The plan
Four days is enough to train every muscle twice a week with sessions under an hour. Pick your layout first:
| Layout | Week | Each muscle | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper / lower | Upper, lower, rest, upper, lower | 2× a week | Strength and size, simple to run |
| Push, pull, legs + full body | Push, pull, rest, legs, rest, full body | 2× a week | People who like PPL but only have 4 days |
| Body-part | Chest and triceps, back and biceps, legs, shoulders and arms | 1× a week | Long sessions per muscle, more experienced lifters |
Upper / lower has its own guide: the upper lower split. Below is the full plan for the second layout. A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies found split and full-body training gave similar strength and muscle gains when total sets were equal, so this mix works as well as either one alone.
| Day | Session | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | 55 min |
| Tuesday | Pull | 55 min |
| Wednesday | Rest | – |
| Thursday | Legs | 60 min |
| Friday | Rest | – |
| Saturday | Full body | 60 min |
| Sunday | Rest | – |
Monday: Push
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 × 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Cable lateral raise | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Triceps rope pushdown | 3 × 10–12 | 60 sec |
Tuesday: Pull
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 4 × 6–10 | 2 min |
| Barbell row | 3 × 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| Seated cable row | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Cable face pull | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Dumbbell curl | 3 × 10–12 | 60 sec |
Thursday: Legs
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 4 × 5–8 | 3 min |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8–10 | 2–3 min |
| Walking lunge | 3 × 10 per leg | 90 sec |
| Lying leg curl | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec |
| Standing calf raise | 4 × 10–15 | 60 sec |
Saturday: Full body
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Leg press | 3 × 10–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 × 8–12 | 90 sec |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 × 10 per arm | 90 sec |
| Hip thrust | 3 × 8–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 2 × 12–15 | 60 sec |
| Hammer curl + overhead triceps extension | 2 × 12 each | 60 sec |
| Hanging knee raise | 3 × 10–15 | 60 sec |
Count it up: chest, back, quads and glutes get about 10 to 13 hard sets a week. That meets the floor of 10 weekly sets in the 2026 ACSM position stand. If you have time, add a set to the moves for the muscles you most want to grow. In a 2017 meta-analysis, each extra weekly set went with about 0.37% more gain.
Get this week built for your gym.
Plan your workout
How to pick the weight and reps
- First lift of each day (5–8 reps). Pick a weight you could lift 1 or 2 more times. Rest 2 to 3 minutes. This is your strength work: the 2026 ACSM position stand calls for heavy sets early in the session, at least twice a week, and this plan gives you bench and squat once each plus Saturday's presses and leg press.
- Everything else (8–15 reps). Pick a weight you could lift 2 or 3 more times. Rest 60 to 90 seconds.
- Move up at the top of the range. All sets at the top? Add 5 lb (2 kg) on upper-body lifts or 5 to 10 lb (2–5 kg) on lower-body lifts.
- Saturday is not a test day. Use about the same effort as the other days. It's the second session for every muscle, not a max-out.
Example: dumbbell bench press on Saturday with 50 lb (23 kg) dumbbells for 3 × 12. Next Saturday take the 55 lb (25 kg) pair and aim for 3 × 9 or 10.
Swaps that keep the week on track
| If you planned | Swap to | When |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | Dumbbell or machine chest press | Bench is taken |
| Barbell back squat | Leg press or goblet squat | No rack open, or squats don't feel right |
| Barbell row | Chest-supported dumbbell row | Lower back tired |
| Pull-up | Lat pulldown | Fewer than 6 clean reps |
| Walking lunge | Bulgarian split squat or step-up | No room to walk |
| Hip thrust | Glute bridge | No bench |
| Saturday full body | Move it to Sunday | Saturday plans come up |
Keep sets and reps the same after the swap. If a move doesn't feel right, use the swap rather than pushing through.
How Nuvela fits four days
Tell Nuvela your goal, experience, where you train, which days and how many minutes, and it builds a four-day week to match. It sets every weight and adjusts it as you log. Can't get to the cable you need? Swap the move in one tap. Every move comes with a video. Want a cardio or yoga session on a rest day? Strength, cardio and yoga can all go in one weekly plan, and yoga sessions run 15 to 60 minutes. Build your week to see yours.
Like the push, pull and legs days and want two of each? Read the push pull legs guide.
Training at home? The dumbbell workout plan builds a week with one pair, and how long should a workout be shows how to fit four days into a busy schedule.
Common questions
What is the best 4 day workout split?
For most people, upper / lower or push, pull, legs plus full body. Both train every muscle twice a week. When total sets are equal, split and full-body routines give similar results, so pick the one that fits your schedule.
Is a 4 day workout split good for building muscle?
Yes. Four days gives each muscle two sessions and roughly 10 to 13 hard sets a week, enough for steady growth. Add sets slowly if you plateau.
Which days should I train on a 4 day split?
Avoid four days in a row if you can. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, or Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, both leave rest between the hard days.
Is a 4 day split good for beginners?
It can be, but three full-body days are easier to recover from at the start. Move to four days when your three-day sessions get too long.
Sources
- Efficacy of Split Versus Full-Body Resistance Training on Strength and Muscle Growth: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2024). 14 studies, 392 participants: split and full-body routines gave similar strength and muscle gains when volume was equal.
- Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass, Journal of Sports Sciences (2017). 15 studies: each extra weekly set went with about 0.37% more muscle growth.
- Effect of Resistance Training Frequency on Gains in Muscular Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Sports Medicine (2018). 22 studies: effect sizes rose from 0.74 at once a week to 1.08 at 4 or more times; with weekly volume equal, frequency had no significant effect.
- ACSM Position Stand, Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2026). At least 10 sets per muscle per week for growth; for strength, loads of 80% of 1RM or more, 2 to 3 sets, at least twice a week.
Related guides
- How Long Should a Workout Be? 30, 45 or 60 Min
- Push Pull Legs: 6-Day PPL Plan With Sets and Reps
- Upper Lower Split: 4-Day Plan With Sets and Reps
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