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Training programme

Training programmes for beginners: how to get started at the gym and at home

A good training programme for beginners is simpler than most people think: 2 to 3 sessions a week, a handful of big exercises and the same exercises week after week. Here you will see how such a programme is put together, how to choose a template, how your first sessions go and how you get stronger over time, at the gym or at home.

Updated 10 October 2026

Pick a programme

3 a week · GymFull body, 3 days a weekThe whole body every session, three days a week. It is the plan most beginners get furthest with, because every muscle is trained three times a week with rest in between.3 a week · GymPush, pull and legsThe week is split by movement rather than body part: one day for everything that pushes, one for everything that pulls and one for legs. Run one round over three days or two rounds over six.4 a week · GymUpper and lower body, 4 daysUpper body one session, legs the next, four days a week. Every muscle is trained twice a week, and each session has time to work its muscles properly.3 a week · At homeAt home, no equipmentYour whole body three days a week with nothing but the floor, a chair and a table. Two alternating workouts, and when an exercise gets easy you switch to a harder variation.2 a week · GymFull body, 2 days a weekTwo sessions a week, the whole body each time. For when you only have two days to train but still want every major muscle worked twice a week.3 a week · Gym5x5 for strength, 3 daysFive sets of five in the big barbell lifts, three days a week. Few exercises, heavy weights and a little more on the bar almost every session, for as long as it lasts.3 a week · At homeDumbbells only, 3 daysYour whole body three days a week with a pair of dumbbells and ideally a bench or chair. Two alternating workouts, for a home gym or a gym with only dumbbells.

What a good beginner programme looks like

You need a programme you actually follow, one that makes it easy to see whether you are getting stronger:

  • 2 to 3 sessions a week. A full-body session trains everything, so every muscle works several times a week without you having to train every day.
  • A handful of big movements. 4 to 6 exercises per session is enough. Choose exercises that use several joints at once, like squats, presses and rows.
  • The same exercises again and again. If you change exercises every week, you never know whether you have got stronger. Stick with them for several weeks and try to beat your last session a little at a time.
  • Rest days in between. Your body needs time to recover. A day off between full-body sessions is a good place to start.

Choose a template that fits your week

The templates differ in how many days you train and how much work each muscle gets. If you are unsure, start with full body.

Full body, 3 days

The plan most beginners get furthest with. You train the whole body three times a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with a squat, a hinge, a press and a pull in every session. You practise each movement often, so the technique sticks sooner. Read more about full body 3 days.

Push, pull, legs

One session for pushing (chest, shoulders, triceps), one for pulling (back, biceps) and one for legs. On 3 days a week each muscle is trained once a week, on 6 days twice. It suits you once you want more work per muscle. See push, pull, legs.

Upper and lower body

Four sessions a week, two for the upper body and two for the legs. Each muscle is trained twice a week, and each session can spend more time on fewer muscles. See upper and lower body.

At home with no equipment

Without a gym or weights, your bodyweight goes a long way at the start. The same basic movements apply, such as squats, lunges, push-ups and rows under a sturdy table, but you make the exercises harder rather than heavier. See at home with no equipment.

More plans

If you only have two days a week, full body 2 days still trains every major muscle twice. If you want to get strong with a barbell and few exercises, try 5x5, and if all you have is dumbbells, there is a dumbbell programme for the home gym.

The movements every programme covers

Cover these five basic movements and you have trained more or less the whole body.

  • Squat. You bend at the knees and hips, as when you sit down on a chair. Trains the thighs and glutes. Examples: the barbell squat or the goblet squat.
  • Hinge. You bend at the hips with slightly bent knees, as when you lift something off the floor. Trains the hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Example: the Romanian deadlift.
  • Push. You press a weight away from your body. Trains the chest, shoulders and triceps. Examples: the bench press or push-ups.
  • Pull. You pull a weight towards your body. Trains the back and biceps. Example: the dumbbell row.
  • Core. You keep your upper body still while something tries to bend or twist it. Example: the plank.

Your first sessions

Warm up

Spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up. Walk, cycle or row at an easy pace for a while, then do a couple of light sets of your first exercise before moving up to the day's weight.

Pick starting weights with reps in the tank

Pick a weight you can lift for the number of reps in the programme, with 2 to 3 reps left in the tank when the set ends. If it feels too easy, go up next set or next session. Better to start too light and add weight than to start too heavy and lose your technique.

Technique before load

The first few weeks are about learning the movements. Use the full range of motion, control the weight on the way down and do every rep the same way. Muscle soreness in the days after a session is common at the start. If a joint hurts or you feel a sharp pain during a lift, stop the exercise and see a doctor or physiotherapist.

How long a session takes

45 to 60 minutes is plenty, warm-up included. A short session that happens beats a long one that does not.

How you get stronger week by week

Progressive overload

To keep getting stronger, ask your body for a little more over time: one more rep, one more set or a bit more weight. A simple way is to work within a rep range, for example 8 to 12 reps. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add the smallest weight step you have and start again at the bottom. Read more about progressive overload.

Sets and reps

A common set-up for beginners is 2 to 4 sets per exercise of 6 to 12 reps, with 1 to 3 minutes of rest between sets. Read more in sets and reps.

How often

2 to 3 sessions a week goes a long way when you are new. With full-body sessions every muscle is trained several times a week, and you have time to recover in between. Read more about how often to train.

Deload

A deload is a lighter week: the same sessions with less weight or fewer sets, before you carry on where you left off. If you have stalled for several sessions or feel worn out, it can help. Read more about deloads.

Training at the gym or at home

Both work. The gym gives you barbells, dumbbells and machines, so it is easy to add weight in small steps over a long time.

At home you make exercises harder rather than heavier: more reps, a slower tempo, shorter rest or a harder variation, such as going from push-ups on your knees to full push-ups. The exercises that need no equipment are under bodyweight, and there is a ready-made plan in at home with no equipment. A pair of dumbbells or a resistance band makes it easier to keep progressing.

Recovery: sleep and food

You get stronger from training and recovery together.

  • Sleep well. Regular sleep is the foundation. If you are tired for a long time, your sessions feel harder.
  • Eat enough. Eating too little makes it harder to get through your sessions and to get stronger.
  • Include some protein at your meals. For example meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils or tofu.

Write down every set

Without notes you are guessing. With them you know what you lifted last time and what to beat today, which is progressive overload in practice. Write down the exercise, the weight and the reps for every set. A training log also shows when you have stalled, so you can change something in time.

How BIP helps

BIP builds a weekly programme for you based on your goal, your equipment (gym or home), your experience, how many days a week you can train and how much time you have per session. During the session you log weight and reps for every set, and you see your history, records and progression. The log is free, and the first week of the programme is free. With Premium (99 kr a month), BIP builds your next week every week from what you actually lifted, with progressive overload and deloads planned in. See pricing, or build your first programme.

Common questions

Should beginners follow a training plan?

Yes. You know what to do when you get to the gym, and you stick with the same exercises long enough to see whether you are getting stronger. 2 to 3 full-body sessions a week is enough.

How long does it take to get stronger?

It varies, and depends on things like sleep, food and how regularly you train. Most beginners can add weight or reps for many weeks at the start, but nobody can promise how fast it will go for you. Write down your sets and you will see your own progress.

Is it better to train at the gym or at home?

The better one is whichever you will actually do regularly. At the gym it is easier to add weight in small steps, at home you save the travel time. Both work if you make it a little harder over time.

Want it planned for you?

BIP builds a week around your goal, equipment and experience, with sets, reps and rest worked out. You log your weights as you train and watch yourself get stronger. The first week is free.

Create a programme →