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
Ganesh
Posted on: Sat, 03/31/2012 - 15:23

Like it. Can this workout schedule be altered for beginners?

sheldon
Posted on: Thu, 03/29/2012 - 18:04

Would this work for teenagers?

action
Posted on: Thu, 03/29/2012 - 17:43

Hi Steve,
Due to scheduling reasons at my local gym i normally aim to do cardio only sessions on Tuesdays & Fridays. Do you have any suggestions about how i could incorporate this workout into a schedule that has me lifting weights on Mon/Wed/Thu with Cardio only on Tue/Fri ?

I could easily move the leg workout to Saturdays but want to ensure that i'm getting enough recovery during the week for the other muscle groups

Cheers

nick
Posted on: Sun, 03/25/2012 - 02:54

on shoulders and triceps day for example, should you do the exercises in the order listed or do one shoulder exercise then one tricep, then one shoulder etc...?

Jackson
Posted on: Wed, 03/21/2012 - 06:35

Hi there,
I have a few questions.
1. Is it alright to add an exercise on certain days? for example, upright rows on shoulder day?
2. Should cardio for fat loss be performed before or after weights session?
3. Recently i can only fit in 3 sessions a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and I am fitting in leg exercise by spreading it out on those days. Is this bad or can I continue doing this?

Thank you very much in advance!!

Joseph
Posted on: Tue, 03/20/2012 - 14:14

What ab exercises should I do on the days you listed to do abs?

karim
Posted on: Tue, 03/13/2012 - 14:23

hi Steve,
i have 2 questions for you ,the first :is this program useful for increasing the muscle size does the 12,10,8,6 rep helps in increasing the muscle size?
the Second one :I am trying to increase my muscle size and in the same time lose weight, can I achieve this goal if I reduce the amount of what I am eating
I am planing to take 3 scoops of whey protein on the workout day and only eat protein and vegetables (since the whey contains a small amount of carbohydrates)

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Steven
Posted on: Tue, 03/20/2012 - 11:16

Yes this is a muscle building workout. As far as weight loss, you can try to do both at the same time. Here are some articles that can help:

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/your-go-to-guide-for-cutting-...

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-...

Rin
Posted on: Mon, 03/12/2012 - 13:14

I was wondering if I have to follow an eating schedule or something to get my muscle to build up with this workout? and what exactly is that schedule like? Thanks

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Steven
Posted on: Tue, 03/20/2012 - 11:14

Hi Rin,

Here is an article that can help with a muscle building eating plan:

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-...

Tuvshuu
Posted on: Sat, 03/03/2012 - 07:56

Hello .
My gym does not have 45 degree leg press , or leg press thingy. How can i replace dat?

Thanks

Dan
Posted on: Thu, 03/01/2012 - 07:22

How often should you change your workout?

Sushant
Posted on: Tue, 02/28/2012 - 22:33

Hi, My name is sushant i have been doing gym since long time now, but i am not regular, due to work i get time only thrice a week for gym, could you please suggest me which exercies will help me grow all muscels of my body.

Nicole
Posted on: Wed, 02/22/2012 - 20:11

Hey,

As your back day is a smaller day would you then do abs afterwards. Also I do not have the muscle strength to do a pull up what would you recommend instead that can work almost just as well?

I am looking for a weight training routine that I can do for a competition I am going into and the days are set up perfectly (even where legs are) because my major days of cardio (ones where I do over an hr) are on Wednesday and Saturday and spa and sauna are on sunday to relax everything

matt
Posted on: Mon, 02/20/2012 - 17:20

hi steve, im a average build, not very muscely/big but not skinny. i want to get bigger for the summer, is this program for me? and what shakes or creatine capsules would u recommend...? thanks

Edgar
Posted on: Thu, 02/09/2012 - 17:52

Is there an alternate workout for the cable crossover for thursday?

Joe Kelly
Posted on: Tue, 02/07/2012 - 11:58

How many weeks can you do this workout?

ravi.s
Posted on: Tue, 02/07/2012 - 04:33

sir, should i burn my fats and then start working on abs or i can workout on abs. because i have heard that we need to lower down the flabs in our body by doing cardio and then start working on abs.what's your opinion.

Connie
Posted on: Sat, 02/04/2012 - 19:46

Hi,
I am a little confused on the reps/sets of this workout. For example, when doing say the shoulder press, is 12, 10, 8,6 considered my 4 sets, or do I repeat that cycle 3 more times? Thanks!

