How does this compare to a 4-day bodybuilding split?

Bodybuilding Split Advanced runs 4 days a week and separates back/biceps from legs/shoulders, giving you more focused volume per body part and a dedicated core/accessory day. Extensive Routine runs 3 days a week and combines chest with back, plus a full leg day and a full arm day. Less total volume, more recovery between sessions. Pick this if you can only train 3 days, or if you've been on a 4-day split for a while and want to vary stimulus while still progressing. Both target hypertrophy. The choice is mostly about how many days a week your schedule allows.

When should I deload on this plan?

Plan a light week every 4–6 weeks — keep the same exercises, drop weights to ~60% of your working sets, and cap reps at 8 per set. The point is recovery, not stimulus. Signs you need a deload sooner: Working sets feel heavier than the last session at the same weight Sleep quality drops or you wake up sore for 3+ days Joint pain in shoulders, knees, or elbows during warm-ups After the deload week, you'll come back stronger and resume weekly weight progression. Don't skip them — advanced lifters break down faster than they think.

Split

Extensive Routine

Push your limits with this advanced 3-day split for serious muscle growth.

Each session targets major muscle groups with proven lifts and intense volume.

Perfect for experienced lifters seeking full-body hypertrophy and weekly progression.

60 min

3 days/week

hypertrophy

advanced

Start now

Chest & Back Power
This routine is perfect for anyone wanting a powerful upper body.
We'll target your chest and back with pressing and rowing moves, plus a core finisher for extra burn.
Expect serious strength gains and a sculpted midsection.
60 min
9 exercises
strength
intense
- Chest
  Bench Press
  4 × 12, 10, 8, 8
  A powerful exercise to build chest, shoulder, and tricep strength.
  Chest
  •
  Triceps
  •
  Delts
- Back
  Incline Barbell Row
  4 × 12, 10, 8, 8
  Perform incline barbell rows to target the upper back and traps.
  Traps
  •
  Upper Back
  •
  Rear Delts
- Back
  Wide-Grip Pull-Up
  3 × max
  Target your lats more intensely with this wide-grip pull-up.
  Lats
- Chest
  Incline Dumbbell Press
  3 × 12, 8, 8
  Boost your upper chest strength and improve your posture.
  Upper Chest
- Chest
  Cable Crossover
  2 × 12
  Perform chest flyes using cables for constant tension.
  Chest
- Back
  Seated Cable Row
  2 × 12
  An isolation exercise that targets the mid-back muscles for improved strength and posture.
  Rhomboids
  •
  Lats
- Core
  Hanging Leg Raise
  2 × 15
  A challenging move to strengthen your lower abs and build core stability.
  Abs
  •
  Front Hips
- Core
  Bench Crunch
  2 × 20
  An enhanced version of crunches using a bench to increase core engagement.
  Abs
  •
  Obliques
- Core
  Machine Crunch
  2 × 15
  A resistance-based abdominal exercise performed on a machine for effective core isolation.
  Abs
Leg Day: Power and Strength
Get ready to unleash your lower body strength with today's intense leg workout. We're focusing on building power and muscle in your quads, hamstrings, and calves with exercises like squats, lunges, and Romanian deadlifts. Feel the burn and embrace the challenge as you push through each set, knowing you're boosting your strength and athleticism. Let's power up those legs and make every rep count!
60 min
9 exercises
strength
intense
- Legs
  Squat
  4 × 12, 10, 8, 8
  A versatile lower body exercise that builds strength and stability.
  Quads
  •
  Glutes
  •
  Hamstrings
- Legs
  Lunge
  3 × 12, 10, 10
  A dynamic lower body exercise to build strength, balance, and flexibility.
  Quads
  •
  Hamstrings
  •
  Glutes
- Legs
  Leg Extension
  3 × 10
  A simple yet effective exercise for isolating the quadriceps.
  Quads
- Legs
  Romanian Deadlift
  3 × 12, 10, 10
  Lower the barbell while keeping your legs straighter than in a conventional deadlift.
  Hamstrings
  •
  Glutes
  •
  Lower Back
- Legs
  Leg Curl
  2 × 12, 10
  Sit or lie on the leg curl machine, and lift your legs up towards your butt, focusing on squeezing your hamstrings.
  Hamstrings
- Legs
  Calf Raise
  3 × 15
  A simple yet effective move to build strength and size in your calves.
  Calves
- Core
  Reverse Crunch
  2 × 15
  A simple yet effective core exercise targeting the lower abs.
  Abs
- Core
  Hanging Leg Raise
  2 × 15
  A challenging move to strengthen your lower abs and build core stability.
  Abs
  •
  Front Hips
- Core
  Hanging Knee Raises with Twist
  2 × 15
  A tough core move that hits your lower abs and obliques through a twist.
  Obliques
  •
  Abs
Arm Day Blast
Get ready to sculpt those arms with our Arm Day Blast! This intense hypertrophy-focused session targets your biceps, triceps, and shoulders with a mix of presses, curls, and raises. Expect to feel the burn with supersets and max reps that push your limits. Not only will you build strength and size, but you'll also enhance your overall athleticism and posture. Let's make those arms pop!
60 min
11 exercises
hypertrophy
intense
- Shoulders
  Seated Dumbbell Press
  3 × 15, 10, 8
  Press dumbbells overhead to build shoulder and tricep strength.
  Delts
  •
  Triceps
- Shoulders
  Lateral Raise
  2 × 10
  Sculpt your shoulders with this lateral raise exercise.
  Side Delts
- Shoulders
  Reverse Fly
  2 × 10
  Strengthen your rear shoulders and upper back with reverse flys.
  Rear Delts
- Back
  Barbell Shrug
  3 × 12, 10, 8
  Strengthen your traps by performing barbell shrugs.
  Traps
  •
  Upper Back
- Chest
  Close-Grip Bench Press
  3 × 12, 10, 8
  Press the barbell with a narrow grip to target the triceps and chest.
  Triceps
  •
  Chest
- Arms
  Barbell Curl
  3 × 12, 10, 10
  Lift a barbell by curling your arms to work the biceps.
  Biceps
- Arms
  Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
  3 × 12, 10, 10
  Strengthen your forearms and biceps with a reverse grip curl.
  Brachialis
  •
  Forearm Extensors
- Arms
  Tricep Pushdown
  3 × 10
  Push down the cable to isolate your triceps and build arm definition.
  Triceps
- Arms
  Standing Hammer Curls
  3 × 10
  Strengthen your biceps and forearms with this classic move.
  Biceps
  •
  Forearms
  •
  Brachioradialis
- Core
  Cable Crunch
  2 × 15
  An isolation exercise that builds core strength using a cable machine.
  Abs
- Core
  Reverse Crunch
  2 × 15
  A simple yet effective core exercise targeting the lower abs.
  Abs

