Riley has had online articles published about both muscle building and sports nutrition. He also has 13 years of experience in the gym to help him craft a shredded physique evident in pictures. We’re a little nervous writing this, so brace yourself — we don’t know much about the creator of this workout routine, a guy named Max Riley. That’s a safe amount of calorie restriction, but a smaller calorie restriction, such as 500 calories, may be easier to maintain over the long term. Just like the rest of your body, your brain needs calories for energy.
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- Seek guidance from a qualified fitness professional for personalized advice.
- As always, proper form is key for optimal growth and safety.
- Most research shows that 4-day splits can stimulate slightly more muscle growth than 2-day splits (study) and 3-day splits (study).
- However, it’s strongly advised to perform 2-4 warm-up sets for your first lift of each session (and as needed for the other main lift), gradually increasing to your working weight.
- Here are the 4 practices that you can do to use this time wisely.
- Instead of having a single big leg day that feels daunting just to think about, you can do one or two leg exercises in each workout and still get the necessary volume to grow.
Nuts and nut butter can support an eating plan focused on weight gain. For weight gain, you need to try to take in more calories than you burn throughout the day by eating many frequent, smaller meals. But knowing what to eat before and after a workout isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy. You need to consider your specific routine, fitness goals and timing when planning your meals and snacks. These guidelines will help you create a personalized nutrition plan to maximize your exercise efforts. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, the way you fuel your body matters.
Day 3: Lower-Body Resistance Training
This move will test your upper body, especially your shoulders. Activate your core and posterior chain (backside of your body) with a bridge. To help people get stronger, healthier, and more confident – all with a fun, no-nonsense approach. After you’ve completed your workout at home, feel free to cool down and stretch. You could also do an easier variation of each exercise in your workout for one round, slow and controlled, to prep your body for the harder workout to come. Before you start, it can be helpful to do a Dynamic Warm-Up – “warming up” simply means preparing your muscles to move, and getting your heart rate elevated.

Can I lose 10 pounds in 4 days?
Biceps curls are great for your biceps, especially after chin-ups. When I first met Marco, he had just finished studying under Eric Cressey, the head strength coach for the New York Yankees. Marco was working as the strength coach for his university football team and our Canadian Olympic rugby team. He adjusted the routines to suit the situation, but Upper/Lower Workout Splits were a staple of his, especially when his clients were trying to bulk up in the off-season. The exact number of workouts it takes to reach this point will vary from person to person, and from exercise to exercise.
Day 2 – Lower Body Workout A

Barbell squats are the go-to choice for an effective leg workout. Focus on proper mobility and depth, aiming to get your thighs to parallel or slightly lower. This means your hips reach knee level or slightly lower on each rep. Doing so helps maximize quadriceps loading and leads to better glute activation. They are also useful for warm-ups since you can start with the lightest band that offers the least resistance and gradually work up to the toughest one as your muscles warm up. The Hevy app has an automatic rest timer that triggers when you mark a set as completed––learn about it here.
Programs
No single exercise effectively works the entire body for building balanced muscle. However, compound movements such as deadlifts, squats, and clean-and-jerks are highly efficient as they engage multiple large muscle groups simultaneously. A balanced routine will always include a variety of movements. Whether you’re looking to break through a plateau or maximize your time in the gym, this evidence-based program will transform how you think about hypertrophy training. Get personalized meal plans to help you burn fat and build muscle. This is a horrible idea that will significantly hinder your progress.
Plank with alternating leg lift
That said, it’s generally best to get at least a day of recovery between sessions for optimal performance. Rep ranges and sets play a critical role in achieving your goals. For muscle growth‚ aim for rep ranges of 8-12 repetitions per set. This range stimulates muscle protein synthesis and promotes hypertrophy. For strength gains‚ focus on 4-6 repetitions per set‚ emphasizing heavy lifting. Each session during your 4-day split workout should last around 60 minutes.
Strength training focuses on lifting heavy and performing 4-8 reps per set with 2-5 minutes of rest between sets. Total body training involves performing at least one exercise for every muscle group in each session, whereas a split routine involves dividing muscle groups into multiple sessions. Research shows that diet changes alone raise your calorie deficit more easily than exercise alone.
The Additional Frequency Just Isn’t Needed
Any type of movement will benefit your body, health, and well-being. Warm-ups for any type of split or workout at the gym should be conscientious of the movements you are about to do. A full-body dynamic warm-up is generally best, but what you do beyond that should depend on the workout’s focus. For example, if you’re about to do a leg day, you should spend more time warming up your lower back, hips, knees, and ankles.
Keep your lower back slightly arched, in the neutral position. You can get an incredible cardio workout in 20 minutes by harnessing the power of intervals. Simply watch the timer and between 30 seconds and 50 seconds of every minute, crank up the machine to a sprint. For the remaining time within each minute, jog at a slower pace. Yes, you will notice a difference in eight weeks, especially if you are a beginner.
# BODYWEIGHT GOOD MORNINGS
For example, I gave Chat this workout link and said that I enjoy this type of weight training split. Before beginning strength training, consider warming up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles. Strength workouts will make your muscles stronger, while hypertrophy exercises will work to increase the overall size/mass of the muscles. Like with every other workout program, planning is the best way to make a 4-day split routine and make it is harna legit work well for you.
You don’t need a complicated workout split or a gym full of fancy equipment to make real progress with your arm workouts. All you really need is a pair of weights, about 20 minutes, and this list of arm exercises, courtesy of Tatiana Lampa, CPT. The foods that make up your weight gain eating plan, however, depend on your personal preferences, cultural foodways, budgetary considerations, and specific weight and health goals. The easiest way to add protein powder and extra calories into your eating plan is with a protein smoothie, especially for breakfast.
The Best Evening Gym Routine for Muscle Gain & Fat Loss W/ PDF
Whey protein is often made from dairy milk and can help improve markers of athletic performance and recovery (16). Since nuts are calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories. Just one small handful of raw almonds (1/4 cup or about 32 g) contains 170 calories, 6 g of protein, and 15 g of fats (6). Rice can be a staple food for supporting frequent, smaller meals throughout the day.
