RWT’s 4 Day Split Bodybuilding Workout!
This is a weight training program I designed for people looking to build lean muscle. I have used (and still do) this split with excellent results!
Read this first:
Before you jump into the workout below I want to cover a few points that will help you get the most out of the workout.
- Get your technique right on every exercise. Swinging heavy weights around is not the way to build muscle. You must control the weight and focus on contraction. Remember, you’re not in the gym to lift the heaviest weights, you’re in there to build muscle.
- This workout should take about 45-55mins, not including warm up time. If you’re taking longer than that you’re resting too long. You should aim to keep your workouts short and intense for maximum results.
- You’ve got to have the nutrition to back this up. If you’re not eating enough calories, you won’t grow. It’s a simple as that.
- Supplements are also an important part of growing muscle. Post workout is the MOST important time of the day nutrition wise. I suggest you have a shake consisting of 35-40g of whey protein isolate, 60-70g of dextrose (or high GI carbs supplement), 5g of creatine and 5g of glutamine.
- To prevent injuries, you should start each workout with a 5-10min warm up and light stretches of the muscle group you’re about to work.
4 Day Muscle Building Workout
Monday – Chest/Biceps/Forearms
To kick off the week we’re going to hit chest, biceps and forearms. It’s a good idea to switch the first 2 exercises in this routine (dumbbell bench and barbell bench) each week to promote good upper chest development.
- Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8
- Incline Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 8
- Dips – 4 sets of MAX
- Cable Crossovers – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curl (alternating) – 4 sets of 12, 10, 10, 8
- Rope Cable Curl – 3 sets of 10
- Preacher Curl – 3 sets of 10
- EZ Bar Reverse Curl – 3 sets of 10
- Wrist Curl – 3 sets of 12
Tuesday – Legs/Abs
Heavy leg training is a MUST build your quads, hams and glutes. Squats you should be lifting as heavy as possible! Deadlifts should be done with slow rep timing, focusing on the stretch and contraction of the hamstring.
- Squats – 5 sets of 12, 12, 10, 10, 8
- Stiff Leg Deadlift (AKA Romanian Deadlift) – 4 sets of 12
- Leg Press OR Leg Extensions – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Leg Curl – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Swiss Ball Crunch – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Hover – 3 sets for MAX time
Thursday – Shoulders/Traps/Triceps
A few notes for this day. First, shrugs need to be slow with a pause for 3 seconds at the top of the movement. Second, tricep kickbacks need to be done with ultra-strict form with a 2 second pause at the top of the movement. Never leg your elbows drop below your shoulders!
- Seated Barbell Press – 4 sets of 8
- Dumbbell OR Cable Front Raise – 4 sets of 12
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 4 sets of 10
- Cable Reverse Fly – 4 sets of 12
- Dumbbell Shrug – 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 10
- Lying Dumbbell Extension – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Cable Tricep Extension (using rope) – 3 sets of 10
- Dumbbell Kickbacks – 3 sets of 12
Friday – Back/Calves/Abs
Back, calves and abs today. You’ll see I have wide grip pullups as the first exercise. These are THE KING of all back exercises and you should always kick off your back day with them. If you can’t do pullups, replace the exercise with lat pull downs and work up to it.
- Wide Grip Pullups – 4 sets of MAX reps
- Cable Row – 4 sets of 10 reps
- One Arm Dumbbell Row – 4 sets of 8 reps
- Close Grip Pulldown – 4 sets of 12 reps
- Standing Calf Raise – 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 8
- Seated Calf Raise – 5 sets of 10, 10, 8, 8, 6
- Decline Sit Up – 3 sets of 20
- Floor Crunch – 3 sets of 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise – 3 sets of 15 reps
If you’ve got any comments or questions about this workout routine feel free to post them below.
133 Comments
Is this only for men who want to get bigger? What about if the want to stay lean?
Hi Janine,
Yes, this workout is designed for muscle growth.
If you want to stay lean you should focus more on cardio. Do cardio and weight training 3 times per week. Do about 40mins of weight training, followed by around 30 mins of medium intensity cardio.
Good luck!
Just a quick question, what rest time should you have.
It’s very hard to complete all these exercises in under an hour.