Francis
Posted on: Wed, 02/01/2012 - 22:29

Hi Steve, I'm really impressed on how professional you are in your responses, after reading the comments from others and seeing your repsonses I've decided to lay off the muscle groups every other day. I've been doing 30 mins on the eliptical with interval slopes, a .5 mile run then a .25 mile cool-down walk then over to the weights. I have certain machines I prefer that seem to isolate what I'm looking for, I've only really been at it a week or so, I take creatine after lifting and a two scoops of whey protein shake each time I get home. Reading your reccomendations of resting and really working individual muscles extensively, will the cardio routine I mentioned affect my mass building if I do so every day? I understand its not likely to build and cut at the same time, should I be using the protein supplement on days of rest also? Thanks for you help.

Frank.

Graham
Posted on: Wed, 02/01/2012 - 13:30

Im a pretty small guy and have always had issues putting on bulk. Ive been doing this workout for a couple weeks now and I can see some changes already which is probably just from working out again after some time off.

In terms of diet should I be loading up on protein every few hours as much as possible and not worry about calories that much or?

If it helps Im 5'9 about 160lbs

Luis
Posted on: Tue, 01/31/2012 - 21:16

I just finish 10 Week Mass Building Program and I will star a new routine Dougs 4 Day Split Workout, should I do it for 10 weeks also?

Tom
Posted on: Mon, 01/30/2012 - 16:52

Hi Steve, on weight progression. when i can do 12 reps on the first set but then only can do 9 on the next. Do i still increase the weight the next workout or wait till i can do the full 12,10,8,6 with that weight? Thanks

Bob
Posted on: Mon, 01/30/2012 - 15:20

Just wondering, for seated calf raise is says do 10,8,8 reps, is that suppose to be 10,8,6 or is 10,8,8 right?

Robert Langley
Posted on: Thu, 01/26/2012 - 21:34

Hi Steve, thanks for the routine, been using it for some time now and i've seen good results. I am wondering if you had an alternate 4 day workout routine, perhaps different exercises?

thanks in advance!

adrian
Posted on: Tue, 01/24/2012 - 16:44

Hey guys:
isn't biceps only once a week a bit too less? i mean doing biceps once every 7 days doesn't seem like a lot to me
please correct me if i'm wrong i am really not an expert;)

Frosty
Posted on: Sat, 01/21/2012 - 18:07

Can i switch the legs and back day? I'm wondering cause i don't want to be sore in the legs for weekends activites weather that be sports or other things. So will switching those change anything or is it ok?

Roger
Posted on: Thu, 01/19/2012 - 16:37

Hey Steve,

Im 6'0 194lbs at 16-17% body fat..im looking to cut fat and gain muscle! Do yiu think this routine would be beneficial for me? I also do cardio after every workout 30-35 min 4.0 mph with 3.0 incline.

Any suggestions for me???

Tom
Posted on: Thu, 01/19/2012 - 13:43

Can i swap Monday and Friday routines with out changing the others. Also can abs be done any two-3 days?

Mon: Legs
Tues: Back
Wed Rest
Thur: Chest Bi's
Friday Shoulders, Tri's

Abs(2-3 times a week)

John
Posted on: Thu, 01/19/2012 - 10:35

hi steve,
how many minutes do I need to rest between sets and exercises?

halo
Posted on: Mon, 01/16/2012 - 04:36

ey doug, quick question:

Instead of the one arm dumbbell rows for the back, can I do close grip cable rows?

Omar
Posted on: Fri, 01/13/2012 - 14:53

Hey fellas. I been doing the 4 day workout for 2 months now and it really works. Pacience+dedication can really make a difference. It's really simple, a good diet, proper supplements, 8 hours of sleep and pushin your body to maximize results should do the trick. Thanxz again.

christian
Posted on: Thu, 01/12/2012 - 22:51

hi
is it OK to change the lying tricep extension w/ EZ Skull Crusher?.
is it OK to alternate the arms in doing the incline dumbbell curl and standing hammer curl?
and what work out could i replaced the following one are cable extension, close grip lat pull down,cable crossovers, leg extension, seated calf raise?

also is it OK to add the Incline barbell press and Decline Barbell press in the chest work out?

thank you ..

Callum
Posted on: Wed, 01/11/2012 - 09:29

Hi Steve,

Great workout, when i get to about 8 weeks, should i choose a new routine or just change the exercises on this one??
Also, i have a lagging chest (i've been training for 2 years now) is there a way i could change the routine to focus on my upper and inner chest area?

Cheers.

