4 day splits

[Alpha Moth]

I'm wanting to go to the gym a day a week more, because I enjoy it and have a lot of free time. The 3 day a week full body routine is getting boring.

What would be the best way about structuring a 4 day split?
I was thinking a upper/lower split,
A simple 4 day upper/lower.

Mon.

Squat 2-3 x 5
Ham Work 3 x 10
Calves 3 x 15
Abs (lol)

Wed.

Bench or DB Press 3 x 5
BB or DB Row 3 x 6, 1 x 15
OH Press 3 x 8
Arms -Tri/Bi - each 3 x 8-10

Fri.

Deadlift Variant 2-3 x 5
Hack squat2 x 10 or 1 x 20
Calves 3 x 15
Abs 2 x 10

Sun.

Incline bench 3 x 10-15
Pullups 3 x weighted/15
Dips 3 x weighted/15
Lateral Raise 3 x 8-10 or something like this.

or something like this

Day 1

4x Squats: 5 reps
3x Ham Work: 8 reps
3x BB or DB Row: 8 reps
2x Bicep Curls: 10 reps

Day 2

3x Bench Press: 5-8 reps (might do push ups/flies or similar, because my shoulders scream on flat bench)
3x Military Press: 8 reps
3x Tricep Isolation: 8 reps
2x Ab/Calf Work: 15 reps

Day 3

1x Deadlifts: 5 reps
3x Pullups: 8 reps
3x hack squat: 8 reps
2x Biceps Curls: 10 reps

Day 4

3-4x DB or Incline Press: 5-8 reps
3x Chest Dips: 8 reps (weighted)
3x Side Lateral Raise: 8 reps
2x Ab/Calf Work: 15 reps

Day 1: On
Day 2: On
Day 3: Off
Day 4: On
Day 5: Off
Day 6: On
Day 7: Off

I like the look of the first one the most, but the second would hit each muscle group twice a week. I changed the reps/some exercises around from the one i copied and pasted from bb. What do you guys who do 4 day splits do?

 

[The Hamburgler]

Neglecting everything else it needs a better balance of pec to upper back movements

 

[dave]

Depending on your ability to progress I like to use the following.

Choose two lifts (upper and a lower) and have those as your days. I.e. two days squatting and two OHP.

I do 4x5 and a 1x3 for the main lift and either progress it twice a week or once depending on your level. The 1x3 is 2.5% on top of your main 5 rep set and it becomes your next sessions main 5 rep set. The rest is accessory work on important points, weak points and those you want bigger.

Example accessory work could be zercher squats to bring up your ab strength, cleans/SLDL/GM/RDL/GHR for hammies and glutes, direct ab stabilization/anti-rotation work, uni lateral work etc.

Upper body should include an important back exercise such as a row or vertical pull and progressed like the main lift. The rest is weak point work etc.

All accessory work is rep progressed usually from 6 or 8 to 10 or 12 reps and then the weight is increased. Keeps it simple but progressive and you can change the assistance work as you get bored. Minimum 3 weeks though.

This allows you to progress your lifts and still get in the extra work you want and keep up the other lifts if important. Either keep it up till you hit your goals or change every 12 weeks I.e. bench or dips for OHP, deads for squats etc.

 

[macca]

Wendler 5/3/1 can bet set up as a 4 p/w program. The trivium version may suit you. Iv'e just started BBB variation, will give it a few cycles before judgement.

 

[Alpha Moth]

Depending on your ability to progress I like to use the following.

Choose two lifts (upper and a lower) and have those as your days. I.e. two days squatting and two OHP.

I do 4x5 and a 1x3 for the main lift and either progress it twice a week or once depending on your level. The 1x3 is 2.5% on top of your main 5 rep set and it becomes your next sessions main 5 rep set. The rest is accessory work on important points, weak points and those you want bigger.

Example accessory work could be zercher squats to bring up your ab strength, cleans/SLDL/GM/RDL/GHR for hammies and glutes, direct ab stabilization/anti-rotation work, uni lateral work etc.

Upper body should include an important back exercise such as a row or vertical pull and progressed like the main lift. The rest is weak point work etc. I understand to get bigger I need to get stronger.

All accessory work is rep progressed usually from 6 or 8 to 10 or 12 reps and then the weight is increased. Keeps it simple but progressive and you can change the assistance work as you get bored. Minimum 3 weeks though.

This allows you to progress your lifts and still get in the extra work you want and keep up the other lifts if important. Either keep it up till you hit your goals or change every 12 weeks I.e. bench or dips for OHP, deads for squats etc.

Thanks for the explanation, could you give me an example of something you would do? Something I want to progress is my chest, my legs are coming along very nicely.

 

[dave]

Ok say you focus on squats and bench press as your focus lifts.

