4-Day Intermediate Gym Workout Plan to Get Back in Shape
Four sessions a week alternating upper and lower body, with barbell work on the big lifts and fewer exercises per session. Made for lifters with a few months of gym experience who want to train often and rebuild strength.
Change my answersWeek 1, day by day
Session 1: Upper body 1
≈ 37 minWarm-up (5 min)
- 2 minutes of easy cycling or rowing.
- 10 shoulder rolls and 10 bodyweight squats.
- One light set of your first exercise, nice and easy.
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Barbell bench press
4 × 10 · rest 75 s
Pinch your shoulder blades on the bench, touch the bar to your lower chest and press up without bouncing.
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Bent-over barbell row
4 × 10 · rest 75 s
Hinge to about 45 degrees with a flat back and pull the bar to your lower stomach.
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Standing barbell overhead press
3 × 10 · rest 75 s
Squeeze your glutes and abs, press the bar straight overhead and move your head through at the top.
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Wide-grip lat pulldown
4 × 12 · rest 75 s
Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down, without swinging your torso.
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Triceps pushdown
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Elbows tucked at your sides, push the bar down until your arms are straight then return slowly.
Session 2: Lower body 1
≈ 34 minSame warm-up as the first session.
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Barbell back squat
4 × 10 · rest 75 s
Bar across your upper back, eyes forward, squat down with heels flat then drive up through your feet.
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Leg press
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Feet shoulder-width apart, lower until your knees reach 90 degrees and keep your lower back flat on the pad.
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Romanian deadlift
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Keep the bar close to your thighs, push your hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, back flat.
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Standing calf raise
3 × 15 · rest 75 s
Rise as high as you can on your toes, pause, then lower for a full stretch.
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Plank
3 × 40 s · rest 60 s
Forearms on the floor, body in a straight line from head to heels, abs and glutes tight.
Session 3: Upper body 2
≈ 33 minSame warm-up as the first session.
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Incline dumbbell press
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Set the bench to 30 degrees and press the dumbbells over your chest with straight wrists.
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One-arm dumbbell row
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
One hand and one knee on the bench, pull the dumbbell toward your hip without twisting your torso.
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Seated dumbbell shoulder press
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Back against the pad, press the dumbbells overhead without arching and lower to ear level.
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Dumbbell lateral raise
3 × 15 · rest 75 s
Raise the dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height with soft elbows and lower with control.
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Hammer curl
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Palms facing each other, curl the dumbbells while keeping your elbows still.
Session 4: Lower body 2
≈ 33 minSame warm-up as the first session.
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Dumbbell split squat
3 × 10 · rest 75 s
One foot forward and one back, lower straight down and keep your front knee over your foot.
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Barbell hip thrust
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Upper back on the bench, drive your hips up while squeezing your glutes, chin tucked.
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Seated leg curl
3 × 12 · rest 75 s
Set the pad just above your ankles and curl your legs without lifting your thighs off the seat.
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Seated calf raise
3 × 15 · rest 75 s
Knees under the pad, rise onto your toes and lower slowly.
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Cable crunch
3 × 15 · rest 75 s
Kneel facing the cable and curl your torso down while keeping your hips still.
Weeks 2 to 4, adapted to you, are in Muskl.
14-day free trial.
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