Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelAdvanced
- Program Duration8 weeks
- Days Per Week4
- Time Per Workout30-45 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines
- Target Gender Male
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
If you’re similar to me, you’re constantly torn between your love of high volume workouts and the desire of functionality promoted by full body workout routines.
This workout program accomplishes both.
The first three days of the week are broken down into your traditional 3 day a week bro split.
And on Friday, we tackle a full body workout that combines both compound lifts for the lower body and bodyweight movements for the upper body.
We’ll deem this day, “Full Body Fun and Functional Friday”.
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4 Day Workout Program to Build Muscle
This workout program is designed to help you build lean muscle mass. It combines 3 days of high volume work via both compound movements and isolation exercises to target specific muscle groups and a full body day.
This muscle building workout is set up like this to give you the benefits of both high volume training and high frequency training. The full body day allows you to hit each muscle group for a second time during the course of the week, albeit at a much lower volume, to assist you in eliciting a muscle building signal multiple times a week.
Despite the amount of volume, these workouts are quick and to the point. You should be in the gym for no longer than 45 minutes at a time.
Perform each rep with a 2/0/2 tempo and rest for 45 seconds between each set and exercise.
Monday: Back, Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chin Up | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| 2. T-bar Machine Row | 3 | 10 |
| 3. Close Grip Pull Down | 3 | 10 |
| 4. One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 |
| 5. Barbell Curl | 3 | 10 |
| 6. Hammer Curl | 3 | 10 |
Tuesday: Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Seated Leg Curl (pre-exhaust) | 4 | 10 |
| 2. Barbell Squat | 3 | 10 |
| 3. Trap Bar Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
| 4. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
| 5. Leg Extension | 3 | 10 |
| 6. Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 20 |
| 7. Standing Machine Calf Raise | 2 | 20 |
Wednesday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Standing Military Press | 3 | 10 |
| 2. Side Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
| 3. Face Pull | 3 | 10 |
| 4. Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| 5. Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| 6. Incline Skullcrusher | 3 | 10 |
| 7. Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10 |
*Alternate between starting this workout with chest exercises and shoulder exercises every other week.
Friday: Full Body
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Deadlift | 4 | 10 |
| 2. Front Squat | 3 | 10 |
| 3. Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 |
| 4. Dips | 3 | 10 |
| 5. Inverted Row | 3 | 10 |
| 6. Push Ups | 3 | 10 |
Notes for this 4 Day Workout to Build Muscle
This workout is intended to be performed for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, take a week to deload. After you’ve finished your deload week, you can return to this program if you’re enjoying it or try something new for a mesocycle.
With the main goal for this workout being to build muscle, you’ll want to eat in a calorie surplus while performing it. Use a bmr calculator to figure out your calorie needs and add in an additional 300-500 calories to that number for a solid calorie surplus.
You’ll notice that this workout program takes the basic 3x10 approach for most of the lifts. To get the most out of this program, you will want to try to progress week to week. My recommendation would be to increase the weight you use for one set of each exercise each week.
For example: Let’s say you begin this workout program barbell squatting for 3 sets of 225, 225, 230. The next week you’ll want your sets to look like 225, 230, 230. And the following week, you’ll want to make it 230, 230, 230.
Obviously progress isn’t always linear, so don’t worry if you struggle to move up on any given week. So long as you are consistent with your workouts, you’ll see the results you want.
Weight selection is going to be highly individualized by your own strength levels. For this program, aim to use 75-85% of your working max for each set. You should finish each set feeling as though you have one rep left in the tank.
If you have any other questions regarding this workout program or try it out, please let us know in the comments section below!
82 Comments
Can I semi-beginner do this workout? Thanks
Absolutely, Brett. Hope this helps.
What if I can do 10 chin ups?
Add weight to a belt or do them slower to make them more challenging.
Hi Josh, when can I add abs into the program?
You can do this whenever you like, Niccolo. I suggest doing them after the workouts, myself. Let us know if you need ab workouts, and I will drop a couple of recommendations.
You claim the workout should take around 45 minute but how do we warmup and is that a part of the workout plan?
You can warmup with a few minutes of cardio and stretching before the workout begins. This may keep you in the gym for close to an hour from start to finish.
hi again.
I did the workout and I can say that it is very good. I have two questiona.
is there any way for not to have all the weeks with 10 reps?
if we can change the repetitions so that I can do one week strength and the other week volume?
second wuestion
in which day and how can i add power clean and power snatch ?
You can do alternate lower reps every other week if you like. If you do it, let us know how it works.
Power clean, do after military press. Snatch can be added to your full body day. Hope this helps!
hi
a)can i replace leg ext with sissy squat ?
b)can i replace the first day chinups with pullups and add chinups as a superset with pushups on friday ?
Hi, Theo. Yes to all the above.
Could the fourth day be a exercise?
Can you explain what you mean?
Yes, you can do that.
Add compound exercises such as a chest bar
Why is this not recommended for women?
Hey AH - women can do this workout as well.
Anyone tried this program? If so let. Me know what you think
Super cool, I'm gonna give that a shot, I just replaced one of the calves raises with Shrugs. Should i also replace any of these with some Abs Workout?
I'm currently reverse dieting from 1500 calories ( around 11% BF) now reached 2600 at similar levels aiming to reach 3500 calories by the end of the year.
181 cm
35 years
78 kilos
Hi Josh, can you add 4 days a week workout that include cable exercises for chest like in upper and lower split
I am confused.
Hey Mickey - Check out this workout. It may be more along the lines of what you're looking for: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/upper-lower-4-day-gym-bodybui...
Hi josh
I have a home ''gym'' and thats why I'm not able to do every exercise.
