Building muscle is a fascinating topic.
Everyone from pro athletes to your grandmother, can benefit from gaining muscle. Increasing muscle size is the key to improving body composition, strength potential, athletic performance, health, longevity, and more.
With that said, the aesthetic component of building muscle is a prime motivator for most people.
Even a few extra pounds of lean tissue can transform the look of a physique. When people say they want to be “fit and toned,” they mean, “I want to be lean and muscular.” It’s impossible to shape fat, and you can’t flex what’s not there.
But the key is finding the right program.
A mistake most people make early in their lifting journey is jumping into a workout routine that is too advanced. It’s a mistake I made early on in my career. No one wants to consider themselves a beginner at something; it’s human nature.
If you start out doing too much, it can lead to injuries, burnout, and even reduce long-term progress. As a beginner, developing the fundamentals and building a strong foundation is critical.
The Program
As a beginner, we have a few areas of focus. First, we want to develop a program that builds a base of strength and muscle across the entire body. It’s common for beginners to favor certain muscle groups they enjoy training, such as the arms or chest with men or the glutes with women. A well-designed program is balanced across all muscle groups.
Secondly, beginners need to learn the basics. A properly structured beginner program is built around squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows. With that said, some accessory movements are needed to fill the gaps.
Lastly, and arguably most importantly, we want to develop the habit of going to the gym and building consistency. You can have the best program in the world on paper, but you still have to show up.
Day #1: Lower
- Back Squat 3 sets x 6 reps
- Romanian Deadlift 3 sets x 8 reps
- Leg Press 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Sit-up 3 sets x 10-20 reps
Day #2: Upper
- Bench Press 3 sets x 6 reps
- Barbell Row 3 sets x 8 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Cable Triceps Pressdown 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Day #3: Lower
- Back Squat 3 sets x 8 reps
- Deadlift 3 sets x 6 reps
- Leg Curl 3 sets x 8 -10 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Day #4: Upper
- Bench Press 3 sets x 8 reps
- Overhead Barbell Press 3 sets x 6 reps
- Lat Pulldown 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Barbell Curl 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Lying EZ Bar Triceps Extension 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Train four days per week, with three rest days.
Double progression is a simple way to build progressive overload into your training. It goes like this. You work in a programmed rep range (8-10, for example) and stick with the same weight for as long as needed to reach the top of that rep range. Once you hit the top of that rep range for the programmed number of sets, you increase the weight by 5 to 15 pounds and repeat the process. Essentially, you always try to increase reps first, and then once you are capable, increase the weight. This is why it is called double progression.
Keep a notebook to jot down sets, reps, and weights. You don’t always need to beat the logbook, but you should always be trying to.
For a detailed 12-week muscle-building program, check out my book Bodybuilding for Beginners.
