About this workout
Once the basics feel natural, this is the plan that builds the shape. Four days a week, split into two lower-body days and two upper-body days, with the glutes, shoulders and back prioritized because those are what create the strong, athletic hourglass look. You train each muscle group twice a week with enough volume to grow it and a clear progression so you keep getting better across the full eight weeks.
Who This Program Is For
- You have a few months of consistent training and know your way around the gym.
- You want to build lean muscle and shape, especially glutes and shoulders.
- You can train four days a week.
Who this is NOT for: complete beginners. If the gym is still new, start with the 4 Week Beginner Gym Workout Plan for Women and come back stronger.
It is also not a fat-loss program on its own. It builds the muscle; pair it with a sensible diet for the look you want.
What You'll Need
- A barbell, rack, dumbbells, cables and basic machines.
- A hip thrust setup or a bench to brace against.
- A notebook or app to track your progress.
The Program
Train four days: lower, upper, lower, upper. A sample week is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Control every rep and focus on feeling the target muscle work, especially the glutes on the lower days. Progress by adding reps, then weight.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower (Glute Focus) | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Hip Thrust (Weighted Hip Extension) | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Barbell Squat | 3 | 8-10 | 2 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 | 90 sec |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10 each leg | 90 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Seated Cable Rows | 3 | 12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower (Legs) | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 8-10 | 2 min |
| Leg Press | 3 | 12-15 | 90 sec |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
| Cable Kickbacks (One Legged Kickback) | 3 | 15 each leg | 45 sec |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Day 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10-12 each arm | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
How to Progress
Two four-week blocks.
Weeks 1-4. Establish your working weights, then add reps within each range every session. When you hit the top of a range on all sets, add a little weight next time.
Weeks 5-8. Keep adding weight where you can and push the last set of each exercise close to failure. On the glute and shoulder work especially, slow the reps and squeeze the muscle at the peak. Take a couple of easy days at the end of week 8 before your next block.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up with five minutes of light cardio and some band work for the hips and shoulders, then a lighter set of your first exercise.
The glutes and shoulders take the most volume here, so expect them to be worked; keep two days between the two lower days and the two upper days so they recover.
Sleep and food build the muscle. Aim for seven or more hours and eat enough protein consistently.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Lean muscle needs protein and enough food. Eat at maintenance or a slight surplus with about 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Worth taking: protein powder, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day, and a daily multivitamin.
FAQ
Why so much glute and shoulder work? Those two muscle groups do the most to create a strong, balanced, athletic shape, so they get prioritized. Your legs and back still get plenty.
Can I run this in a fat-loss phase? Yes. Keep the training the same, eat in a modest deficit, and you will hold and shape muscle while you lean out; progress will just be a little slower.
The weights feel light. Then add weight. Every set should end within a rep or two of failure by the last set. If it does not, go heavier.
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.