A 4-day workout split is a training routine that has you lift on 4 days and rest on 3, structured so every major muscle group is trained at least once — and usually twice — per week. This guide gives you three proven versions fully programmed (Upper/Lower, Push/Pull, and a PPL+Upper hybrid), each with a weekly schedule and every exercise, set and rep — plus a decision table so you pick the right one on the first try.
By James Nolan, NSCA-CPT
TL;DR — What is the best 4-day workout split?
A 4-day workout split trains each muscle group twice a week across four gym sessions, which is the frequency most linked to muscle growth for intermediate lifters. The three proven versions are Upper/Lower, Push/Pull, and a PPL+Upper hybrid. Upper/Lower is the best all-around default — it balances every muscle, recovers well, and fits a busy week.
Table of contents
What is a 4-day workout split?
A 4-day workout split is a training routine that has you lift on 4 days and rest on 3, organized so every major muscle group is trained at least once — and, in the best versions, twice — per week. You divide the body across sessions (upper/lower, push/pull, or a hybrid) instead of hitting everything every time.
It sits in the middle of the frequency spectrum. A 3-day full-body plan trains you less often but crams everything into each session; a 5- or 6-day “bro split” trains more often but usually hits each muscle only once a week. Four days threads the needle: enough sessions to run a real twice-weekly frequency, few enough that recovery and life outside the gym don’t fall apart.
Who’s it for? Mostly intermediates — lifters past their first six months who already know the main lifts and want a repeatable structure. It also suits busy people who can commit to four fixed days and want every muscle covered without living in the gym. Beginners can run it too, though there’s a case for starting on full-body (more on that below).
Is a 4-day split good enough to build muscle?
Yes. A 4-day split lets you train each muscle group twice per week, and training a muscle twice weekly produces greater hypertrophy than once weekly when total volume is matched (Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger, 2016 meta-analysis). That twice-a-week frequency is the mechanical advantage a well-built 4-day split gives you over a once-a-week bro split.
The nuance matters, so here’s the honest version. Frequency itself isn’t magic — it’s a delivery system for volume. Once you equate total weekly sets, spreading them across more days doesn’t reliably add growth: pooled analyses find little independent benefit from higher frequency when volume is held constant (Schoenfeld & Grgic, 2019). Trained men getting the same weekly volume across 3 versus 6 sessions gained similar strength and thickness (Colquhoun et al., 2018). And in a volume-equated trial, lifters training 2 versus 4 times a week showed no difference in muscle growth or strength (Hamarsland et al., 2022).
So why train each muscle twice instead of once? Because the second session is the easiest way to fit enough quality volume in. Ten to twenty hard sets per muscle per week is a lot to cram into one session — fatigue tanks the last sets. Split across two days, every set is fresh and productive. The 4-day split’s advantage is practical: it makes a 2x/week, 10–20-set plan comfortable to actually execute. That’s the whole game.
(Note on sourcing: the AI Overview for this query cites a “2021 study” showing a 4-day split equals a 6-day split. I traced the likely primary — Hamarsland et al., 2022 in Frontiers in Physiology — and it compared 2 vs 4 sessions per week, not 4 vs 6. I’ve cited it accurately rather than repeat the mischaracterized version.)
The 3 best 4-day splits (with full weekly schedules)
The three splits worth running on four days are Upper/Lower, Push/Pull, and a PPL+Upper hybrid. Upper/Lower is the all-around default and the one I hand most clients. Push/Pull suits lifters chasing upper-body aesthetics. The PPL+Upper hybrid is for attacking a specific weak point. All three hit the muscles that matter twice a week.
Table A — the three variants at a glance
| Split | Weekly structure | Muscle frequency | Best for | Est. session length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper/Lower | Upper · Lower · Upper · Lower | 2× each | All-around default | 60–75 min |
| Push/Pull | Push · Pull · Push · Pull | 2× each | Arm and aesthetic focus | 60–75 min |
| PPL + Upper (hybrid) | Push · Pull · Legs · Upper | Chest/back/arms 2×, legs 1×+ | Weak-point priority | 55–80 min |
Upper/Lower split (2× each) — the best all-around default
An Upper/Lower split alternates full upper-body and full lower-body days, hitting each half of the body twice a week. It’s the version I recommend by default, and the reason is boring but real: it’s the hardest split to mess up. Legs get equal billing with the upper body (Push/Pull tends to shortchange them), the workload per session is balanced, and the two rest days land where recovery needs them.
