Many skilled lifters and bodybuilders who wish to construct muscle prepare 5 days every week, and a few aggressive athletes even prepare 6 days every week. However for many individuals, these greater frequency coaching schedules are usually not life like. In consequence, they need exercises which might be nonetheless efficient however solely require 4 days every week, or in some instances, minimalist applications that take even much less time. If you wish to spend solely 4 days every week within the health club, you might be questioning what are the most effective 4 day coaching schedules. In immediately’s put up, I reply a reader query about what’s the greatest 4-day exercise break up. Learn on and also you’ll see over a half a dozen 4-days every week choices, together with some distinctive splits you could have by no means considered earlier than.
Q: Hello Tom. It appears a number of the exercise schedules for knowledgeable lifters in your website require 5 days every week and once I search the web I even see a number of applications that require 6 days every week of lifting. Plus, a number of them take much more than an hour. That’s not life like for me. These applications appear geared extra towards bodybuilders and other people with limitless time or who don’t thoughts schedules the place you prepare totally different days of the week. Quite a lot of us have restricted time and wish to prepare solely on weekdays so now we have free recreation and household time on the weekends.
I’m 42, I’ve been lifting for over 20 years, and at this level I’m simply attempting to take care of the muscle I’ve and keep wholesome. I’ve at all times needed to construct extra muscle, however immediately my life revolves round my household and work, and I slot in my exercises the place I can. I used to do a 3 day break up and hit the health club 5 days per week, however in the intervening time can’t decide to it. I attempted lifting 6 days per week earlier than however that burned me out.
I’d want to coach 4 days every week, like your TNB higher body-lower physique break up, however I like 3 and 4 day splits higher than 2 day splits. With physique half splits, I really feel as if my depth is greater and my focus is best. I additionally like coaching just one or two main muscle tissue per session as an alternative of my entire higher physique unexpectedly.
So right here’s my query. What are a number of the greatest different choices for 4 days per week coaching that aren’t upper-lower splits? I did your TNB upper-lower break up with good outcomes for a very long time, however I ‘m searching for one thing totally different now.
There Many Nice Choices For 4-Days Per Week Exercise Schedules
A: There are a number of nice choices for 4 days per week lifting program, together with 3-day and 4-day splits, perhaps greater than you notice should you assume out of the field a bit of. However earlier than I record a number of the lesser identified choices, let’s backtrack to the favored 2-day break up.
Really, most of our weblog readers and Inner Circle members aren’t aggressive bodybuilders, they don’t have limitless time, and most of our members with lifting expertise do a 2-day break up, which often requires 4 periods every week. (Every muscle is labored twice every week). All of the TNB exercises in our members area in addition to the 2-day break up within the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book are 4 days every week exercises. The truth is, 4 exercises every week is without doubt one of the hottest lifting schedules for all leisure lifters.
Normally it’s bodybuilders and critical superior lifters who prepare 5 to six days every week, and never many individuals can deal with lifting 6 days every week on a regular basis, even bodybuilders. 4 days every week of lifting is usually a very efficient method to prepare, and relying on the break up you select and the way a lot quantity you employ, it may be as efficient as greater frequencies, however extra sensible. The higher – decrease break up is without doubt one of the hottest methods to arrange a 4 day exercise.
Higher-Decrease 2-Day Cut up
Day 1: Higher Physique
Day 2: Decrease Physique And Abs
Most individuals do that 4 days every week and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday is the most well-liked schedule for individuals who need weekends off.
An alternate choice is to maintain the 4 days per week frequency, however change the way you group the physique elements collectively on the 2-day break up. The upper-lower break up is without doubt one of the hottest, but it surely has professionals and cons. A doable draw back of the upper-lower break up is that when you could have aesthetic physique targets, you often prepare small muscle teams instantly together with biceps, triceps, forearms, rear deltoids, and traps. You even do particular workout routines to focus on each higher and decrease pecs, entrance and aspect deltoid, and a number of again muscle tissue. That may make coaching all the higher physique in sooner or later time consuming.