Also when you have a number of reps there, is that the rep you should fail on? (Trying to get an idea of how heavy)
Cheers
Hi Russell,
This is a hypertrophy workout, so your rest should be about 1-1.5mins between sets. With that amount of rest you should be able to get the routine in < 1hour.
You should aim for a weight that you can just complete the desired sets with good technique. If you find you could punch out a few more reps, up the weight. If you can’t complete the set without swinging the weight or fail all together, drop the weight slightly.
Thanks Jeff for your really quick answers,
One more question, should your weights be increase per set or staying the same?
If you can increase the weight with the lower number of reps, do it. But if not, that’s OK to.
Good luck!
How long would you recommend this workout for? Is any cardio after this bad as i am trying to lean up also? how about deadlifts on back day?
@Jimmy:
Do the workout until you either stop gaining weight or stop getting stronger, then you can think about switching things up. You can add deads on back day if it suits you.
hi jeff
how many cardio sessions should i do with this program cause i want to get big and not to lose weight
@Ash – if you wanna gain weight, don’t do any cardio. If you find yourself gaining to much excess fat, drop your calories a bit and add a couple of light 20 min session of cardio in
How important is the order of the exercises? I try to do them in the order listed, but sometimes the equipment is not available.
Eric – it’s best to try and do them in order, but it’s not essential if there’s no equipment available
hey, jeff
I have a question, one if i do stairs, the machine for about 30 minutes woulf that cover it. and my other questions is does this workout include compound exerciese
thanks man
Cover it? I am assuming you’re talking about leg workout? If that’s the case, then no. You need to keep overloading your muscles to achieve growth.
In answer to your second question, yes, a compound exercise is one that involves 2 joints and there are plenty of them in the workout above.
Good luck
Yo thank you very much, when i talk about the stairs machine, I was talking about cardio. Thank you, very nice webstie.
Jeff-
What are your thoughts on the appropriate timing to perform cardio training. I’m following this split workout, with all my sessions in the late afternoon/early evening after work. Would you recommend cardio on those days at all or on any/all of the non-lifting days?
Thanks!
BigC – What’s you goal?
For weight loss, early morning before breakfast and straight after your workout (before you post workout shake to).
Jeff-
Thanks for your response. My goal is to increase muscle mass and strength, foremost. I’d like to do some cardio work just for general health benefits, no specific training target. Shedding a few pounds of fat would be a bonus, but I wouldn’t consider myself fat.
Thanks!
OK, if that’s the case then anytime is fine as long as it’s not right before your workout (ie using your workout energy).
Good luck!
hey jeff, this is great for a work out and everything but what if you don’t have the equipment to do those how could you do a work out if you have no equipment and you want to build muscle?
thanks
@Andrew – You could do push ups, sit ups, dips, pull ups etc but in order to grow you need to keep challenging your muscles and there’s only so far you can go with body weight alone
Hey JEff, I’m tryign to lose fat, put on lean muscles and get stronger. I like my weight i just need to get stronger, build my upper body and lose the excess belly fat. This program looks good. What would I need to add to it to achieve all my goals? About nutrition?
I wanted to know exactly what is good for someone that weighs around 270lbs 6’2ft and is just starting to take Whey Protien and Fish Oil thats gives me around 900mg with 645 epa and around 300 dhp. If this is a good please tell me. Also if you have any other advice on cheaper and better supplements that would be great.
Use the workout above combined with light daily cardio
The workout looks great! I have just one question…my goal is to gain weight/mass because I am 6’1 and only 170lbs. I am trying to eat as much as possible to gain weight. Concerning the workout, I thought in order to gain mass or bulk, you do low sets of 8, 6, or 4. Is this right? For example, the squats have 12 reps and deadlifts.. Thanks!!
Hi Ty, no that’s not correct at all. Lower reps are used for training for pure strength. Numerous studies have shown that the best rep range for hyertrophy (muscle growth) is between 8-12. Bigger muscle groups often respond better sligter higher reps, that’s why deadlifts and squats are at 12 reps.
Good luck.
Hey Jeff, thanks for the 4 day split. I was wondering if you could give me a suggestion on which muscle group is to be avoided working the day after for each muscle? and which could be work the same day? Thanks.
