About this workout
Turning 40 does not mean you stop building muscle; it means you train smarter. You recover a little slower, your joints ask for a proper warm-up, and the ego lifts you got away with at 25 are not worth it anymore. This is a 12 week, 4 day upper/lower split built for exactly that. Enough volume to grow, enough control to keep your shoulders, knees and lower back healthy, and a schedule that fits a busy life. You will get bigger and stronger without beating yourself up to do it.
Who This Program Is For
- You are a man over 40 who already trains, or trained before and is back at it.
- You can commit to four sessions a week.
- You have access to a full gym.
- You want to build muscle and strength while keeping your joints healthy for the long haul.
Who this is NOT for: total beginners. If you are new to lifting, start with the 3 Day Full Body Workout for Beginners and learn the movements first.
It is also not a max-out powerlifting plan. We train hard in a rep range that builds muscle and spares the joints, not heavy singles that grind you down.
What You'll Need
- A full gym with barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines.
- Time for a real warm-up; it matters more every year.
- A log. Progress you do not track is progress you cannot repeat.
The Program
Four days: two upper, two lower. A simple layout is Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Thursday upper, Friday lower. Leave a rep in the tank on most sets; you are training to build, not to fail. Machines and dumbbells carry the heavy load here on purpose, they are easier on aging joints than a loaded barbell every session.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper A | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Seated Cable Rows | 4 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-12 | 75 sec |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | 75 sec |
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower A | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Goblet Squat | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 | 90 sec |
| Leg Press | 3 | 12-15 | 90 sec |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Plank | 3 | 45 sec | 45 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper B | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 10-12 each arm | 75 sec |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Straight Arm Pulldown | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Bench Dips | 3 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
| Reverse Flyes | 3 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Day 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower B | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Leg Press | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 10 each leg | 75 sec |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 15 | 60 sec |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
How to Progress
Twelve weeks in three blocks, with a deload so you keep building instead of breaking down.
Weeks 1 to 4. Find your working weights and keep two reps in reserve. Add a little weight or a rep whenever a set feels easy.
Weeks 5 to 8. Push the top sets closer to one rep in reserve. Add weight on the main lifts first, then the accessories.
Week 8 (deload). Cut every set to two thirds of your normal weight and reps for one week. This is not optional past your thirties; it is how you let joints and connective tissue catch up.
Weeks 9 to 12. Come back and beat your week 5 to 7 numbers. By week 12 you should be stronger on every main lift than when you started, with no nagging joints to show for it.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up properly. Five minutes of easy cardio, then some arm circles, band pull-aparts and bodyweight squats, then a lighter ramp-up set of your first exercise. Over 40, the warm-up is the part you cannot skip.
Recovery is where you actually grow, and it is slower now than it was. Sleep seven or more hours, keep off days active with a walk, and do not train through sharp joint pain; work around it and it usually settles.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Muscle needs protein and enough total food. Aim for about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and eat at maintenance or a slight surplus if you want to add size.
Support that earns its place: protein powder to hit your target, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day for strength and recovery, and a daily multivitamin to cover the basics. Consider fish oil for joints as well.
FAQ
Is it too late to build muscle at 40 or beyond? Not even close. You build muscle at almost any age; you just manage recovery and joints more carefully, which is exactly what this plan does.
My joints ache. Should I stop? Sharp pain, yes, back off that movement. General stiffness usually improves with a better warm-up and staying in the 8 to 15 rep range, which this plan lives in.
Can I do cardio too? Yes. Two or three easy or moderate sessions a week are good for your heart and will not hurt your gains.
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.