New to Strength Training? These 10 Programs Will Help You Build Muscle and Confidence
Strength training is essential to a well-rounded fitness routine that improves physical health and promotes mental well-being. It is particularly beneficial for beginners just starting their fitness journey and looking to build a solid foundation of strength.
However, with a plethora of strength programs available, it can be overwhelming for a novice lifter to choose the right one. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the ten best strength programs for beginners to help you build muscle, improve strength, and boost confidence.
Factors to Consider Before Starting a Strength Program
Before embarking on a strength training program, it is essential to consider several factors to ensure that you choose the right program to help you achieve your fitness goals without risking injury. This section will cover what you must consider before starting a strength program.
Understanding Fitness Levels
Understanding your current fitness level before starting a strength program is crucial. This includes your endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance. Assessing your fitness level will help you identify areas that need improvement and help you choose the right program to suit your needs.
Health Considerations
Before starting any fitness program, it is essential to consider your health status. Before beginning any strength program, it is crucial to consult with a doctor if you have a pre-existing medical condition or have previously suffered injuries. This will help you identify potential risks and modify the program to suit your health needs.
Choosing the Right Strength Program
Choosing the right strength program is crucial to your success. However, with numerous programs available, it can take time to choose the right one. When selecting a strength program, consider your fitness level, goals, and time availability.
If you are a complete beginner, starting with a program that focuses on building a solid foundation of strength is advisable. On the other hand, if you have some experience, you may opt for a more advanced program. Choosing a program that fits your lifestyle and schedule is also essential, ensuring you can commit to the program consistently.
Top 10 Strength Programs for Beginners
Strength training is an effective method to enhance physical fitness and support general wellness. However, starting a strength training program can be overwhelming, especially for beginners.
With numerous strength programs available, choosing the right one can be challenging. This section will introduce the top 10 strength programs for beginners to help you choose the right one that suits your needs and goals.
1. Starting Strength
The Starting Strength Novice Program creates a comprehensive training approach for the whole body, tailored to an individual's progressions. Its two workout days, Day A and B, are ever-evolving due to the continual shaping of one's physique as one advances through their strength training journey.
This program aims to increase the weight lifted with each session, utilizing The Novice Effect to facilitate progress. To maximize the program's benefits, the recommended frequency is three non-consecutive days per week, such as Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/Sat.
2. StrongLifts 5x5
The StrongLifts 5x5 workout program is a comprehensive strength training regimen involving two workouts: Workout A and Workout B.
Workout A consists of the Squat, Bench Press, and Barbell Rows, while Workout B involves the Squat, Overhead Press, and Deadlift. Performing three weekly workouts is recommended, with at least one day of rest between sessions. This ensures that your body has enough time to recover and build muscle, allowing you to lift heavier weights in subsequent workouts.
To prevent overtraining and promote adequate recovery, avoiding training two days in a row or doing two workouts in a single day is advised. Instead, alternate between Workout A and Workout B each time you train.
3. Greyskull LP
The Greyskull LP stands out to beginners as the gold standard for strength and muscle gain. What sets this program apart is its use of linear periodization, a targeted method designed to promote maximum growth opportunities at an accelerated rate. This makes it the perfect choice for those new to weightlifting or powerlifting who want to raise their physical development game quickly and effectively.
This program maximizes muscle growth and strength gains by implementing a smart three-day training schedule that dynamically adjusts the volume and intensity of exercises. The purpose is to elicit an optimal response for maximal results, allowing users to reach their fitness goals safely yet effectively.
4. Phrak's Greyskull LP Variant
Phrak's Greyskull LP provides a distinct advantage over popular programs like Greyskull and Starting Strength, including a pull movement such as chin-ups or a barbell row variant. In addition, unlike Starting Strength and Johnny Pain's GSLP, which solely rely on the deadlift to target the back muscles, Phrak's program emphasizes a more comprehensive approach to back training.
Additionally, the program incorporates autoregulation de-load, reducing the weight by ten percent if the final set yields less than five reps. Stagnation in strength progression is inevitable in a linear progression program. The program encourages reducing weight and gradually working back up to overcome plateaus in strength development.