Table B1 — Upper/Lower weekly schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Upper A |
| Tue | Lower A |
| Wed | Rest |
| Thu | Upper B |
| Fri | Lower B |
| Sat | Rest |
| Sun | Rest |
Table B2 — Upper/Lower exercises
Upper A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Bent-Over Barbell Row | 4 | 6–8 |
| Seated DB Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10–12 |
| Incline DB Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Triceps Rope Pushdown | 3 | 12–15 |
Lower A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 | 6–8 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 12–15 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 12–15 |
Upper B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted Pull-Up (or Lat Pulldown) | 4 | 6–8 |
| Overhead Barbell Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 12–15 |
| Hammer Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 | 12–15 |
Lower B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
| Front Squat (or Hack Squat) | 3 | 8–10 |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 10–12/leg |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 12–15 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 15–20 |
| Cable Crunch | 3 | 12–15 |
The A/B rotation is deliberate: A days lead with the bench and squat, B days lead with the pull-up/overhead press and deadlift, so no single movement pattern gets hammered on back-to-back sessions. Sessions run 60–75 minutes. If you train at home or lack a full rack, most of these swap cleanly to machine or dumbbell versions — see our guides to leg workout machines and upper body gym machine workouts for direct substitutions.
Push/Pull split (2× each) — best for arm and aesthetic focus
A Push/Pull split groups your pressing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) on one day and your pulling muscles (back, rear delts, biceps) on the next, training each twice a week. It concentrates direct arm and shoulder work, which is why physique-focused lifters gravitate to it. The catch is legs — with only four days and no dedicated leg day, you have to fold them in.
I handle that by parking quads on the push days and hamstrings on the pull days. It works, but legs get one squat-pattern and one hinge-pattern session a week rather than the fuller lower-body volume Upper/Lower provides. If your legs are already a strength and your priority is a bigger chest, back and arms, that trade is fine.
Table C1 — Push/Pull weekly schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Push A |
| Tue | Pull A |
| Wed | Rest |
| Thu | Push B |
| Fri | Pull B |
| Sat | Rest |
| Sun | Rest |
Table C2 — Push/Pull exercises
Push A (chest focus + quads)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Overhead DB Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Incline DB Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Back Squat | 3 | 8–10 |
| Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–15 |
| Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 12–15 |
Pull A (back focus + hamstrings)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
| Bent-Over Row | 4 | 6–8 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10–12 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Face Pull | 3 | 15 |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
Push B (shoulder focus + quads)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead Barbell Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Cable Fly | 3 | 12–15 |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 12–15 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 | 12–15 |
Pull B (width + hamstrings)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted Pull-Up | 4 | 6–8 |
| Chest-Supported Row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Straight-Arm Pulldown | 3 | 12–15 |
| Rear-Delt Fly | 3 | 15 |
| Hammer Curl | 3 | 12–15 |
Sessions run 60–75 minutes. Push A leads with the bench, Push B with the overhead press, so your shoulders and chest each get a heavy primary and a supporting role across the week.
PPL + Upper hybrid — best for chasing a weak point
The PPL+Upper hybrid runs a Push, Pull and Legs day, then adds a fourth Upper-body day to give your chest, back, shoulders and arms extra weekly frequency. It’s the split I reach for when a lifter has a clearly lagging upper body and legs that don’t need more attention — the fourth day is essentially a targeted volume injection where you want it most.
Structurally, chest, back and arms get trained twice a week (once on their PPL day, again on the Upper day) while legs get one focused session. That’s the deliberate imbalance: you’re spending your fourth day on the region you’re trying to bring up, not spreading it evenly. If your weak point were legs instead, you’d flip this and run a second lower day.