For this reason so many bodybuilders use 3-day and 4-day splits. To provide extra consideration to all these small muscle tissue and totally different sections of huge muscle tissue, they often solely wish to prepare solely 2 or 3 main physique elements per exercise, and generally just one main physique half and one minor physique half (utilizing a number of workout routines).
Nonetheless, there are other ways you possibly can arrange a 2-day break up than upper-lower break up whereas nonetheless coaching solely 4 days every week. Listed below are some examples:
Various 2-Day Cut up Routines (4 Days A Week Exercise)
Basic 2-Day Cut up Push Pull
Day 1: Legs, again, biceps
Day 2: Chest, shoulders, triceps, abs
That is the traditional method to do a 2-day push-pull break up. Technically, it isn’t a pure push-pull break up as a result of quads are pushing muscle tissue, however this doesn’t create any interference in restoration between the 2 days. If there’s a draw back, it’s that legs and again are the 2 largest muscle teams within the physique and probably the most taxing to coach, which makes this a tricky exercise should you do a number of units and workout routines, particularly compound workout routines.
Pure 2-Day Cut up Push Pull:
Day 1: Hams, again, biceps, abs
Day 2: Quads, chest, shoulders, triceps
This can be a pure push-pull break up as a result of nothing however pulling workout routines are achieved on day 1. At first, some folks discover it unusual to separate up the decrease physique and do quads and hams on totally different days, but it surely’s a well-liked strategy. By the best way, generally we write “hams” because the physique half, however make an observation that this will embrace glutes and all the posterior chain, together with workout routines like hyperextensions, Romanian deadlifts, and hip thrusts. The physique half groupings make sense as a result of once you’re working your posterior chain, you’re additionally working your again (higher and decrease).
2-Day Cut up Push-Pull (Legs And Again Possibility)
Day 1: Legs, again
Day 2: Chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, abs
That is merely a minor variation on the push-pull splits listed above. Legs and again solely are achieved on day 1. Once more, if there’s a draw back, it’s that legs and again are the 2 physique elements that take probably the most vitality and energy to coach, so it’s a fatiguing exercise should you do a number of units and workout routines. Plus should you do squats, Romanian deadlifts and bent over rows in the identical session, that may be taxing on the decrease again. Nonetheless, the division of physique elements is pretty even. The pull day consists of quads, hams, glutes/posterior chain, calves, and again. That’s 5 muscle teams. The push day consists of, chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and abs, which can also be 5 muscle teams.
2-Day Cut up (Legs, Arms)
Day 1: Legs, biceps, triceps
Day 2: Chest, again, shoulders, abs
Some folks discover it odd to do legs and arms on the identical day, but it surely makes a number of sense from an vitality allocation perspective. Everybody is aware of leg day is hard. So should you’re going to coach one thing else after legs, why not prepare two of the smallest muscle teams that require the least vitality? Plus there’s zero interference as a result of the leg coaching doesn’t scale back efficiency of arm coaching in any manner (besides that you simply is perhaps a bit of drained total after ending legs.
That is solely a handful of many prospects for a 2-day break up the place you prepare 4 days every week (every muscle is labored twice every week). You do not need to divide the physique elements into higher physique day and decrease physique days until you wish to. Be artistic. Suppose out of the field and you may provide you with many choices for 4-days every week coaching schedules that be just right for you.
You may also customise the weekly schedule and select the times of the week you wish to prepare. If you need the weekends off, the usual schedule appears like this:
2-Day Cut up With Weekends Off (4 Day Exercise Schedule)
In case you don’t thoughts coaching sooner or later on the weekend, right here’s a well-liked 4-day exercise routine:
Minimalist 2-Day Cut up Routines (4 Days A Week)
Minimalist 2-Day Cut up
Day 1: Quads, hamstrings/posterior chain, again (decrease physique / pull)
Day 2: Chest, shoulders, abs (higher physique / abs)
As a bodybuilder, I wouldn’t consider doing any coaching program with out working each muscle in my physique, together with the smaller muscle tissue like biceps, triceps, forearms, calves, traps and rear delts. One motive is as a result of I’m at all times looking for balanced and aesthetic physique improvement. One other is as a result of I take pleasure in coaching arms (and so do a number of different folks). A 3rd is as a result of I’ve loads of time for longer coaching periods.