Hey Jeff, routine looks great, but isn’t there too many bicep exercises? I’m trying to pack on 10-15 pounds of lean mass, been working out for about 2 years, and seen decent gains. I’m looking for a new routine to get on as I’ve been doing my current one for about 12 weeks now. Again, I was told that the maximum amount of isolated bicep exercises per week is 6 sets (2 exercises) and then one forearm (3 sets) totally nine for bicep day. And for triceps, I was told not to exceed 9 reps?
And also, sorry to post again, what about a Barbell Row on back day?
Hi Anthony…
Whatever works for you. There is no set number of sets and reps you “should” do, it varies from person. I’ve been the best results with 8-11 sets on biceps and 10-12 on triceps. You can adjust the volume depending on whether you grow or not on each method. If you’ve been growing well on 6, stick to that.
You can replace cable row with barbell row on back day if you want.
Good luck!
Hi Jeff,
I don’t know exactly how to perform all of these exercises with correct form, is there anywhere on your website that lists this?
Yes, there is a database with 600 exercises all with videos:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/main.html
Excellent – thanks for the quick response.
Hi Jeff,
i was training weights for past 6 months..and i had a steady progress within this month..can u plz tell me whether a beginner like me can follow the hypertrophy workout..
hey i like this workout ,but you don’t this wokout would be overtraining my biceps do you??
Hey Travis…
What makes you say that? You’re only hitting the biceps with 3 exercises. The reverse curls hit them yeah, but it’s mainly a forearm exercise, your forearms will fail first
Hi Jeff
lol i was just wondering.i always worry about overtraining whenever i start a new workout.i been doing this workout for two weeks now,i really like it.
Do you think it will help increase my bench press,im trying get my bench up to 320 ,but i also want to gain size to.
I just completed day one of the bodybuilding workout and it was excellent. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s legs and ab exercises but I don’t know what “Hover” is. I looked on the excercise database you listed above but I didn’t see it there. By the way that website is outstanding.
Thanks again.
Hey Norm…It’s also known as a “plank”. Here’s the video:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/hover.html
Jeff,
Thanks for the info.
Man this workout is no joke. I thought I was in shape but this workout has exposed some weaknesses. It has motivated me to get back to work. Thanks for the program and the info. I will keep you informed of my progress.
is this workout for someone that a beginner i have just join a gym last friday i have been doing a 5day workout plan but i am doing things all wrongs like mon i do 20minutes on the treadmill tues 20min on the treadmill wed 20min on the treadmill thru 20min on the tredmill fri 20min on the treadmill and that my workout plan for the weak and i feel that not good because i am a skinny man that not gain any muscles so what your advice for me
I just started the workout. I am in the military, and cardio is essential. My goal is to cut fat, but also build a more solid physique. I can run 2 miles in 13:35 currently, and I can do 70 pushups in 2 minutes and 100 situps in 2 minutes. Im a fat guy, well have a belly on me. I weigh 215, and dont know my boyd fat but I have what I would consider really large uncut chest. I want to chise it down, and all the pushups in the world do not work lol. I altered the workout reps just a bit to 15, 15, 12, 10 for chest days. I want to gain some lean muscle and lose the bodyweight. I overtrain my cardio, at the end of my workouts and an additional 2 days a week. I rink protein shakes before and after, and I take black powder pre workout mix. Lets see where this takes me. Any advice, because I am trying to pulloff the impossible by cutting down body fat, running faster and faster, and building bigger arms and making my chest more cut/tighter. This realy is impossible for guy like me who is not genetically gifted. What do you all think? Any other advice?
While doing these workouts for a couple weeks will I hit a platue?
Should take a bit longer than a few weeks…try it and find out
I’m 45yrs old and just getting back into it. I’m old school with a 4 day work out.
M & TH – Chest,shoulder, triceps. Tues & Fri – legs,back, biceps. 3 exercises for large muscles (chest,back, legs) 2 exercises for small muscles (biceps / triceps etc). Basically same sets and reps as you suggest. Is this the new better theory..more exercises per body part, but train it only once week?
Yes, that’s the ol school way of doing things
You’re better off hitting your muscles with higher intensity once a week an giving them plenty of recovery time
Ok, I’ve got my training program down, my post workout shake & meal plans (I think).
My question now is I want to start morning cardio. Not much, 20-30 mins 4- 5 days a week. I don’t want to burn muscle. Do I eat before or after and what do I eat? I know there are several schools of though on this, but what’s your take?
