The Best 4-Day Workout Split Based on Science

Maximize Muscle Growth, Recovery & Efficiency

If you’re serious about building muscle, increasing strength, and optimizing your training around your life — a 4-day workout split offers the perfect balance. It provides enough frequency for muscle growth (hypertrophy), ample recovery time, and is backed by science as one of the most efficient weekly splits for natural lifters.

In this post, we’ll break down:

• Why 4 days is the sweet spot for many
• The best science-backed 4-day workout splits
• Sample programs and how to choose the right one for your goal

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Why 4 Days a Week Is Ideal

According to several strength and hypertrophy studies (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), training each major muscle group twice per week offers superior results for muscle growth compared to once per week. With 4 days, you can:

• Hit all major muscle groups 2x per week
• Maintain training intensity and energy
• Recover well between sessions (especially if natural/lifetime drug-free)
• Avoid burnout while still making weekly gains

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The Science: Frequency, Volume, and Intensity

• Frequency: 2x/week per muscle group improves hypertrophy
• Volume: 10–20 working sets per muscle group per week is ideal
• Intensity: Working close to failure (1–2 reps left in the tank) is key
• Rest: Muscles need 48–72 hours to recover fully from hard sets

Schoenfeld, BJ. (2016). “Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy.” J Strength Cond Res.

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Best Science-Backed 4-Day Workout Splits

1. Upper/Lower x 2

Split:

• Monday: Upper Body (Push & Pull)
• Tuesday: Lower Body
• Thursday: Upper Body (Push & Pull)
• Friday: Lower Body

Why it works:

• Perfect balance of frequency and volume
• Each muscle trained twice per week
• Easy to recover from, ideal for hypertrophy and strength
• Great for beginners to intermediates

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2. Push/Pull/Upper/Lower

Split:

• Monday: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
• Tuesday: Pull (Back, Biceps)
• Thursday: Upper Body (Mixed)
• Friday: Lower Body

Why it works:

• Hits major muscles multiple times with varied intensity
• Allows for more exercise variety (compound + isolation)
• Helps avoid plateaus due to movement variation
• Great for people bored with traditional push/pull

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3. Arnold Split (Chest+Back / Legs / Shoulders+Arms / Legs)

Split:

• Monday: Chest & Back
• Tuesday: Legs
• Thursday: Shoulders & Arms
• Friday: Legs (again)

Why it works:

• High volume, great for growth
• Targets each muscle group intensely
• Legs trained 2x — useful for symmetry and lower body development
• Better suited for intermediate lifters with good recovery

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4. Full Body + Upper/Lower Hybrid

Split:

• Monday: Full Body (Heavy Compounds)
• Wednesday: Upper (Volume-focused)
• Friday: Lower (Strength-focused)
• Saturday: Full Body (Accessory-focused)

Why it works:

• Allows heavy lifts + accessories in a single week
• Great for lifters who like variety and full-body work
• Trains movement patterns, not just muscles (more functional)
• Good for athletes or lean bulking

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Sample 4-Day Upper/Lower Split (Hypertrophy Focused)

Day 1 – Upper Body (Heavy Push/Pull)

• Bench Press – 4×6
• Barbell Row – 4×8
• Overhead Press – 3×8
• Lat Pulldown – 3×10
• Skull Crushers – 3×12
• Barbell Curl – 3×12

Day 2 – Lower Body (Heavy)

• Back Squats – 4×6
• Romanian Deadlifts – 4×8
• Walking Lunges – 3×12
• Leg Press – 3×10
• Standing Calf Raises – 3×15

Day 3 – Upper Body (Volume & Isolation)

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 4×10
• Cable Rows – 4×12
• Lateral Raises – 3×15
• Dumbbell Flys – 3×12
• Hammer Curls – 3×12
• Rope Pushdowns – 3×15

Day 4 – Lower Body (Volume & Isolation)

• Front Squats – 4×8
• Hip Thrusts – 4×10
• Leg Curls – 3×15
• Bulgarian Split Squats – 3×12
• Seated Calf Raises – 4×20

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How to Pick the Right Split for You

Your Goal	Best Split
Build size, recover well	Upper/Lower x 2
More variation, balance	Push/Pull/Upper/Lower
Aesthetic symmetry + high volume	Arnold Split
Overall conditioning + strength	Hybrid Full Body Split

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Tips to Maximize Your 4-Day Split

• Track progressive overload (more weight or reps weekly)
• Maintain perfect form — especially under fatigue
• Eat enough protein (1.6–2.2g/kg) and calories to grow
• Sleep at least 7–8 hours a night
• Rest 1–2 minutes between hypertrophy sets; up to 3 for compound lifts

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Final Thoughts

The 4-day split is one of the most efficient and sustainable training methods for lifters of all levels. It balances science-backed training frequency with flexibility, ensuring optimal muscle growth, recovery, and long-term consistency.