If you have been looking for a 4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain, you have found it. Being able to lose fat AND gain muscle at the same time is an art.
But if done properly, you will get the results that you are looking for.
If you are reading this article, it probably means that you have some fat to lose. This is good, because we are going to want to lose fat and build muscle.
In this article, we will cover the whole entire 4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain. It will be 4 days of weight training, and 3 days of HIIT workouts.
You can follow along by reading this article, or you can download our app All Workouts: Personal Trainer (iOS | Google Play). This app has this workout plan built in and also the HIIT workouts. All in a pretty, user friendly, easy to use package.
The 4 day workout plan that we will be going through is called 4 day mass machine.
4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain
This workout plan will split up muscle groups to maximize muscle growth. You don’t want to overwork your muscles, or they won’t have time to repair.
The 4 days of weight training consists of:
Back and Biceps
Chest and Triceps
Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves
Shoulders, Traps, and Forearms
If you are looking to put on muscle, this is a great option, but we also have to consider the fat burning portion of the workout plan.
On days 1, 2, and 4, we are going to add in a HIIT workout to the end. You can take a look at some of our beginner HIIT workouts to do at home. For this plan, we will be doing a combination of HIIT workouts that you can do at home, and at the gym. They go as follows:
Assault Bike
Burpees
Battle Ropes
If you can do this workout routine with any form of consistency, you are going to get some incredible results! Let’s get into it!
Day 1 – Back and Biceps
Trap Bar Deadlift
3 Sets, 5 Reps per set
What an epic start to this workout plan! This is one of my favorite exercises of all time. The trap bar deadlift is a full body workout, but mainly hits the back and legs.
Alternating Dumbbell Row
3 Sets, 16 Reps per set
It is all about the alternation here. You want to make sure to engage each side of your back muscles, while in control the whole time.
If you find yourself using your body to swing the weights up, you are probably using too much weight. Simply drop down in weight, and work your way up.
Wide-Grip Pullup
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Pullups are so underrated, I can’t believe that more people don’t do them. You are pulling your whole entire body. If you weigh 200 pounds, you are pulling 200 pounds.
It is totally understandable if you can’t do 8 reps here. In fact, sometimes I can only do 6 or 7 depending on my energy level. Try as hard as you can, or use the pullup assist machine.
Barbell Bentover Row
3 Sets, 5 Reps per set
You will notice throughout this workout routine, that the lower rep count exercises are usually compound exercises. That is, exercises targeting more than one muscle group and use heavier weights.
When you see an exercise that requires 5 reps, that means you can lift heavy. Don’t be afraid to try something heavy here. But use common sense of course!
Seated Cable Row
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
One of the best machine exercises for targeting your back! Make sure that when you pull back, pause for a second and pinch your back muscles together at the spine.
Cambered Bar Preacher Curl
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
This one really targets your biceps, and you will be feeling it big time after completing the preacher curl. Take your time here, and really be sure to squeeze the bicep at the top.
Dumbbell Concentration Curl
3 Sets, 12 Reps per set
It is ok to use lighter weight here. We want to go slow, and be sure to squeeze the bicep at the top.
Be sure to do 12 reps for each arm!
Spider Curl
3 Sets, 16 Reps per set
Remember, the higher the reps, the more it becomes ok to use lighter weight. Set your bench to an incline of 30-45 degrees and lay on it face down.
Just hang your arms down on each side of the bench and start curling. You will be burning after this one.
HIIT 1 – Assault Bike
Our first bit of high intensity interval training! This is where the fat burning comes into play. If you skip these workouts, you will definitely still build muscle, but you probably won’t burn as much fat.
This is easier to follow along in our app, but the standard for HIIT is as follows:
30 Seconds Intense – In this case, the assault bike
60 Seconds Rest – I usually just walk slowly or sit
Repeat this 10 times, and you are good to go. This will only last 15 minutes, but you will be very tired after this.
Day 2 – Chest and Triceps
Barbell Bench Press
3 Sets, 5 Reps per set
This is one of the best chest exercises of all time, and on our list of workouts for skinny people to gain muscle.
Look at the rep count. It is ok to go heavier here, but I must warn you, don’t get too confident without a spotter. You don’t want to end up on a bench press fails video.
Incline Dumbbell Press
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
Set the bench to 30-45 degrees, and make sure your back is tight to the bench. You don’t want to be wiggling around too much here.
Be confident, and be smooth and controlled when you are doing these, and you will feel it in your upper chest.
Weighted Dips
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Another very underrated exercise, weighted dips hit your chest hard, and also get your arms pretty good. Have you ever seen one of those outdoor gyms with pullup bars? Chances are, they have parallel bars for weighted dips too.
One thing to keep in mind is that you don’t need weights for this. Your body weight is plenty, especially if you are just getting started.
Cable Crossover
2 Sets, 16 Reps per set
High reps, low weight. Be sure to squeeze your chest muscles together when you come to the portion where your hands come together.
