Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeFull Body
- Training LevelBeginner
- Program Duration12 weeks
- Days Per Week3
- Time Per Workout30-45 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
New to the gym? Never trained with weights before? If so, this 12-week beginner training routine is for you.
This program introduces you to a variety of exercises performed with a barbell, dumbbells, cables, and machines that will not only jumpstart your training but also help you familiarize yourself with the different equipment at the gym.
Recommended: Need help building muscle? Take our Free Muscle Building Course
Weeks 1-6: Total Body Circuit Workout
You should always have at least one rest day between your workouts. A sample week would look like this:
- Monday: Workout
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Workout
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Workout
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
Weeks 1-3:
During the first three weeks, do each exercise for one set of 15 reps. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 1 | 15 |
| Lying Leg Curl | 1 | 15 |
| Seated Cable Curl | 1 | 15 |
| Flat Bench Press | 1 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Press | 1 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 1 | 15 |
| Tricep Pushdown | 1 | 15 |
| Barbell Curl | 1 | 15 |
| Back Extension | 1 | 15 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 1 | 15 |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 1 | 15 |
| Crunches | 1 | 15 |
Weeks 4-6:
Use a slightly heavier weight than you used in weeks 1-3. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 2 | 12 |
| Lying Leg Curl | 2 | 12 |
| Seated Cable Row | 2 | 12 |
| Flat Bench Press | 2 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Press | 2 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 2 | 12 |
| Tricep Pushdown | 2 | 12 |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 12 |
| Back Extension | 2 | 12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 2 | 12 |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 2 | 12 |
| Crunches | 2 | 12 |
Weeks 7–12: Upper/Lower Split with Increased Intensity.
Weeks 7-12 split the workouts into two parts: upper body and lower body. In the first week, you’ll end up doing Workout 1 twice, while in the second week you’ll do workout 2 twice etc. Here’s what your schedule could look like:
Week A:
- Monday: Workout 1
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Workout 2
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Workout 1
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
Week B:
- Monday: Workout 2
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Workout 1
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Workout 2
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
Related: Warming Up for Dummies: A Lifter's Guide to Injury Prevention
Workout 1: Upper Body
Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Dumbbell Press | 2 | 10-12 |
| Pec Deck Fly | 1 | 10-12 |
| Single Arm Dumbbell Row | 2 | 10-12 |
| Seated Cable Row | 1 | 10-12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 2 | 10-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 1 | 10-12 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 2 | 10-15 |
| Tricep Pushdown | 2 | 10-15 |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 10-12 |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 2 | 10-12 |
Workout 2: Lower Body
Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Squats | 1 | 8-12 |
| Leg Extension | 1 | 10-12 |
| Lying Leg Curl | 1 | 10-12 |
| Back Extension | 1 | 20-30 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 1 | 12-15 |
| Crunches | 2 | 15-40 |
| Reverse Crunch | 2 | 15-30 |
759 Comments
May I know as a beginner how much weight should i lift first?
Hi John, you should start with a weight that you are very confident you can lift and judge your strength from the there. The goal should be to feel challenged with the weight you use but are still able to complete all the reps listed. I hope this helps, and thank you for reading M&S!
Is this still good in 2026, i wanna get fit im just a little bit fat
It is, Marius. Great starting point for you! If you choose to do and have questions along the way, feel free to come on back. We're here to help as best as we can. Thanks for reading M&S!
Ok
I haven’t worked out consistently in a long time. I’m overweight and very upset with my self. I want to get back on the right track. Is this 12 week workout a good idea for somebody like myself ?? Open to all answers!!
I think it is a solid one for you to start back with, Nick. Take it on with confidence!
Rack pulls. The link I am showing you is with a trap bar, but this can be done with a barbell.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/trap-bar-rack-pull
Do they have any machines that will focus on the lower back at all? If not, let me know, and I will see what I can come up with. If so, then let me know what they do have, and I will see if it is suitable.
I want to do cardio also. Is it to good do cardio on days off in between or should I do my cardio same day as this workout?
You can do either, Nick. If you do it on the same day, do it either separate from the training or post-workout if you must do one session. If you choose to do it on days off, just don't completely exhaust yourself so recovery isn't impacted.
Would it be good to do like a cardio workout in the morning ?? and then go to work and come home and do the workout at night time.
Hey Nick, I actually think AM cardio and PM weights is the way to go, myself. Others can chime in if they like, but if you found this works best for you, I say go for it!
Instead of back extensions what else can I do to replace it with
I went to look at the gym today and they don’t have the exercise machine for back extensions. Do you recommend a different exercise to fill that spot?
I'm beginner to the weight and strength training. Will this workable for me..?
Hi Max, it can work for you, but I would suggest taking on a beginner program first so you can get acclimated to training. The link below could help.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/start-from-scratch-beginner-w...
I am about to start this routine and wondered if there is an article describing how to determine the amount of weight to start with on each exercise.
Thanks!
We don't have anything like that yet, but it is a good idea. In the meantime, I hope this helps.
Start with a weight that you would bet money you could do. Then, gradually go heavier. Once you get within one or two reps of failure, you are at the right range. If you can't do at least two less than the rep range, go lighter. If you can do more than two over, go heavier.
