This muscle building workout is a tried and tested M&S muscle building staple! This workout was developed by trainer and forum member Doug Lawrenson.
Workout Summary
  • Main Goal
    Build Muscle
  • Workout Type
    Split
  • Training Level
    Intermediate
  • Program Duration8 weeks
  • Days Per Week
    4
  • Time Per Workout55 minutes
  • Equipment Required
    Barbell, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines
  • Target Gender Male & Female
  • Workout PDF Download Workout

Workout Description

As requested by you guys, we've added Doug Lawrenson's 4 day split muscle building workout to our database of workouts. This workout was designed by Doug and is aimed at muscle growth. It's important that you follow the correct diet program if you want to get the maximum results out of this program.

Workout Notes:

  • Warm up with cardio for 5-10 minutes.
  • Stretches and flexibility exercises for 5-10 minutes.
  • Stretch the worked muscles at the end of the workout, and cool down 5-10 minutes.
  • Abdominals on Monday and Thursday

Workout Schedule

  • Monday - Shoulders and Triceps
  • Tuesday - Back
  • Wednesday - Rest
  • Thursday - Chest and Biceps
  • Friday - Legs
  • Saturday - Rest
  • Sunday - Rest

Doug's 4 Day Split Workout

Monday - Shoulders and Triceps

Exercise Sets Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press 4 12,10,8,6
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 4 12,10,8,6
Dumbbell Reverse Fly 4 12,10,8,6
Dumbbell Shrugs 4 12,10,8,6
Lying Tricep Extension 3 10,8,6
One Arm Cable Extension 3 10,8,6
One Arm Dumbbell Extension 3 10,8,6

Tuesday - Back

Exercise Sets Reps
Wide Grip Pull Up 4 12,10,8,6
Close Grip Pull Down 4 12,10,8,6
One Arm Dumbbell Row 4 12,10,8,6
Bent Over Barbell Row 4 12,10,8,6

Thursday - Chest and Biceps

Exercise Sets Reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 12,10,8,6
Barbell Bench Press 4 12,10,8,6
Incline Dumbbell Flys 4 12,10,8,6
Cable Crossovers 4 12,10,8,6
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 10,8,6
Preacher Curl 3 10,8,6
Standing Hammer Curl 3 10,8,6

Friday - Legs

Exercise Sets Reps
Squat 4 12,10,8,6
45 Degree Leg Press 4 12,10,8,6
Leg Extension 4 12,10,8,6
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 4 12,10,8,6
Seated calf Raise 3 10,8,8
Standing Calf Raise 3 15,12,10

 

925 Comments
Zee
Posted on: Tue, 01/08/2013 - 11:06

I play basketball on two of my rest days; will this affect my goal to build muscle? I'll also like to know how long I can use this workout for

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Joey
Posted on: Tue, 01/08/2013 - 15:40

You can simply eat to make up for the calories burned playing ball. Use this workout for as long as you're progressing and seeing results.

ali
Posted on: Mon, 01/07/2013 - 08:44

i cant do pull ups what can i do instead?

mik
Posted on: Sat, 12/29/2012 - 06:29

Where are the exercises for abs? How do i build abs in the split routine?

Luis Maneru
Posted on: Sat, 12/22/2012 - 01:34

I just completed the first round (12, 10, 8, 6) and beginning my second round.
1. Do I add weights or keep same if I'm having trouble with adds?
2. How many rounds do I need to do?

Ramzi
Posted on: Thu, 11/29/2012 - 05:33

Hi Doug,

I love your workout routines; I am currently on the 6 day cutting however I am thinking of switching to this routine. I have a few questions and I would appreciate your advise. I am at 175lbs 17% body fat 25.2 bmi 5'10" 38 years old. I am looking to get down to 12% bodyfat while hitting all the major muscle groups for growth and defintion. My goal is a beachbody with moderate mass and good definition incorporating max effective ab workouts. I am committed to 2 hours day 5 or 6 days a week. Which workout would you recommend for me? I am at an intermediate level and manage nutrition to maxmize workouts. My concerns are effective cardio integration, I currently do 30 mins HI cardio before and 30 mins HI cardio after my workouts; would you recommend an alternate amount of time pre/post workout for cardio? Also one of my biggest concerns is hedging against muscle memory, in the past I used to have two seperate workout routines that I alternated every two weeks...are your routines muscle memory proof in their alernations or do I still need to keep two routines for alternation? Please advise and thanks for your time and support in advance.

raj.....
Posted on: Tue, 11/27/2012 - 08:33

can i do abdominal on tuesday and friday....plzz suggest me....

Jerry Condon
Posted on: Thu, 11/22/2012 - 20:55

Do you alternate between exercises? For example on a shoulder/tri do one shoulder exercise then one tri exercise?

arjun sethi
Posted on: Mon, 11/19/2012 - 07:58

Isn't Decline dumbell press or rod important for chest?

arjun sethi
Posted on: Mon, 11/19/2012 - 07:51

For how many weeks or months should i perform this routine to get results?