Mike
Posted on: Wed, 01/11/2012 - 01:43

How many calories does each workout burn approximately?

simon
Posted on: Tue, 01/10/2012 - 09:14

If you want to lose stomach fat then you will need to lose weight by eating -500 calories a day, aswell as training and cardio.

Charles
Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2012 - 20:30

I am beginning a new workout system and starting on a new diet so I can get bigger and gain muscle mass and stay fit. I have spent some time on the internet looking up the best workouts and dietary plans that match and would allow for the most convenience in my week. I am thinking about this 4 day split workout and a HIIT cardio workout on the off days, along with the diet from your Nutrition for Beginners websites. I found many different articles and came to a conclusion that the workout with 4 day split and HIIT cardio workouts and the diet would be the best for me with reasonable experience in working out. I am wondering if you think this plan is good and would work efficiently or would you suggest an alternative workout. Thanks for your time.

From Charles

georges
Posted on: Sun, 01/08/2012 - 14:07

Hey, I have fat only on my stomach ..
If I do this routine + HIIT cardio on off days I will lose my stomach fat ? Thank you
Georges

Andrew
Posted on: Thu, 01/05/2012 - 05:09

Can't wait to start this! I have a question about muscle rest. I'm a swimmer and I love doing an hour or so of lap swimming on Saturdays and Sundays. Since tacking swimming onto to this workout would only allow one day a week where I'm not doing any physical activity at all, would swimming be very detrimental to my muscle growth even though it's more cardio based rather than strength?

kyle
Posted on: Wed, 01/04/2012 - 18:36

I've been told by numerous physical therapists that leg extensions are a no no because of the stress it causes to the knee and patella tendon. What say you and any replacement exercises to iso the quad ?

david
Posted on: Sun, 01/01/2012 - 20:12

is this a good workout to get lean?

Ranger2/75
Posted on: Fri, 12/16/2011 - 10:18

Ive got a couple questions about this routine. Ive been doing it for 2 weeks now, and have been lifting seriously for about 3 years. For mon shoulder/triceps and thur chest and biceps, my first question is what the reason is for doing a significantly less amount of sets for triceps and for biceps. I know shoulder exercises do work the tris, so is that the reason, and ive noticed by the time I get to triceps I cant really do what I normally would if I had a arms only day, doing triceps and biceps. Im coming off of a mon-fri one body part a day routine that I did for a few months.

My second question is just about a couple alternate exercises. I cant do deadlifts without back pain due to a couple mild bulging discs, and ive been doing hamstring curls in place of the stiff leg deadlift. And the last tricep exercise, the single arm dumbbell extension I think its called, well I just dont feel like I get anything out of it. Triceps always been my trouble spot, I feel my shoulders get worked instead sometimes. But even with some deep focusing mind to muscle zen thing, im still having trouble with that exercise. Anyway I do enjoy this workout a lot. Thanks.

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Steven
Posted on: Wed, 12/21/2011 - 14:57

Biceps and triceps are smaller muscle groups and receive a lot of direct and heavy stimulus while training larger muscle groups.

Mark
Posted on: Tue, 12/13/2011 - 04:19

Great workout, just one question. Why aren't deadlifts included? Most people say they are one of the most beneficial workouts for the back.

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Steven
Posted on: Wed, 12/21/2011 - 13:11

Remove close grip pull downs and use deadlifts as the first exercise on back day.

dan w
Posted on: Wed, 12/07/2011 - 10:19

would this routine be good for someone who has been back on the weights for about a month or two but is not a beginner. I've been on and off for this year but previously did a workout out similar to this routine before for years. main issue i need addressing is that for some reason now my left side has become quite a bit weaker then my right side. i haven't had this problem before even when starting again till now. basically would this routine help even my strength out or would i need to change a few bits to include more dumbbells?

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Steven
Posted on: Mon, 12/19/2011 - 15:42

I think this workout would be a good choice for you.

Drew
Posted on: Tue, 12/06/2011 - 18:09

How much weight should u add each week?

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Steven
Posted on: Mon, 12/19/2011 - 15:40

Using good form, always push yourself on every set. When you can perform the recommended number of reps for a set, add weight.

Jorge
Posted on: Tue, 12/06/2011 - 01:32

Hi Steve,
Can I do this workout 3 times a week?
following this routine:

MONDAY: SHOULDERS + TRICEPS

TUESDAY: REST DAY

WEDNESDAYS: CHEST + BICEPS

THURSDAY: REST DAY

FRIDAY: BACK + LEGS

Thank you in advance