Can program like these help lose weight? I’ve lost about 70 lbs in about 7 months but I still have a belly but I’m trying to add massive muscle now. Will programs like these get rid of my belly providing I do cardio at least 3 x a week?
If I want big arms, big chest and big legs will this do it because I’ve been doing this workout for about almost 4 months and im getting more ripped but I want more bulkyness and defined muscles just bodybuilder status what do you suggest?
Thanks for the programme,i’m starting tomorrow.
I usually go Mon-Fri and do a bit of everything each day.
This seems like I could be much better.
1 question though…if for example I complete 3 full sets of an exercise at the reps you suggest,what do I do next time ?
Do I raise the weight,raise the reps,or stay on the same ?
I’m looking to bulk.
Thanks.
Hi Jeff, my biceps and forearms are my weakest part, and i really struggle to get them to grow. I have read it is ok to train biceps twice a week as they recover faster then bigger muscle groups like chest. If this is true, what other day on your program would you recommend training biceps again? I was thinking on the back day as you hit biceps a bit when doing back exercises. Cheers.
Yo this program looks like just wat i need! thanks for the great set up!
I really want to workout on the weekends though also, do u know of anything i could do then that wouldnt interfere with this 4 day play?
What is the proper starting wieght for most programs?
hi jeff,
i am pretty short and skinny sizing abt 5’4″ over my unchangeable wgt of 120 lbs which i have been forced to preserve due to my lack of knowledge on muscle growth. i worked out a lot when i was around 12- 15 yr old jogging abt 4 miles a day, everyday that followed martial arts training and extended soccer practice, all during the span of one single day for four years straight until i stepped high school and completely stopped working out since then. Now, at 25, i still see my muscles are well defined and in shape. However, it’s size is what bothers me. When dressed up, i really look and feel like skinny little guy on the block. And, it’s hard to be well matured in the brain but like a kid in that Armani Suit. I have noticed so much confusion in people’s faces when they try to relate by body and my age, not to mention the type of conversation i lead. i wish there was a way out of this weird phenomenon…. or is there?!?..
Thanks,
Ben
Hey,
I have been lifting (seriously) for about 2 years now. I’ve been doing a 3 day split for about the last 10 months… this consists low volume and high intensisty. I change routine every 8 weeks.
Ive built a lot of muscle doing this (currenlty 208lbs and 6’1″ about 12% BF) but I have been hitting platteus left right and centre for a couple of months now and was wondering if you would recomend this plan for a fairly experienced lifter like me?
Also, is there any reason why you dont have a normal deadlift in your plan? I know you have SLDL but that is mainly for the hams isnt it? Just curious because I have seen some great gains by adding the deadlift into my plan, although I dont think it would do any harm to have a break from it if need be.
Thanks
Leon
Hey Jeff, good workout
On the Incline Dumbell curls, the 12 reps, is it 12 per arm, or 12 total?
Also, is it normal to drop your lifting weight by almost a third on this program? I’ve gone from a 4-6 rep 2 set, 3 excercise program to this and it’s killing me.
Jeff,
Great workout! I’ve been using it for some time now. I have always been a big fan of changing my plan every couple of months….any chance you will throw out a new 4 day plan?????
hi just wanted to know your take on supplements right now taking 1 protein shake after each workout not tryin to be body builder just lose fat and gain lean muscle
You should also look into creatine supplements, creatine monohydrate to be specific. Also a good daily multivitamin. Any finally, I recommend Scivation extend during training whether you’re trying to lose or gain. Here are the links:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/scivation-xtend.html
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/category/creatine/creatine-monohydrate.html
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/category/vitamins-minerals/multivitamins.html
Am I the only one who thinks it’s impossible to do this workout in under an hour? Look at Friday’s routine… there’s over 30 sets of exercise, waiting a 1 to 1.5 mins in between, that’s half to three quarters of your hour!
Hey, im 15 and i have been working out for a couple of months now and i have gained a couple pounds from full body work out and i want to start a split work out i dont take any protein supplements or anything and i wanted to know if i should take any supplements because when i started i weighed about 160 now i weigh 175 ish if i should take supplements how many times a day because i can only work out once a day because of school and im looking to gain as much as possible over the summer and what type of supplement would you reccomend please be specific because i dont know anything about whey or protein powdered supplements.