Also.. If this workout has to be carried on for more than one week at least, then are the excercises given sufficient for me to repeat them every week to get overall gains?
Pls reply asap
Thanks!

niall
Posted on: Sat, 11/17/2012 - 04:42

hiya im new to all this and have just started this routine. i was wondering how long it takes to notice good results, ive been eating a lot of pasta and eggs and been taking whey protein blend in mornings and after workouts, im wanting to eat more red meats but limited due to cost. i also do a lot of heavy lifting at work do you think this is bad because my muscles wont get the rest that they need. cheers

Kevin
Posted on: Tue, 11/06/2012 - 13:29

If your trying to build muscle I would shoot for 6-8 reps and if you can do more then 6-8 reps add on more weight. If your shooting for leaner muscle 10-12 reps would satisfy that... so if you want leaner muscle and your doing weights that are getting you lower then 10-12 reps I would drop weight. When I go to the gym I see a lot of people rush themselves; take your time, pace your self and you will see results. Also includes eating right.

Doug
Posted on: Wed, 10/24/2012 - 04:35

Thank you so much for having this site and
posting these workout plans.
This is a big help!

Deal
Posted on: Mon, 10/22/2012 - 17:03

The shoulder exercises do not seem to be enough for the shoulders to me. I generally get fatigued triceps before my shoulders get too fatigued.

Kevin
Posted on: Tue, 11/06/2012 - 13:33

If that happens I would do shoulders first since having nice shoulders leads to having a nice chest. If you want to build or light if you want lean. Olympic shoulders presses as well as shoulder raises usually work best and then after that go to lighter weight to get more of the pump.

Vince
Posted on: Sat, 10/20/2012 - 15:41

Hi Steve,

I've been following your routine for a couple of months now and recently started doing the routine 2x a week except legs remainsat 1x a week. My question is is tEh overtrainine muscle and do you think I'm letting my muscles rest/hea l.

Here's what it looks like.

Monday: shoulders/triceps
Tuesday: back/ abs
Wednesday: chest/biceps
Thursday: legs
Friday: triceps/shoulders
Saturday: back/abs
Sunday: biceps/chest

Thanks Steve!

Andrew
Posted on: Sun, 10/14/2012 - 13:38

Can I do ABS/core workouts with these sessions three times a week or so?

Ted
Posted on: Tue, 10/09/2012 - 17:39

What's up Steve? I just started going back to the gym this week after 7-8 months of sitting on my ass and doing nothing. I'm pretty familiar with the exercises but my problem is my chest. I'm very week in the chest area and was wondering if you could give me some tips to help me out. Should I try to work chest twice a week or just once

Stefan
Posted on: Mon, 09/24/2012 - 17:10

I've noticed you don't ever do forearms.
Is the bicep day sufficient for building forearm strength?
And also what do you recommend for an ab workout?
I currently just do 4 different exercises, following the same pattern as the 12/10/8/6 reps, mostly weighted.

Stefan
Posted on: Mon, 09/24/2012 - 17:00

I've noticed you don't ever do forearms.
Is the bicep day sufficient for building forearm strength?
And also what do you recommend for an ab workout?
I currently just do 4 different exercises, following the same pattern as the 12/10/8/6 reps, mostly weighted.

Diwanshu
Posted on: Sat, 09/22/2012 - 22:48

Hi
Can u plz send me a diet chart because I'm new so I don't know

Thanks

Jonas
Posted on: Fri, 09/21/2012 - 18:50

Is there anything I can replace with the cable crossover? I don't have the necessary equipment.

Jonas
Posted on: Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:52

I was wondering if there is something i can do instead of the cable cross over since i don't have the equipment. Seems like a great workout! :)

Mike Bragg
Posted on: Tue, 09/18/2012 - 13:12

Hi can I replace lying tricep extensions with dips on this routine? Thanks for advice

adrian
Posted on: Mon, 09/17/2012 - 11:16

HI, i am a 17 year old boy who has done something wrong in my 2 years of worikng out in the gym.. i have forgotten to train my shoulders so my arms, my back, and my chest are not in the same level as my shoulders.. my shoulders is smaller.. if i use this workout program will i be able to gain volume in my shoulers by working out the shoulders at monday and saturday? that is my question for you Mr. Steve?

Itai
Posted on: Sat, 09/15/2012 - 01:37

Hi,
How many weeks should I follow this workout?
Tnx

khourshed
Posted on: Sat, 08/25/2012 - 00:09

how many weeks should i play this workout to get perfect result??? and i wanna anthor workout to play after finishing.......thank you

Zac
Posted on: Tue, 08/21/2012 - 14:23

If I'm already doing more sets than this per certain workouts am I doing it wrong?

Aro
Posted on: Tue, 08/21/2012 - 05:38

Hi Steve,
I started this workout this week (I took a week break before beginning this week). I understand that this workout program builds muscle mass but does it also provide definition? I do t want to get bulky... Rather more shredded and defined.
Would you recommend continuing this workout? Thanks.