Hello..Question on weeks 7-12.
After week A & B am I suppose to continue with week B for the rest of the program or alternate between week A & B for the 7-12 weeks.
Thanks in Advance
Hey Stephen, solid question. You would alternate workouts for the 7-12 weeks. An example would be this.
Weeks 7, 9, 11 - A
Weeks 8, 10, 12 - B
I hope this helps, and thanks for reading M&S!
I am a 53 years old and will be starting this 12-week work out plan. I am not new to the gym but it has been a few years lol. I am wanting to include some cardio during the week in additional to the workouts. Would you recommend doing cardio after each workout or on the days that I rest from the weights?
Hello Eric, thanks for reading M&S!
Starting out, I would suggest doing it separate from the weights. Once you feel comfortable and able to handle the extra work, then you do cardio after weights in the same session if you like.
Hope this helps!
I am fully new to GYM. I am 19 years old . I am starting this workout.
Good luck, and feel free to come on back with questions along the way!
Hy I am 16.5 years old. I have been doing workout 2 monthes ago without any research. I did 1hour workout everyday and didn't take any rest. Now when I started reading workout plans I am confused about the rest which I didn't took before. Even I didnot take rest of 60 secs after a set. I am able ro make little bit progress like I can do clap pushups, archer pushups and russian pushup which I couldn't did before. Please can you guide me what to do now or suggestions please. And Thankyou in advance
Hey there. Thanks for reading M&S as a part of your journey.
The rest is going to be vital, especially as you get more advanced. It helps prepare you to be stronger and recovered for the next set. So, start training yourself to do that now. You may find you can make even more progress. Start with one minute of rest between sets for now.
Are you training in a gym or at home? Let me know that as well as other questions you have, and I will do my best to help.
Weeks 1-4 should you be using the heaviest weight you can handle or a moderate to heavy?
Moderate to heavy would work, TJ. If you're advanced in the gym, you could push it with heavier weights if you like.
Hi there, I'm a 60 year old female, haven't lifted in 20 years, I have about 40-50 pounds to lose. I'm not a meat eater, any suggestions on protein as I start this 12 week workout journey? Appreciate any help. Thank you.
Hi, Laura. Thanks for reading M&S. If it is only meat that you're not eating, then dairy and eggs would be great protein sources. If you're going full vegan, then there are pea and plant protein powders as well as nuts and nut butters that could provide both protein and fats.
Thank you so much!!
How about some links to week 13. Now what? All of the links are for beginners workouts. I'm already using one. Lol
Check this out, and you may find the next program for week 13 and beyond.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
Hello -- I'm just wrapping up week 6 and getting ready to start the split part of this routine. Workout 2 has only half as many total sets as workout 1 and a lot of the exercises have only 1 set. Assuming I'm reading this right, I'm wondering what the reasoning is.
Thanks -- I'm really feeling good about my progress for the first half of the plan and looking forward to the next phase.
Hey Dwayne, I can't speak for the author, but my guess is the goal for workout 2 is to make the most out of those sets. So, push them to absolute failure. The extra intensity will shock the muscles after what you had already done during the first half of the program. Good luck!
Hi am new for training, so i want build my muscle
Can i know when i play this chart it's help to me
Build my muscle
This will help you. Give it a solid effort, and you should see good results.
Do you have a beginner workout planet fitness just machines upper/lower body bodybuilding build muscle/lose fat? Thanks
We have something close, Steven. We have a machine and dumbbell PF workout. You can swap out the dumbbell movements for machines that are in your gym if you like.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/4-day-upper-lower-planet-fitn...
I'm only week 5 in and I must say this routine is incredibly easy for someone who hasn't touched weights in 3-4 years. First couple weeks I noticed how weak my joints, tendons ligaments all were, but now I'm noticing strength gains. I'm a big boy, so currently dieting and this has definitely aided in weight loss too.
Thanks for the workout, I'm keen to finish the program and compare my results from start to finish
Hi, I am new to doing strength training and lifting weights. How do I determine what weight I should be lifting for each exercise. This looks like a great workout.
Hi, Don. The tried and true method of trial and error is what it takes. Grab a weight that you feel confident in using. If it's too light, go up. If you can't complete the reps with proper form, go down.
Hi Roger, thank you for the feedback. This is perfect. I will definitely follow your advice., greatly appreciated.
Hello, I have not been to the gym for two years. Besides, I found many programs for beginners. Please tell me from which program to start??
Eslam, this program would be a great option for you.
after I complete this, do I repeat this program or start another one?
Hi, An. That is up to you. If you feel you're ready to move up to an intermediate program, then you can try one like this.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/intermediate-muscle-building-...
If you feel you need more time before taking this one on, give the beginners program another round. Either way, best of luck!
Hi, I’m 61 years old, 6’0” 200lbs newbie. I started the 1-6 week beginner whole body workout, but I’m new to lifting, and I thought 1 set was 3 x 15. I needed to go a little lighter so I could complete all 3 sets of 15 reps. I am about to start the split workout weeks 7-12. Should I find the heaviest weight I can complete 15 reps with good form, and just go on from there?
What's up, Matt? Yes, that is the right way to do it. Make sure the form stays on point, and you'll be good to go.