Table D1 — PPL + Upper weekly schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Push |
| Tue | Pull |
| Wed | Rest |
| Thu | Legs |
| Fri | Upper |
| Sat | Rest |
| Sun | Rest |
Table D2 — PPL + Upper exercises
Push
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Incline DB Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–15 |
| Triceps Pushdown | 3 | 12–15 |
Pull
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
| Bent-Over Row | 4 | 6–8 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10–12 |
| Face Pull | 3 | 15 |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 | 6–8 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Leg Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 12–15 |
Upper (weak-point / extra frequency)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Weighted Pull-Up | 3 | 8–10 |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 12–15 |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 | 12–15 |
Sessions run 55–80 minutes; the Legs day is the long one. Swap the Upper day’s emphasis to whatever you’re bringing up — more incline work for an upper-chest lag, more rowing and rear-delt work for a thin back.
Which 4-day split should you choose?
Pick by goal and recovery capacity. If you want balanced size and strength with the least fuss, run Upper/Lower. If your priority is a bigger chest, shoulders and arms, Push/Pull gives you more direct upper-body volume. If you have one region that’s clearly behind, the PPL+Upper hybrid lets you spend a whole extra day fixing it.
Table E — Goal / schedule decision table
| Your priority / situation | Experience | Recommended variant | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced size + strength | Any level | Upper/Lower | Best frequency-plus-recovery balance |
| Bigger arms, chest, shoulders | Int / Adv | Push/Pull | More direct upper-body volume |
| Lagging body part | Int / Adv | PPL + Upper hybrid | Adds a targeted 4th session |
| Busy / limited recovery | Any | Upper/Lower | Fewest sessions to hit everything 2× |
| New to lifting | Beginner | Upper/Lower (or 3-day full-body first) | Simple, teaches the main lifts |
A couple of real profiles to make it concrete. The office worker who lifts Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and wants to look and feel stronger without overthinking it: Upper/Lower, every time. The lifter with two years under the bar, decent legs, and a chest that’s never grown: PPL+Upper, with the Upper day loaded toward incline pressing. And the person who competes in a sport with heavy leg demands already: Push/Pull, so gym leg work stays modest and doesn’t bury their sport training.
4-day vs 3-day vs 5-day split — how many days is right?
Four days is the sweet spot for most lifters. It provides enough sessions to train every muscle twice a week at a reasonable per-session workload, without the recovery and adherence cost that 5–6 days demands. Three days is better for true beginners and the genuinely time-poor; five days is for advanced lifters with the work capacity to recover from it.
Table F — 3 vs 4 vs 5-day comparison
| Days/week | Muscle frequency | Best for | Gym time/week | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-day full-body | Each muscle ~3× | Beginners, busiest schedules | ~3–4 h | Lower per-session volume; long sessions |
| 4-day split | 2× | Most intermediates | ~4–5 h | The sweet spot |
| 5-day split | 1–2× | Advanced, high work capacity | ~5–6.5 h | Higher recovery + adherence cost |
Here’s the part the day-count debate usually misses: when weekly volume is equated, the number of days barely moves the needle for growth (Schoenfeld & Grgic, 2019; Colquhoun et al., 2018). Choosing between 3, 4 and 5 days is really a question of logistics and recovery, not a hunt for a hidden growth cheat code. Pick the number of days you’ll actually show up for, then fit your 10–20 weekly sets per muscle into it.
Where to put your rest days on a 4-day split
Run two on, one off, two on, two off: Monday and Tuesday train, Wednesday rest, Thursday and Friday train, weekend off. This gives every muscle group roughly 48+ hours before it’s worked hard again and lands a break precisely when accumulated fatigue is highest.
The logic behind the placement:
- ~48 hours per muscle. In Upper/Lower and Push/Pull, the Wednesday rest sits between your two training blocks so the muscles hit Monday–Tuesday are recovered before their Thursday–Friday repeat. That recovery window is when muscle actually rebuilds — you don’t grow in the gym, you grow between sessions.
- Avoid back-to-back same-pattern days. Squatting heavy Monday and deadlifting heavy Tuesday would fry the same lower-back and posterior chain two days running. The A/B design and the mid-week rest keep heavy overlapping patterns apart.
- The weekend double-rest isn’t laziness. Two consecutive off days let systemic fatigue — joints, connective tissue, central nervous system — fully clear before you reload Monday. It also gives life some room, which is the real reason people stick to a plan.