Squat 4x5
Squat 1x3
Romanian Deadlifts 3x6-10
Zercher Squat 3x6-10
Some ab stability work 2 sets
Unilateral farmers walks 2 sets

Bench Press 4x5
Bench Press 1x3
Pullups 4x5-10
DB OHP 3x6-10
Dumbell Flyes 2-3x6-10
Dumbell Rows 2-3x6-10
+ Any arm work you want to do or lateral etc

So if you can still progress twice a week then go up max 2.5kg each session. If not 5x5 on the first session each week and use the second session as your 1x3 day.

It gives you goals to hit with the main lifts and allows a lot of ability to add accessory work etc.

 

[Alpha Moth]

Would it be a bad idea if I had for example one of the upperbody days with incline, and the other as flat? or is it strictly the same exercise? Or is it even possible to have bench and then say dips for the other day?

 

[dave]

You can but it is better to focus on bringing up one lift each cycle/goal. Just a slower progression for the lift in question.

 

[Alpha Moth]

forgot

 

[dave]

If you push for strength on a movement and provide the other stimulation in the higher rep ranges you will get better growth. That is why I suggested progressing with reps over weight first in the assistance exercises and keeping them around the 6-10 or 8-12 mark.

Just because you dont do deads doesn't mean they won't increase especially since you should be doing a lot.of direct ham/glute work after heavy squats.

Decline bench takes more of the shoulder out of the action if it is a problem. Incline is generally worse due to more stress on the shoulder. Just don't do Flyes if they irritate your shoulder.

 

[Alpha Moth]

ok!
What is your opinion on WS4SB?

 

[dave]

Do it to the letter and don't fuck around with it and yes it is good.

 

[Alpha Moth]

Been doing WS4SB for awhile, but a modified version that has two heavy leg days instead of one, one focusing on deads, and the other day squats. Made a lot of progress on all lifts.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=920894 like this but into 7 days instead of 9
For my max effort upper, I can get to about 70kg on BP before my shoulder doesn't like it, but I can pump out 35kg each hand with a dumbbell press no problem on the repetition exercises. Would it be bad to replace just a normal bench press with that? Can I replace it with dips instead? anything with a BB and bench doesn't seem good for me.

 

[0ni]

If I was heavily into bro training and wanted to body build, I would lay my training out like this:
#3123278 - Pastie

 

[0ni]

Been doing WS4SB for awhile, but a modified version that has two heavy leg days instead of one, one focusing on deads, and the other day squats. Made a lot of progress on all lifts.
Westside For Skinny Viking Bastards - Bodybuilding.com Forums like this but into 7 days instead of 9
For my max effort upper, I can get to about 70kg on BP before my shoulder doesn't like it, but I can pump out 35kg each hand with a dumbbell press no problem on the repetition exercises. Would it be bad to replace just a normal bench press with that? Can I replace it with dips instead? anything with a BB and bench doesn't seem good for me.

If your goal is mass, don't focus on what you lift. Make sure the muscle is doing all the work and stays under constant tension so don't lock weights out.
Try incline smith bench press as your main chest builder, touching the bar at mid chest only very, very slightly. Dips are a good tricep builder, but not very good for upper chest.

IFBB pros build their chest with about 2-2.5 plates a side on the smith machine / bench. Focus on getting the mass, lifting the weight with the target muscle. Increasing your 1RM strength won't do SHIT for your muscle hypertrophy! After you have the mass, then you can start working on putting some decent numbers up, the mass won't go away lol

 

[Alpha Moth]

bumping an old thread. Want to go back into upper/lower after recovering from a lower body injury.
For my lower body day, is deadlifting twice a week too much or should I do it one squat day and one deadlift day? Or could I do deadlfits one day and then trap bars the next, don't like forcing my shoulders into the position needed for squats just yet.

so
mon:dead
wed:upper
fri:squat
sat:upper

 

[KungFooGoo]

Whats wrong with running 5/3/1 4 day? Seems solid to me.

 

[Alpha Moth]

Ok, going off Dave's advice, one doing your chosen lower/upper body exercise twice a week. Since I am definitely no comfortable putting my shoulders into the forced externally rotated position in the squat yet, I'm going to try deadlift twice a week for the next 12 weeks. Then squat. Or would one deadlift day and one trap bar deadlift day be better for recovery? Or even two days a week trap bar deadlift for a cycle (have a feeling deadlifting twice a week is too much..)

 

[Alpha Moth]

well here is what i have programmed myself for the next 12 weeks. starting off a bit light on each exercise but it should put 10-15kg on my lifts hopefully. going off daves advice.

Thoughts? bad?
Accessories will just be low weight high volume, bench and deadlift will be progressed this cycle along with chin ups for my back exercise.

 

[Shrek]

Looks Ok mate, let us know how it pans out for you.