4 day split suggestions..

cjdesmit

New member
Hey everyone,

I recently picked up a second job and am now working on average about 60-65hrs a week. With the added hours, stress, lack of sleep, ect. I am wanting to cut back to a 4 day split.. well not necessarily wanting to but HAVING to. I have been on a 5 day split for sometime now that looked similar to Layne Norton's PHAT program which is below..


Day 1: Upper Body Power
Day 2: Lower Body Power
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy
Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy
Day 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy
Day 7: Rest

I would really like to focus on the three big lifts (squat, dead, bench) and ideally perform them each twice a week or a variation of them ( ie: front squat, stiff legged dead, ect). However, I do not want a full on strength program as I enjoy bodybuilding parameters as well. Like everyone else, my goals are to add size AND strength. I may be asking for a lot here but does anyone have any suggestions? I've been trying to put together a decent program but have been having a hard time squeezing everything in without the extra day as I'm a bit of a volume whore..
 
Check out Wendler's 5/3/1 for Body Builders. I'm in week 3 and liking the no frills programming he uses, but I haven't been on it long enough to really know how my body is responding.
 
Day 1)
Deadlift Variant
GM's/RDL's/or SLDL
Unilateral work (lunges, stepups, BSS)

Day 2)
Horizontal Press
Horizontal pull
Bi/Tri

Day 3)
Squat variant
-the rest, same as your DL day

Day 4)
Overhead Press
Vertical Pull
Bi/Tri

Vary volume and intensity how you see fit
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Think I am going to give Wendler's 5/3/1 BBB program a try. Anyone familiar with it?
 
Yes, IMO, BBB sucks because it's boring. You can always use variations on the 5x10, though.

Example:
5/3/1 Deadlift
5x10 SLDL
Assistance

5/3/1 Bench
5x10 Close-grip
Assistance
 
I like this split! My training partner and i usually have like a month where we do hypertrophy but doing power and hypertrophy together is pretty awesome!
 
Sean1332 said:
Yes, IMO, BBB sucks because it's boring. You can always use variations on the 5x10, though.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm going with the template where you do the main lifts twice per week. So it looks like this..

5/3/1 OHP
5x10 Bench Press
5x10 Pull Ups
Assistance

5/3/1 DL
5x10 Squat
Assistance

5/3/1 Bench Press
5x10 OHP
5x10 Barbell/Dumbbell Row
Assistance

5/3/1 Squat
5x10 DL
Assistance
 
When I have to cut back days in the gym to 3-4 I run Starr's Madcows 5x5 and add a little volume. If you're keeping the intensity high and progressing according to the spreadsheet (which I can send you if you message me) you might not be able to add another day, but if you're eating a lot and hitting the gym with decent energy it works pretty well to add in some accessory work at the end of each workout and get the best of both worlds. It's pretty brutal at around the 10 week mark, though.
 
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