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4 Day Workout Plans

4 day workout plans are a great way to build strength, grow muscle, and make solid progress. Utilizing 4 training days per week is a popular choice for upper/lower body split routines like PHUL as well as programs that focus on a major compound lift each day like Wendler's 5/3/1.

Not what you're looking for? Check out Lift Vault's workout split guide to find the best routine for you.

Best 4 Day Workout Plans

  1. Jim Wendler's 5/3/1
  2. PHUL
  3. Beginner Bodybuilder Program (Ripped Body)
  4. Juggernaut Method
  5. GZCLP
  6. TSA 9 Week Intermediate Powerlifting Program
  7. Calgary Barbell 8 & 16 Week Powerlifting Programs
  8. Greg Nuckols 28 Programs
  9. nSuns
  10. Jonnie Candito 6 Week Powerlifting Program

You can check out the latest 4 day workout programs below.

Shortcut to SIZE Reviews

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Shortcut to Size is a 4 day body part split program by Jim Stoppani (who also created Shortcut to Shred). It is best suited for athletes with aesthetic or hypertrophy goals. It is a 12 week bodybuilding program broken down into three 4 week phases. [Read more…]

Thinner Leaner Stronger Workout Program Spreadsheets

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Thinner Leaner Stronger is Michael Matthews’ strength and physique program for women, and the female counterpart to Bigger Leaner Stronger. It runs on 3-day or 4-day splits built around heavy compound work in the 4-6 rep range, with accessories in the 8-12 rep range. The training is organized into 8-week phases followed by a deload week, and the cycle repeats indefinitely as you progress.

The program’s core idea is that women build strength and shape the same way men do: progressive overload on the big lifts. Matthews pushes back on the “light weights for toning” myth. Each session starts with a primary compound lift (squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, or hip thrust depending on the day), then moves into 3-4 accessory exercises. The 3-day version runs a push/pull/legs structure; the 4-day version splits into chest and triceps, back and biceps and glutes, shoulders, and legs.

TLS is a good fit for beginner to early intermediate women who want to get stronger and change their body composition. You do need access to a barbell and a rack. If you’re looking for a program that doesn’t require a full gym setup, Strong Curves is worth a look since it works well with dumbbells and a hip thrust setup. The full TLS book and bonus materials (including official Excel and Google Sheets versions) are available at legionathletics.com via Michael Matthews and Legion Athletics.

[Read more…]

8 Week Powerbuilding Program (Seba Kot)

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This is an 8 week powerbuilding program designed by Seba Kot, Polish lifter (YouTube channel). This is a lightly translated version. [Read more…]

10 Week Powerbuilding Program

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This 10 week powerbuilding program is modeled off of basic 5/3/1 with inspiration from GZCL and BBB for accessories. On this program you’ll hit a major compound movement (for powerlifters, likely your competition movement plus one additional) for one top set of an AMRAP before moving on to accessory exercises.

[Read more…]

Sheikburn Program Spreadsheet (Sheiko x Hepburn Method)

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Sheikburn combines Hepburn Method style sets and rep structure (progressively adding more reps to the same weight OR adding more sets to the same rep range) Sheiko style periodization (alternating heavy days and light days).

Fans of “frankenprograms” like Megazord or GZCL / MagOrt / Deathbench will probably find this program interesting. [Read more…]

Inverted Juggernaut Method Spreadsheet (3 Versions, + 5/3/1)

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Background on the Juggernaut Method

The Inverted Juggernaut Method (aka Inverse Juggernaut Method) is a popular variation of the well known Juggernaut Method.

As a refresher, here is the basic breakdown of the 4 weekly phases of the Juggernaut Method: [Read more…]

16 Week Wave Loading Powerlifting Program Spreadsheet

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Wave loading is a loading progression where the volume and intensity of a lift changes rapidly from set to set, rising and falling and rising and falling. This is designed to help stimulate strength adaptation more rapidly, increase an athlete’s explosiveness, and grow work capacity. [Read more…]

Alan Thrall Program Spreadsheet – Untamed Method

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The Untamed Method is a free 12-week powerlifting program that Barbell Medicine wrote for Alan Thrall of Untamed Strength. You train four days a week, and every day pairs the competition lifts (squat, bench, and deadlift) with a variation lift, a myo-rep pump slot, and some easy conditioning work. Loads run off RPE and your estimated 1RM, with percentage back-off sets on the main lifts.

The whole point was to keep Thrall progressing on very little. Dr. Austin Baraki built it while Alan was dealing with a newborn, so it is designed around short sleep, little free time, and compromised recovery. That is why it leans so hard on autoregulation: you push when you feel good and back off when you do not, using RPE to pick the weight instead of grinding a fixed number. It is the same block-periodized, RPE-first approach you will see in The Bridge and Barbell Medicine’s peaking templates, and if you are still getting comfortable rating your sets, the RPE calculator does the reps-to-percentage math for you.

It fits intermediate lifters who already know their way around RPE and want structure without a rigid percentage grind. Beginners can run it, but you will get more out of a simple linear program first, and if you are pointing at a meet you may prefer a dedicated peak like Calgary Barbell. If you have the four days and you are comfortable auto-regulating, it is a low-stress way to keep the big three moving when life is busy.