FAQ

Common questions about this plan: schedule, goals, equipment, and substitutions.

Yes, if the volume is intense enough — and this plan is. The split groups muscles into chest/back, legs, and arms days, with each muscle hit hard once a week using compound lifts and supersets at 8–12 reps. Total weekly volume lands at 15–20 working sets per major muscle group, which is enough to drive hypertrophy in experienced lifters.

The trade-off vs a 4-day or 5-day split is recovery time. With 4 rest days a week, you can push each session harder without burning out. Ideal if you have a demanding schedule outside the gym.

Extensive Routine

Bench Press4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Incline Barbell Row4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Wide-Grip Pull-Up3 × max

Incline Dumbbell Press3 × 12, 8, 8

Cable Crossover2 × 12

Seated Cable Row2 × 12

Hanging Leg Raise2 × 15

Bench Crunch2 × 20

Machine Crunch2 × 15

Squat4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Lunge3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Extension3 × 10

Romanian Deadlift3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Curl2 × 12, 10

Calf Raise3 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

Hanging Leg Raise2 × 15

Hanging Knee Raises with Twist2 × 15

Seated Dumbbell Press3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise2 × 10

Reverse Fly2 × 10

Barbell Shrug3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls3 × 10

Cable Crunch2 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

FAQ

Extensive Routine

Bench Press4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Incline Barbell Row4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Wide-Grip Pull-Up3 × max

Incline Dumbbell Press3 × 12, 8, 8

Cable Crossover2 × 12

Seated Cable Row2 × 12

Hanging Leg Raise2 × 15

Bench Crunch2 × 20

Machine Crunch2 × 15

Squat4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Lunge3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Extension3 × 10

Romanian Deadlift3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Curl2 × 12, 10

Calf Raise3 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

Hanging Leg Raise2 × 15

Hanging Knee Raises with Twist2 × 15

Seated Dumbbell Press3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise2 × 10

Reverse Fly2 × 10

Barbell Shrug3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls3 × 10

Cable Crunch2 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

FAQ

Bench Press
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Incline Barbell Row
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Wide-Grip Pull-Up
3 × max

Incline Dumbbell Press
3 × 12, 8, 8

Cable Crossover
2 × 12

Seated Cable Row
2 × 12

Hanging Leg Raise
2 × 15

Bench Crunch
2 × 20

Machine Crunch
2 × 15

Squat
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Lunge
3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Extension
3 × 10

Romanian Deadlift
3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Curl
2 × 12, 10

Calf Raise
3 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

Hanging Leg Raise
2 × 15

Hanging Knee Raises with Twist
2 × 15

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Reverse Fly
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

Bench Press
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Incline Barbell Row
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Wide-Grip Pull-Up
3 × max

Incline Dumbbell Press
3 × 12, 8, 8

Cable Crossover
2 × 12

Seated Cable Row
2 × 12

Hanging Leg Raise
2 × 15

Bench Crunch
2 × 20

Machine Crunch
2 × 15

Squat
4 × 12, 10, 8, 8

Lunge
3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Extension
3 × 10

Romanian Deadlift
3 × 12, 10, 10

Leg Curl
2 × 12, 10

Calf Raise
3 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

Hanging Leg Raise
2 × 15

Hanging Knee Raises with Twist
2 × 15

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Reverse Fly
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15