How to Build a Beginner Weightlifting Routine
Going to the gym as a beginner can feel intimidating, confusing, and a little embarrassing. I know because I’ve been there.
When I started going to the gym in 2017, I was brand new to weightlifting and treated it more like a hobby than a structured part of my routine.
I made plenty of beginner mistakes, and if I could go back, I’d change almost everything about how I started my fitness journey.
That’s why I’m sharing what I’ve learned—starting with one of the most important parts of building a workout routine: choosing the right split. If you’re new to weightlifting and want to make your time in the gym more effective, this little guide will help you get started.
TL;DR
Beginners don't need a complicated workout routine to make progress. A balanced full-body workout performed 2 or 3 times per week is a practical way to train each major muscle group, practice basic exercises, and stay consistent.
Start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 controlled repetitions. Choose a weight that you can lift with good form. Once you can complete 10 repetitions comfortably, gradually increase the weight. Focus on consistency, proper technique, and gradually challenging your muscles instead of trying to lift as heavily as possible right away.
The Importance of Balanced Training
When I first started working out, I only trained lower body because, well, who doesn't want to have a GYAT (that's what the kids are saying these days, right?). Training this way isn't "wrong" but it leaves your program incomplete and limits your overall development.
Whether you're training for aesthetics, strength, longevity or all of the above, balanced strength and development are essential. Neglecting a muscle group can create both muscular and strength imbalances, which can affect:
Posture
Movement quality
Lifting technique
How you perform everyday tasks
Your upper body supports your lower body lifts. For example, if you neglect training back, shoulders, chest, and arms, you may struggle to do lower body exercises that require you to hold heavy dumbbells, such as Romanian deadlifts or dumbbell lunges.
Your legs may be strong enough to push heavy weight, but if your upper body isn't, you'll have to use less weight—or risk poor form and injury—limiting your your lower body development.
Gaining like a Newb
I know you hate being a beginner. You feel dumb and embarrassed at the gym. You just want to look cool like everyone on the gram. I understand. But let me tell you, as a beginner, you have a massive advantage: Newbie gains.
When you first start working out you'll likely experience a pretty rapid increase in strength and muscle gain. This is because your body is responding to a brand new stimulus. With consistent training, your body adapts in two main ways:
You become better at using your muscles to produce force
Your muscles may grow larger
These changes are typically more noticeable in beginners than in experienced lifters, whose bodies have already adapted to training regularly. Lucky you! 😉🍀
As a beginner you don't need a fancy, 12 exercise workout. What you need is consistency, a well-rounded plan, and good nutrition.
The Queen of Convenience: Full-Body Split
Full-body workouts are extremely practical in general but especially for beginners because they train each major muscle group multiple times per week, provide frequent practice with basic movement patterns, and easily fit into a 2 or 3 day schedule.
Specifically, the benefits include:
More practice with fundamental movements
Beginners improve quickly by repeatedly practicing movements such as squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, and bracing.
Consistent muscle stimulation
Training a muscle multiple times a week allows you to practice and stimulate it frequently rather than waiting a full week before training it again.
Less time commitment
2 or 3 full body sessions train the whole body without requiring 4-6 gym visits, making the program easier to follow consistently.
Faster feedback
If you perform an exercise again after a couple days, you can adjust the load, technique, and range of motion while the previous session is still fresh in your mind.
Balanced development
Full body sessions make it less likely for beginners to unintentionally neglect certain muscle groups.
Flexible scheduling
Missed workouts are less disruptive. If you miss "back day," for example, you may not train back again for another week; with full body training, each muscle is scheduled again soon.
A Simple, 3-Day Beginner Routine
A basic full-body split may look like:
Day 1: Stiff leg deadlift, lat pulldown, squat, bench press, plank
Day 2: Hip thrust, row, lunge, shoulder press, hanging leg raise
Day 3: Back extension, chin up, leg press, push up, side plank
This is just a basic example. One of the most fun parts of working out is experimenting with exercises to figure out your favorites, what you need to improve at, and what works well for your body. As you gain more experience, you can tweak your workout to prioritize certain muscles.
If this all seems daunting to you, send me a message and I can create a specialized workout plan for your goals! Just click here.
Reps, Sets, and Weight? Oh My!
Choosing the right weight, sets, and repetitions can feel a little tricky when you're new to strength training. A useful starting point is 3 sets of 8-10 controlled repetitions for each exercise. Choose a weight that feels challenging by the end of each set but still allows you to maintain proper form and control the entire movement.
A general rule of thumb:
Large compound movements: 2-3 sets for 6-10 reps
Examples: Squats, deadlifts, leg presses, rows, chest presses
Smaller or isolation exercises: 1-4 sets of 10-15 reps
Examples: Lateral raises, bicep curls, kickbacks, calf raises
Start Light & Prioritize Form
As a newbie, my greatest advice is to start light and prioritize the f*ck out of your form at any cost. Your first priority as a beginner should be learning how to perform each exercise correctly: Start with a lighter weight and focus on moving through the full range of motion.
I know you want to be cool and lift super heavy, but using more weight is only beneficial if the target muscle can handle it safely. If the weight is too heavy, surrounding muscle groups may take over, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise and can increase your risk of joint pain or injury. If you can't maintain good form, there's no shame in reducing the weight!
Mind-Muscle Connection
The mind-muscle connection is your ability to consciously focus on the muscle you're targeting while performing an exercise. This involves controlling the movement, using a full range of motion, and paying attention to the muscle as it contracts and lengthens.
For example, during Romanian deadlifts, I focus on engaging my glutes and hamstrings as I lift the weight. As I lower it slowly with control, I continue to feel those muscles working throughout the movement.
This focus can help you improve your technique and more effectively recruit the muscles you're trying to train. However, moving slowly and focusing on the muscle isn't enough by itself...you also need to gradually challenge your muscles over time, which brings us to progressive overload.
How to Progress Over Time (Progressive Overload)
Progressive overload is a strength training strategy where you gradually increase the demands placed on your muscles. You can do this by:
Adding weight while performing the same number of repetitions
Increasing repetitions with the same weight
Performing more controlled repetitions
Improving your range of motion or technique
For example, if you can complete a set of 10 repetitions with good form, you might increase the weight for the next set and only be able to do 8 reps.
Keep it Simple, Stay Consistent
You don't need to lift the heaviest weight possible or create the most complicated workout routine. Choose a balanced plan, learn the movements, and gradually challenge yourself while maintaining good form. Oh, and don't forget to have fun and enjoy the process!
With consistency, patience, and progressive overload, you’ll build strength, improve your technique, and become more confident in the gym. Your first routine doesn’t have to be perfect—it just needs to be something you can follow.
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