The 4-Days-Per-Week Split Workout Routine For Building Mass

Tired of spending hours in the gym without getting the results you want? Following this 4-days-per-week split workout routine you’ll not lose your precious time. This extremely effective training program is designed to be performed at home, using basic home gym equipment and your own body weight.

A mass building routine that features a great combination of effective compound movements (using free weights and body weight) along with intense, high impact supersets and giant sets.

Basic information about this 4-days-per-week split workout routine

• Workout type: 4-day split program. A 4-day split entails training the entire body over the course of four workouts.
• Location: Home gym training (or at the gym)
• Equipment required: Power tower fitness station, free weights (dumbbells, barbell), exercise bench, squat rack, exercise band
• Main goal: Build muscle (muscle hypertrophy)
• Days per week: 4
• Program duration: 8 weeks
• Training level: Intermediate to advanced exercisers (not suitable for beginners) due to use of supersets and giant sets.
• Intensity: Choose the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all of the prescribed repetitions without compromising the proper technique. In other words, your main goal is to lift weights that are heavy enough so that you reach muscle failure after each set (you start to struggle with the last two reps in a set). Experiment.
• # of sets and repetitions: As prescribed for each exercise
• Notes: Cardio in this program refers to a low-intensity steady-state cardio (30-40 minutes). High-intensity cardio refers to HIIT cardio – involves intervals of high-intensity exercise – at a rate near 90% MHR – followed by intervals of slower-paced active recov­ery (15-20 minutes).

Advantages & disadvantages of this training program

ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES
Greater volume	Average strength gains
Greater overall "pump"	Less recovery
More muscle specialization	More central nervous system fatigue
More isolation exercises	Not preferred method for ectomorphs
Greater structure for hypertrophy	Higher volume
Favorite of endomorph and mesomorph body type	Greater chance of overtraining

Training schedule

• DAY 1: Chest, back, traps, and abs day
• DAY 2: Quads and calves day
• DAY 3: Shoulders and triceps day
• DAY 4: Hamstrings, back, and biceps day

Sample 4-days-per-week split workout routine for building mass

WORKOUT 1 - CHEST, BACK, TRAPS, ABS
EXERCISE TYPE	EXERCISE	SETS X REPETITIONS
Chest superset*	A1) Barbell bench press	4 x 6
	A2) Dumbbell incline fly	4 x 15
Back superset	B1) Barbell supine row	4 x 8
	B2) Eccentric pullup (take 3 seconds to lower)	4 x 10
Chest exercise	C) Dumbbell bench press	3 x 10
Back/traps superset	D1) Dumbbell single-arm row	3 x 15 to 20 each arm
	D2) Barbell shrug	3 x 20
Abs superset	E1) Hanging leg raise	5 x 15 to 20
	E2) Supine floor reverse crunch	5 x 15 to 20
*Supersets consist of putting two different exercises together without taking a break. Perform the exercise pairs (marked "A1" and "A2") as supersets, so you'll complete one set of A1 and then A2 without taking any rest in between. Repeat untill all sets are complete. The same applies to exercises marked as B1&B2, D1&D2, and E1&E2.

WORKOUT 2 - QUADS AND CALVES
EXERCISE TYPE	EXERCISE	SETS X REPETITIONS
Calf superset	A1) Donkey calf raise	4 x 20
	A2) Jump rope	4 x 30 seconds
Bilateral exercise	B) Barbell squat	4 x 15, 12, 10, 8
Quads superset	C1) Barbell front squat	3 x 8, 6, 4
	C2) Dumbbell split squat	3 x 5 each leg forward (3 seconds eccentric)
Quads finisher	D) Dumbbell walking lunge	2 x 20 steps
*Supersets consist of putting two different exercises together without taking a break. Perform the exercise pairs (marked "A1" and "A2") as supersets, so you'll complete one set of A1 and then A2 without taking any rest in between. Repeat untill all sets are complete. The same applies to exercises marked as C1&C2.

WORKOUT 3 - SHOULDERS AND TRICEPS
EXERCISE TYPE	EXERCISE	SETS X REPETITIONS
Shoulder pushing exercise	A) Barbell standing military press	4 x 6
Shoulder exercise	B) Dumbbell Arnold press	3 x 8
Shoulder giant set	C1) Dumbbell seated press	3 x 8
	C2) Dumbbell front raise	3 x 10
	C3) Dumbbell rear deltoid raise	3 x 12
	C4) Exercise band pull apart	3 x 15 to 20
Triceps superset	D1) Barbell close-grip bench press	4 x 6
	D2) Lying EZ bar overhead extension (skullcrusher)	4 x 10 to 12
Triceps finisher	E) Parallel dip	3 x 30
*Giant sets are similar to supersets – they involve any number of sets of exercises performed one after the other with recovery between each giant set. For more information read the article about the weight training systems.

WORKOUT 4 - HAMSTRINGS, BACK, AND BICEPS
EXERCISE TYPE	EXERCISE	SETS X REPETITIONS
Total body	A) Trap bar deadlift	4 x 6
Back/hamstring superset	B1) Barbell stiff-legged deadlift	3 x 12
	B2) Chinup	3 x 4
Back/hamstring superset	C1) Barbell romanian deadlift	3 x 15
	C2) Glute ham raise	3 x 8
Biceps superset	D1) Dumbbell standing hammer curl	4 x 10
	D2) Barbell reverse-grip curl	4 x 12

There are numerous ways to work the 4-day split into your week. Choose one of the following options that best fits your daily rhythm (we recommend option A: Alternate work/rest days)

Sample Configuration for 4-Day Bodybuilding Training Split
Day/Organization	A. Alternating work/rest days	B. 4 days on, 2 day off, repeat	C. 2 days on, 2 days off, repeat
	Allows for a greater volume of training	Allows for a greater balance of training and recovery	Allows for greater recovery
Monday	Workout 1, Cardio	Workout 1 + High-intensity cardio	Workout 1, Cardio
Tuesday	Rest	Workout 2 + Cardio	Workout 2 + High-intensity cardio
Wednesday	Workout 2, High-intensity cardio	Workout 3	Rest
Thursday	Rest	Workout 4, High-intensity cardio	Rest
Friday	Workout 3	Rest	Workout 3, Cardio
Saturday	Workout 4, High-intensity cardio	Rest	Workout 4 + High-intensity cardio
Sunday	Rest	Workout 1.... start rotating again....	Rest on Sunday & Monday... then start rotating over