Training program
Classic 4-day body-part split routine for eight weeks
A classic eight-week body-part split: chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulders and arms, then legs, with three recovery days around the work.
- Days / week
- 4
- Block length
- 8 weeks
- Cost
- Free
Your numbers
This program is prescribed by effort rather than percentages, so there is nothing to calculate — the week below is ready to run.
The week
Chest + triceps
- Barbell bench press4×6-8RPE 8
- Incline dumbbell press3×8-10RPE 8
- Chest fly3×12-15RPE 8
- Triceps pushdown3×10-12RPE 8
Back + biceps
- Barbell row4×6-8RPE 8
- Lat pulldown3×8-10RPE 8
- Seated cable row3×10-12RPE 8
- Barbell curl3×10-12RPE 8
Rest
Shoulders + arms
- Overhead press4×6-8RPE 8
- Lateral raise4×12-15RPE 8
- Rear delt fly3×12-15RPE 8
- Hammer curl3×10-12RPE 8
- Overhead triceps extension3×10-12RPE 8
Legs
- Back squat4×6-8RPE 8
- Romanian deadlift3×8-10RPE 8
- Leg press3×10-12RPE 8
- Leg curl3×12-15RPE 8
- Calf raise4×12-15RPE 8
Rest
Rest
The week adds up to
- Sessions
- 4
- Working sets
- 60
- Rest days
- 3
Most sets
- Back squat4
- Barbell row4
- Barbell bench press4
- Calf raise4
Choose your start day
The coach keeps the four sessions in order, records your sets, and adjusts each exercise when recovery changes.
Who the 4-day split suits
Use this split when you can train four reliable days and prefer concentrating on one or two body parts per session. It is best for lifters with enough experience to judge RPE and recover from several exercises for the same muscle group.
How the week is arranged
Chest and back each get a dedicated session, shoulders receive their own pressing and raise work, and the leg day covers both a squat and a hinge. Arms appear twice because they work directly and also assist the upper-body compounds.
How to progress the split
Work within each rep range. When every set reaches the top of the range at RPE 8 or easier, add the smallest available load and return to the lower end. Track progress exercise by exercise instead of forcing every movement upward together.
When progress slows
Hold the load and remove one isolation set from the affected session for a week. If the main lift still stalls, reduce it by about 7% and rebuild. A whole week of flat performance usually calls for an easier week, not another exercise.
How to swap movements
Preserve the movement pattern and the target body part. A machine press can replace dumbbells, a chest-supported row can replace a barbell row, and split squats can replace leg press. Keep the replacement for several weeks so its progress is measurable.
This is a training template, not medical advice. Loads are starting points, not prescriptions — scale them to your own experience, and talk to a qualified clinician before starting a new program if you have an injury or a health condition.