8 Week Beginner Strength Program
4-Day Beginner Strength Program
This 4-day per week program focuses on building strength in the Big Three lifts — the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
It’s designed primarily for beginners looking for a structured approach to get stronger, but it’s also suitable for intermediate lifters who’ve been training consistently and want to reintroduce proper programming and progression.
Program Overview
Each main lift is programmed using percentages based on your 1-rep max, allowing for steady, measurable progression throughout the training cycle.
Before starting, you’ll need to test or estimate your 1RMs for the squat, bench, and deadlift to ensure accurate loading.
The program also includes accessory exercises strategically chosen to strengthen all the key muscles that support the big lifts, improving both performance and longevity.
Training Focus
- Build foundational strength and technique in the Big Three
- Reinforce prime movers and stabilizers with smart accessory work
- Manage fatigue while creating the necessary central nervous system adaptation for strength gains
If you’re new to structured strength training, expect some soreness and fatigue as your body adapts. This is a normal and necessary part of the process when developing true strength.
Nutrition & Recovery
To perform and recover well, proper nutrition and recovery are essential.
Make sure you’re eating enough to support training demands, prioritizing sleep, and managing stress between sessions.
Requirements
You’ll need access to a gym with standard equipment to complete this program.
You'll get an 8 week beginner strength training template in both excel and PDF format. This template contains a space to log and track your sets and reps by either editing the template in excel, or by simply printing the PDF and writing it by hand.