Currently I'm doing:
monday chest triceps: bench press, incline dumbell press, dumbell flys, bench dips, skull crushers and triceps rope push down
tuesday Back biceps: pull ups, barbell row, one arm dumbell row, chin ups, barbell curl and hammer curls
wednesday legs shoulders: squats, stiff legged deadlift, jumpings lunges, lex extension, military press, laterall raises, dumbell press
on friday I complete the full body workout you subcribe.
Is this oke?
I do a 5min w-up + 3 rounds of ab wheel.
All exercies go up to 3x8-10hh
Hey Edward - this sounds solid! Great job on modifying the program to fit what you have at home!
Monday: Upper Body + Abs (isolation exercises?)
Tuesday: Lower Body + Abs (isolation exercises?)
Wednesday: Cardio + Abs
Thursday: Full Body (compound exercises?)
Friday: Cardio + Abs
Saturday: Full Body (compound exercises?)
Sunday: Rest
What about this routine for muscle growth? I'm a beginner!
Hi Austin,
That split has the potential to do the trick for your goal.
You grow out of the gym, not in it. Rest and food are what builds the body (always provided you have stimulated it in the gym). Going six days a week to the gym, may work but for most I think that is a road to injury or overtraining.
And overtraining is a very real possibility as the volume prescribed here is fairly high. I went from a skinny 140 lbs to a muscular 210 lbs with a routine that had about half that volume. Been training for 25 years now...so I think I have a somewhat informed perspective on this.
What training split did you build your base around?
What does the pre exhaust mean? Like is it just a warm up or should i do them like normal sets with almost maximum effort?
Hi Leo,
Perform them like normal sets, but focus on activating the muscle used. They are sets used to activate mind-muscle connection.
hey josh,
I'm about to start this program Monday but am wondering if I can swap the Wednesday workout (chest shoulders tris) to thursday? My friends and I play basketball on Wednesdays and was hoping that would work with this program as an active rest day. Thoughts?
Appreciate it, sir.
Hi Will,
You can do that for sure, but I'd recommend moving the full body workout to Saturday if possible as well.
Couldn’t you also follow a similar split style and full body Friday’s using a chest/back superset split:
Day 1: Chest & Back
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Shoulders & Arms
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Full Body
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Hi Ryan,
Absolutely man! That'd be a pretty solid split in my opinion.
Hey Josh,
I recently started this program and am feeling great. Only question I have is will this help me lose any fat also? Trying to lose some of the fat in my gut and maybe looking to add some cardio or something to help. Thanks!
Sean
Hi Sean,
This program can be used to help aid in fat loss efforts - however, the only true way to lose fat mass is by eating a diet that puts you in a caloric deficit consistently.
Hope this helps!
Hi Josh,
I have been following this program consistently for three weeks going now and am amazed by how well thought out it is.
In my case I am managing 3x per week workout days, however I definitely feel and see the benefits.
Thanks for the great routine.
Br,
PJ
Hi PJ,
I love hearing stuff like this! Glad you're getting good use out of the program!
Keep it up!!
Hi,
I am just about to finish the program and i was wondering which routine would you recommend as NEXT STEP.
Thank you.
Hi Atanas,
I'd recommend one of these:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/10-week-mass-building-program...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/6-day-powerbuilding-split-mea...
Hope this helps!
I like the looks of this program alot, however, is it possible to make this a 5 day split instead of a 4 with another leg day and an upperbody day instead of fullbody? And how can I program this (sets)? I have been lifting for years and would say I am advanced. Ready to try a new type of split. I like training 5 days a week with weights
Day 1: Back & Biceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs (Again)
Day 6: Upper Body (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms)
Day 7: Rest
Hi Ryan,
That 5 day break down looks pretty solid to me. I've got one coming out next month that I'll be sure to link here that's a 5 day upper/lower/upper/lower/upper split. I think you'll like it. For now, what you have here looks awesome.
Cool! Should I be wary about sets? I train at a pretty high volume on a typical 5-day single muscle group bro split (chest, back, legs, rest, shoulders, arms, rest). I usually hit about 25 sets (supersets and drop sets included in that number) or more per muscle group since I train them individually. That being said though, the set up I mentioned about would new to me. For the upper day could I approach it like a 3 round circuit with 1 exercise per muscle group of exercises I didn't hit earlier in the week? And for the 2nd leg day should I focus on hamstrings or do less volume of a full leg day like the first leg day? I'm trying to work on hitting muscles more frequently. Gets confusing. Thank you for rummaging through my long messages!
Hello, does this program work with “supercompensatie” as it called in dutch. Because when you train back and biceps on monday. Wont it be to much rest before you hit the muscles again (friday). Bescause it is recommended to hit the muscle within the next 48-72 hours. And another question i have , is it possible to do one 5x5 set squad on thueseday , bech on wednesday , deathlift on friday at the beginning of the workout to put on some strenght. I like to hear wht
You think!
Hi Ruben,
There are other programs on this website that accomplish what you are speaking of:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/muscle-strength-full-body-wor...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/total-package-workout
yet I still have a question this number of reps will help to increase the volume of the Muscle?
i have been following 15 ( with heavy ) 15 ( same weight) 12 ( increase the weight )
what do you advise?
Hi Amr,
Yes, the volume listed is a good rep range to increase overall muscle size.
Hope this helps!
Big thanks.
Will start it next week
Hi Jose
Would u plz explain to me what the meanings of
Perform each rep with a 2/0/2 tempo and rest for 45 seconds between each set and exercise.
What Tempo 2/0/2
Kindly. As i am planning to adopt ur program here.
Thanks much
Hi Amy,
Perform the lowering portion (eccentric) of the exercise for 2 seconds and the raising (concentric) portion of the exercise for 2 seconds.
Hope this helps!