Strength Training Guides for Beginners

Programming

A beginner full-body workout, three days a week

Two workouts, alternated. Four exercises each, about 45 minutes, and a plan for adding weight.

6 min read

Getting started
How to pick your starting weight
The short version, then the details, for every kind of equipment in the gym.
5 min read
Programming
Progressive overload for beginners: how to do it
What progressive overload is, why it works, and the reps-then-weight method for barbells, machines, dumbbells and bodyweight.
9 min read
Getting started
What to do when the machine you want is taken
Swap by movement pattern, not by muscle name. Here is the swap for every lift you are likely to be waiting for.
5 min read
Technique
Bench press hurts my shoulders. What should I press instead?
Swap the barbell for incline dumbbells, keep your palms turned in, and stop above the depth that pinches.
6 min read
Getting started
Gym etiquette for beginners: what actually matters
Most of what you are worried about, nobody notices. There are about six things people genuinely care about, and they take a minute to learn.
6 min read
Programming
How to squat when your gym has no squat rack
Goblet squats carry you a long way, split squats take over when the dumbbells run out, and the leg press covers the heavy end.
7 min read
Technique
How to set up the leg press: seat, feet and depth
Set the seat so your knees reach about 90 degrees without your lower back lifting, put your feet mid platform at shoulder width, and stop before your hips curl under.
6 min read
Technique
Dumbbell press hurts my shoulder. What now?
Drop the bench angle to 15 or 30 degrees, turn your palms in, and stop the weights level with your chest instead of below it.
6 min read
Getting started
How much does the Smith machine bar weigh?
Usually somewhere between 15 and 25 lb, not the 45 lb of a free barbell. It varies by machine, so find your gym's number once and keep using it.
5 min read
Getting started
What is an EZ bar, and when should you use one?
The short bar with the zigzag in the middle. The bends let your wrists turn slightly inward, which takes the strain off them during curls and triceps work.
5 min read
Programming
How to do farmers walks at home
Two heavy things, one in each hand, walk until your grip is about to go. Dumbbells work, and so do water jugs, buckets and a loaded suitcase.
5 min read

Strength training guides

A beginner full-body workout, three days a week

How to pick your starting weight

Progressive overload for beginners: how to do it

What to do when the machine you want is taken

Bench press hurts my shoulders. What should I press instead?

Gym etiquette for beginners: what actually matters

How to squat when your gym has no squat rack

How to set up the leg press: seat, feet and depth

Dumbbell press hurts my shoulder. What now?

How much does the Smith machine bar weigh?

What is an EZ bar, and when should you use one?

How to do farmers walks at home

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