratio for novice trainees:

Weekly Schedule 1:

• Monday: Workout 1
• Tuesday: Workout 2
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Workout 3
• Friday: Rest
• Saturday: Workout 4
• Sunday: Rest

Weekly Schedule 2:

• Monday: Workout 1
• Tuesday: Workout 2
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday: Workout 3
• Friday: Workout 4
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: Rest

Final Thoughts

What are your thoughts on our 4 day split recommendations? We hope this guide helped clarify how 4 day workout routines work, and how to do them effectively.

Let us know what kind of 4 day split workout you do, and how you divide up the muscle groups in the comments!

Please share this article if you know anyone who wants an excellent way to train four times per week.

If you want to do some further research before deciding on the ideal program for you, you can check out our comprehensive guide to the 3 day workout split.