Hey Jeff. Great workout. I like to do some swimming as my cardio but I’m worried that it may be the cause of overtraining. When do you think I should do it and how many times a week?
I have a couple questions…
Due to a back injury there are certain exercise that i am not able to perform and i was wondering if there are any alternative exercises.
1)stiff leg dead lift
2) decline sit up
Also since i workout at home i am limited as to what exercises i can do with the equipment i have
Can i substitute pec dec machine for the cable crossover.
Thanks for any help and thank you for these exercise..
Hi Jeff.
Can I do this workout over 9 days
Mon, Tues rest, Weds, Thurs rest Fri, weekend rest & Mon? Starting again on a wednesday?
Also
Why not triceps on chest day?
KR
Robin.
why is their so little sets? i knwo its a four day split but atleast 16 sets for everything but bicepts and tricepts witch those should be 9 no?
Hey Jeff,
I’m 15 and i wrestle, i’m trying to bulk up, would this be a good workout for me to use during the summer before season starts?
thanks
Hi, can anyone answer this if Jeff doesn’t because he seems to be slackin’ on this thread
Does anyone know if its ok to swap shoulders and back around? So its like this
Mon: Chest/Bicep
Tues: Legs/Abs
Thursday: Back/Triceps
Friday: Shoulders/Abs
My reason being that when training back you generally hit biceps also, so bicep and back days are more evenly spread out.
Hi Budge – you could do that, I don’t see any reason why not!
umm Jeff,
could us girls use this too… or would it be too intense… like use it only to get a “six-pack”… then stop… or what?
many thanx
umm… Jeff?,
can us girls use this???… i mean like if we want a “six-pack”… if not can you put up one for girls PLEEEEEEEEAAAAAASE!!!
THANKS HEAPS C=
Jeff,
This is great. I have one question. I prefer machines to free weights because I usually dont have a spotter. Do you have any suggestions for machine substitutes using your routine?
Thanks
Honestly I think this workout is great but I have one quick question. Personally I have customized this workout to my own since I do chest twice a week what day would u do it 2nd chest day thursday or friday…What do you think…and if i do it on either of these days should it be first in my routine….(Just to let you know) My upperchest is laggin so is it best to do chest first if i incorporate chest on either thursday or friday or should I do it last??? Thank you!
Hey guys, it looks like we are on our own on this one. So lets try and help each other out.
To answer a time question, i have been doing this for a week and have been finishing in about 65 minutes or so. 30-45 seconds between sets and 90 seconds between excercises.
The key for me is figuring out what my next two excercises are in advance. Also it would help to know what options you have if your excesize station is busy. You can either skip it and do them out of order or find a comprable routine to substitute.
If you doing Biceps on Monday and Back on Friday, Arnt you really working your Biceps twice a week? Also you would be working your triceps twice a week also. My concerm is would I be over training my arms on the 4 day routine?
i;m 57 and started working out 3 months ago. i thimk i’m over training. i weigh 215 and should weigh 195. i work out everyday i go from chest/tricep to back/bicep to leg/abs&shoulders. i do super sets everytime. ie.like chest then tri then a 1.5min brake. i also do 60min of cardo after ea workout 7 days a wk. each set go to failure. around 8 to 10 reps. am i ok with this. i feels great. i’m pumped all the time. can u help
I’m 23 and in the marine corps i was wondering if you had a good workout that would allow me to gain weight but also keep in the marine standards
has anyone been doing this workout for a while? what are their results? are the ab exercises sufficient or is a full day on abs needed on the wednesday?
I have heard that on a 4 day work out that you should try to work out each body part more than once a week? (as in your work out you work out chest only once a week)
This is a great workout, I am fairly small but after about a month and a half I gained about 8 pounds. But one important thing to know is you also have to have a great diet to go along with this. The only thing I didn’t like was the an workout so I stuck to doing p90x ab ripper
okay im 30 yrs old 5’11″ weighing 220lbs i use to be cut so most my weight is in the gut so i have been doing cardio and crunches with weights mostly because i have high blood pressure,now my question is, is this a good start or will i get the same heart health and get lean and cut again from this exercise? or will i just build the bulk
Yeah great workout, but still waiting for sarah-janes’s answer to her question, can us girls do this too then???
Personally i think ‘of course’ and the result would be great BF reduction and nicely toned, sculpted muscles!!
