Beginner 3-day full body
Three full-body sessions a week, built on the five patterns that matter. This is the program coaches actually start people on — because for a first year, nothing beats it.
The program
Train three non-consecutive days (Monday/Wednesday/Friday is the classic). Every session touches the whole body — squat, hinge, push, pull — so no muscle goes more than a few days without a stimulus, and missing one workout never orphans a body part.
Day A
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back squat | 3 × 5 | Add 5 lb each session |
| Bench press | 3 × 5 | Add 2.5–5 lb each session |
| Barbell row | 3 × 8 | |
| Plank | 3 × 30–45s |
Day B
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8 | Hinge, don't squat it |
| Overhead press | 3 × 5 | Slowest lift — be patient |
| Lat pulldown or pull-ups | 3 × 8–10 | |
| Reverse lunge | 2 × 10 / leg |
Day C
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 × 5 | Add 10 lb early on, then 5 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–10 | |
| Seated cable row | 3 × 8–10 | |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 × 12 |
How to progress
Add weight every session on the main lifts (squat, bench, overhead press, deadlift) as long as all prescribed reps are completed with honest form. On the 8–10 rep accessories, work to the top of the rep range, then add weight and return to the bottom. Warm up the same way every session — the warm-up calculator builds the ramp, and the plate calculator spares you the arithmetic between sets.
When a lift stalls — you miss reps at the same weight two sessions running — repeat the weight once more, then drop 10% and climb back. After a few of these cycles across several months, you've outgrown the beginner phase; check where you stand against the strength standards and consider the PPL split next.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight do I start with?
Embarrassingly light, on purpose. Start barbell lifts with the empty bar (or dumbbells you can control for every rep) and add weight each session. You'll be at challenging loads within a month regardless of where you start — but starting light buys you a month of practicing perfect form while the weights are forgiving.
How long until I see results?
Strength moves first: expect noticeably heavier bars within 3–4 weeks, since early gains are your nervous system learning the movements. Visible muscle changes typically follow around weeks 8–12 with adequate protein and sleep. The people who look different in six months are simply the ones who didn't stop in month two.
Can I run this program to lose weight?
Yes — the program doesn't change, the kitchen does. Lift to keep and build muscle, eat 15–20% under maintenance to lose fat, and keep protein high so the weight you lose is fat rather than muscle. Training and diet do different jobs; this program does its job in either direction.
What if I can only train two days a week?
Run the same three workouts in rotation across your two weekly slots — A/B one week, C/A the next. Progress is slower but entirely real; two consistent days beat three theoretical ones every time.
More free programs
5×5 strength program
The classic two-workout rotation — squat every session, five sets of five, add weight every time. Linear progression at its purest.
Push Pull Legs (PPL)
The six-day split that took over bodybuilding for a reason: every muscle twice a week, organized by movement, endlessly customizable.
A program is a plan. A coach is a feedback loop.
AirFit Coach builds a program like this one around your equipment and schedule, lets you log sets on iOS, Android or the web, and proposes the next progression each week — you approve it before anything changes. It will build the day around it too: a daily protocol for sleep, mornings and mobility. Want a person running it? Trainers on AirFit deliver the same thing with a human on the other end.
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