Workout plan: how to build one, and a beginner week to start with

• Beginners: two or three full-body sessions a week, 45-60 minutes, which is also the ACSM starting point.
• Splits: full body for two or three days, upper-lower for four, push-pull-legs for more advanced lifters or five to six days.
• Progression: when every set hits the target reps with clean technique, add a little weight next time.
• Alongside: enough protein and calories, seven to nine hours of sleep. Half of any workout plan is decided on your plate.

Choosing a workout plan: full body, upper-lower or body part split?

The split decides how often you train each muscle group and how the work is spread out. As a beginner, full-body training is the best choice: you practise the movements often, every muscle gets a stimulus two or three times a week, and a missed session does not wreck the week. In pooled research, training a muscle twice a week grew more muscle than once a week (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2016); when total work is equal, the difference is smaller.

Beginner workout plan: three full-body sessions a week

This plan alternates two sessions, A and B. Train three times a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday: A-B-A in week one, B-A-B in week two, and so on. Do one or two light warm-up sets before each lift, and leave one or two reps in reserve even on the last set.

If you have never lifted, keep the weights light and the movements clean for the first two to four weeks. We walk through the first twelve weeks in strength training for beginners. If you train at home, see the home workout page; if you are heading to a gym, read gym for beginners.

Progression: how to make your workout plan harder

Muscle gets stronger and bigger because it is asked to do more over time. The simplest method is double progression: each exercise has a rep range, say 8-12. You stay at one weight until you reach the top of the range (12) on all three sets, then add a little weight and start again from the bottom (8).

• How much to add: 2.5-5 kg (5-10 lb) for lower body lifts, 1-2.5 kg (2-5 lb) for upper body lifts.
• Reps in reserve: finish each set with one to three reps left in the tank. On the basic lifts you do not need to go to failure.
• Log it: write down weight and reps, otherwise you will not know when to add.
• If you stall: if two or three sessions bring no progress, check your sleep, calories and protein before changing the plan.
• Easy week: every 6-8 weeks, or when you are very tired, do half the sets for a week.

How many sets, reps and how much rest?

The ACSM position stand recommends two or three sessions a week, 8-12 reps at moderate loads and one to three minutes of rest between sets on the basic lifts for beginners. For muscle growth, 10-20 hard sets per muscle group a week is the best-supported range in pooled research (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2017). As a beginner, start at the lower end, roughly 6-10 sets per muscle a week, and build up over time.

Warm-up and cool-down

Start with five minutes of easy movement (rowing machine, bike, brisk walk) and some mobility work, then warm up on your first lift with two or three gradually heavier sets: the empty bar, half the weight, three quarters, then your working weight. A few minutes of walking or stretching afterwards is enough. Stretching does not prevent soreness, but it feels good.

Workout plans by goal and body part

After the base plan, pick the one that matches your goal and situation:

• Workout plan for women: a 3-4 day plan and the “will I get too bulky” question.
• Workout plan for men: full body and upper-lower splits, the most common beginner mistakes.
• Home workout: bodyweight, bands and dumbbells.
• Gym for beginners: machines or free weights, a first-month plan.
• Fat-burning workout: strength, movement and a deficit.
• Muscle building: surplus, protein, a 4-day plan.
• Body parts: ab workout, glute workout, leg workout, back workout, shoulder workout, chest workout, arm workout.

Rest, sleep and movement outside the gym

The WHO 2020 guidelines for adults recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week and muscle-strengthening on at least two days. A workout plan covers the strengthening part; daily steps, walking and cycling sit on top. Muscle is built during rest, so sleep (seven to nine hours) and rest days matter as much as the sessions. The protein calculator tells you how much protein your body weight needs.

When to change your workout plan

• When every lift has stalled for four to six weeks and your sleep and food are already in order.
• When you are so bored that you skip sessions: slightly different exercises are fine if the movement patterns stay.
• When your goal changes (for example from fat loss to muscle gain).
• After a year or two, when three full-body sessions no longer give enough stimulus: time for an upper-lower split.

What to eat with it

A workout plan only pays off when your plate supports it: enough calories and enough protein, a little more or less depending on your goal. The table shows four example people and three goals, all for three to five sessions a week.

Daily targets for a 30-year-old training 3-5 times a week (Mifflin-St Jeor, as in The Fit Chef app)

Example	Goal	kcal	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Woman, 65 kg, 168 cm	Fat loss	1,830	117	212	57
Woman, 65 kg, 168 cm	Maintenance	2,150	117	270	67
Man, 80 kg, 180 cm	Maintenance	2,760	144	353	86
Man, 80 kg, 180 cm	Muscle gain	3,090	160	397	96

Your own numbers come from the calorie calculator and the protein calculator. For people who train, the ISSN suggests 1.4-2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight a day; the high-protein foods chart and the weekly meal plan make it easy to actually hit it.

Recipes for before and after training

Per serving, calculated from the recipe data

Recipe	When	kcal	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)	Time
Double Chocolate Overnight Oats	before	437	35	60	9	5 min
Banana Protein Pancakes	before	433	35	56	9	15 min
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl	after	528	48	60	10	25 min
Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato	after	435	42	57	4	45 min

Breakfast · 5 minDouble Chocolate Overnight Oats437 kcal35 g proteinBreakfast · 15 minBanana Protein Pancakes433 kcal35 g proteinLunch · 25 minTeriyaki Chicken Bowl528 kcal48 g proteinDinner · 45 minChicken Stuffed Sweet Potato435 kcal42 g protein

Before training, carbs and moderate fat help; afterwards, plenty of protein and carbs. These recipes deliver that and fit into an ordinary week. More on timing and more recipes on the pre and post-workout meals page; creatine and protein powder have their own guides.