As for rep’s and weight, lift as much as you can for 8-12 reps ensuring correct form throughout!!!
Lets hear it for the Gals!!!
You lost me when you decided to include deadlifts on leg day sorry
Isnt there a period which muscles peak after like 3-4 weeks if so do we have to change the workouts in diffrent order or change reps-sets ?
thanks
Hi Jeff…
I am currently working out to my own devised plan which consisits of
Monday-Legs
Wednesday-Chest/Triceps
Friday-back/biceps
Sunday-shoulders/traps
On the days not training i am either resting or doing cardio.
My question is, to build mass and lose fat, reps of 8/heavy along with a good nutrition and cardio is your plan better for this than mine?!
Hi. This workout seems very good. I have just started body building and I am still quite skinny. I have bought some weight gainer and am currently taking that. Do you recommend this work out for a beginner who is quite skinny and wants to increase muscle size. Also how long would I see results if I followed this workout properly? Thank you
So I tried Day 1 of this and it was pretty good. I gotta ask why is the Dips on Monday? Isn’t that a tricep excercise? They seem really out of place. Also I’m 18 yrs old, 6 ft 2, and about 127 lbs. How many calories should I be eating along with this training program to gain muscle? Right now, I’m at a little over 2000 but can’t seem to go any higher without going over my daily need of sodium. thanks
I’m really enjoying this split routine, it’s challenging yet rewarding… after the abs workout though i am totally wiped out by Doms… would suggest that any novice/ intermediate lifters be aware of this, i’m a pt and have been working out for several years… great workout, but painful
Hey,
I’ve been working out for a year now. I’m 6’1, 185 lbs. I’ve taken whey protein throughout, but I just recently started taking creatine the past month and I gained 5 lbs off it. However, the past year, I never really had a “routine” like this one. So I really like it. I just did my first workout using this routine and it’s pretty difficult, and I like it.
What I wanted to really know, aside from the hypertrophy — I don’t really wanna pack on TOO much size. I kinda wanna just get that “ripped” or “cut” beach-body look. I feel that while this workout you’ve assembled is for hypertrophy, won’t these high reps allow one to achieve the body I desire?
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you.
Hey,
Sorry for a double post, but just wanted to clarify some on my last post:
More than anything, of course, I want lean muscle mass, which is what this workout will allow one to achieve (hypertrophy). But I truly desire that beach-body look. This workout routine wouldn’t just simply get me bigger, right? I wouldn’t mind gaining a little size, but more than anything, I just want to get cut and have a nice looking body. Is this the workout for me?
Should I do this workout routine coupled with cardio afterwards, or what?
Thank you for any feedback.
hey………
last month i joined the gym…….n my gym trainer told me to do 4 day’s workout…so for muscle growth 4 day’s workout is good or regular 6 day’s…….?n plz tell me the schedule also if possible…..
….thanx…..
hey ive been doing the workout for a couple days now and really like it. I find it tough but effective so i am going to keep at it. Problem is i am currently short on money and cannot use supplements at the moment. Is this going to effect my results and how much will it effect them ? Thanks.
A fitness trainer said one should rest a a day before weight training. He said muscles grow during the rest cycle. What is your opinion of this weight training program.
Hey jeff, first of all thankx so much for this website, very very helpful. i just have one question. im 5’6 140lbs. and i have manboobs. can yu tell me whats the best wokouts to get rid of that and gain muscle mass?
with 1-1.5 mins rest between sets you’d be lookin at 30-45 mins of rest assuming there is no wait to change between exercises.
are you good with diet plans?
Since I have school and work, the only time I have time to train is before school. wich means that I have to start training 6 o clock. Do I have to wake up two or one hour before just to eat a good meal. or can I just take a small meal and a shake and eat a big meal after the workout?
hello,
Your information is very much appreciated….
Where in the net could i look to know how to correctly do all the exercises in teh 4 day bodybuilding workout?
Thansk!
Ed
hi Jeff …. i got this problm.. im 16, got 6.2 and round 270lbs …. i squat 270 and deadlift bout 240, which i hope aint thaqt ba. My biggest problem though is my chest .. i max out at 120lbs. i cant fiogure this out .. i mean other guys that sqaut n deadlift like me can usually penchpress way past 220lbs.
can u tell me how i can improve my benchpress?? plzzz!!
ur the coolest guy in the world if u can help me with this!!!
