With only four days in the gym, you can target all major muscle groups and still have enough recovery time between workouts. This makes it an excellent option for those who want to build muscle and strength but have limited time to spend in the gym.
Yes, exercising 4 days a week can be enough for muscle building, provided you're following an effective program that includes progressive overload (gradually increasing the weight or reps). Be sure to give each muscle group sufficient recovery time.
With the proper diet & nutrition, 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise 4 days a week is enough to see and feel a difference in your body.
Yes. 4 times a week is enough for your body to recover while on rest days.
Yes, 4-day workout splits can be effective for muscle growth and overall fitness, allowing for a balanced approach to training different muscle groups.
Choosing a 3-day and 4-day split hinges on individual goals and adaptability. While the 3-day split offers a balanced approach for those building foundational strength and juggling busy schedules, the 4-day split delves deeper, focusing more on each muscle group and catering to those seeking advanced results.
Many fitness enthusiasts and advanced bodybuilders favor the PPL split because it allows them to target specific muscle groups with greater intensity and volume per muscle group than a full-body workout. It also provides adequate recovery time for each muscle group.
Some companies have adopted the four-day model with great success. They report that employees are more engaged, take fewer sick days, and actually accomplish more in less time. Workers, in turn, feel more refreshed, enjoy longer weekends, and have more time to recharge.
It's not necessary to lift weights every day, and if you do, you increase your risk for overuse injuries and overtraining syndrome. For most people, strength training two to three times a week is sufficient, but if you prefer to split training different muscle groups, then you can train up to five days a week.
As a rough guide, you'll probably notice some initial changes in the first four to six weeks, but longer-term changes (what you're working toward) will often take around eight to 12 weeks. The good news is that you're likely to start feeling better quickly.
The Timeline for Building Muscle
Building muscle takes time and consistency, so if you are flexing in front of the mirror daily, wondering what's going on, just be patient. On average, most people expect noticeable muscle growth within four to six months of starting a strength training program.
The ideal frequency of full-body workouts is typically 2–3 times per week. This schedule allows for adequate rest and recovery between sessions, which is essential for muscle repair and growth. Rest days: Ensure there's at least one rest day between workout sessions to prevent overtraining and allow muscles to recover.
For beginners, Ben recommends trying five to 10 pounds for light weights, 10 to 20 pounds for medium weights, and 15 to 30 pounds for heavy weights—or simply starting with five-pound weights for each exercise and working up from there.
So a better way would be to train four days per week, alternating the workouts over your four training sessions. It doesn't matter which days you choose as long as you never do more than two days in a row. Another method is the rotating five day cycle, where each workout is done over a five day period.
“You can lift lighter weights, and as long as you lift them with a high degree of effort, they're as good as heavier weights in making you bigger,” he says. Using a home gym machine or even just your own body weight, like with push-ups or lunges, works.
The benefits of rest days include: Better mental and physical health: Taking a break is as important for your mental health as it is for your body. Fewer injuries: Giving your body time to rest and recuperate helps you avoid injury.
Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.
Starting April 2025, Japan's capital, Tokyo, will introduce a 4-day work week for government employees. Announced in December 2024, the initiative aims to combat the nation's declining fertility rates, which stood at 1.2 in 2023, and prevent "karoshi,” death by overwork.
A 9/80 work schedule is a two-week schedule that divides 80 working hours amongst nine days, typically consisting of eight nine-hour days, one eight-hour day, and one day off. Hours can be arranged to have a full day off every other week or to have a four-hour day every week.
Why does everyone hate the bro split? Maybe it's the name association but people love to rag on the bro split. It's been called “useless” by many a lifter, namely because you only get to train each muscle group once a week (unless you double up on certain days).
The Arnold split is a six-day workout split in which you train the chest and back, shoulders and arms, and legs twice per week. It's a muscle-building program that's designed to help you increase muscle mass and improve your physique. Because of its high amount of volume, it's only for advanced lifters.