Why three days
Three sessions a week, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday, gives you a day of rest between each one. Every session trains your whole body, so if you miss a day you have not skipped an entire muscle group.
It also fits around real life. Sessions of 45 to 60 minutes are easy to keep up, and consistency beats a perfect plan you follow for three weeks.
Pick one movement from each pattern
Every session covers the same basic patterns. Choose one exercise for each, and you have covered your body:
- Squat or leg press (quads and glutes).
- Hinge, like a Romanian deadlift (hamstrings and glutes).
- Horizontal push, like bench press or push-ups (chest, shoulders, triceps).
- Horizontal pull, like a seated row (upper back and biceps).
- Vertical push or pull, like an overhead press or lat pulldown.
- One core exercise, like a plank.
If a movement bothers a joint, swap it for a close cousin. A goblet squat instead of a barbell squat, or dumbbells instead of a barbell, is fine.
Two sessions, alternated
To keep things fresh, write two sessions and alternate them. Week one is A, B, A. Week two is B, A, B.
- Session A: squat, bench press, seated row, plank.
- Session B: Romanian deadlift, overhead press, lat pulldown, plank.
Add one small extra exercise if you like, such as biceps curls or calf raises, but keep the main lifts first. If you are short on time, do the main lifts and go home.
Sets, reps and rest
For each main lift, do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. For the plank, 3 holds of 20 to 40 seconds. Rest 2 minutes between sets on the big lifts, and about 90 seconds on the smaller ones.
Do a short warm-up first: five minutes of easy movement, then one or two lighter sets of your first exercise. Start each lift lighter than you think you need to. You will learn the movement and find the right weight faster.
How to progress
Use the double progression rule. Keep the same weight until you reach the top of the rep range on every set, then add a small amount and start at the bottom again. The full method is in progressive overload: how to pick your next weight.
Write down every session: the weight, the reps and how it felt. It takes a minute and it is the only way to know whether you are actually improving.
Common beginner mistakes
- Starting too heavy. Learn the movement first.
- Changing the program every week. Give it at least six to eight weeks.
- Skipping rest days. Muscle is built when you recover, not just when you train.
- Not eating enough protein. See how much protein you need if you lift.
Apex Coach is for people 18 and over. If you have an injury or a health condition, or you have not trained for a long time, check with your doctor before you start.
Ready to start
Pick your six exercises, write down sessions A and B, and book three days in your calendar. Run it for eight weeks, add a small amount of weight when you earn it, and then look back at how far you have come.
Track it in Apex Coach
Apex Coach lets you log each set as you go and shows last time next to today, so following a simple program is easy to stick with. It starts with a 7-day free trial, then A$8.99 a month or A$69.99 a year, and it is for people 18 and over.
Get Apex Coach on the App Store