Strength training can be difficult to grasp to a beginner.
They see guys in the gym benching 225 and deadlifting 405 and get overwhelmed by how hard it must be to get there. To tell you the truth, it’s not really that difficult.
This workout routine is designed to build strength and utilizes exercises and rep schemes that work well for beginners. That means there are no crazy calculations you need to use and you don’t have to worry about what percentage of your 1 rep max this lift is… you just go lift.
What does the workout routine schedule look like?
This 5 day strength training routine allows you to train specific exercises each day so that you can effectively target all of your weaknesses.
- Day 1: Workout A
- Day 2: Workout B
- Day 3: OFF
- Day 4: Workout C
- Day 5: Workout D
- Day 6: Workout E
- Day 7: OFF
While you don’t have to follow this specific schedule, I do not recommend going more than 3 days without a break. Doing so is not beneficial to your nervous system and you will affect your progress.
Do you have any nutrition suggestions?
I’ve written a few articles on nutrition that I think you should check out – but here are a few take home tips to get the most from this workout routine.
- Aim for 150-225 grams of protein each day.
- Aim for 250 calories above your maintenance levels.
- 20%-25% of your calories should come from quality fat sources such as avocados, olive oil, peanuts, fish, etc.
- Strive to cook and prepare as many meals as you can – limiting your fast food intake will increase your performance, make you feel better overall, and can help with body recomposition.
Do you have any supplement suggestions?
I would rather someone spend their money on healthy and nutritious food sources over going out and buying supplements but here are 3 supplement suggestions that I personally recommend.
Pre-Workout
Pre-workouts can be a great source of energy if you purchase one with stimulants in them (like the one pictured to the right) and can really enhance performance in the gym.
I’ve tried quite a few pre-workouts in my time and I have to say that overall I like MTS Nutrition’s Clash the best.
I used to like Jack3d until the DMAA made them illegal and they had to reformulate – but Clash is my newest favorite. It tastes great, mixes easily, and doesn’t make me too jittery.
BCAA
BCAAs help with recovery by giving your body a great source of muscle-building amino acids.
I enjoy sipping on BCAAs throughout the day, while I’m training, or just before I go to sleep.
I’ve had quite a few different BCAAs and I would have to say that my favorite right now is Rich Piana’s 5% AllDayYouMay. It tastes great, has a great amino loadout and overall it’s my favorite.
Note, I’ve also had some that were better tasting that had proprietary blends that I don’t trust.
Overall, this takes the cake.
Multi-Vitamin
Multi-vitamins help round-off any nutrients you may not have received that day through your diet.
There are a lot of great multi-vitamins out there but I have always liked Optimum Nutrition’s Opti-Men.
It’s a brand that has been around a long time and I know their products are quality.
Whether you eat a well-rounded diet or not, multis won’t create a miracle but they will help.
Progression
Sticking to a workout routine and striving to add weight and doing better than last week is the goal here.
Every time you walk into the gym, record your workouts in a log and start being mindful of how you feel during these reps.
If you complete every rep of every set, great job. Next week add 5 pounds (or the next increment you can).
If the next workout you do not complete all reps in every set, the week after that keep the same weight and attempt to complete all sets and reps.
Many beginners see a failed set as a loss – regardless of how many reps they may have done before.
If you fail 2 weeks in a row, knock the weight back 10 pounds, ensure your form is good, and keep going.
Note: If you stick with this routine for 12 weeks, you could essentially add 60 pounds to your squat, 60 pounds to your bench press, and 60 pounds to your deadlift. That doesn’t sound too shabby, does it?
5 Day Strength Training Workout Routine for Beginners
Below you will find the exercises, sets, and reps for each exercise.
