4 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT TRAINING LEGS TWICE
If you’re working out four times a week and have yet to consider splitting your sessions into upper and lower-body workouts, it’s time to reconsider your approach.
Our favorite way to structure a four-day workout plan involves twice weekly hitting the legs and upper body. Whether your goal is muscle building, fat loss, strength gain, toning, or focusing on specific muscle groups, this routine has you covered.
Considering that our upper and lower bodies comprise half of our overall physique, it makes sense to devote equal time to training both.
There are numerous reasons why this four-day split is effective, regardless of your fitness goals.
But let’s get straight to it: you’re here for a workout plan that includes two leg days, and that’s exactly what we’re providing.
And if you’re curious about why we love this split, stick around after the workouts, where we’ll discuss the benefits of this elite training routine.
4-DAY WORKOUT SPLIT
There are no secrets here. Two days for the upper body and two for the lower body ensure each muscle group gets the attention it needs to grow.
Both upper body sessions, as do the lower body sessions, cover all the major muscle groups.
This differs from those routines where you only focus on one or two muscle groups per session. On upper body days, we’re hitting the chest, shoulders, back, and arms; on lower body days, it’s all about quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
Understanding why this balanced approach matters will become clear as we go along. For now, let’s dive into the workouts.
UPPER BODY WORKOUT 1
Move/ Sets/Repetitions
Barbell Press
Four sets of 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Row
Four sets of 8-10 reps
Shoulder Press with Weights
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Side Arm Lift
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Biceps Curl on Pad
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Arm Extension
Three sets of 10-12 reps
LOWER BODY WORKOUT 1
Exercise/ Sets/Repetitions
Squat
Four sets of 6-8 reps
Straight Leg Deadlift
Four sets of 8-10 reps
Step Back Lunges
Three sets of 10-12 reps on each leg
Leg Machine Extension
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Glute Squeezes
Three sets of 10-15 reps for each leg
Heel Raises
Three sets of 10-15 reps for each leg
UPPER BODY WORKOUT 2
Activity/Sets/Repetitions
Chin-ups
Four sets of 8-10 reps
Incline Press with Dumbbells
Four sets of 8-10 reps
Narrow Grip Bench Press
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Bicep Curls
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Head Crushers
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Back Shoulder Flies
Three sets of 12 reps
LOWER BODY WORKOUT 2
Exercise/Sets/Repetitions
Leg Press
Four sets of 6-8 reps
Hip Thrusts
Four sets of 8-10 reps
Bulgarian Split Squats
Three sets of 8-10 reps on each leg
Leg Curls
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Outer Thigh Machine
Three sets of 10-12 reps
Heel Raises
Three sets of 10-15 reps for each leg
BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF VOLUME
Thrusts at the split Squats
One significant advantage of splitting your upper and lower body workouts is effectively spreading your training volume for maximum muscle growth.
Research indicates that increasing the volume of your workouts can lead to more muscle gain up to a certain point. However, going beyond this point might hinder your progress and even harm muscle development.
So, how many sets should you aim for to optimize muscle growth without overdoing it?
A meta-analysis from 2017 looked into how weekly volume impacts muscle growth, categorizing volume into three groups: less than five sets, 5 to 9 sets, and more than ten sets. The analysis of 15 individual studies revealed that the group performing over ten weekly sets experienced the most incredible muscle growth.
This suggests that a minimum of 10 weekly sets per muscle group is necessary for muscle building. As for the upper limit, research is limited, but fitness experts generally agree that around 20 sets per week is the maximum threshold.
Aim for 10 to 20 weekly sets per muscle group to build muscle. Beginners can start with fewer sets, while experienced lifters may need to increase volume for optimal gains.
Unlike traditional workout splits, where all weekly volume for a muscle is done in one session, our 4-day upper-lower split spreads the volume across two sessions.
This approach is supported by research from hypertrophy expert James Krieger, showing that muscle growth plateaus after 6-8 sets in one session. Therefore, doing excessive sets in one session could be more efficient beyond this point.
Our programming focuses on hitting 6-8 sets for multiple muscle groups in one session, maximizing muscle growth efficiently. This means targeting upper and lower body muscles twice weekly, optimizing your workout routine.
TOUCH EACH MUSCLE TWICE A WEEK
We’re circling back to emphasize the benefits of our 4-day split, which means hitting each muscle group twice weekly.
While we understand the mechanics behind this setup, let’s delve into some research examining the impact of training muscles twice weekly.
In a 2016 study by renowned hypertrophy experts Schoenfeld, Ogborn, and Krieger, they investigated various training frequencies to determine the most effective muscle growth. Comparing once, twice, and thrice-weekly training, they found that training muscles twice a week yielded superior hypertrophic outcomes.
This aligns neatly with earlier research indicating that progress stagnates after 6-8 sets per muscle group. Therefore, spreading sets across two sessions saves time and effort.
EQUAL SPLIT
This isn’t universal, but many men focus on upper-body training, while women often prioritize lower-body workouts—and that’s perfectly okay; we all have our preferences.
However, it’s crucial not to neglect one over the other.
Nobody wants a beefy back paired with spindly legs or a shapely lower body with a weak upper body—it’s all about equilibrium.
Given that the upper and lower body contribute roughly 50% each to our overall mass, training them evenly is logical. Hence, our 4-day split includes two upper and lower body sessions.
ENCOURAGES RECOVERY TIME
Muscles don’t bulk up during workouts. In reality, they undergo a breakdown while you exercise. It’s during the recovery phase post-workout when muscles repair and grow stronger.
SRA, short for Stimulus, Recovery, and Adaptation, outlines how our bodies respond to training. The ‘S’ signifies the workout itself (the stimulus), ‘R’ indicates recovery (the period post-training when your body returns to its baseline), and ‘A’ denotes adaptation (the process of growing more substantial and more prominent in response to the stimulus).
Our goal in training is to follow an optimal SRA curve where we wait for adaptation to stabilize before hitting another session. This approach ensures steady progress in muscle and strength development.
More recovery time between sessions disrupts this process. We need adequate recovery to ensure adaptation and risk regression rather than progress.
To address this, our 4-day training split includes a minimum of 72 hours between upper and lower body sessions. This provides ample time for recovery, allowing the SRA process to unfold and maximizing gains from our hard work.
Proper nutrition during recovery is vital. Whether aiming to build muscle (requiring a calorie surplus) or lose body fat (needing a calorie deficit), maintaining a balanced diet supports our fitness goals. Refer to the linked articles for guidance on nutritional requirements tailored to your objectives.
CLOSING REMARKS
So, here you have the 4-day workout split with twice-a-week leg training.
We hope we’ve helped simplify your decision-making process if you were unsure about choosing this split.
As we’ve highlighted, this training approach has numerous fantastic benefits, and it’s one of our top picks for a reason.
Give our specially crafted workouts a try for 6-8 weeks, and you’ll witness remarkable gains!
Remember, as we just emphasized, your progress is closely linked to your nutrition. By pairing the proper diet with this 4-day workout routine, you’ll elevate your achievements to new levels—enjoy the journey!