Chest Press Machine
3 Sets, 12 Reps per set
Every gym has one, and it seems like so many people use them. Don’t be the person that only uses this machine for their chest exercises.
This machine is great, but ONLY in combination with other exercises, like we are doing here. It is not a substitute for all other chest exercises.
Decline Skull Crushers
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Just set your bench on a decline and make sure your upper arms are perpendicular to the ground.
Don’t let your arms swing around too much. We want controlled movements. You should really feel this in your triceps if you are performing it correctly.
Seated Tricep Cambered Bar Press
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
Find a shoulder press bench with a short back. You want to avoid the adjustable benches with the high backs because you don’t want to crush your fingers on the way down.
This is another exercise where it is important to keep your upper arms perpendicular to the ground. No reckless swinging! Full control.
Cable Tricep Kickback
3 Sets, 16 Reps per set
Just bend down so your back is parallel with the ground. Tuck your upper arm next to your body. This prevents you from swinging your body into the workout.
You should feel this in your tricep, especially after 16 reps.
HIIT 2 – Burpees
Did you see the formula from our HIIT 1 workout? It is pretty simple. Do the most intense exercising you can possibly imagine for 30 seconds, and then rest for 60 seconds.
Repeat 10 times, which will be exactly 15 minutes.
A fun game to play is to see how many burpees you can do in 30 seconds. Then try to beat that in the next round. This will ensure that you are being as intense as possible.
Day 3 – Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves
Squat
3 Sets, 5 Reps per set
As classic as the bench press, the squat is one of the best leg workouts in the world. It is very functional, and will get your legs burning and building muscle.
Leg Press
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Find yourself a leg press machine and get after it! This is another exercise that I see a lot of people using to try and substitute for squats. Don’t do it!
Use this machine to supplement your workout plan, not replace it.
Hack Squat
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
The hack squat is kind of awkward at first, like a bad first date. But once you get the hang of it, you will understand its importance.
Leg Extensions
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
If you are not burning after 10 reps here, you should either up your weight or re-evaluate your form.
Make sure to explode up, squeeze your quads at the top, then lower slowly. If you follow this formula, your quads will grow.
Romanian Deadlift
3 Sets, 5 Reps per set
Although it looks very similar to a regular deadlift, it is not. You want to keep your legs and back as straight as possible in this exercise.
From there, you will want to hinge at the waist, and make sure to focus your muscle targeting on your glutes and upper hamstrings.
Leg Curl
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
This exercise is a great compliment to the romanian deadlift. You will attack your hamstrings and glutes with this one.
Standing Calf Raise
3 Sets, 12 Reps per set
This can be done with either a machine or a barbell. Be sure to squeeze those calves at the top!
Seated Calf Raise
3 Sets, 10 Reps per set
You might be thinking, what is the point of me doing seated calf raises and standing calf raises.
The secret is that they target different parts of your calves. If you want to get perfectly sculpted legs, I recommend doing both!
Day 4 – Shoulder, Traps, and Forearms
Barbell Overhead Press
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Talk about a great start to really blast the shoulders! This exercise is well known in the fitness industry for building muscle in your upper body.
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
You might see the short back shoulder press benches around your gym. Most people use those for dumbbell shoulder presses.
If you are lucky like me, your gym has fully adjustable benches where the back goes fully vertical. I personally prefer these, because you can press your body and head against the back to support you while doing this exercise.
Standing Dumbbell Fly
3 Sets, 16 Reps per set
Remember that high reps means low weight, and the standing dumbbell fly is no exception. Slow and steady wins the race, so make sure you aren’t flailing here.
Use control, and you will be feeling the shoulder burn by the time you are done with your 16 reps.
Machine Shoulder Press
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
We have talked about machines a few times in this article. They are great as a supplement to a well rounded workout, but they are not a substitute.
Don’t only do the machine shoulder press. Keep up with this plan, and you will not regret it.
Upright Row
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
I prefer the cambered bar here, but some people prefer straight bars. It is personal preference, but I have found that the cambered bar is easier on my joints.
Trap Raise
3 Sets, 8 Reps per set
Set your bench to 30-45 degrees. This is another exercise where it pays to be slow and steady. You will never regret using proper form for a workout.
HIIT 3 – Battle Ropes
If you have made it this far, you know that the formula for high intensity interval training is simple. The best thing to do is download All Workouts: Personal Trainer (iOS | Google Play). You will easily be able to track your full HIIT workout and go through this whole entire workout plan.
If you choose to do it manually, I will go over the formula one more time for you.
30 Seconds Intense – In this case, battle ropes
60 Seconds Rest – I usually just walk slowly or sit
Repeat this 10 times, and you are good to go. This will only last 15 minutes, but you will be very tired after this.
Main Point: There really is a 4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain
Does this seem like a lot to you? It might seem overwhelming at first, but once you get into a routine, you will get the hang of it.
Keep up the good work, and don’t skip any days! A 4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain is possible. Commit to this workout plan, and you will not regret it.
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One Comment
Mehari
Wow verry nice