Help - 4 day split (Strength / Hypertrophy) plan

scottmorgan0222

Hello, I am new to the community and was hoping I could solicit some help. I am trying to develop a 4 day split (Strength / Hypertrophy) plan but I need some help due to the limited equipment I have. I am looking to do a Mon/Tue - Strength, Wed - Off, Thurs/Fri - Hypertrophy, Sat/Sun - Off. The trick here is I only have access to some gym equipment Mon - Thurs, and limited (few dumbbells' 25 & 45lbs) on Fri at home. Wanted to see if anyone could help me put together a program. I am not set in stone to a Mon / Tue / Thurs / Fri schedule, but I have just read with a 4 day split, a rest day in the middle was a wise thing to do. As for the gym equipment, its limited as well. Not a lot of free weights or barbells. A smith type machine for bench press. I do have dumbbells', chest press, shoulder press, lat pull down, Leg press, and Leg extension machines available.

Any thoughts or plan recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Retroguy2000

It sounds like strength outside of M-T is out of the question.

Are the 45's a pair? That's probably enough for hypertrophy. Speaking for myself, that's about what I use for Bulgarian split squats, floor chest fly's and Arnold shoulder press. It would be light for me for rows, chest press or lunges. I'd probably look at chest supported rows, aka seal rows, if available weight were limited. I also have access to pullups and dips, do you?

In your shoes, I'd likely save isolation work like arms for the weekend at home, to maximize your time at the gym with compounds.

When you say "not a lot of free weights or barbells", what does that mean? You don't need a lot, do you? Just one bar and some plates?

nossmf

I currently do a similar split:

Monday - strength upper body
Tuesday - strength lower body
Wednesday - cardio
Thursday - hypertrophy upper body
Friday - hypertrophy lower body
Weekends - off

We can certainly help you put together something, but we do need a comprehensive idea of exactly what's available. You gave a decent starting list, but as Retroguy2000 pointed out, a statement of "not a lot of free weights" can mean anything from zero free weights, to a single bar with only a handful of plates but no bench or squat rack, to a couple stations which you're in competition with other lifters to use.

Don't worry that just having two pairs of DB's at home will limit hypertrophy gains. There's a million ways to set up something using only bodyweight (just look at Olympic gymnasts, those guys are beasts!). DB's give huge flexibility if we use intelligent angles, slow down movements (even light weights feel heavy if you take 10 seconds to raise/lower them), etc.