As a personal trainer, my role is to guide clients toward their fitness goals, whether that means gaining strength and muscle, improving cardiovascular fitness, enhancing mobility and flexibility, reducing body fat, or achieving a mix of all these outcomes.
Reaching these goals requires more than random workouts. Training programs must follow proven principles to deliver long-term, sustainable results. This includes maintaining a balanced, protein-rich diet, managing daily activity, staying consistent with exercise, and applying progressive overload — the structured adjustment of training to encourage continuous improvement.
I don’t usually share my programs because they’re customized for each individual, but this is one of my tested, beginner-friendly resistance plans. It’s designed to develop full-body muscle and strength in the gym and works well for beginners and experienced lifters alike.
The program targets all the major muscle groups and, when followed consistently, can deliver noticeable results within a few months.
Four-Week Full-Body Training Plan
This four-week plan is suitable for beginners, with weights adjusted to match your current ability. It’s structured to support progressive strength and hypertrophy, helping you build confidence alongside physical fitness. To keep it accessible, the program uses only free weights and cables, with no machines required.
You’ll complete two full-body workouts, alternating between them two to three times per week. Expect a focus on compound lifts, sensible training volume, and clear progression. Rest for 90 seconds after the first two main lifts and 30–60 seconds between accessory movements.
Workout A: Lower Body, Push and Back
- Barbell back squat: 3×8 at 60–65% 1RM — use a squat rack
- Dumbbell or barbell bench press: 3×8–10 at 60–65% 1RM — chest and triceps
- One-arm dumbbell row: 3×10 per side at 65% 1RM — horizontal pull
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift: 3×10 at 60–65% 1RM — posterior chain
- Cable face pull: 3×12–15 at 55–60% 1RM — upper back and posture
- Incline dumbbell curl: 3×10–12 at 60–65% 1RM — biceps
Workout B: Posterior Chain, Back and Biceps
- Barbell deadlift: 3×6 at 65–70% 1RM — primary strength lift
- Standing dumbbell or barbell overhead press: 3×8 at 65% 1RM — shoulders
- Lat cable pulldown: 3×10 at 65% 1RM — vertical pull
- Dumbbell goblet squat: 3×10 at 60–65% 1RM — quad-focused
- Dumbbell hammer curl: 3×10–12 at 60–65% 1RM — biceps and brachialis
- Cable straight-arm pulldown: 3×12–15 at 55–60% 1RM — lat isolation
How to Progress Over Four Weeks
Week 1: Stay at the lower end of each rep range and leave a few reps in reserve. Prioritize proper form and movement quality.
Week 2: Increase training volume by adding one to two reps per set on main lifts while keeping the weight unchanged.
Week 3: Add 2.5–5% more weight and aim to finish each set with one to two reps in reserve.
Week 4: Maintain the same weight but add an extra set to the first two main lifts in each session.
For continued progress, you can later split the workouts into upper and lower body sessions or slow down your lifting tempo to increase time under tension. The key is gradually adding reps or load over time.
Reassessing Strength and Main Lifts
I recommend re-testing your one-rep max (1RM) every month or two to ensure your training loads reflect your improving strength. If you’re lifting the same weight months later, progression has stalled. Increases should be small and controlled, typically around 2.5–5%.
The first two exercises in each workout are your primary lifts. Use barbells for the first movement and barbells or dumbbells for the second. All remaining exercises are accessory movements performed with free weights or cables.
Choosing the Right Starting Weights
Your working weights are based on a percentage of your one-rep max. This represents the heaviest weight you can lift for a single repetition. For example, if your bench press 1RM is 100kg, then 60% would be 60kg for sets of 8–10 reps.
If you don’t know your 1RM or prefer not to test it, choose a load where the final reps feel challenging but controlled, leaving no more than two to three reps in reserve. You should complete every rep with good form. If technique breaks down, reduce the weight. If it feels too easy and you could complete several extra reps, increase the load.
Each session lasts around 60 minutes. To save time, you can superset the final accessory exercises by performing them back-to-back before resting. This approach reduces total rest time and keeps your workouts efficient.