Nonetheless, people who find themselves not physique athletes (they’re coaching for normal health and well being), who’ve time limitations typically complain that most of the traditional muscle-building exercise splits take too lengthy to finish. One answer is to make use of minimalist routines that skip coaching the smaller physique elements instantly and focus solely on massive muscle tissue compound workout routines.
Even once you solely prepare massive muscle compound actions, the small muscle tissue are usually not utterly uncared for. For instance, once you do any pushing train (chest press or shoulder press), your triceps are additionally working. The stimulus is oblique but it surely’s sufficient to attain some muscle development. While you do pulling workout routines like rows and particularly chin ups, your biceps are additionally nonetheless getting some work.
For this reason a number of trainers suggest minimalist break up routines for his or her busy normal inhabitants purchasers. The variety of workout routines might also be lowered. A minimalist exercise would possibly embrace as few as 3 to 4 workout routines, which doesn’t take a lot time to complete.
Minimalist coaching will be taken even additional by decreasing the frequency of the exercises to solely 3 days per week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday can be an ordinary schedule, although you possibly can additionally prepare on a weekend.
Coaching 4 Days a Week On a 3-Day Cut up
In all probability the second hottest 4 days every week exercise schedule is a 3-day break up such because the 3-day traditional muscle or Push-Pull-Legs split. That is the push-pull-legs break up:
Day 1: Chest, shoulders, triceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Again, biceps, abs
Most lifters who use this routine are physique athletes or superior trainees who raise 5 days every week. Often somebody with a lot of time and glorious restoration potential would possibly run it 6 days every week. Nonetheless, utilizing a 3-day break up whereas coaching solely 4 days every week is a superb choice. Right here’s an instance:
3-Day Push-Pull-Legs Cut up (4 Days A Week)
This can be a nice 4-day exercise schedule. You possibly can prepare the identical days each week, however not each Monday shall be chest day. You’ll rotate what physique elements are educated for a number of weeks, then repeat the cycle. And as soon as once more, you possibly can transfer the times across the week to fit your schedule. (For instance, prepare on Saturday as an alternative of Friday should you want).
==> Complete PUSH-PULL-LEGS 2.0 program
Coaching 4 Days a Week On a Hybrid Cut up
A hybrid break up is but another choice, and it’s an important one should you’re open to one thing unconventional. Most individuals don’t think about this break up as a result of it’s not intuitive. The three/1 hybrid break up includes doing 3 physique half exercises and one full physique exercise.
For the 3-day a part of the schedule, you should use a Push-Pull-Legs or a Basic Muscle break up. Under you possibly can see the Basic Muscle model which lets you antagonist superset, so it may be very time environment friendly:
3/1 Hybrid Cut up – Basic Muscle/Full Physique (4 Days A Week)
With this distinctive break up, you continue to hit every muscle twice every week and it’s not troublesome to hit as many as 10 to 12 units per main muscle per week whereas exercises keep round an hour or much less. In case you took a decrease quantity minimalist strategy, or used all supersets, you possibly can end these exercises in 40 minutes or much less.
In case you most well-liked, you possibly can do a 3/1 Hybrid schedule utilizing the Push-Pull-Legs break up for the 3-day a part of the exercise. Additionally, as soon as once more, the weekly schedule will be personalized for both of these 3/1 Hybrid splits. You possibly can change the times of the week you prepare (prepare on a weekend should you like). You possibly can even change the order of the physique elements should you like. Make Monday the leg day for instance. Or, make Monday the total physique day, then do the three day break up portion on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Though I haven’t tried this variation but, you possibly can even may even do 1 decrease physique, 1 higher physique, and a pair of full physique exercises. It’d appear like this:
2/2 Hybrid Cut up – Full Physique/Higher-Decrease/Full Physique (4 Days A Week)
Specialization Coaching On A Hybrid Cut up (4 Days A Week)
The usual follow in resistance coaching is to intention for doing a good quantity of labor for all muscle teams (solely barely much less for small muscle tissue), however another choice is to deliberately skew your workload towards physique elements you wish to give additional consideration.
