Start with three days

Three full-body sessions a week is the sweet spot for most beginners. It gives every muscle group enough work to grow and enough rest to recover between sessions.

Pick five big lifts

Squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press and a row. Master these and you have covered every major movement pattern your body needs.

Add weight slowly

Start lighter than you think. Add 2.5kg to upper-body lifts and 5kg to lower-body lifts each week while your form stays clean. When a lift stalls twice in a row, drop 10% and build back up.