4 days a week
Build
Four days, upper and lower split — around ten sets per muscle per week, which is where the size evidence points.
For adding muscle: more total volume, each muscle group trained twice a week, moderate loads and higher reps. The volume target comes straight from the meta-regression evidence — roughly ten sets per muscle group per week is where results were best, with diminishing returns above it, and twice-weekly frequency beats once when the volume is the same.
The sessions
Upper A
Roughly 60 minutes
Push emphasis
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 × 6–8 |
| Overhead press | 3 × 8–10 |
| Chest-supported row | 4 × 8–12 |
| Lateral raise | 3 × 12–15 |
| Triceps extension | 3 × 10–12 |
Lower A
Roughly 60 minutes
Squat emphasis
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Back squat | 4 × 6–8 |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8–10 |
| Leg press | 3 × 10–12 |
| Calf raise | 3 × 12–15 |
| Hanging knee raise | 3 × 10–12 |
Upper B
Roughly 60 minutes
Pull emphasis
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 4 × 6–10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–12 |
| Seated cable row | 3 × 10–12 |
| Rear delt fly | 3 × 12–15 |
| Biceps curl | 3 × 10–12 |
Lower B
Roughly 60 minutes
Hinge emphasis
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 × 5 |
| Bulgarian split squat | 3 × 8–10 each side |
| Leg curl | 3 × 10–12 |
| Hip thrust | 3 × 10–12 |
| Plank | 3 × 45 seconds |
How it moves forward
Add reps within the range week to week; when you clear the top of the range on every set, add weight and drop back to the bottom. If a session is consistently leaving you flat, that is a sign to take volume down, not up.
This may suit you if
- · You have been training consistently for six months or more
- · You can commit to four sessions most weeks
- · Adding muscle is the goal
What this rests on
Systematic review · 2025
Across meta-regression, muscle growth increases with weekly volume with diminishing returns; roughly 5–9 weekly sets per muscle is a solid minimum and 10 or more produced the best results. Training a muscle twice a week beats once when volume is equal.
The Resistance Training Dose Response: meta-regressions on volume and frequency · Sports Medicine
Clinical guideline · 2026
Train all major muscle groups at least twice a week. For strength, lift around 80% of one-rep max for 2–3 sets per exercise; for size, aim for roughly 10 sets per muscle group per week. The stand emphasises that consistency matters more than programme complexity.
ACSM Position Stand on Resistance Training for Healthy Adults · American College of Sports Medicine