[Read more…]

Robert Frederick 4 Day Hypertrophy Program Spreadsheet (Modified Sheiko)

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This is a modified version of the 4 day advanced medium load Sheiko program with more reps in the 70-80% 1RM range and a greater focus on hypertrophy. There is a little more volume overall as well. [Read more…]

Brendan Tietz Beginner Powerlifting Program Spreadsheet

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August 6, 2019 Update: The spreadsheet is now available for copying and sharing. Apologies for the mix up.

A beginner powerlifting program released by Brendan Tietz. A video overview and full program details are below. [Read more…]

Brian Alsruhe Conjugate Program

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Brian Alsruhe’s conjugate program is a 16 week, 4 day per week strength program that utilizes conjugate methods (dynamic effort, max effort) to stimulate strength gains. It makes heavy use of resistance bands and chains so it is recommended that these are used when following the program.

Max effort days [Read more…]

Westside for Skinny Bastards Program Templates (WS4SB)

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Westside for Skinny Bastards (WS4SB) is Joe DeFranco’s hybrid, Westside-style program for skinny lifters and hard-gainers who want to add size and strength at the same time. It’s built around a primary heavy lift plus supplemental and accessory work, and DeFranco published it as two different templates: the original 3-day version (Part 1) and a later 4-day revision (Part 3). Pick the one that fits your schedule and how much you want to train.

The program borrows the Westside Barbell idea of rotating a max-effort lift and a repetition (higher-rep) lift, but it trims the conjugate method down into something a high schooler, athlete, or working professional can actually run. You train the upper body twice a week and hit the lower body hard, with the max-effort method building strength and the repetition method adding muscle. It’s a loose template, not a strict percentage-of-1RM plan, so you’ll rotate exercises every few weeks and do a little interpreting as you go.

WS4SB is geared toward ectomorphs and athletes who want general size and strength rather than a competition powerlifting total. If you’re brand new to lifting and want something simpler to start with, a straight linear program like Starting Strength or StrongLifts 5×5 is an easier on-ramp. Inspired by Westside, this program is not affiliated with Westside Barbell or Louie Simmons, and it is not a powerlifting program.

[Read more…]

Brian Alsruhe Mass Building Powerlifting Program

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Another free strength program from Brian Alsruhe, this time focusing on mass building. A video overview is below.

[Read more…]

16 Week Strongman Wave Program Spreadsheet

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Known simply as “wave program” via Strongman Ontario. It is a 16 week program, run 4 days per week.

[Read more…]

Frozenkilt 8 Week Overhead Press Program Spreadsheet

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This is Frozenkilt’s pressing program, which is an 8 week, 4 days per week program that focuses on bench press, overhead press (aka military press), and dumbbell press. [Read more…]

TSA 9 Week Beginner Powerlifting Program

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The Strength Athlete (TSA) released their 9 week beginner powerlifting program (aka general beginner approach) as a follow up to their successful 9 week intermediate powerlifting program. Like the intermediate program before it, the beginner program is structured as a 4 day, 9 week program, but also includes a 4 week peak if preparing for a meet. 

[Read more…]

Strength Power and Fortitude 4 Week Powerbuilding Program Spreadsheet

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The Strength Power and Fortitude (SPF) 4 week powerbuilding program by Brogan Pratt is an off season program for powerlifters designed to help build base strength and work capacity. It can be run as a 3 day or 4 day program and resets every 4 weeks, using an AMRAP set on week 4 to gauge progress.

[Read more…]

Brogains 10 Week Powerbuilding Program Spreadsheet (4 Day)

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The Brogains powerbuilding program is a strength and hypertrophy program written by Brogan Pratt. It has the option to be run as a peaking program for a meet. [Read more…]

RTS General Intermediate Program Spreadsheet – Mike Tuchscherer

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The RTS General Intermediate Program is a free 9-week powerlifting program from Mike Tuchscherer and Reactive Training Systems (RTS), the coaches behind some of the strongest raw lifters in the sport. It runs four training days a week early on and drops to three days later in the cycle. Every session pairs a competition-style main lift with variations and accessories, and each lift is prescribed as a number of reps at a target RPE rather than a fixed percentage of your max.

The whole thing is autoregulated. Instead of grinding a fixed percentage on a bad day, you work up to a top set at the prescribed reps and RPE, then use RTS fatigue percents to add your working volume. You drop the bar by a set percentage and keep doing sets until the RPE climbs to target. It’s the same idea RTS built its reputation on, and it’s a different animal from a straight percentage block like GZCLP.

This is a loose template, not a polished beginner program. It’s built for intermediate lifters who already rate RPE well and understand fatigue percents. If you’re still learning to gauge RPE or you want something more scripted, run a percentage-based program first and come back to this one. For a similar 9-week RPE-driven peak that’s laid out a bit more cleanly, see the TSA 9 Week Intermediate Program.

[Read more…]

GZCLP Program Spreadsheets, Progression Tips, and Accessories

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GZCLP is a linear progression strength program for beginners. It is a simpler variation of the GZCL program methodology with more rapid progression. The GZCLP program is available in three day and four day versions. It is highly customizable, allowing the individual to select a variety of lifts to perform over the course of the program.

[Read more…]