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Cover Model Workout Plan: 4-Day Body-Part Split

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This cover model workout plan involves four days of strength training per week. It follows a conventional body-part split structure, with dedicated days for: back and biceps, chest and triceps, legs and core, and shoulders.

“I’ve dislocated my shoulder a few times – mostly playing rugby,” says Richard Pearce, former Men’s Fitness cover model.

“I’ve had two operations so I need constant rehab to keep it stable. I do a lot of rotator cuff work. Otherwise, I try to keep things simple.”

Simple, it should be noted, is not the same as easy – especially when you’ve also got a full-time job as a surveyor.

“I hit the gym six times a week, alternating between body parts in a pretty traditional split. I also cycle to and from work – about 10K each way – and do cardio three times a week.”

Of course, packing on the muscle while doing triathlete-level cardio takes dedication in the kitchen as well as the gym.

“I’ll typically have a high-protein breakfast, meat and veg for lunch, then fish or meat and salad for dinner,” he says.

“I also have two protein shakes a day – one after the gym and one in the evening. Sunday is a cheat day – I eat what I want, sometimes in excess, but it stops me craving during the week.”

  • Pearce trains six days a week, splitting his sessions into four pairs of body parts.
  • Each workout is made up of three supersets – a heavy compound move followed by a lighter isolation hit.

Workout 1: Back and Biceps

1a. Wide-grip pull-up 
1b. Chin-up
2a. Barbell bent-over row
2b. Dumbbell reverse bench flye
3a. DB curl
3b. DB single-arm row

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1a. Wide-grip pull-up

Reps: 8
Rest: Go straight into 1b

  • Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands as wide apart as is comfortable.
  • Start from a dead hang with your arms fully extended.
  • Pull yourself up by squeezing your lats together.
  • Once your chin is over the bar, pause briefly then lower yourself slowly back to the start. 

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1b. Chin-up

Reps: 8
Rest: 90 secs, then repeat 1a
Sets: 3

  • Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  • Start from a dead hang with your arms fully extended.
  • Then pull yourself up by squeezing your lats together.
  • Once your chin is over the bar, pause briefly then lower yourself slowly back to the start.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

2a. Barbell bent-over row   

Reps: 6
Rest: Go straight into 2b

  • Hold a bar with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Leaning forward at the hips, pull the bar up until it touches your abs.
  • Lower under control. 

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

2b. Dumbbell reverse bench flye

Reps: 10
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 2a
Sets: 3

  • Lie face down on a bench set at 45˚ with a weight in each hand.
  • Keeping your arms slightly bent, raise the weights until they’re level with your shoulders, then lower under control. 

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3a. Dumbbell curl

Reps: 8
Rest: Go straight into 3b

  • Stand tall with your shoulders back and your feet close together holding a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip, hands just outside your hips.
  • Keeping your elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the dumbbells up towards your chest, stopping just before your forearms reach vertical.
  • Lower slowly back to the start.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3b. Dumbbell single-arm row

Reps: 10 each side
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 3a
Sets: 3

  • Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your opposite knee and hand on a bench, and your other leg out to the side.
  • With your core braced and a natural arch in your back, lift the weight up towards your side, leading with the elbow.
  • Pause at the top before returning to the start.
  • Repeat with the other arm.

Workout 2: Chest and Triceps

1a. Wide-grip BB bench press
1b. DB flye
2a. Incline BB bench press
2b. Incline DB flye
3a. DB bench press
3b. DB double-arm skullcrusher

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1a. Wide-grip barbell bench press 

Reps: 6
Rest: Go straight into 1b

  • Lie on the bench with your feet on the floor directly under your knees.
  • Hold the bar with an overhand grip, hands one-and-a-half times shoulder-width apart.
  • Slowly lower the bar until it’s almost touching the middle of your chest, taking your elbows out to 90°.
  • Drive your feet hard into the floor and push the bar strongly back to the start position.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1b. Dumbbell flye

Reps: 10
Rest: 90 secs, then repeat 1a
Sets: 3

  • Lie on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with palms facing.
  • Make sure your head and upper back are supported by the bench and that your feet are flat on the floor.
  • Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights slowly out to the side as far as is comfortable.
  • Reverse the movement to raise the weights back to the top.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

