A Trainer's 4-Week Workout Plan for a Ripped Physique

Achieving a ripped physique requires a combination of strength training, fat loss, and consistency. I often tell my clients that it's not just about lifting heavy weights or spending hours in the gym; the key lies in following a well-structured workout plan that targets each muscle group, promotes fat burning, and builds lean muscle mass. To help you get started, I've put together my ultimate four-week workout plan for a ripped body.

While diet is crucial in building muscle, your workout regimen should be designed to progressively challenge your muscles, increase endurance, and enhance overall strength. To truly develop a sculpted and toned body, you'll need a plan that not only focuses on hypertrophy but also includes elements of cardiovascular conditioning to shred fat while maintaining muscle.

I designed this four-week workout plan with those goals in mind. Each week, you will follow a different workout routine to ensure that your body is constantly adapting to new stimuli. By incorporating a mix of compound movements, isolation exercises, and conditioning drills, this plan will help you develop a lean and muscular physique.

Every workout is structured to challenge both beginners and advanced trainees, with exercises that focus on key areas like the chest, back, legs, arms, and core. As you progress, you'll notice improvements in muscle definition, strength, and overall body composition.

Consistency is essential for seeing results, and this plan ensures you stay motivated with varied workouts that target different muscle groups each week. As you advance through the program, you'll progressively increase the intensity of your workouts, allowing for greater muscle development and fat loss.

With the right approach, you can expect to achieve a more defined, ripped physique by the end of these four weeks. Now, let's explore my #1 best four-week workout program for a ripped body.

Week 1: Full-Body Strength Foundation

In the first week, you will focus on building a solid foundation with full-body compound movements. This will help you activate multiple muscle groups and increase strength.

The Routine:

• Squats – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Deadlifts – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Bench Press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps

1. Squats

Squats are a key exercise for building lower-body strength, targeting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outward.
2. Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your chest upright.
3. Go as low as your flexibility allows, then drive through your heels to return to standing.
4. Repeat for the specified reps.

2. Deadlifts

Deadlifts build strength in your lower back, hamstrings, and glutes while also engaging your core.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grip the barbell with both hands.
2. Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips and lift the barbell by driving through your heels.
3. Stand up tall, then lower the barbell back down in a controlled manner.
4. Repeat for the designated reps.

3. Bench Press

The bench press is great for developing your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
2. Grip the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Lower the bar to your chest, then press it back up until your arms are fully extended.
4. Perform the movement for the specified reps.

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Week 2: Upper-Body Hypertrophy

This week focuses on increasing muscle size in your upper body, emphasizing the chest, shoulders, back, and arms.

The Routine:

• Overhead Press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Pull-ups – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 8-10 reps

1. Overhead Press

The overhead press builds strength in the shoulders and upper chest.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip a barbell at shoulder height.
2. Press the bar overhead until your arms are fully extended.
3. Lower the bar back down to shoulder height and repeat for the designated reps.

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2. Pull-ups

Pull-ups target the back, biceps, and shoulders, contributing to upper-body width.

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
3. Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner and repeat.
4. If necessary, use an assisted pull-up machine or band for assistance.

3. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

This exercise helps build the upper chest and shoulders.

1. Lie on an incline bench set at a 30-45 degree angle with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
3. Lower the weights back down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, then press up again.
4. Repeat for the designated reps.

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Week 3: Lower-Body Power and Strength

In the third week, you'll focus on building strength and power in the lower body with explosive movements.

The Routine:

• Barbell Lunges – 4 sets of 10 reps per leg
• Romanian Deadlifts – 4 sets of 8 reps
• Box Jumps – 4 sets of 12 reps

1. Barbell Lunges

Lunges target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving balance and coordination.

1. Stand with a barbell on your shoulders and step forward with one leg.
2. Lower your body until your back knee almost touches the ground.
3. Push through your front heel to return to standing, then switch legs.
4. Repeat for the specified reps per leg.

2. Romanian Deadlifts

This exercise builds strength in the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell before your thighs.
2. Keeping a slight bend in your knees, hinge at the hips, and lower the barbell toward the ground.
3. Once you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, return to the starting position.
4. Perform the movement for the designated reps.

3. Box Jumps

Box jumps are a plyometric exercise that improves lower-body power and explosiveness.

1. Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform at knee height.
2. Bend your knees and swing your arms for momentum as you jump onto the box.
3. Land softly, then step back down and repeat for the designated reps.

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Week 4: High-Intensity Full-Body Shred

In the final week, you'll ramp up the intensity with a full-body workout designed to burn fat and reveal your newly sculpted muscles.

The Routine:

• Burpees – 4 sets of 15 reps
• Kettlebell Swings – 4 sets of 20 reps
• Mountain Climbers – 4 sets of 30 seconds

1. Burpees

Burpees are a full-body exercise that builds endurance and burns calories.

1. Start standing, then drop down into a squat.
2. Kick your legs back into a pushup position, then perform a pushup.
3. Jump your feet back to your hands, stand up, and jump into the air.
4. Repeat for the designated reps.

2. Kettlebell Swings

This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and core while also providing a cardiovascular challenge.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell with both hands.
2. Hinge at the hips and swing the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Thrust your hips forward to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height, then let it swing back down.
4. Repeat for the designated reps.

3. Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers engage your core and provide a cardio boost.

1. Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Drive your knees toward your chest one at a time as if running in place.
3. Continue alternating legs for the duration of the set.