@Kishan
The only way you’re going to get that ripped beach body look is to reduce your body fat %. However, unless you have well developed muscles, you won’t look very good. Grow your muscles before you start shedding the body fat.
@Lukas
You will not be able to bench press 220 until you can bench press 130 first. Make sure you are allowing ample recovery for your chest and triceps (secondary muscles). If you aren’t able to increase the weights or the reps from one workout to the next then you have haven’t recovered enough. This means both chest and triceps being 100% recovered which in some cases can take upwards of 2-3 weeks.
Good luck guys
Few quick questions..:
If I follow all these directions properly, what kind of results can I expect?
I should follow this for six weeks, then switch; rep ranges? exercises?
And finally, after I complete this, if I dis-continue hypertrophy training, will I loose results? Or will they stay?
*When I say dis-continue, I don’t mean stop lifting, but if I were to say, switch to a strength program, would I loose size since I stopped hypertrophy training?
Sorry for all the questions. Thank You!
hey jeff,
i am 20 yrs old, 5’10″ 155lbs, and ive been trying to gain weight/muscle mass for years. i have a very toned athletic body and i just started this workout last week and i was wondering if this workout will be good for putting on size/mass?
Any chance you could do a RWT 4 Day Split, 2nd edition? I love this program a ton and would like to change things up in order to prevent a plateau.
Hi,
I am 17 yrs old, 186cm tall, wight 85. I have been started going gym when I was 15 and still going because now I want to do natural bodbuidling…Right now Im trying to get some muscle and loose as many weight as I can to get riped of for my june tournament in natural bodybuilding but some people say that this is impossible to gain muscle and get riped at the same time so…can you give me a good time table for workout where you can get riped well enough to get atleast 10%-8% fat of my body…take care, thanks
Hey Jeff,
Really like the workout. Been doing something similar for a while now and its good to know I’m on the right path. One question, is it ok to super-set the workouts? For instance, on chest/bicep day, is it ok to do a set of bench, then biceps, etc? I feel this speeds up workout and since Biceps are such a small group, it won’t really affect my chest workouts.
Dear Jeff;
I have been involved in bodybuilding, on and off, since 1965 and consider my self pretty much an expert in the field. I do have a degree in Health & PE, plus Biology.
So much for the self-aggrandizing, I am going to use your 4 day w/o and really give it the old college try. I have a tendency to go from one w/o to another since I tend to be endomorphic but I do workout at least 4 days a week. Hence, the tryout with the RWT’s 4 Day Plan. The thing I like is the explanation about certain exercises for each day, I would like to see all exercises explained as they fit into the plan and given notes on each exercise if necessary. I may add to or slightly modify the routine, but only slightly. How about cardio? I usually do about 30 minutes worth of mall walking right after my regular workouts. I see no reason to change this except to make sure I do cardio. How often should I report on my progress and how long should I give this program a try for? Thanks, Tom
Hi Jeff,
I am turning 60 and have been doing this 4 day for about 3 weeks. Getting better at it, but still cannot seem to do it in less than an hour. My question though, is this…
I am overweight. 5’8 and 255. I carry a gut and want to do this and cardio. Losing weight is more important than bigger muscles for right now at least. Even though it compromises my strength ability when I do a lift day, do you think I should do cardio first? The thing that happens to me is I am much too tired to have a good cardio session when I lift as heavy as I do. I haven’t figured out yet how heavy to go to save enough energy for my cardio too.
Would it not be better for me, at least, to do my hour of cardio then do the weight training as much as my body can handle in good form? I know it is said that cutting weight and building mass are two impossible things to do at the same time. Help please.
Hi Jeff,
One question I always have had… if I happen to miss a day of lifting, should I just skip it completely for the workout week or should I move the workouts during the week into the weekend and doing them on no lift rest days? Or should I change that workout week to a lesser workout schedule like a 3 day for only that week that I know I will be missing a day.
Thanks for your help.
You said in the introduction that each muscle group is hoy once Per week when for example on the first day you do cuela and on back day you aré still hitting the bíceps pretty heavily. Just a grada up or were you meaning directly?
how to make hard muscle
jus a quick question the rep number for each of the sets a satated above. should u be doing 4x 10 or a set of 12 a set of 10 and then 2sets of 8 or the bench press for example
how long is it before i would see a change
Matthew: You do one set for each given rep range. So you would do a set of 12, a set of 10, followed b 2 sets of 8.