5. Fierce 5
Fierce 5 was created to address the minor deficiencies in other novice programs, such as slow progression, a low or high volume that causes people to lose interest, and an absence of proper balance. The program comprises five uncomplicated workouts (superset combined) that can be completed in just over an hour, including warm-ups and stretching.
You will be exercising three non-consecutive days a week and alternating between workouts A & B. For example, Mon-A, Tues-Rest, Wed-B, Thur-Rest, Fri-A, Sat-Rest, Sun-Rest, Mon-B, and so on. Each week, you will increase the weight by 5 lbs on all your upper body lifts and 10 lbs on all your lower body lifts.
If using dumbbells, reverse flies will increase by 5 lbs per month and should never exceed 15 lbs per hand. Likewise, leg curls (if used) will increase by 5lbs per week, and ab work will increase in reps (add a few reps each week).
6. 5/3/1 for Beginners
5/3/1 is considered one of the most well-known strength training programs globally due to its straightforwardness, adaptability, and longevity. Its unique approach focuses on gradual, consistent progression over extended periods, unlike other programs that typically involve short bursts of weight increases that inevitably lead to stalling progress.
This slow, steady, and repeatable approach has resonated with many lifters and trainers, making it a go-to program for those looking to build strength over the long term.
7. Ice Cream Fitness 5x5
The program's schedule is straightforward, consisting of three workouts per week, with two distinct workouts that must be alternated. For instance, if you begin the first week with workout A, you would commence the following week with workout B.
While most people typically begin on Monday, adjusting it according to your schedule and needs is recommended. Ultimately, the specific days are unimportant; if you complete the three workouts per week, you are executing the program correctly.
On average, each workout takes around 1.5 hours to complete. However, this can vary depending on how you feel on a given day. It's noteworthy that workout A has slightly more sets and may take longer. Nonetheless, adhering to this schedule and remaining consistent can build strength and achieve your fitness goals.
8. PowerliftingToWin Novice Program
The PowerliftingToWin Novice Program is a comprehensive training regimen designed to help beginners build strength and progress over time. Phase One, also known as the "True Novice," involves performing the same workout three days a week, focusing on the squat, bench press, and sumo deadlift.
The program utilizes a weight progression protocol based on the total reps completed during the previous workout. You must complete at least three repetitions for each set, and based on the total reps completed, you will determine how much weight to add to the bar for the next session.
Phase Two, also known as the "Advanced Novice," is designed for those who have stalled out and can no longer progress using Phase One. The program involves heavy workouts on Mondays and Fridays and a lighter workout on Wednesdays, emphasizing the squat, paused bench press, and sumo deadlift.
9. Westside for Skinny Bastards
Westside for skinny bastards (WS4SB) is a famous strength training program created by Joe DeFranco in 2008. It was designed to be an effective program for beginner athletes, from high school students to working professionals looking to improve their general strength.
The program consists of a max effort upper body day, a lower body day, and a repetition upper body day. Day one involves a max effort lift, supplemental lift, horizontal row, rear delt/upper back, and weighted abdominal exercise. Day two involves a max effort lift, unilateral movement, hamstring/posterior chain movement, and grip training.
Day three involves a repetition lift, supplemental lift (tricep accessory movement), vertical pulling, medial delt or trap exercise, elbow flexion exercise, and abdominal circuit training. Joe DeFranco has also included a 4-day per week program variation for those more committed to their training.
10. The Texas Method
The Texas Method is a training program carried out three days a week and emphasizes volume on Mondays, active recovery on Wednesdays, and intensity on Fridays. The inspiration behind this method came from a bench press workout used by Canadian strongman Doug Hepburn, who performed five heavy 1-rep sets followed by five heavy 5-rep sets.
Rippetoe, the creator of The Texas Method, provides this workout framework as an example of the OG method. If your 1-rep max is 365 pounds, the singles sets would likely be around 335 pounds. The five 5 of 5 would then fall between 285 to 290 pounds.
Get Ripped With These Best Beginner Strength Programs
Many effective programs are for beginners looking to gain strength and build muscle. Each program mentioned in this article has unique features and benefits, but they all have the same goal: to help beginners develop a solid foundation of strength and fitness.
By following these programs and working hard, beginners can expect to see improvements in their strength, body composition, and overall health. Choosing a program that suits your needs, goals, and schedule is essential as staying committed and consistent with your training.