If you’d rather train on weekends, shift the whole pattern (e.g., train Sat–Sun, rest Wed) — the rule is the shape (two on / one off / two on / two off), not the specific weekdays. On rest days, light movement helps; low-intensity bodyweight leg work or a walk beats sitting still. Take a full deload week — half the sets, lighter loads — every 4–8 weeks or whenever performance stalls.
Sets, reps and progression
Aim for roughly 10–20 hard sets per muscle group per week, split across your two sessions, working mostly in the 6–12 rep range for hypertrophy and lower (3–6) on your heavy compound lifts for strength. That volume range is the productive zone in the research: below it you under-stimulate, above it recovery becomes the limiter (Schoenfeld et al.; StrongerByScience synthesis).
Progress with double progression: pick a rep range, add reps each week until you hit the top of the range on all sets, then add load and drop back to the bottom. On bench at 4×6–8, that means working from 4×6 up to 4×8, then adding 5 lb and starting again at 4×6. It’s slower than chasing weight every session, but it’s the version that keeps working past your first year.
Keep the heavy compounds (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, rows) at the front of each session when you’re fresh and in lower rep ranges; push isolation work (curls, lateral raises, leg curls, pushdowns) to the back at higher reps where fatigue matters less. Deload every 4–8 weeks, or sooner if bar speed drops and joints ache — that’s your body asking for the break, not a sign of weakness.
4-day split for beginners and for women
A complete beginner can run a 4-day Upper/Lower split, but a 3-day full-body routine often builds skill on the main lifts faster in the first few months because you practice each pattern more frequently. If you start on four days, use Upper/Lower and keep the exercise list short and stable. The split is identical for women — programming is driven by your goal, not your gender.
There’s no separate “toning” program and no reason to swap barbells for pink dumbbells. A woman training for strength and muscle follows the same three variants, same sets, same reps as anyone else; the only variables that matter are your goal, your experience and your recovery. If a full gym isn’t available, all three splits adapt to home gym workouts with dumbbells, bands and bodyweight substitutions.
FAQ
Is a 4-day split good for beginners?
It’s workable, but a 3-day full-body routine often builds the main lifts faster in your first few months because you practice each movement more often. If you do start on four days, use the Upper/Lower version and keep your exercise selection simple and consistent.
4-day vs 5-day split — which is better?
Four days is better for most people: it delivers a twice-weekly frequency with better recovery and adherence. Five days only pays off if you have the recovery capacity and specifically want to distribute more volume. When weekly volume is equated, the two produce similar growth.
What’s the best 4-day split for muscle gain?
Upper/Lower for most lifters, because it trains every muscle group twice a week — the frequency linked to greater hypertrophy when volume is matched — while keeping legs and upper body balanced.
Upper/Lower vs Push/Pull — which is better?
Both train each muscle twice a week. Upper/Lower balances legs and upper body evenly and is the safer default; Push/Pull concentrates more direct arm and shoulder volume but shortchanges legs, so it suits aesthetics-focused lifters.
How many sets and reps per muscle on a 4-day split?
Roughly 10–20 hard sets per muscle group per week, spread across two sessions. Use about 6–12 reps for hypertrophy and 3–6 reps on your heavy compound lifts for strength.
Can you build a lot of muscle on just 4 days a week?
Yes. Total weekly volume and a twice-weekly frequency drive growth far more than the raw number of gym days. Four well-programmed days easily fit the 10–20 sets per muscle that build size.
Is a 4-day split good for women?
Yes. Programming is goal-based, not gender-based — the same three variants, sets and reps apply. There’s no separate toning routine; strength and muscle are built the same way for everyone.
Sources
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Ogborn, D., Krieger, J.W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 46, 1689–1697. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Grgic, J., Krieger, J. (2019). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30558493/
- Colquhoun, R.J. et al. (2018). Training Volume, Not Frequency, Indicative of Maximal Strength Adaptations. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30363041/
- Hamarsland, H. et al. (2022). Equal-Volume Strength Training With Different Training Frequencies Induces Similar Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Improvement in Trained Participants. Frontiers in Physiology. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.789403/full
- Stronger By Science. More Training, More Gaining: Everything You Need to Know About Training Volume. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/volume/
