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    Home » Fitness Tips For Moms

    4 Day Female Workout Plan (PDF)

    Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.  See full disclaimer
    Woman in blue pants and black shirt on all fours performing a tricep extension with a dumbbell and text over top of the image.
    Woman in sporta bra and pants kneeling down performing an overhead row with a red mini loop.
    Woman in blue pants and black shirt on all fours performing a tricep extension with a dumbbell and text over top of the image.
    Woman in blue pants and black shirt at the top of a dip on a bench with text over top of the image.
    Woman in sporta bra and pants kneeling down performing an overhead row with a red mini loop and text below the image.

    Ready to amp up your fitness level and commit to your goals? This 4 Day workout plan for females helps females strengthen and tone their muscles… at home or in the gym!

    I have an advertisement relationship with the ads in this post. Check out my disclaimer here

    As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I created this workout plan to use an upper body and lower body split to help females get strong and focus on weight loss.. all in 30-minute sessions. Plus, by using dumbbells and a mini resistance band, you can do this workout at home or in the gym.

    Woman in sports bra and tights on the floor holding dumbbells and text above the image.

    Getting into a routine of hitting the gym three times per week is a wonderful habit. However, stepping up your routine to four days per week can be a game changer.

    Instead of guessing which workout you should do today, get stronger, leaner, and more confident by working out four days per week and making the time you DO have, count.

    The trick is making sure you’re maximizing the time you do have and not wasting it.A proper 4-day workout routine can help females build muscle, lose stubborn weight, and get strong.

    Quick Workout Notes

    Below is a quick rundown of the 4-day female workout split.

    Equipment: You need a set of dumbbells and a mini band for the workout plan as this is a great way to get beginners started with strength training.

    Split: Instead of full body workouts like this 3-day dumbbell workout plan, split uses a strategic combo of upper and lower body workouts.

    Duration: All of the workouts are done in under 30 minutes.

    Geared towards: This workout plan is made for females in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s as the purpose is slow, controlled strength movements to get stronger and improve metabolism.

    Equipment You Need

    The best part about this weight loss routine is that you can do them at home with some dumbbells and a mini loop or at the gym. This makes it easy to fit in for everyone, especially women and busy moms.

    Opt for dumbbells that challenge you by the last repetitions.

    My suggestion is to start with a set of 15 lbs and move from there. This is because for the exercises you need a lighter weight, you can just use one of the dumbbells.

    If you're an Amazon lover, you can get everything you need from my Amazon store.

    Your Workout Schedule

    You can schedule your workouts any way you like. However, I recommend not placing your upper body days back to back or your lower body days back to back.

    A sample workout schedule could look like this:

    Adding in some active recovery work like 5 minute upper body mobility sessions can help too. This way all your muscle groups get some rest between days.

    Monday: Upper body #1

    Tuesday:  Lower Body #1

    Wednesday: Rest

    Thursday: Upper body #2

    Friday: Rest

    Saturday: Lower Body #2

    Sunday: Rest

    GRAB YOUR PDF PRINTABLE
    Woman in sporta bra and pants kneeling down performing an overhead row with a red mini loop.

    The 4 Day Workout Split

    As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I can tell you that in fitness, there are always multiple paths you can take to achieve a goal (this 2 day workout split is great for beginners to get started with).

    There are even multiple ways to rock a 4-day workout split!

    This workout routine uses a standard upper and lower body split though so that you’re hitting all of your muscle groups a couple of times per week (here's a 2-day upper lower split workout if you need to scale back).

    The focus of this workout split is on basic level strength of the major muscle groups with some isolation exercises thrown in.

    For women to get stronger, leaner, and more fit, they need to place extra focus on:

    • Time under tension
    • Proper muscle engagement
    • Pushing yourself in weights

    Basically, if you don't focus on the muscle group you're working on, your results won't be as potent.

    If you don’t have access to multiple-size dumbbells at home, learn how to make workouts harder without adding weight.

    Upper Body Workout #1

    Dumbbell pullover3x 10 reps
    Push ups3x max reps
    Rest45 seconds
    1 Arm Dumbbell row3x 10/arm
    Floor bow3x 30 seconds
    Rocking plank3x 30 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    Tricep extensions2x 15
    Rest20 seconds

    How to perform it: perform the first two exercises back to back without rest. Take 45 seconds to recover and perform them again for a total of three rounds.

    Then, move on to the next three exercises performing them back to back without rest. Recover for 45 seconds and repeat for a total of three rounds.

    Finally, move on to the tricep extensions for two rounds with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

    Bote: "max reps" means performing as many push ups as possible until form breaks down. Learn how to perform push ups if you're a beginner.

    Lower Body Workout #1

    Dumbbell front squats with pause3x 8 reps
    Hamstring runner3x 30 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    Deficit lunge3x 10 reps per leg
    Wall glute bridge3x 30 seconds
    Deadbug with mini loop3x 30 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    Sumo walks2x 45 seconds
    Rest20 seconds

    How to perform the workout: perform the first two exercises back to back without rest. Take 45 seconds to recover and perform them again for a total of three rounds.

    Then, move on to the next three exercises performing them back to back without rest. Recover for 45 seconds and repeat for a total of three rounds.

    Finally, move on to the sumo walks for two rounds with 20 seconds of rest between sets.

    Note: for the front squats, you want to pause for three full seconds in the bottom position. Learn more about pause reps and why they'll get you mega strong.

