Who this program is for
This program is for people who are new to strength training, or returning after a long break. You do not need to know the lifts already: the first four weeks are designed to teach them at light weights.
It is also a good fit if you want general strength and health. The World Health Organization recommends muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days a week for all adults, and this plan covers that with room to spare.
Why full body, three times a week?
Training each muscle about twice a week builds more muscle than once a week, and practising each movement often is the fastest way to learn it. Full-body workouts do both. Every session has a squat or hinge, a push, a pull and a core exercise, so nothing is left out.
How to progress
The program uses double progression. Each exercise has a rep range, such as 8–10. Start with a weight you can lift for 8 reps with a couple of reps to spare. Each session, try to add a rep. When you can do 10 reps on every set, add a little weight and start again at 8.
Write your weights and reps down. The training log in the PDF makes this easy, and it is the simplest way to make sure you are actually getting stronger.
Choosing your weights
Your first sessions should feel easy to moderate. That is intentional. Beginners progress fast, and starting light gives you time to learn the movements and lets your joints and tendons adapt along with your muscles.
After the program, you can estimate your one-rep max from any hard set with the 1RM calculator and use it to plan your next block.
Eating for strength
To build strength and muscle, eat enough protein, around 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight a day, and enough total calories. The protein calculator gives you your daily target and a meal-by-meal plan.