I recommend a Push/Pull/Legs routine for just about everyone. It splits your muscle groups across different days and gives you time to recover in between. The weekly schedule below is what I follow, but I only suggest running it this way if you’re a seasoned lifter and your body is conditioned to handle the extra volume and frequency.
| Sunday | Push |
| Monday | Pull |
| Tuesday | Leg/Ab |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Push/Ab |
| Friday | Pull |
| Saturday | Leg/Ab |
This is what I recommend for someone starting out during their first year—or even their first two: keep your gym sessions to no more than 45 minutes, then gradually build up over time until you can comfortably handle sessions closer to an hour and a half.
| Sunday | Rest |
| Monday | Push |
| Tuesday | Rest |
| Wednesday | Pull |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Leg/Ab |
| Saturday | Rest |
Try different equipment that targets the same muscle in slightly different ways. Most muscle groups can be trained with several machines or variations, and you’ll naturally prefer some more than others. Over time, you’ll figure out what feels best and what helps you get the work done consistently.
Whatever you choose, practice proper form first with little to no weight. If you’re unsure how a machine or movement is supposed to look, watch a quick video and copy the setup and motion. Once your form is solid, start adding weight slowly and give your body time to condition and adapt.
A simple starting target is 3 sets of 8 reps for each movement. Adjust the weight until you can hit that consistently: if you can do more than 8 reps with good form, add a little weight; if you can’t reach 8, lower it. Don’t compare yourself to others or try to lift more just to keep up—focus on what you can do correctly.
The following are exercise types you can use to target specific muscle groups. Whether you do them on machines or with free weights is mostly personal preference—both work. Free weights (like dumbbells) often recruit more muscles because you have to stabilize the load. If you’re just starting out, begin with machines to learn the movements safely, then transition to free weights as your confidence and control improve.
Push (Shoulders / Chest / Triceps)
Pull (Back / Biceps / Traps)
Legs / Abs
Every so often, you’ll want to do a deload—basically reducing your training for a short period to give your body extra recovery time and help prevent overtraining and burnout. How often you need one is something you’ll have to gauge for yourself, and beginners may need to deload more often than seasoned lifters.
The whole idea is to keep it simple and not overcomplicate it. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed with everything, so focus on the basics and stay consistent.
I recommend a Push/Pull/Legs routine for just about everyone. It splits your muscle groups across different days and gives you time to recover in between. The weekly schedule below is what I follow, but I only suggest running it this way if you’re a seasoned lifter and your body is conditioned to handle the extra volume and frequency.
| Sunday | Push |
| Monday | Pull |
| Tuesday | Leg/Ab |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | Push/Ab |
| Friday | Pull |
| Saturday | Leg/Ab |
This is what I recommend for someone starting out during their first year—or even their first two: keep your gym sessions to no more than 45 minutes, then gradually build up over time until you can comfortably handle sessions closer to an hour and a half.
| Sunday | Rest |
| Monday | Push |
| Tuesday | Rest |
| Wednesday | Pull |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Leg/Ab |
| Saturday | Rest |
Try different equipment that targets the same muscle in slightly different ways. Most muscle groups can be trained with several machines or variations, and you’ll naturally prefer some more than others. Over time, you’ll figure out what feels best and what helps you get the work done consistently.
Whatever you choose, practice proper form first with little to no weight. If you’re unsure how a machine or movement is supposed to look, watch a quick video and copy the setup and motion. Once your form is solid, start adding weight slowly and give your body time to condition and adapt.
A simple starting target is 3 sets of 8 reps for each movement. Adjust the weight until you can hit that consistently: if you can do more than 8 reps with good form, add a little weight; if you can’t reach 8, lower it. Don’t compare yourself to others or try to lift more just to keep up—focus on what you can do correctly.
The following are exercise types you can use to target specific muscle groups. Whether you do them on machines or with free weights is mostly personal preference—both work. Free weights (like dumbbells) often recruit more muscles because you have to stabilize the load. If you’re just starting out, begin with machines to learn the movements safely, then transition to free weights as your confidence and control improve.
Push (Shoulders / Chest / Triceps)
Pull (Back / Biceps / Traps)
Legs / Abs
Every so often, you’ll want to do a deload—basically reducing your training for a short period to give your body extra recovery time and help prevent overtraining and burnout. How often you need one is something you’ll have to gauge for yourself, and beginners may need to deload more often than seasoned lifters.
The whole idea is to keep it simple and not overcomplicate it. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed with everything, so focus on the basics and stay consistent.