The 8-Week Beginner's Workout Routine
The 8-week beginner workout program that you’ve been searching for
You’ve made the big decision to start lifting weights congratulations! Joining a gym is never an easy choice to make at first, but if you keep going and push through, you’ll look back one year from now and think “how was I ever so scared?”
Very few people like change, let alone embrace it. But it is when we’re taken out of our comfort zones that we are forced to grow, change, and adapt.
This 8-week beginner workout program won’t take you so far out of your comfort zone that it ends up breaking you, but it will force your body to grow and adapt. That’s exactly what you want.
Without those factors present, your physique will remain unchallenged, and ultimately, the same. You don’t want that.
You don’t want to be that guy who goes to gym for years on end doing the same workout, same reps, same sets, and rocking the same body as when you first stepped inside the gym.
On that note, let’s talk a bit more about the 8-week beginner workout and what you should keep in mind.
The 8-Week Beginner Workout Program
Phase 1: Weeks 1-4
Key Points:
-Train 2 days on, 1 day off. Rest weekends.
-Rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
-Emphasize on form over weight.
-Warm-up sets are not included. Perform 2-3 warm-up sets.
-Increase weight by 2-5 pounds each week.
-Perform workouts as upper body day, lower body day, etc. Never perform two consecutive upper or lower body workouts.
#Workout 1: Upper Body
Flat Bench Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline DB Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Flat Bench DB Flyes — 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Seated Overhead DB Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Row — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Side Lateral Raises — 3 sets, 15 reps
#Workout 2: Lower Body
Barbell Squats — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Press — 3 sets, 10 reps
Hack Squat — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Leg Extensions — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Planking — 3 sets, 30 seconds
#Workout 3: Upper Body
Bent-over Barbell Row — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Pulldowns — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Cable Row — 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell Curl — 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Concentration Curl — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Close-grip Bench Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Rope Pressdowns — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
#Workout 4: Lower Body
Stiff-leg Deadlift — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Lying Leg Curls — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Seated Leg Curls — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Standing Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Donkey/Seated Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Planking — 3 sets, 30 seconds
Phase 2: Weeks 5-8
Key Points:
-Train 3 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on. You’ll be training for a total of 5 days a week, which could be Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed (Rest), Thurs, Fri, Sat (Rest).
-Rest 1-2 minutes between sets.
-Keep form in mind, but train to failure on two isolation exercises per workout.
-Warm-up sets are not included. Perform 2-3 warm-up sets.
-Keep increasing the weight by 2-5 pounds each week.
-Keep performing the workouts as upper body day, lower body day, etc. Never perform two consecutive upper or lower body workouts.
#Workout 1: Upper Body
Flat Bench DB Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline Barbell Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Incline DB Flyes — 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Pullups — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Seated Cable Row — 3 sets, 10-12 reps
#Workout 2: Lower Body
Barbell Squats — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg Press — 3 sets, 10 reps
Stiff-leg Deadlift — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Lying Leg Curls — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Seated Leg Curls — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Planking — 3 sets, 45 seconds
#Workout 3: Upper Body
Seated Overhead Barbell Press — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Upright Row — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Front DB Raises — 3 sets, 15 reps
DB Curl — 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Hammer Curl — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Bench Dips — 3 sets, 8-12 reps
DB Skull Crushers — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
#Workout 4: Lower Body
Hack Squat — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Lunges — 3 sets, 12 reps per foot
Leg Extensions — 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Standing Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Donkey Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Seated Calf Raises — 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Planking — 3 sets, 30 seconds
ADVICE:
Keep the ‘rules’ that have been outlined in mind and in your workouts, and soon, you won’t be a beginner in the gym.
Keep pushing through and keep trusting the process. The results won’t come over night. Honestly, I wish that they did, but that’s not the case. If it was, then everyone would be doing it and there would not be any admiration for a good physique.
