November: Tone Booster 45' - 4 Days

Muscle Building Routine in 45 Minutes for 4 Days

Short on time to work out? Then the Tone Booster 45’ plan is seriously for you. Put on your headphones and let no one distract you. Depending on your diet, this 4-day plan can help you build muscle mass or get more toned.

2 DAYS FOR LOWER BODY AND 2 FOR UPPER BODY

The Tone Booster 45’ plan spans 6 weeks, the ideal mix for motivation and adaptation. On days 1 and 3, your legs and glutes are the stars, and on the other two days, it’s all about the upper body. Each day involves 5 or 6 exercises, including always one for your abs. Don’t let anyone interrupt your workout, as we make every minute of the 45 count. Always start with a short warm-up and don’t forget the warm-up sets for the first major exercise(s).

HOW THIS 45-MINUTE ROUTINE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Don’t think you can’t achieve results in 45 minutes. This plan trains all muscle groups twice, with extra focus on your legs and glutes. You’ll spend a total of 300 minutes per week on your muscles, which is significant. If you perform each exercise to 1 or 2 reps short of muscle failure, you’ll have enough volume to initiate muscle growth. Some benefits of this 45-minute muscle-building routine:

1. Targeted and Efficient: Every muscle group appears twice. With 2 days focused on the lower body, your legs and glutes get serious attention. We also choose exercises with the highest yield, making results inevitable.

2. Flexibility: It’s your life, your routine. Thanks to the plan’s flexibility, you can arrange rest days as you wish. If needed, you can even do all training days in a row. Can you only train 2 or 3 times one week? No problem, just pick up the next scheduled workout the following week.

3. Workout Time: 45 minutes means full throttle. We squeeze every drop of growth potential from this plan by using supersets. Stick to the rest protocol and leave the gym bigger than when you arrived.

FOUR DAYS OF GROWTH: AN OPTIMAL MUSCLE-BUILDING SCHEDULE

A 4-day training schedule might just be the sweet spot between hardcore workouts and necessary rest. It’s the perfect blueprint to maximize your training efforts. Every muscle group is worked twice, receiving double the growth stimulus. Even without rest days between workouts, each muscle group gets at least 48 hours of rest, ideal for recovery and growth, provided you follow a muscle-building diet plan. Another advantage of a 4-day schedule is that you still have plenty of time to live hard, especially since you’re only spending 45 minutes a day in the gym.

MUSCLE BUILDING IN A NUTSHELL

In my Dutch book (sorry guys) I explain muscle growth based on 435 scientific studies. In short, your muscles grow best when:

• You dare to train each set to near muscle failure, i.e., stopping 1-2 reps before failure.

• You consistently stick to your training plan. Don’t expect miracles if you’re just winging it every session.

• As an advanced trainer, you do about 6 to 10 sets per muscle group per session, and as a beginner, per week.

• You consume enough protein, 1.6-2.2 grams per kilo of body weight, and intake 5-10% (advanced) or 10-20% (beginners) more calories than you burn.

• You get at least 7 quality hours of sleep per night.

Also read: these are the mechanisms behind muscle building.

THE MUSCLE BUILDING ROUTINE: TONE BOOSTER 45’

As you read in the introduction, you’re going to seriously push it for 45 minutes, 4 days a week. Rest about 2 minutes between ‘individual exercises’. For supersets, rest 15-30 seconds between exercises and 60-75 seconds between sets. This way, you maximize your workout time. Each superset is designed so you can do it in the same spot. For example, if hip thrust and V-up are paired in a superset, you can do the V-up on the bench of the hip thrust without needing a mat. Time to shine!

WARM-UP

Every serious workout day starts with a warm-up. Begin a session, for instance, with 50 calories on a cardio machine, followed by 1 or 2 warm-up sets for the first exercise of each new muscle group. This reduces the risk of injuries and allows you to lift heavier weights. Your muscles literally grow faster with a warm-up. Don’t worry, the plan includes the warm-up within the 45 minutes.

DAY 1: LEGS & GLUTES

We kick off the week with a serious leg and glute growth day.

1. Deadlift – 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps

2. Incline leg press – 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps

3. Superset: Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat (3 sets of 10 reps per leg) & leg raise (3 sets of 15 reps)

4. Hip abduction machine: 3 sets of 15 reps

DAY 2: UPPER BODY

An intensely serious day full of supersets!

