4-Day Upper/Lower Split
An upper/lower split trains the upper body twice and the lower body twice per week across four sessions — typically Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Every muscle is hit twice weekly, the sweet spot most research points to, while keeping each session under an hour. It's the natural step up from 3-day plans.
Four days lets you split strength work and volume work. The first upper and lower days below are heavier and lower-rep; the second pair is lighter and higher-rep. You push hard early in the week, then chase the pump at the end of it.
Train Monday + Tuesday, rest Wednesday, train Thursday + Friday, rest the weekend. Each muscle gets 48–72 hours before it's loaded again.
At a glance
- Days per week
- 4
- Time per session
- 50–65 min
- Equipment
- Full gym
- Level
- Intermediate
- Goal
- Build muscle & strength
- Exercises in plan
- 22
The weekly plan
Every exercise links to a full how-to page with form cues and a demonstration.
Upper A — Strength
Monday| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip | 4 | 5–8 |
| Bent Over Barbell Row | 4 | 6–10 |
| Standing Military Press | 3 | 8–10 |
| Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10–12 |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 10–12 |
| Triceps Pushdown | 2 | 10–12 |
Lower A — Strength
Tuesday| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 5–8 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Barbell Lunge | 3 | 8–10/leg |
| Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 12–15 |
| Plank | 3 | 45s |
Upper B — Volume
Thursday| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 | 8–12 |
| Seated Cable Rows | 4 | 10–12 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–15 |
| Hammer Curls | 2 | 10–12 |
| EZ-Bar Skull Crusher | 2 | 10–12 |
Lower B — Volume
Friday| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell DeadliftThe week's heaviest hinge | 3 | 5 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10/leg |
| Lying Leg Curls | 3 | 12 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10–15 |
Rest 90–180 seconds after compound lifts and 45–90 seconds after accessory work. Warm up with 1–2 lighter sets before the first exercises of each session. 4 training days per week.
How to progress on this plan
- Progress the A-day barbell lifts by load (small jumps when all sets hit the rep target) and the B-day accessories by reps first, then load.
- If Friday's deadlift suffers after Thursday's upper session, swap the order of the B days.
- Keep 2–3 reps in reserve on volume days; save grinding efforts for the strength days.
- Every 6–8 weeks, take a lighter week — the four-day frequency accumulates fatigue faster than three-day plans.
Not sure how much you're burning or lifting? Use the free TDEE & macro calculator to set nutrition targets and the one-rep-max calculator to pick working weights.
Run this plan with tracking & reminders
SSS Workout Assistant turns a plan like this into your personal weekly routine — fully editable, tracked set by set, with streaks and reminders that keep you consistent. Free, no card, no trial.
Build my free routineFrequently asked questions
Is an upper/lower split better than push pull legs?
Neither is universally better. Upper/lower hits every muscle twice a week on just four days, which suits most intermediates. PPL gives each muscle a more focused session but needs six days for the same frequency. Pick the one whose schedule you'll actually keep.
What days should I run a 4-day upper/lower split?
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday is the standard layout — two on, one off, two on, weekend off. Any arrangement works as long as you avoid stacking more than two training days back-to-back.
Can beginners run a 4-day upper/lower split?
They can, but most beginners progress just as fast on a 3-day full-body plan with less time in the gym. Move to upper/lower once full-body sessions start feeling too long or your lifts stall.
Why are there strength days and volume days?
Training the same muscles twice a week works best when the two sessions differ. Heavy, low-rep work early in the week drives strength; lighter, higher-rep work later adds volume for growth without beating up your joints twice.
How many sets per muscle per week does this plan give?
Roughly 10–16 hard sets for each major muscle group across the two weekly sessions — inside the 10–20 set range generally recommended for hypertrophy.