What is the 4 Day Split?
The 4-day split is a workout plan that involves four weekly gym sessions, each targeting a specific set of muscles. It tries to maximize exertion on the target muscle groups while allowing other muscles to recover on days when they aren’t being used.
(It’s also worth checking out the 2-day or 3-day workout split if having only two or three workouts per week fits your schedule better, or our 5-day workout split if you prefer more frequent training.)
In this article, we’ll break down common variations of the 4-day split workout, including sample routines. We’ll also help you figure out if the 4-day split is a good fit for your workout routine.
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Popular 4-Day Split Variations
Upper/Lower
The upper/lower 4-day split divides the four workout sessions into two days of upper-body training and two days of lower-body training. Working out half your body each session means you’ll be training a wide range of muscle groups.
The idea is to exert one half of your body while the other half rests. Remember, rest days are just as important as gym days. Another key benefit is that you’ll train each muscle group twice a week, which has been shown to result in significantly greater muscle growth compared to working each muscle group just once a week (see the bro split).
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| Upper 1 | Lower 1 | Upper 2 | Lower 2 |
| Bench Press (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps | Squat (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps | Pull Up – 3 sets, 5-10 reps | Leg Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Bent Over Row (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps | Glute Ham Raise – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps | Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps |
| Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Lunge (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-15 reps (per leg) | Seated Shoulder Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Leg Extension (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Lying Leg Curl (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Straight Arm Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 10-15 reps | Seated Calf Raise – 4 sets, 12-20 reps |
| Low Cable Fly Crossovers – 2 sets, 12-15 reps | Standing Calf Raise (Smith) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Push Up – 2 sets, 10-20 reps | Cable Crunch – 4 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) – 2 sets, 12-15 reps | EZ Bar Biceps Curl – 3 sets, 10-15 reps | ||
| Triceps Extension (Dumbbell) – 2 sets, 12-15 reps | Triceps Kickback (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | ||
| Face Pull – 2 sets, 15-25 reps |
Push/Pull/Legs
Push/pull/legs is similar to the upper/lower split and offers many of the same benefits.
Push days include exercises where you’re pushing (like the bench press) and generally target the muscles in the front of your body. Pull days include exercises that involve pulling (such as pull-ups and rows) and generally target the back of the body. Leg days are just that – days where you train the muscles below the waist.
Push Day Muscle Groups: Chest, shoulders, and triceps
Pull Day Muscle Groups: Entire back, biceps, and obliques
Leg Day Muscle Groups: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, and calves
The biggest benefit of a push/pull/legs split is that you’re able to maximize weekly set count for all your major muscle groups because you’re working them out twice a week. There is a lot of research that shows targeting the same muscle group multiple times per week is optimal for muscle recovery.
Here is a 3-day push/pull/legs split:
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| Push | Pull | Legs |
| Bench Press (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps | Bent Over Row (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps | Squat (Barbell) – 3 sets, 6-10 reps |
| Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 8-12 reps | Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps |
| Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Seated Cable Row – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Leg Extension (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Cable Fly Crossover – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Shrug (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Seated Leg Curl (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Bicep Curl (Barbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Seated Calf Raise – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Tricep Rope Pushdown – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Hammer Curl (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Cable Crunch – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
| Face Pull – 3 sets, 15-20 reps | Lying Leg Raise – 3 sets, 15-20 reps |
This is a 3-day split, but we can schedule it so that we train four times a week. Here’s one example:
Week 1:
- Monday – Push
- Tuesday – Pull
- Wednesday – off
- Thursday – Legs
- Friday – off
- Saturday – Push
- Sunday – off
Week 2:
- Monday – Pull
- Tuesday – off
- Wednesday – Legs
- Thursday – Push
- Friday – off
- Saturday – Pull
- Sunday – off
Week 3:
- Monday – Legs
- Tuesday – off
- Wednesday – Push
- Thursday – Pull
- Friday – off
- Saturday – Legs
- Sunday – off
Repeat.
Looking for more push/pull/legs split ideas? Download the Hevy app, open the routine library (Workout tab > Explore), and browse 25+ training plans for all levels. See each program’s details and save the ones you like to your profile to use anytime.
Classic Bodybuilder Bro Split
The classic bodybuilder split (sometimes called the bro split) is the meat and potatoes of four-day splits. It involves training a specific isolated muscle group in each workout. It generally splits the sessions into the back, chest, arms, and legs (quads, hamstrings, outer/inner thighs).
It allows you to focus entirely on a small set of muscles per session and gives a full week of recovery for each muscle group. A major benefit of focusing on a single muscle group per session is that you can give priority to weaker muscle groups.
In recent years, a lot of research has been done that calls into question the effectiveness of working out a single muscle per workout. Regardless of the controversy, the classic bodybuilder split is a tried-and-true method that countless extremely successful lifters swear by for results.
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| Chest and Shoulders | Back | Legs | Arms and Abs |
| Bench Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Pendlay Row (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps | Squat (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps | EZ Bar Biceps Curl – 3 sets, 8-10 reps |
| Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Bench Press – Close Grip (Barbell) – 3 sets, 8-10 reps |
| Incline Chest Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Dumbbell Row – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Leg Press (Machine) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Hammer Curl (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10 – 12 reps |
| Shrug (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 10-12 reps | Seated Cable Row – V Grip (Cable) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Lying Leg Curl (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Triceps Pushdown – 3 sets, 10-12 reps |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Leg Extension (Machine) – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Preacher Curl (Machine) – 2 sets, 12-15 reps | |
| Cable Fly Crossovers – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | Standing Calf Raise (Machine) – 3 sets, 15-20 reps | Triceps Extension (Dumbbell) – 2 sets, 12-15 reps | |
| Cable Crunch – 3 sets, 12-15 reps | |||
| Cable Core Palloff Press – 3 sets, 12-15 reps |
Is a 4 Day Split Workout For Me?
Working out 4 days a week gives you plenty of time in the gym to build a balanced routine that engages all parts of the body. It plays especially well with upper/lower and push/pull/leg type splits because it gives you a balanced two days for each variation.
It also gives you a good balance of exertion versus rest days, which is important for avoiding overtraining.
In a 4-day split, you can get away with shorter sessions than you can in the 3-day split, just because you have that extra day to train. Shorter sessions mean you can focus more on quality sets, which is impossible if you’re trying to cram too much stuff into a single workout.
Looking for 4-day split ideas? Hevy’s routine library has multiple options for beginners, intermediate-level lifters, and advanced trainees.
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Conclusion
Using a four-day split is a great way to get results and bring your workout routine to the next level. Whether you choose an upper/lower, push/pull/legs, or classic bodybuilder split, the most important thing for results is consistency.
Pick a plan that you enjoy, and don’t be afraid to switch it up after a while if you start getting bored. If you feel like tracking your workouts, be sure to check out Hevy.
2 thoughts on “4 Day Workout Split – The Complete Guide 2025”
Nice post! Been using this routine for a while now and enjoying it so far!
I was wondering, shouldn’t an exercise be added in that has a focus on the lower pecs?
Hey Matt! Yes absolutely, you could add a Decline Bench Press to target the lower chest, or some Cable Chest flies. Best of luck with your training!