Does anyone know if these exercises are supersetted or do you just go through the exercises in the order they are written?
Hi there,
Can i do this at home, and what excercises can be substituted for the cables and machine workouts?
Thank you in advance.
Kindest regards,
Mike.
Hi, Are all weight the same or do you use different weights?
For example 20kg for 12, 25 kg for 10 and 30kg for 8 and same for the other 8?
Hi
Do you have another 4 day split routine? I’ve been doing the above mentioned one for about a month to 2 months. The problem is my muscles are in the routine of doing the same exercises every day. Want to switch routine and I find that your workout is working very well and at the same time it is something else and fun.
Thanks
Seriously, would it not be better to move the Friday workout (Back,Abs, and Calves) to Saturday because that will give your trapezius the necessary time to recover from the Thursday workout. When you do pull ups and workout your back you also greatly workout your trapezius so I need to know if this regimen is going to stunt my trapezius’s growths and if you think I should move the friday workout plan to Sat.
Is it ok to do a 4 day routine consisting of Monday (Shoulders and Abs)
Tuesday ( Back and Traps)
Wednesday off
Thusday (chest and biceps)
Friday (Triceps and Forearms)
I am to injured to do any leg work.
Cheers
hi dear
would you please send me a workout exercise for 3 days a week because I have just 3 days free for GYM
BR
Mehdi
Jeff, Wondering if you’re still here- if you are I have a question.
Should I strive for 4 sets of 12?
I see its 12 10 8 8
But what if I can do more than 8 on the last set..do I go until failure or just set it down?
Is a Hover the same as a Plank?
Sorry I Read the comment where you said it’s a plank
Is this a beginner’s routine though?
Not sure about leg curl..
Yes a hover is the same as the plank
Patrick,
If you are able to do more than 8 on your last set, you should increase your weight.
hey there folks… I am curious… I am no stranger to the gym. know most exercises. but… my attendance has been sporadic over the past few months. just wondering what kind of background you would recommend for someone taking on this program? I’m not a pure beginner but not really journeyman status either. Just don’t want to burn myself out.
Also you recommend staying with the same weight thru all the sets for each exercise? ex: 55# db incline for 12, 10, 8, 8. Or 45# for 12, 50 for 10, 55 for 8 & 8??
ok nm didn’t read ur last response… stay with same weight. and if easy at end then increase next time.
Also wondering about switching db bench with incline press. i.e. flat barbell bench and incline db press bc of shoulder issue.
i was wondering what excersises are good to build up lower back strength i injuried my back a few months back and am jus tnow getting in the swing of things but my backs just not right any suggestions as what to start with. as well as progression to make in even stronger over time?
it’s a good combo of groups but I added tris, upper abs and calves to chest day and put bi/forearm, rear delt and lower abs on back day. Added neck to delt, trap day. Added obliques to leg day. Since I’m into HIT, I’ll do about 5 sets total on each of the 4 days. Intensity and form is key. The volume on this one seems so high it will lead to burn out. Just my opinion.
Well this is the type of workout that John McCallum advised against.
I’ve been using this 4 day split for about 3 weeks. I’m an ectomorph so im a skinny dude, and I am seeing great results with this!
iam nearly66 and now being retired findive more time to train is your routinesuitable for some one of my age im not just starting training but have trained on and off from being 20 but due to the jobs ive had and hours ive worked i havenot been able to train regularly for any good length of time at present ive been training for the last6to7 years trying different types of routines would yours suit me
No deadlifts, curls everywhere, isolation everywhere.
For new people reading this article, just close it. New people should be doing heavy compound lifts to maximize their gains in the beginning. You have zero reason to do isolation exercises because being new, you most likely have very little muscle to “isolate” anyway.
If you really want to build muscle, you need to bench,squat, deadlift, row,overhead press. If, after giving your all to those exercises you want to do some assistance lifts, then look at this stuff.
OP, you should know better.
Thank you for this extremely detailed instructions. Just wondering what you would suggest to 40 year old men who haven’t exercised for over a year….
I weigh 145 trying to reach 200 lbs how long will it take me if I keep following these steps and how many months should I follow the same steps to?………Also will it get me girls!!!