Under, you’ll see two examples, for higher and decrease physique, respectively.
3/1 Hybrid Cut up – Higher Physique Specialization (4 Days A Week)
On this break up, higher physique is educated 3 days every week, whereas decrease physique is just educated 2 occasions per week. Not solely does this skew the workload to higher physique, the physique elements educated every day will be personalized for the areas you wish to work on probably the most. For instance if it’s solely your deltoids which might be lagging behind and also you wish to specialize on them, you possibly can hit these shoulder muscle tissue 3 occasions per week, whereas hitting the remainder of the higher physique solely 2 occasions per week (one of many higher physique days turns into a excessive quantity shoulder exercise).
3/1 Hybrid Cut up – Decrease Physique Specialization (4 Days A Week)
On this break up, decrease physique is educated 3 days every week, whereas higher physique is just educated 2 occasions per week, with solely 4 exercises per week. This sort of program is widespread with feminine physique athletes and bikini athletes who wish to spend additional time engaged on the decrease physique, generally even utilizing one of many decrease physique exercises completely for glutes and hip dominant decrease physique workout routines. (Although best physique athletes prepare 5 and even 6 days every week).
This sort of exercise schedule will work nicely for any man or girl who needs to provide additional effort and time to the decrease physique. The most effective half is, as a result of distinctive schedule the place a full physique exercise is a part of this system, it doesn’t take an additional day or two per week of coaching to do it. Utilizing this schedule, decrease physique specialization is achieved with 4 exercises per week.
It’s past the scope of this text to record all the chances for specialization coaching. However for now, this could a minimum of get the wheels handing over your head for break up routine schedule choices together with hybrid and specialization applications.
Coaching 4 Days a Week On A “Bro Cut up” (Every Muscle Skilled As soon as Per week)
There’s one 4 day exercise program that’s very efficient however won’t be fairly as widespread as a 2-day break up or 3-day break up because it was once. That’s, a 4-day break up with solely 4 coaching days per week. By definition, which means every muscle is just educated as soon as per week. The explanation this isn’t as frequent anymore is as a result of during the last decade, research have recommended that coaching every muscle extra ceaselessly than as soon as every week is simpler for hypertrophy.
This will likely or is probably not true, relying on sure variables. However earlier than we talk about that controversy in additional element under, let’s see what this type of weekly schedule would possibly appear like. There are various methods you possibly can break up up your physique elements. There are additionally some ways you possibly can set up this schedule throughout the calendar week (which days you prepare). For the sake of brevity, we’ll have a look at one widespread instance which makes use of an higher push, higher pull, shoulders, legs physique half grouping):
4 Days A Week 4-day break up – Push-Pull-Shoulders-Legs
Many advocates of the twice weekly coaching frequency argue that bodybuilders who nonetheless do physique half break up routines that solely work every muscle as soon as every week are “bros” who don’t comply with the science. (Which is why physique half break up routines that solely work every muscle as soon as every week are humorously often known as “bro splits.”) Some insist it’s essential to prepare every muscle a minimum of twice every week otherwise you go away good points on the desk.
It’s most likely true that an optimum frequency is greater than as soon as every week for every muscle group if you wish to pursue 100% of the doable most good points. Nonetheless, whereas anecdotal, it’s additionally true that a lot of high bodybuilders prepare every muscle solely as soon as every week and thrive on it. Analysis helps this as nicely.
In a 2013 research (Hackett et al) a analysis group adopted 127 aggressive bodybuilders and located that twice every week (on a 3-day break up) frequencies in addition to as soon as every week (5 day break up) frequencies had been each utilized by profitable athletes. The truth is, they famous that 7 out of 10 elite bodybuilders of their pattern reported working every muscle as soon as per week. It might be anecdotal proof, but it surely’s additionally convincing.
If there’s some scientific proof saying that working every muscle twice every week is best, however champion bodybuilders succeed on decrease frequencies, how can we clarify this obvious contradiction? Newer analysis revealed that coaching every muscle group extra occasions per week makes it simpler to do extra complete quantity (units) per week. Extra quantity is related to extra muscle development.