Conor
Posted on: Sun, 08/19/2012 - 18:38

Hey Steve,

I am currently 6'1 and weigh about 205 lbs. I would like to lose around 20-25 pounds and then put on about 10 pounds of muscle from there. Is this the right work out to take that approach or is there another type of workout you would recommend for this. Thanks for any help you can provide me!

doug
Posted on: Sun, 08/19/2012 - 17:00

how many weeks would you recamend doing this routine? and do you add weight every week?

Uten
Posted on: Wed, 08/01/2012 - 20:43

Sorry, forgot to add... what sort of abdominal workouts do you recommend to fit into this particular workout?

Uten
Posted on: Wed, 08/01/2012 - 20:42

Can I switch Legs Day to Monday and Shoulders and Triceps to Thursday?

Follow up question, I plan on going to the gym on Tuesday nights, Thursday mornings, Friday mornings, Saturday mornings. Could you adjust this workout to fit those days? Reason for those days in particular is it fits into my very busy schedule.

Kiran
Posted on: Fri, 07/13/2012 - 17:21

Hi Steve,

I am two months into the gym.. My question is, Do I need supplements.. I am really confused with the diet plans.. I am 82 kgs.. Looking to build muscle.. Thanks a lot for all the help...cheers mate

simon
Posted on: Tue, 07/10/2012 - 12:23

Jesse

If you can, yes.

If not a couple of extra reps is still progression.

jesse
Posted on: Thu, 06/28/2012 - 23:15

should i move up my weights on everything each week?

BB95
Posted on: Wed, 05/23/2012 - 14:07

Hi, do i need to leave my rear deltoids for back workout? Because back exercises hits rear deltoids?

Steve-o
Posted on: Wed, 05/16/2012 - 13:01

Hi Doug. Just wobdering if there are any forearm workouts I can add in there and approx how long do these workouts take per day

Anthony Karamou...
Posted on: Mon, 05/14/2012 - 21:39

what do you do for abs?

Watson billings
Posted on: Mon, 05/14/2012 - 21:31

Could i do this routine doing chest and biceps on wednesday, legs thursday, and back friday?

eddie
Posted on: Fri, 05/11/2012 - 21:09

Hey steve been working out pretty serious about 2yrs doing a 5 day split jus recently switched to to a 4day similar to this doing chest tris an back bis tho. My question is im kinda lacking in shoulders and upper middle chest area what would you reccomend adding in my workouts and what days? Thank u

Sam
Posted on: Wed, 05/09/2012 - 18:34

I just wanted to say that this is a great workout! I'm on my 3rd week of it and I have noticed some gains already. I'm keeping track of how much weight I put up and I am trying to top that amount each week. My goal is to gain about 10 pounds before I go into a cutting phase. Just gotta work on my diet...

Ali
Posted on: Wed, 05/09/2012 - 08:14

Hi Steve,

I have been following this workout for 2 weeks now and i pretty much like it, few questions which i'd really appreciate your help with as the trainers here "in the gym" dont seem to care much about our needs and queries.

I am 84 Kilos and 176 cms height with fats around my belly, I must say i am noticing improvement on my body but i really need to see muscles coming up and more fat getting burned around my chest, my arms my belly in order for my muscles to show up a little bit. if you want i can send you some pictures which you probably can assess and let me know if i should continue with this program helps or should i consider something else.

I take Isolate whey protein, Creatine and Amino Acids in addition to Omega 3 and i do around 30 minutes of Cardio during working out days in additions to some Abs excercise. i only started working out 3 months back.

Thanks

Timothy M. Williams
Posted on: Wed, 05/02/2012 - 12:30

If I start benching at 100lbs when should I move up in lifting in pounds.

Luwii
Posted on: Tue, 04/24/2012 - 20:40

What if i superset these excersizes for some of the days, not leg day.

Collin
Posted on: Mon, 04/23/2012 - 04:27

I have been doing this workout for about 6 weeks now and have great results. Should I keep doing this workout or change it up? And what workout would you recommend?

Pat
Posted on: Tue, 04/17/2012 - 15:23

Steve, can I do this workout in 3 days and do legs and back the same day?

Alex
Posted on: Sat, 04/07/2012 - 00:37

Hi steve if I keep this routine up how long would it take til I see results?

Tim
Posted on: Thu, 04/05/2012 - 11:35

This looks like an absolutely amazing workout.

I'm a soccer player, who hasn't played or hit the gym in years. I like this workout as it is fully balanced and would throw my own cardio and what not.

Could this workout be used to get ripped instead of building mass? If so, how would I go about doing this

tom boczko
Posted on: Sun, 04/01/2012 - 16:15

u have the reps decending such as 12,10,8,6 would it be best to increase tge weight each set eample: 12kg 12 reps 14kg 10reps 16kg 8reps 18kg 6 reps or best to keep the weight the same for each rep example: 18kg 12 reps 18kg 10 reps 18kg 8 reps 18kg 6 reps i have already your.blog about what they are and i.understand i just do not what will be best for me to put size i.e arm size,chest etc