Progrevia4-day hypertrophy routine
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A hypertrophy routine over 4 days is built to build muscle: enough sets per muscle group, close to failure, with a little more load each week.
Parameters the engine applies
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Assigned structure | Upper / Lower |
| Reps per set | 6-12 |
| Sets per exercise | 3-4 |
| Rest between sets | 60-180 s |
| RIR (reps in reserve) | 2-4 |
| Intensity | 65-80% 1RM |
| Share of compound exercises | 65 % |
These are not generic recommendations: they are the exact parameters the engine uses to build this routine, and they change with the goal you pick.
How your week looks
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Upper A (Push) |
| Day 2 | Legs A |
| Day 3 | Upper B (Pull) |
| Day 4 | Legs B |
The engine splits muscle groups across sessions according to the structure that matches your available days.
Exercise table: the week the engine builds
This is the routine Progrevia builds for an intermediate lifter with a full gym and 60-minute sessions: 20 exercises and 73 sets per week. Yours adapts to your level, your equipment and your time, so it may differ.
Day 1 · Upper A (Push)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted push-up | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Barbell row | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Seated dumbbell press | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Seated overhead dumbbell triceps extension | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
| Decline dumbbell flyes | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Day 2 · Legs A
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hack squat | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Good mornings | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Dumbbell lunges | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Standing calf raise | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
| Single-leg leg extension | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Day 3 · Upper B (Pull)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gironda row | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Pull-ups | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Machine press | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
| Face pull | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Day 4 · Legs B
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-leg RDL | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Sumo goblet squat | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Sumo barbell squat | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Landmine rotation | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Standing cable leg curl | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Weekly sets per muscle group
| Muscle group | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Back | 12 |
| Quads | 11 |
| Hamstrings | 11 |
| Chest | 11 |
| Glutes | 8 |
| Shoulders | 7 |
| Abs | 4 |
| Biceps | 3 |
| Calves | 3 |
| Triceps | 3 |
Each set is counted on the exercise's main muscle. It is the most direct way to compare this routine with another: at equal effort, weekly volume is what weighs most on the result.
What changes compared with the 3-day routine
With 4 days the week adds up to 73 sets; with 3, 55. These are the differences per muscle group:
- Quads: 4 → 11
- Hamstrings: 4 → 11
- Glutes: 4 → 8
- Shoulders: 4 → 7
- Back: 11 → 12
- Chest: 10 → 11
- Triceps: 4 → 3
- Traps: 4 → 0
Sessions in the 3-day routine: Push, Pull, Legs.
Hypertrophy in 4 days: weekly sets, proximity to failure and progression
To build muscle, well-executed weekly volume matters most. In the meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017, Journal of Sports Sciences), more weekly sets per muscle were associated with more growth, and 10 or more sets beat fewer than 5. Effort counts too: Robinson and colleagues (2024) found more hypertrophy the closer to failure sets ended. That is why the engine keeps few reps in reserve and raises volume gradually.
With 4 days, each muscle is trained twice a week, the frequency that spreads weekly volume best for growth.
The week the engine builds has 4 sessions, 20 exercises and 73 sets in total. Counting sets and rest, each session takes about 45 minutes, not including the warm-up.
| Week | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your 4 sessions (Upper A (Push), Legs A, Upper B (Pull), Legs B) with sets at 3-4 reps in reserve | Dial in weights without piling up fatigue |
| 2 | Same weight and more reps within the range, starting with barbell row and good mornings | Double progression: reps first, then load |
| 3 | Sets closer to failure (1-2 in reserve) on isolation work | More stimulus where the risk is lower |
| 4 | Add weight where you hit the top of the range; if fatigue builds, drop to about 44 of the 73 sets | Start the next cycle with new loads |
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2017;35(11):1073-1082.
- Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. Exploring the dose-response relationship between estimated resistance training proximity to failure, strength gain, and muscle hypertrophy: a series of meta-regressions. Sports Medicine. 2024;54(9):2209-2231.
How the week is split
Upper and lower body, twice (push upper, lower, pull upper and lower): every muscle group is trained twice a week. This week, 6 of the 10 muscle groups with their own exercise are trained twice or more and 4 once.
What your routine includes
- Sessions of 5 exercises and 18 to 19 sets.
- No exercise goes above 4 sets a week: the volume is spread across several.
- Reps of 5 to 15 and rests of 90 to 150 seconds, depending on the exercise and the day.
- RIR 3-4 in the first week, 2-3 in the second and 1-2 in the third; in the deload it rises to 4-6.
- The engine suggests the load for each session from what you log (double progression).
Who is this routine for?
That is 4 sessions of about 60 minutes, 4 hours a week, with 73 sets in total: about 18 per session. It fits if you can set aside those 4 days consistently; if not, look at the 3-day routine.
Exercises it usually includes
Other routines you may like
- 3-day hypertrophy routine
- 5-day hypertrophy routine
- 4-day strength routine
- 4-day fat loss routine
- 4-day body recomposition routine
Generate yours for free
Progrevia creates your personalized hypertrophy routine of 4 days in under a minute, no mandatory sign-up and no card. With a free account you can download it as a PDF.
Learn the theory
Muscle hypertrophy: the 3 mechanisms that drive it
Frequently asked questions
How many days a week should I train?
It depends on your availability and recovery. 4 days a week is a balanced option for a hypertrophy goal.
Can I do the 4-day hypertrophy routine at home?
Yes. Muscle responds more to the effort of each set than to the type of equipment: with dumbbells, bands or bodyweight you grow if sets end close to failure. Progrevia adapts the exercise selection to what you have.
How long until the muscle shows?
Visible changes usually take 8-12 weeks of consistent training; before that, what goes up is strength. Measuring arms and legs every month gives a clearer signal than the mirror.
How many sets per week does the 4-day hypertrophy routine have?
73 sets spread over 20 exercises and 4 sessions. The group that gets the most work is back, with 12 weekly sets.
How many sets per muscle do I do each week on the 4-day hypertrophy routine?
The ones in the week the engine builds for your level; the volume table above shows this routine's numbers. The evidence suggests 10 or more weekly sets per muscle produce more growth than fewer than 5, as long as each set gets close to failure. Progrevia starts at a recoverable volume and raises it based on what you log. This week adds up to 73 sets over 4 sessions.
Progrevia builds gym routines from your own data: periodization, RIR and week-by-week progression. Free, no card.