4-day push/pull split workout plan

The plan, week 1

Week 1 is calibration: pick a weight for the bottom of each range with one more rep in reserve than later. The RIR column shows week 1 → week 2 onwards; the grid below shows what changes in weeks 2-8.

Tempo 3-0-1-0: 3 s lowering, 0 s pause in the stretch, 1 s lifting, 0 s pause in the squeeze. X: lift as fast as you can while staying in control.

What RIR means →How to read tempo →

B3fx3×6–10 · RIR 2

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 5	–	–	1:00
3	ABarbell Squat	3 × 6–10	3 → 2	2-0-X-0	3:00
4	BBarbell Bench Press	3 × 6–10	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	3:00	One lighter warm-up set first; it isn't a plan set. The squat warmed up your legs, not your chest.
5	CSeated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	2:00
6	DSeated Leg Extension Machine	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
7	EDumbbell Lateral Raise	3 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	1:00
8	FCable Triceps Pushdown	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00

18 working sets · ≈50 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 1

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	ACable Lat Pulldown	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.
4	BSeated Cable Row	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00
5	CSeated Leg Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
6	DCable Rear Delt Fly	2 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
7	EDumbbell Biceps Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	1:00
8	FKneeling Cable Abs Crunches	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00

16 working sets · ≈40 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 1

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	AMachine Hack Squat	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	2:30
4	BIncline Dumbbell Bench Press	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	2:00	Bench at about 30 degrees.
5	CCable Middle Chest Fly	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
6	DDumbbell Lateral Raise	3 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	1:00
7	ECable Overhead Triceps Extension	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	1:00
8	FCalf Leg Press	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-2-1-0	1:00

18 working sets · ≈45 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 2

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	ARomanian Deadlift	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	3-0-1-0	2:30	Bar close to the legs, hips back; stop before the back rounds.
4	BBarbell Hip Thrust	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-1	2:00	Follows the deadlift, so the hips are warm. Chin tucked, ribs down; pause for a second at the top.
5	CCable Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Neutral-grip pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.
6	DChest Supported Machine Row	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Chest on the pad: your lower back rests after the deadlift and hip thrust.
7	ESeated Leg Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
8	FCable Rear Delt Fly	2 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
9	GSeated Incline Biceps Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	1:00

20 working sets · ≈55 min

Push APull APush BPull B

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Week by week

Week 8 is a deload: about 60% of the sets (4→2, 3→2, 2→1), the same weights and rest, stop at RIR 4. Why a deload helps →

Saved only in this browser. The app keeps your weights and reps.

How to progress on this plan

The simplest method that works on any plan: double progression. Keep the weight and add reps while you finish your sets with the reserve in the RIR column. When every set reaches the top of the range, add one step and build the reps up again.

• Barbell Squat 3 × 6–10 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 10 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
• Barbell Bench Press 3 × 6–10 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 10 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
• Cable Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 at RIR 1: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 1 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
• Seated Cable Row 3 × 8–12 at RIR 1: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 1 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
• Machine Hack Squat 3 × 8–12 at RIR 1: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 1 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
• Isolation exercises (10–20 reps) follow the same rule. With light dumbbells, the next pair can be too big a jump: use the in-between weight, or stay and go 1-2 reps above the range for a week or two.
• The squat, bench press and Romanian deadlift come once a week each. Several weeks of adding reps before each 2.5 kg step is normal at this level; the worked example shows it.
• The lateral raise, leg curl and rear-delt fly are written the same on both days they appear: use one weight for both and carry on from whichever session came last.
• Free-weight compounds stop at RIR 2; the hack squat, pulldowns, rows and isolation exercises at RIR 1, because machines and cables are safer to push closer to failure.
• The dumbbell presses go up a whole pair at a time. If the next pair drops you below 8 reps, stay with your pair and go 1-2 reps above 12 first.

The full guide: how to progress →

Your starting weights

Enter a recent set of the exercise: weight, reps and how many reps you had left. You get the week-1 weight for the bottom of the range with one rep more in reserve, from the widely used RPE chart (RTS).

1RM calculator →

Weekly volume per muscle

Working sets per muscle in a regular week, counted the way the app counts them: a set is 1 for a muscle the exercise trains directly and 0.5 for one it trains indirectly. Warm-ups don't count.

Abs and calves are optional. From 10 sets a week the app labels a muscle "High volume": above its default target and still productive.

Count your own sets →

Substitutions

Choose your substitute in week 1 and keep it for all 8 weeks: the app tracks progress per exercise. Each substitute trains the same muscles directly, so the volume above stays the same.

Adapt the plan

Short on time

Pull B, about 55 minutes, and Push A, about 50, are the long sessions: drop the rear-delt fly on Pull B and the leg extension on Push A. The optional calf press and cable crunch can go too. Each saves 4-7 minutes; every compound lift stays, and the rear delts and quads stay in the growth zone.

Bulking or cutting

Keep the plan as it is in both. On a cut, aim to hold your weights: reps that drop by one or two are normal, and you can skip the last set of the isolation exercises if recovery suffers.

Bringing up one muscle

Add 2-3 weekly sets for that muscle only, on the days that already train it; for a pull muscle use Tuesday, because Saturday is already the longest session. For glutes and legs, take the glute and leg priority version of the 4-day upper/lower plan.

Over 40

Warm up a little longer, keep one more rep in reserve on the heavy barbell lifts and take the full rest. Joints decide the pace, not the calendar.

Training at home

At home with dumbbells and a bench? Take the dumbbell version of the 4-day upper/lower plan.

The same plan in the app

The app opens exactly this plan: all 8 weeks, the same targets, week 1 calibration included. Its description in the app:

A push/pull split for intermediates on 4 days (Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat), about 55-70 minutes per workout, every big muscle group twice a week. Push days train chest, shoulders, triceps and quads; pull days train back, biceps, hamstrings and glutes. 8 weeks: week 1 is calibration (one more rep in reserve than the target), weeks 2-7 at RIR 2 on free-weight compounds and RIR 1 on the rest, week 8: deload, about half the sets, RIR 4. Progression: add reps first, then weight once every set reaches the top of its range at the target RIR.

Free: the plan, logging weight, reps and RIR, the rest timer, history, previous results and the calculators.

This page teaches the manual method. With Premium, the app suggests the weight and reps for every set after each workout, from the weights, reps and RIR you logged, including week-1 calibration and the deload. Its suggestions can differ from this simple rule because it uses more of your data.

Track this plan for free in SmartWorkout

The same exercises, sets, reps and RIR, ready in the app. Logging, rest timer and history are free. Automatic progression suggestions: Premium.

In the app: Plans → Push/Pull · 4 days