What This Plan Is
A 4-week full body program designed to build strength, improve movement quality, and create the habit of training consistently. Three days per week. Every major muscle group, every session.
This is Block 1: Foundation. The weights should feel manageable. That's the point. You're building the base that everything else stacks on.
What You Need
- A commercial gym with dumbbells, cables, and machines
- 45-60 minutes per session
- 3 days per week (rest at least 1 day between sessions)
How to Pick Your Starting Weight
For each exercise, pick a weight where you can complete 12 reps with 2-3 reps left in the tank. If you could do 15 reps, that's your starting weight for sets of 12.
Too light is better than too heavy in Week 1. You'll add weight soon enough.
What "Tempo 3-1-0" Means
Every exercise says Tempo 3-1-0. Here's what that means:
- 3 seconds down (the lowering part, slow and controlled)
- 1 second pause at the bottom
- 0 = no pause, lift back up with control
This protects your joints, builds muscle control, and forces you to use a weight you can actually handle. Don't rush reps. The slow eccentric is doing more work than you think.
Not Every Exercise Is Max Effort
Each day has 6 exercises labeled A through F. They're not all the same intensity.
- A through D are your main compound lifts. These are the money exercises. Give them your best effort and focus.
- E and F are lighter accessories (shoulders, arms). Good form, controlled reps, but you're not grinding these. Think 70% effort.
If everything feels equally hard, you're going too heavy on the accessories or not hard enough on the compounds.
How to Get Stronger
Every exercise has a tracking grid. Log your weight and reps every session. When all 3 sets hit 12 reps with good form:
- Upper body exercises: Add 5 lbs next session
- Lower body exercises: Add 10 lbs next session
If you can't hit 12 on all sets at the new weight, stay there until you can. That's progressive overload. That's how you get results.
Warm-Up (Every Session, 5 Min)
Do this before every workout. No exceptions.
- Cat-Cow: 10 reps (loosen spine)
- Hip Circles: 10 each direction (open hips)
- Bodyweight Squat: 10 reps (wake up legs)
- Arm Circles: 10 each direction (shoulders)
- High Knees: 20 total (get heart rate up)
Schedule
Pick 3 non-consecutive days. Rest at least 1 day between sessions.
Example: Monday (Day A), Wednesday (Day B), Friday (Day C). Repeat every week for 4 weeks.
Optional cardio: 20-minute incline treadmill walk on off days. 3.0 mph, 10-12% incline. Not required, but it helps.
Walk Every Day
This is non-negotiable whether you train that day or not. Walk 7,000+ steps every day.
It doesn't burn a ton of calories on its own, but it adds up over 4 weeks. It keeps your metabolism active on rest days, improves recovery, and builds the one habit that costs nothing and works for everyone.
Track it on your phone. If you're under 7,000 by evening, take a 15-minute walk. That's it.
After 4 Weeks
If you followed this plan and tracked your weights, you're stronger than you were a month ago. The numbers prove it.
What happens next depends on your goals. You can repeat this plan with heavier weights, or get a program built specifically for your body, your schedule, and your goals.
That's what coaching is.