4 Day Workout Split: Upper/Lower Plan With Sets and Reps
A 4 day workout split that trains every muscle twice a week: full upper/lower plan with exercises, sets and reps, how to progress, alternatives and who it suits.
The best 4 day workout split for most people is upper/lower: upper body on Monday and Thursday, lower body on Tuesday and Friday. That trains every muscle twice a week with about 8 to 12 hard sets per muscle, fits in 60-minute sessions, and leaves three days for rest, walking or sport. Run it for 8 to 12 weeks before you change anything.
The full plan is below, with exercises you'll find in almost any Indian gym: barbell, dumbbells, cable stack, lat pulldown, leg press and leg curl.
Who is a 4 day split for?
- People who have done 2 to 3 months of full body training. You can squat, press, row and hinge with decent form. If you're brand new, start with the beginner gym workout plan first.
- Intermediate lifters who have stopped progressing on three days a week and want more sets per muscle without 90-minute sessions.
- Anyone with four reliable free days. Office workers often find Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday easier to protect than six days.
It suits men and women equally. The only thing that changes from person to person is the weight on the bar.
Why does upper/lower work so well?
Three pieces of evidence point the same way.
First, frequency. A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger found that, with total volume equated, training a muscle twice a week gave better growth than once a week, and concluded major muscle groups should be trained at least twice a week to maximise growth. A larger 2019 meta-analysis of 25 studies then found no significant difference between frequencies when weekly volume was the same. So two sessions a week isn't magic. It's simply an easy way to fit in enough good sets.
Second, volume. A 2017 meta-analysis on weekly sets found a graded dose-response: more weekly sets per muscle went with more growth. The American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 resistance training update puts it plainly: train all major muscle groups at least twice a week, and for muscle growth aim for around 10 sets per muscle group.
Third, the split itself doesn't matter much. In a 12-week randomised trial of 50 untrained women, a 4-day upper/lower split and a 2-day full body routine with the same exercises and the same weekly sets produced similar gains in strength and muscle. A 2024 meta-analysis of 14 studies reached the same verdict for split versus full body routines when volume was equated.
The practical takeaway: upper/lower on four days isn't better because it's "advanced". It's better for many people because four 60-minute sessions are easier to recover from, and to fit around work, than three 90-minute ones.
It also matches the American College of Sports Medicine's position stand on progression, which recommends 2 to 3 days a week for novices and 3 to 4 days for intermediate lifters (about six months of consistent training).
The weekly schedule
| Day | Session | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Upper A | Heavier: bench press, row |
| Tuesday | Lower A | Heavier: squat, Romanian deadlift |
| Wednesday | Rest | Walk 30 to 45 min, or rest fully |
| Thursday | Upper B | Moderate: incline press, pull-ups |
| Friday | Lower B | Moderate: split squats, hip thrust |
| Saturday | Rest or cardio | Easy cardio, sport, long walk |
| Sunday | Rest | Rest |
Rest 2 to 3 minutes after the first big lift each day, about 2 minutes after other compound lifts and 60 to 90 seconds after small exercises.
The full 4 day workout split
Upper A (Monday)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press (or Smith machine) | 3 | 6–8 |
| Seated cable row or barbell row | 3 | 6–10 |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 2 | 8–10 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 2 | 12–15 |
| Cable triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–12 |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 | 10–12 |
Lower A (Tuesday)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat (or Smith machine squat) | 3 | 6–8 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg press | 2 | 10–12 |
| Leg curl machine | 2 | 10–12 |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 10–15 |
| Plank | 2 | 30–45 sec |
Upper B (Thursday)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Pull-up or assisted pull-up (or lat pulldown) | 3 | 6–10 |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 8–12 |
| Machine chest press | 2 | 10–12 |
| Rear delt fly or face pull | 2 | 12–15 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 2 | 12–15 |
| Overhead cable triceps extension | 2 | 10–12 |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 10–12 |
Lower B (Friday)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian split squat (dumbbells) | 3 | 8–10 each leg |
| Hip thrust (barbell or machine) | 3 | 8–12 |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12–15 |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 3 | 10–12 |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 12–15 |
| Hanging knee raise | 2 | 10–12 |
If a machine is busy, swap like for like: Smith machine for barbell, dumbbell press for chest press, goblet squat for Bulgarian split squat. Don't stand around for ten minutes.
How many sets each muscle gets
Counting only direct working sets (warm-ups don't count):
| Muscle | Sets per week | Sessions per week |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 8 | 2 |
| Back (lats, upper back) | 12 | 2 |
| Side shoulders | 4 (plus pressing) | 2 |
| Rear shoulders | 2 (plus rows) | 1 |
| Triceps | 4 (plus pressing) | 2 |
| Biceps | 4 (plus pulling) | 2 |
| Quads | 10 | 2 |
| Hamstrings | 8 | 2 |
| Glutes | 3 (plus squats, lunges, RDLs) | 2 |
| Calves | 6 | 2 |
Arms and shoulders look low, but every press trains triceps and front shoulders and every row or pulldown trains biceps. If you want bigger arms, add one set to each arm exercise after a month. For a deeper look at set and rep ranges, see how many sets and reps build muscle.