    Upper Body Workout #2

    Bentover underhand row3x 10 reps
    Inverted pike press3x 5 reps
    Rest45 seconds
    Alternating floor press3x 10 reps/arm
    Overhead mini loop pulldown3x 10 reps/arm
    Mini loop lateral raise3x 12 reps/arm
    Rest45 seconds
    Plank row2x 8 reps/arm
    Rest30 seconds

    How to perform it: perform the first two exercises back to back without rest. Take 45 seconds to recover and perform them again for a total of three rounds.

    Then, move on to the next three exercises performing them back to back without rest. Recover for 45 seconds and repeat for a total of three rounds.

    Finally, move on to the plank rows for two rounds with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

    Lower Body Workout #2

    Step out lunge3x 30 seconds per leg
    Band glute march3x 40 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    1.5 rep sumo squats3x 8 reps
    Dumbbell leg extension3x 10 reps
    Plank with mini loop abductions3x 30 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    Froggy Pumps1x 50 reps

    How to perform it: perform the first two exercises back to back without rest. Take 45 seconds to recover and perform them again for a total of three rounds.

    Then, move on to the next three exercises performing them back to back without rest. Recover for 45 seconds and repeat for a total of three rounds.

    Finally, move on to the froggy pumps for one all-out round.

    Warming Up

    As with any strength training routine, warming up is a crucial component in any workout split (learn how to warm up).

    Make sure you focus on dynamic mobility drills to really get the joints happy before diving into anything strength-based.

    Just hopping on the treadmill won’t do it. Use the 5-minute warm-up videos for females below before your workouts.

    • Total body warm up
    • Total body warm up
    • Upper body warm up
    • Lower Body warm up
    Woman in blue pants and black shirt on all fours performing a tricep extension with a dumbbell and text over top of the image.

    Strength Training & Cardio: Which Is Better For Fat Loss & Toning

    Most women are striving for that lean, sculpted look… but stick to endless hours on a cardio machine!

    The truth is, strength training is what will help you with muscle growth and moderate cardio is what will help your muscles look toned (once you have them). It’s a combo effect.

    And yet, so many women shy away from a heavy lifting workout routine not realizing that building muscle is what tones!

    Learn more about strength training for beginners.

    Why not full-body workouts?

    A full-body workout split is great, but works better when you're training three or fewer times per week. Once you're training more than that, it becomes harder and harder to let your muscles recover enough between sessions to really push yourself.

    If you really want a full-body workout plan in a 4-day split, you'll want to do 2 full-body workouts (here is a full-body workout for women over 40 and a full-body dumbbell workout) paired with an upper and lower workout.

    More Fitness Tips To Help You Smash Goals

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    • Everything you need to know about home workouts
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    • The best tricep exercises for women
    • Wicked exercises for back strength
    • 3 muscles to always stretch post-workout
    • Why you should use pause reps
    • Best bodyweight exercises for moms
    • Follow-along at-home workouts
    • Fitness tips

    Ditch the All-or-Nothing Trap

    The Kickstart & Thrive Bundle is where busy moms keep things simple with quick, strength-building workouts you can actually fit into your day, plus protein-packed snacks that give you energy and taste like dessert but don't add extra time in the kitchen.

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    Frequently Asked Questions About A 4 Day Workout Split

    How long are the workouts?

    Each workout is roughly 25 minutes long if you properly time your rests. This still gives you lots of training volume while making it practical to squeeze in.

    What is a good 4-day workout schedule for females?

    There are multiple ways to schedule your workouts with four days of training time. You can do an upper/lower split, a muscle group split (glutes/hams, chest/quads/back), or a strength/HIIT split (upper/lower/total body strength/totally body HIIT). All of them can be effective. It depends on your personal goals, which muscle groups you want to focus on, and your preferences.

    How long should I do this workout program for?

    Follow the 4-day workout routine for at least five weeks before progressing your workouts.

    Should men and women work out differently?

    Though there are subtle differences in regards to training for men and women. However, unless you are at an elite level both men and women can have pretty similar training sessions when the goals are building muscle mass or weight loss.

    More Fitness Tips For Moms

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paula

      October 21, 2023 at 8:08 am

      Wow, so detailed! Thanks a lot for putting this workout routine together! I really need it. A four days feels doable. 🙂

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        October 23, 2023 at 7:16 pm

        It makes it practical!

        Reply
    2. Sarita

      November 01, 2023 at 10:41 am

      So I've been doing this 4-day split for the past two weeks, and as a work-at-home homeschooling mom living very far from any gym, it works so well for me! I use the weights I have on hand and even managed to get my teenage daughter to join me. Totally doable, and enjoyable too!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        November 07, 2023 at 9:43 am

        Ah, happy to hear it fits into your schedule. So awesome your teenager joined you, that makes my heart happy1

        Reply
    3. Ella

      January 12, 2024 at 11:24 am

      I have been doing this for about a week now and definitely feel a difference from when I started. I watched your videos to make sure I was doing everything correctly and also looked at the photos. I even put a mirror where I work out to watch myself. This was very helpful. Please make more!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        January 15, 2024 at 7:34 am

        Mirrors help so much- way to go on that!

        Reply
    4. Lisa

      March 30, 2024 at 10:38 am

      Love this routine! I've been doing it for about four weeks now and my arms are looking tighter just in time for tank top season. 💪

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        April 02, 2024 at 2:20 pm

        Yay!!!

        Reply
    5. Ashley

      June 06, 2024 at 6:49 am

      Have loved these workouts. I’ve been doing for a few months and slowly increase weight each time. Do you have any other 4 day split workouts to try?!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        June 07, 2024 at 7:54 am

        So happy you like it! This is another one that can be made into a four day split and a great one! https://fitasamamabear.com/upper-lower-split-workout-routine/

        Reply

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