2a. Incline barbell bench press

Reps: 6
Rest: Go straight into 2b

  • Hold the bar with an overhand grip, hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Slowly lower the bar until it’s almost touching the middle of your chest, taking your elbows out to 90°.
  • Push the bar strongly back to the start position.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

2b. Incline dumbbell flye

Reps: 10
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 2a
Sets: 3

  • Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with palms facing.
  • Make sure your head and back are supported.
  • Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights slowly out to the side as far as is comfortable, then raise the weights back to the top.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3a. Dumbbell bench press

Reps: 8
Rest: Go straight into 3b

  • Lie on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
  • Keep your feet flat on the floor and your back against the bench.
  • Press the weights directly above your head but don’t lock out your elbows.
  • Slowly lower the weights back down, flaring your elbows out to the sides.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3b. Dumbbell double-arm skullcrusher

Reps: 12
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 3a
Sets: 3

  • Lying on a bench, hold a dumbbell over your face.
  • Lower the weight using your triceps, keeping your upper arms vertical.
  • Push back up under control.

Workout 3: Legs and Core

1a. BB deadlift
1b. Kettlebell walking lunge
2a. Stiff-legged BB deadlift
2b. DB lunge
3a. BB squat
3b. KB swing

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1a. Barbell deadlift

Reps: 5
Rest: Go straight into 1b

  • Grip a barbell with hands shoulder-width apart and feet under the bar.
  • Drop your hips, then drive through your heels and push your hips forward to pull the bar up your body.
  • Stand straight at the top of the move, then lower the bar under control. 

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1b. Kettlebell walking lunge

Reps: 10 each side
Rest: 90 secs, then repeat 1a
Sets: 3

  • Holding a kettlebell or a dumbbell in each hand, take a big step forward into a lunge, then push off your front foot to stand.
  • Step forward with the other foot and continue, alternating, so you travel forward.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

2a. Stiff-legged barbell deadlift

Reps: 8
Rest: Go straight into 2b

  • With a very slight bend in your knees, lean forward from the hips – not the waist – and lower the bar down the front of your shins until you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.
  • Don’t let your back round as you lower.
  • Reverse the move back to the start and push your hips forward.

2b. Dumbbell lunge

Reps: 12
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 2a
Sets: 3

  • With a weight in each hand, take a big step forward, making sure your knee is over your front foot and not beyond it.
  • Lower until both knees are bent at 90˚ before pushing back off your front foot to return to the start position.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3a. Barbell squat

Reps: 5
Rest: Go straight into 3b

  • Rest the bar against the back of your shoulders – not on your neck – holding it with an overhand grip, elbows pointing down.
  • Your feet should be wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out.
  • Squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
  • Drive back up through your heels.

3b. Kettlebell Swing

Reps: 20
Rest: 90 secs, then repeat 3a
Sets: 3

  • Hold a kettlebell in both hands.
  • Bend forward at the hips, swinging the kettlebell between your legs, then pop your hips forward to swing the kettlebell up. 

Workout 4: Shoulders

1. BB overhead press
2. DB overhead press
3a. BB upright row
3b. Seated DB lateral raise

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

1. Barbell overhead press

Reps: 8
Rest: 90 secs
Sets: 4

  • With your feet shoulder-width apart, position a bar on your upper chest, gripping it with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Press the bar directly upwards until your arms are fully extended.
  • Lower the bar back to your chest and repeat.

2. Dumbbell overhead press

Reps: 8
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 3

  • With your feet together, hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height.
  • Press the dumbbells directly upwards until your arms are fully extended.
  • Lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and repeat.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3a. Barbell upright row

Reps: 8
Rest: Go straight into 3b

  • Stand tall holding a barbell with an overhand grip slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
  • Lift the bar towards your chin, leading with your elbows, which should point to the ceiling.
  • Slowly lower the bar back to the start.

Cover Model Workout Plan: 4 Day Body Part Split | Men's Fitness UK

3b. Seated dumbbell lateral raise

Reps: 12
Rest: 60 secs, then repeat 3a
Sets: 3

  • Sit on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with palms facing.
  • Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, raise the weights out to the sides using your muscles and not momentum.
  • Stop at shoulder height and return to the start.

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