How to progress on a 4 day split
Use double progression. It's simple and it works:
- Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range with 2 to 3 reps still in the tank.
- Each week, try to add a rep or two.
- When you hit the top of the range on every set with good form, add weight next session and drop back to the bottom of the range.
The ACSM position stand recommends a 2 to 10% increase in load once you can do one or two reps more than your target. Hypothetical example: you bench 50 kg for 3 × 8. Add 2.5 kg (a 1.25 kg plate each side) and you're at 52.5 kg, a 5% jump. Dumbbells jump in bigger steps (12.5 kg to 15 kg is 20%), so expect reps to drop for a week or two.
For the heavier first lift of Upper A and Lower A, the one rep max calculator can turn a set of 6 to 8 into a rough 1RM so you can plan loads. Don't test a true max for this plan; you don't need one.
A sensible 8-week rhythm:
| Weeks | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Find your working weights. Leave 3 reps in the tank on every set |
| 3–6 | Add reps, then weight. Leave 1–2 reps in the tank |
| 7 | Push the last set of each exercise close to failure on safe machines |
| 8 | Easy week: half the sets, same weights, then restart at week 3 |
Write every session down, in a notebook or your phone. If the numbers don't move for three weeks, look at sleep and food before you blame the plan.
Alternatives if upper/lower doesn't fit
| Split | Typical week | Each muscle trained | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper/lower (this plan) | Upper, Lower, rest, Upper, Lower | 2× a week | Most people |
| Full body ×4 | Four shorter full body sessions | 4× a week, fewer sets each | People who like variety and short sessions |
| PPL + upper | Push, Pull, Legs, Upper | Upper 2×, legs 1× | Push pull legs fans; see the push pull legs split |
| 4-day "bro split" | Chest/triceps, Back/biceps, Legs, Shoulders | 1× a week | Not recommended for growth; frequency is low |
If you can only manage three days some weeks, run Upper A, Lower A, then a full body day using the first two exercises from Upper B and Lower B. Next week, start where you left off.
Rest days and cardio
The three days off are part of the plan, not a gap in it. How much rest you need depends on your sleep, job and age; our guide on how many rest days you need covers it in detail.
Cardio fits easily. The WHO 2020 guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days. This plan covers strength four times over. For the cardio, three or four 30 to 45 minute brisk walks or easy cycle sessions will do it. Keep hard intervals away from the day before a lower session, or your squats will suffer.
Food: the part people skip
You won't build much muscle on four days of training and too little food. Most people gaining muscle do best with enough protein spread across meals and a small calorie surplus. Work out your daily target with the protein calculator, and get protein at every meal: dal, paneer, curd, eggs, chicken, soya, chana.
Safety
- Learn the barbell lifts with a trainer before going heavy. Use safety bars on squats and bench, or ask for a spot.
- Stop a set if form breaks down. Stop the session for sharp or joint pain, chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.
- If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, a back or joint problem, are pregnant, or are under 18, check with your doctor and train with a qualified coach.
The short version
- Train upper, lower, rest, upper, lower, then rest the weekend
- Every muscle gets two sessions and roughly 8 to 12 hard sets a week
- Leave 1 to 3 reps in the tank on most sets
- Add reps first, then 2 to 10% more weight
- Take an easy week every 6 to 8 weeks or when you stall
- Walk or do easy cardio on rest days
- Eat enough protein and enough food overall
This is general information, not medical advice.
Useful links
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2016), training frequency and hypertrophy
- Schoenfeld, Grgic and Krieger (2019), frequency meta-analysis of 25 studies
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017), weekly volume and muscle mass
- Split-body vs full-body training in untrained women (2022)
- Ramos-Campo et al. (2024), split vs full-body meta-analysis
- ACSM (2009), progression models in resistance training
- ACSM (2026), resistance training guidelines update
- WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity (Bull et al.)
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4 day workout split good for beginners?
It's a good second step. In your first two to three months, three full body sessions a week are simpler. Once you know the basic lifts and want more sets per muscle, an upper/lower split on four days is the natural upgrade.
Is 4 days a week enough to build muscle?
Yes. Four sessions of upper/lower training give each muscle two sessions and roughly 8 to 12 hard sets a week, which is in the range that research and the American College of Sports Medicine link with muscle growth. Food, sleep and steady progression matter as much as the number of days.
Which days should I train on a 4 day split?
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday works for most people, because you get a rest day in the middle and a free weekend. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday is fine too. Try not to train the same half of the body on back-to-back days.
Can I add cardio to a 4 day upper/lower split?
Yes. Do easy cardio after upper days or on rest days, and keep hard intervals away from the day before a lower session. The WHO suggests 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, and brisk walks count.