A meta evaluation revealed in 2018 within the Journal of Sports activities Science (Schoenfeld et al) discovered that so long as the weekly quantity is matched, the coaching frequency doesn’t appear to matter that a lot. Twice every week, as soon as every week, or any level in between, the muscle development is about the identical.
Right here’s an instance:
Schedule A: 2 day break up, prepare 4 days every week, do 6 units per physique half on main muscle tissue every exercise = 12 units per week
Schedule B: 4 day break up, prepare 4 days every week, do 6 units per physique half on main muscle tissue every exercise = 6 units per week
Who good points extra muscle, lifters following schedule A or schedule B? That is straightforward. Naturally, the group that did extra complete work per week – the 12 units per week group, which was the twice every week schedule. They did twice as many units for the week! It’s not even truthful to match these schedules for the impact on development as a result of weekly quantity was not equalized.
Now think about this second instance:
Schedule A: 2 day break up, prepare 4 days every week, do 6 units per physique half on massive muscle tissue every exercise = 12 units per week
Schedule B: 4 day break up, prepare 4 days every week, do 12 units per physique half on massive muscle tissue every exercise = 12 units per week
On this case, we should always anticipate the outcomes shall be roughly the identical. And based mostly on anecdotal proof and private expertise, there are numerous examples of bodybuilders who acquired jacked hitting every muscle solely as soon as every week.
There are some downsides to working every muscle solely as soon as every week with extra units in a single exercise (like 12 units or extra). One is that muscle harm could also be better, and this could trigger extra muscle soreness. It’s additionally true that many of the muscle good points are triggered by the preliminary units within the exercise, and persevering with so as to add extra units will increase good points at a diminishing price of return.
However based mostly on current science, coaching every muscle solely as soon as every week continues to be an excellent choice, so long as you do sufficient complete weekly units to optimize good points. As well as, an upside to working every muscle solely as soon as every week is that some folks take pleasure in it extra. While you use a program you want, you’re prone to have higher adherence and that alone can result in higher good points.
Further Time Saving Strategies For Busy Individuals
One of many causes folks select to coach solely 4 days every week is they’re restricted on time. Utilizing a 4-days per week exercise schedule is a good suggestion for knowledgeable lifters who’re busy. Packages that require 5 or 6 days every week can begin to really feel troublesome to maintain for busy folks.
As well as, you should use time effectivity methods together with the next:
1. Supersets
2. Drop Units
3. Relaxation pause units
4. Shorter relaxation intervals
5. Minimalist heat ups (particular heat up solely)
I hope you discovered this beneficial. If you wish to be taught extra, and get prompt entry to the entire applications above, be a part of us at Burn the Fats Interior Circle. In out coaching division, there’s now a library of 20 totally different coaching applications, in addition to an enormous train library with detailed directions and movies.
The most recent program, launched in September 2024 is push-pull-legs 2.0. Most individuals run this system 5 days every week, however you may get unbelievable good points doing it solely 4 days every week utilizing the three X 4 break up I talked about above.
Push Pull Legs has been one of the vital widespread physique half break up routines for a few years and that is the latest iteration. It’s backed by science and examined and confirmed in the true world. Click on the hyperlink under to be taught extra:
==>Tom Venuto’s PUSH-PULL-LEGS 2.0
Prepare arduous and anticipate success!
-Tom Venuto, Creator of, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM)
Founder, Burn the Fat Inner Circle
About Tom Venuto
Tom Venuto is a pure bodybuilding and fats loss coach. He’s additionally a recipe creator specializing in fat-burning, muscle-building cooking. Tom is a former aggressive bodybuilder and is immediately a full-time health author, blogger, and creator. His e book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is a world bestseller, first as an book and now as a hardcover and audiobook. The Body Fat Solution, Tom’s e book about emotional consuming and long-term weight upkeep, was an Oprah Journal and Males’s Health Journal choose. Tom can also be the founding father of Burn The Fat Inner Circle – a health help neighborhood with over 52,000 members worldwide since 2006. Click here for membership details
