Beginner full body gym workout plan 3 days a week, 8 weeks.
Three workouts a week, full body every time. It's the fastest way to learn the basic lifts and build strength in your first few months, because you train every muscle three times a week.
- Level
- Beginner
- Frequency
- 3 days a week
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Session
- 50 min
- Equipment
- Gym: dumbbells, machines and cables
Who it's for: People who have never trained in a gym, or are coming back after a long break.
Sample week
- MonWorkout A
- TueRest
- WedWorkout B
- ThuRest
- FriWorkout A
- SatRest
- SunRest
Workout A
Legs, chest, back and hamstrings
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Lat pulldown | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 2 × 12 | 1 min |
| Plank | 3 × 30 sec | 45 sec |
Workout B
Legs, back, upper chest and core
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Leg press | 3 × 12 | 1:30 min |
| Seated cable row | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 10 | 1:30 min |
| Dumbbell walking lunges | 2 × 10 per side | 1 min |
| Face pull | 2 × 15 | 1 min |
| Dead bug | 3 × 10 per side | 45 sec |
How to progress
- 1
Weeks 1-2: pick weights that let you finish every set with 2-3 reps left in the tank. The goal is to learn the movements.
- 2
Weeks 3-6: once you hit the target reps on every set of an exercise, add weight the next session (2-5%, or the smallest dumbbell jump).
- 3
Week 7: deload week. Same exercises, half the sets.
- 4
Week 8: go back to your week 6 weights and try to beat them. After that, you can move on to push pull legs.
Tips
- Alternate A and B: one week you do A, B, A; the next, B, A, B.
- Warm up for 5 minutes and do one light set of the first exercise before you start.
- Log your weights. Without a log, you won't know when to go up.
- Sleep 7-9 hours and eat enough protein: that's when muscle actually grows.
This plan is the same for everyone. Yours doesn't have to be.
In FIT4EAT, the AI builds your plan around your level, the equipment you have and the days you're free. Then it guides you through each workout with rest times, RPE and the history of the weights you've lifted.
FAQ
Questions? Short answers.
- How many days a week should a beginner work out?
- Three is enough for almost everyone. You get time to recover between sessions and you train each muscle often enough to keep progressing.
- How long does it take to see results?
- In strength, within the first 2-4 weeks. In the mirror, after 8-12 weeks of consistent training and the right diet.
- Can I add cardio to this plan?
- Yes. Add 20-30 minutes of easy cardio after your workout or on rest days, without stealing energy from your strength training.
- What if my gym doesn't have one of the machines?
- Swap it for an exercise that works the same muscles: goblet squats instead of the leg press, dumbbell rows instead of the lat pulldown.
Out now
Start today. It's free.
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