Your First Twelve Weeks Of Lifting

The first three months should be about consistency and technique, not maximum load. Three sessions a week is plenty, and a full body layout beats a body part split at this stage because it gives you three chances a week to practise each pattern.

Structure every session around one squat pattern, one hinge, one push, one pull and one trunk exercise. Three sets of six to eight repetitions on each is a solid starting point.

Add two and a half kilos to upper body lifts and five kilos to lower body lifts whenever you complete all sets with two reps left in the tank. When that stalls twice in a row, repeat the same weight for a week before pushing again.

Take a lighter week every sixth week. Halve the number of sets and keep the loads the same. You will come back stronger, not weaker.