Workout Routine

Free

4 Day Upper Lower Split – Workout Routine for Muscle and Strength

by Hardy

Download free Hardy app

4 day upper lower split with two upper-body days and two lower-body days. Every muscle gets trained twice a week, and you keep three rest days.

The first two days are heavier, for strength. The last two use more reps, for muscle. Hardy tracks every set and works out your next weight from the rules below.

Weekly structure

This upper lower split runs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Rest on Wednesday and at the weekend.

  • Upper Heavy: bench press 3×5–8, barbell row 3×5–8, overhead press 3×6–10, lat pulldown 3×8–12, dumbbell curl 2×10–12, triceps pushdown 2×10–12
  • Lower Heavy: squat 3×5–8, Romanian deadlift 3×6–10, leg press 3×10–12, leg curl 3×10–12, calf raise 3×8–12
  • Upper Reps: incline dumbbell press 3×10–15, seated cable row 3×10–15, seated dumbbell shoulder press 3×10–15, close-grip lat pulldown 3×10–15, lateral raise 3×12–20, hammer curl 2×12–15
  • Lower Reps: Bulgarian split squat 3×10–12, hip thrust 3×10–15, lying leg curl 3×12–15, leg extension 3×12–15, seated calf raise 3×12–20

Rest 2 to 3 minutes on the first two lifts of the heavy days and 60 to 90 seconds on everything else. Sessions take about an hour.

Progression

Every exercise uses double progression. Start at the bottom of the rep range and add reps each session. When every set reaches the top, Hardy adds weight and you start again from the bottom.

Most exercises go up 5 lbs (2.5 kg). Barbell squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, leg presses and calf raises go up 10 lbs (4.5 kg). Fall below the range and the weight comes down by the same amount.

Tips

  • Leave one or two reps in the tank on most sets. Push the last set of each exercise closer to failure.
  • Missed a day? Do the next workout in order. Hardy suggests it for you.
  • Want heavier power days? PHUL runs the same week with 5-rep sets on the big lifts.
  • Have a fifth day? The Upper Lower Arms Split adds an arms and shoulders day to this week.
  • The 4 day workout split guide compares upper/lower with the other 4-day options.

Starting TM is 90% of 1RM.

Targeted muscles
front
back
Click a muscle to see how much a workout targets it
Unaffected
Light
Moderate
High
Very High

Workouts

Upper Heavy

bench press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
5-8
150 sec
2
–
–
5-8
150 sec
3
–
–
5-8
150 sec

Double Progression: Work within 5-8 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

bench press

3×5

barbell row

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
5-8
150 sec
2
–
–
5-8
150 sec
3
–
–
5-8
150 sec

Double Progression: Work within 5-8 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

barbell row

3×5

overhead press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
6-10
120 sec
2
–
–
6-10
120 sec
3
–
–
6-10
120 sec

Double Progression: Work within 6-10 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

overhead press

3×6

lat pulldown

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
8-12
90 sec
2
–
–
8-12
90 sec
3
–
–
8-12
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

lat pulldown

3×8

curl

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
60 sec
2
–
–
10-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

curl

2×10

tricep pushdown

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
60 sec
2
–
–
10-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

tricep pushdown

2×10

Lower Heavy

squat

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
5-8
180 sec
2
–
–
5-8
180 sec
3
–
–
5-8
180 sec

Double Progression: Work within 5-8 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

squat

3×5

romanian deadlift

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
6-10
150 sec
2
–
–
6-10
150 sec
3
–
–
6-10
150 sec

Double Progression: Work within 6-10 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

romanian deadlift

3×6

leg press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
120 sec
2
–
–
10-12
120 sec
3
–
–
10-12
120 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

leg press

3×10

leg curl

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
60 sec
2
–
–
10-12
60 sec
3
–
–
10-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

leg curl

3×10

calf raise

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
8-12
60 sec
2
–
–
8-12
60 sec
3
–
–
8-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

calf raise

3×8

Upper Reps

incline bench press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-15
90 sec
2
–
–
10-15
90 sec
3
–
–
10-15
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

incline bench press

3×10

seated cable row

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-15
90 sec
2
–
–
10-15
90 sec
3
–
–
10-15
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

seated cable row

3×10

seated shoulder press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-15
90 sec
2
–
–
10-15
90 sec
3
–
–
10-15
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

seated shoulder press

3×10

close grip lat pulldown

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-15
90 sec
2
–
–
10-15
90 sec
3
–
–
10-15
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

close grip lat pulldown

3×10

lateral raise

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-20
60 sec
2
–
–
12-20
60 sec
3
–
–
12-20
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-20 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

lateral raise

3×12

hammer curl

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-15
60 sec
2
–
–
12-15
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

hammer curl

2×12

Lower Reps

bulgarian split squat

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
90 sec
2
–
–
10-12
90 sec
3
–
–
10-12
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

bulgarian split squat

3×10

hip thrust

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-15
120 sec
2
–
–
10-15
120 sec
3
–
–
10-15
120 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

hip thrust

3×10

lying leg curl

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-15
60 sec
2
–
–
12-15
60 sec
3
–
–
12-15
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

lying leg curl

3×12

leg extension

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-15
60 sec
2
–
–
12-15
60 sec
3
–
–
12-15
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

leg extension

3×12

seated calf raise

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-20
60 sec
2
–
–
12-20
60 sec
3
–
–
12-20
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-20 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

seated calf raise

3×12