1. Superset 1: Flat dumbbell press (3 sets of 10 reps) & two-arm dumbbell row (3 sets of 12 reps)

2. Superset 2: Standing barbell shoulder press & Barbell curl (both 3 sets of 12 reps)

3. Superset 3: Lat pulldown (3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps) & Pushdown (3 sets of 12 reps)

DAY 3: LEGS & GLUTES

1. High bar squat – 3 sets of 8 reps

2. Superset: Barbell hip thrust (3 sets of 12 reps) & V-up (3 sets of 15 reps)

3. Dumbbell reverse lunge – 3 sets of 8 reps per leg

4. Leg extension – 3 sets of 15 reps

DAY 4: UPPER BODY

1. Seated cable row – 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps

2. Superset 1: Push up (3 sets of 15 reps) & Seated alternating leg raise (3 sets of 20 reps per leg)

3. Standing dumbbell shoulder press – 3 sets of 12 reps

4. Superset 2: Lying dumbbell triceps extension & Seated dumbbell curl (both 3 sets of 12 reps)

Don’t feel like writing down this muscle-building routine? It’s all set up in our app, including adjustments from week 4, technique videos, and it remembers your weights, so you can try to outdo yourself every session. Let’s get serious!

WHAT TO EAT FOR MUSCLE BUILDING?

You can have the best workout plan in the world and train super hard, but if you don't get enough nutrients and sufficient sleep, you'll see little results. Therefore, ensure your plates are filled with healthy food sources. Here are the basic rules you'll find in science:

• Calories: Eat 5-10% more calories than what is needed to maintain your weight. Building muscles requires energy. More than 10% above maintenance leads to more fat gain.

• Proteins: The key to muscle recovery and growth. Aim for 1.6-2.2 grams per kilo of body weight (g/kg) and spread this over 4 to 5 meals.

• Fats: Essential for hormone balance and overall well-being, but in moderation. Aim for 0.5-1.5 g/kg.

• Carbohydrates: Your fuel for intense workouts and faster recovery. This is the remaining group, and you'll likely end up with 3-5 g/kg.

Opt for fiber-rich food sources and products rich in vitamins and minerals. If you mainly choose (moderately) unprocessed products (vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, etc.), this is often guaranteed.

WHAT TO EAT TO GET TONED?

Every muscle-building plan is also for getting toned. Your diet determines which direction the results will go. If you follow this plan with the same distribution of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates but are just below maintenance calories, you will gradually lose weight. By giving your muscles a serious growth stimulus, they understand that you prefer to lose fat, not muscle. Getting toned is that simple.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REST DAYS: MORE THAN YOU THINK!

In a 4-day 45-minute routine, rest days are still important. They are crucial for muscle recovery, growth, and minimizing the risk of injuries.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE BUILDING?

As the name suggests, supplements are an addition to your regular diet, not a replacement. Supplements don't lead to more or faster muscle growth if you meet your nutritional targets. However, to reach your protein grams, a protein shake or bar is a convenient addition. There are really only 3 supplements that are beneficial for muscle building.

1. Protein Powder: Whether it's whey, casein, a mix, isolate, or whatever, doesn't matter. Your body thinks in totals. The speed of absorption has been shown to be irrelevant in scientific studies.

2. Protein Bar: This is, of course, a highly processed product. So, be a bit careful with the amounts of sugar.

3. Creatine Monohydrate: Most athletes respond to creatine by having slightly more strength, allowing you to squeeze out an extra rep in a set. Plus, it helps retain more water, making you look more muscular in the mirror.

Also read: the complete guide to creatine monohydrate – from muscle building to balding

Generally, the above supplements are safe. However, before starting a supplement regime, it's advisable to consult a (sports) dietitian or medical expert, especially if you are already on medication or have underlying health issues.

GET SERIOUS! YOUR TONE BOOSTER SCHEDULE AWAITS IN OUR APP!

Now it's time to get going with this serious 45-minute routine. Don’t feel like writing down this schedule? Great, because it’s ready for you in our app: Serious Fitness Lab. Including extra tips. We take that "serious" very seriously. Log all your weights, effortlessly switch between alternative exercises, and let the schedule automatically increase the difficulty after 4 weeks. Say goodbye to endlessly searching for exercises: we have the best videos for EVERY exercise in the plan. And let's be serious, if you want more, we have over 100 additional muscle growth plans in the app.