The Ultimate Guide to Workouts for Beginners

Starting your fitness journey is exciting, but it can be overwhelming at first. It's great that you want to look better, feel better, and be healthier.

…But where do you even start?

The truth is, most people don't start working out because they're afraid of doing it wrong. That's why I'm making this complete guide to help you create the best beginner workout plan for the gym. I want to help you build a plan that actually works and keeps things simple.

When I first started working out, I had no clue what I was doing. The good news is … every single person started out that way. No one knows what they're doing until they start.

Whether you've never worked out before or you're getting back into it, I've got your back. I'll break it all down so you can finally stop guessing and start getting results.

In This Article:

• How to Start Working Out: Complete Guide
• Beginner Workout Routine: 3 Effective Options
• Weekly Beginner Workout Plans
• Don't Forget Recovery
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Stay Consistent and Don't Give Up!

How to Start Exercising: Complete Guide

The first thing you need to know is this: You don't have to be perfect to get in shape. You just need to start. The more consistent you are, the more progress you'll make.

Here's your complete guide to getting started:

1. Pick a Workout Split

A workout "split" just means how you divide your workouts throughout the week. For example, you could work out 3, 4, 5, or even 6 days a week. This, of course, depends on your schedule and what you prefer.

The best beginner workout plan for the gym should be something you can stick to consistently. Don't try to go from zero to working out 6 days a week... that's a recipe for burnout.

2. Choose Your Exercises

Start with basic movements. These are called "compound exercises" because they work more than one muscle group at a time. Many of them can be done as bodyweight exercises as you're starting out as well. Think:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bench Press
• Pull-Ups
• Rows
• Overhead Press

You can also add in machines or dumbbell exercises to focus on certain muscles. Start light, focus on good form, and aim to improve each week.

3. Decide How Many Sets and Reps

Here's a solid starting point:

• 3–4 sets per exercise
• 8–12 reps per set

If your goal is to build muscle and burn fat, this rep range works really well. As you get stronger, you can change your sets and reps to fit your goals.

4. Plan Your Progression

The key to any successful beginner workout routine is progressive overload. This means gradually increasing the challenge over time by:

• Adding more weight
• Doing more reps
• Adding more sets
• Improving your form

Don't try to do everything at once. Pick one way to progress each week.

Beginner Workout Routine: 3 Effective Options

Here are three of the best workout splits for beginners. Each one has its own benefits, so pick the one that fits your schedule and preferences best.

Option 1: Push-Pull-Legs (3–6 Days Per Week)

Push Day – Chest, shoulders, triceps

Pull Day – Back, biceps

Leg Day – Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves

You can repeat the cycle twice in a week with a rest day between cycles. You could also do it once per week with rest days between each workout.

This is one of the most popular beginner workout routines because it's simple to understand and gives your muscles plenty of time to recover.

Option 2: Upper-Lower Split (4 Days Per Week)

Upper Body Day – Chest, back, shoulders, arms

Lower Body Day – Legs, glutes, abs

This lets you train each muscle group twice a week and still get rest days. It's perfect if you want to hit the gym 4 times per week consistently.

Option 3: Full Body (3 Days Per Week)

Full Body – Chest, back, shoulders, legs, glutes, arms

This routine targets every major muscle in your body every single workout. To allow for optimal recovery, you only do these workouts 3 days per week. That gives you 4 full rest days to recover.

All 3 are great options for the best beginner workout plan for the gym. Just pick one and see how it works for you.

Weekly Beginner Workout Plans

Before you get started with any of these workouts, make sure you warm up! A good warm-up can prime your muscles for the movements and help prevent injury.

Push-Pull-Legs Split

Here's an example of a Push-Pull-Legs split you can use right now:

Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Bench Press	4	8–10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3	10–12
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	10
Lateral Raises	3	12–15
Tricep Pushdowns	3	12–15
Ab Crunches	3	15–20

Pull Day (Back, Biceps)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns	4	8–10
Seated Cable Row	3	10
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows	3	10 (Each Side)
Barbell or EZ-Bar Curl	3	12
Hammer Curls	3	12
Shoulder Shrugs	3	12

Leg Day (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Kettlebell Goblet Squat	4	8
Walking Lunges	3	10 each leg
Romanian Deadlifts	3	10–12
Leg Press	3	10
Calf Raises	3	15–20
Bicycle Crunches	3	15–20 each side

Rest for at least 1 day between cycles, or as needed. This plan gives you a strong foundation and helps you get familiar with the gym.

Upper-Lower Split

Here's an example of an Upper-Lower split you can use right now:

Upper Day (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Bench Press	3	8–10
Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns	3	8–10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3	10–12
Cable Low Rows	3	12–15
Bicep Curls	3	12–15
Tricep Pushdowns	3	12–15

Lower Day (Legs, Glutes, Abs)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Kettlebell Goblet Squats	3	8–10
Romanian Deadlifts	3	8–10
Leg Press	3	10
Dumbbell Lateral Lunges	3	10 (Each Side)
Calf Raises	3	15–20
Cable Oblique Rotations	3	10 (Each Side)

This is a great split to do twice per week for a total of 4 workouts. That lets you train each muscle twice every week with plenty of rest.

Full Body

Here's an example of a full-body split you can use right now:

Full Body (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, Glutes, Arms)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Kettlebell Goblet Squats	3	8–10
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press	3	8–10
Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns	3	10
Romanian Deadlifts	3	10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises	3	10
Calf Raises	3	15–20
Cable Oblique Rotations	3	10 (Each Side)

This is a great beginner's workout routine! It lets you start off simple and work your way into more complex exercises over time. I like this for a Monday, Wednesday, Friday training split.

With this one, I would switch up the exercises a bit for each workout, though. That way, you can throw in more training for smaller muscle groups like your arms.

Don't Forget Recovery

Working out breaks your body down. Rest and recovery help your muscles rebuild and grow stronger. We don't build muscle in the gym … We build it while we recover.

Here's how to recover like a pro:

Sleep 7–9 Hours a Night – Your body grows while you sleep, and you need plenty of rest!

Drink Water – Stay hydrated to feel and perform better. I recommend 100-120 oz per day.

Fuel Your Body – Eat enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats for your goals. You'll need to eat differently if you want to lose body fat vs build muscle.

Use The Right Supplements – Post-workout shakes and protein shakes for meals/snacks can be a huge help!

Listen to Your Body – If you're extremely sore or tired, take an extra rest day. It's better to miss one workout than to get injured and miss weeks.

Stay Consistent and Don't Give Up!

The best beginner workout plan for the gym is the one you can stick to. You'll get sore. You'll have off days. You might even miss a workout or two.

That's okay.

What matters most is that you show up again and keep going. Many people choose to quit when things get hard, and that's why they don't see long-term results.

It breaks my heart to be honest. Living up to a higher standard and making yourself healthier isn't easy, but it's important. You only get one body, and it's your duty to take care of it.

So I'm glad you're choosing to take the first step. Just make sure you keep showing up for yourself even when things get hard.

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