The exercises that are linked have tips on proper form for that exercise.
| Workout A – Legs and Abs | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 8 |
| Goblet Squat | 3 | 12 |
| Walking Lunges | 2 | 20 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 15 |
| Side Planks | 2 | ALAP |
| Workout B – Back | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bent Over Barbell Rows | 5 | 5 |
| Lat Pull Downs | 4 | 12 |
| Close Grip Seated Row | 3 | 15 |
| 1 Arm Dumbbell Rows | 3 | 8 |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 20 |
| Barbell Shrugs | 2 | AMAP |
| Workout C – Chest and Triceps | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench | 5 | 5 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench | 3 | 12 |
| Pec Dec | 3 | 20 |
| Low Cable Cross | 3 | 15 |
| Close Grip Bench | 2 | AMAP |
| Skull Crushers | 2 | AMAP |
| Workout D – Legs and Abs | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 5 | 5 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 12 |
| Leg Curls | 4 | 15 |
| Reverse Hypers | 4 | 8 |
| Weighted Decline Sit Ups | 4 | AMAP |
| Planks | 3 | ALAP |
| Workout E – Shoulders and Biceps | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Barbell Overhead Press | 4 | 12 |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 8 |
| Shoulder Press Machine | 4 | 15 |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 20 |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3 | AMAP |
| EZ Curl Preacher Curls | 3 | 10 |
| Cross Body Hammer Curls | 4 | 12 |
Conclusion
- AMAP – As Many As Possible – Be able to finish your last rep just barely.
- ALAP – As Long As Possible
- Sticking to the routine for a full 12 weeks will yield impressive results.
- Cook as many meals as you can for yourself.
- Use correct form – developing bad habits will be hard to break later on.
- Strive for progression.
If you have any comments or questions, leave them below!
Hi Cutty:
Thanks so much for this detailed routine and advice. I am a beginner and these really help!
I have a question on warm up sets. Do the reps in the routine already include warm ups? And should I keep the weight constant for all reps and only add more next week even if I can finish the reps easily?
Thanks again for the sharing Cutty.
Cheers,
Kelly
Thank you for the kind words. Your warmups shouldn’t tax your body, doing the movements and getting your body primed is all you need to do. I would work up to your work weight and keep that weight through all reps and sets. This is a different approach to something like a pyramid where you go up each time… but I’ve found it to work better mentally and physically.
Hey Cutty,
Do I need an off on Day 3 and also how much calories intake would be good?
Calorie intake is dependent on if you’re looking to lose weight or build muscle. If you are underweight or are okay with packing on a little fat with a lot of muscle, aim to eat 200 to 300 calories more than you burn per day.
The more whole, nutritious foods you eat, the better.
Hey Cutty I am a teenager and I am planning to start a going to a gym. Any helpful advice that would help me out????
Learn to cook and start cooking your own meals (at least cutting out most processed junk) along with lifting weights will drastically change your physique. You don’t need to worry about anything else other than eating more nutritious foods and lifting.
Get the cardio in to keep the heart healthy and make some gains.
How much weight am I supposed to use for these workouts
That depends on how much you can safely lift. The goal is to get stronger, so start at just the bar and keep progressing until you are benching 225 or however much you want.
how do i involve cardio with this routine, like before or after, how long. and what if I dont feel like ive done enough in my workout amd want to go more
If you finish a workout and you’re wanting more, you didn’t lift heavy enough.
I usually do 10 or 15 minutes before I workout and if I have time I’ll do some afterwards. You can also do something outside the gym as well.
How long of a rest period would you recommend between each set?
I generally do around 30 seconds for small accessory work and 1-5 minutes for the big compound lifts. Sorry for the delay!
Haven’t lifted weights in 20 years , gonna try this program to start, how much weight should I begin with?
You can start with the smallest amount you can and work your way up. It’s easier to learn new good habits instead of just throwing weights up and having to fix bad habits.
CUTTY,
Do you recommend doing the 4 day beginner for 12 weeks and then upgrading to this workout to change up?
I’d only recommend changing up if after 12 weeks you’re stalling. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Consistency is what matters in fitness. If there’s a lagging body part or a weakness in your lifts, address that instead of completely changing the routine. But if you ran it for 12 weeks and jumped into this one, it wouldn’t hurt.
Do you recommend any other training/cardio to do on rest days? I don’t want to kill gains but want to get in shape
Yes, there’s hardly any gains you are going to “burn up” from doing cardio. Get in shape and your body will be more efficient and healthier. Find something fun and active to do like shoot hoops or go for hikes. It doesn’t have to be slogging along on a treadmill in a gym :)