Full body, three days a week
Three full-body sessions with a rest day between: how to get set up, what to do in each session and how to keep progressing, week after week.
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Time: 45–60 minutes, three times a week
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Before you start
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The US guidelines say people with chronic conditions or symptoms should be under a health care provider’s care.
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A rest day between sessions gives your muscles time to recover.
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For example: squat or leg press, hip bridge or deadlift, push-ups or chest press, rows or pull-downs, plank.
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The US guidelines suggest starting with 1 day a week of strength work, then 2, then possibly more.
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Without numbers written down, it’s hard to know when to add weight.
Every session · 45–60 minutes
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That’s the test in the US guidelines: one set of 8 to 12 reps works, and two or three may work better.
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The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 1–2 minutes for building muscle.
Week by week
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According to the US guidelines, strength grows with gradual increases in weight, sets, reps or days a week.
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Adults need 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work on 2 or more days (WHO and US guidelines).
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The NHS advises breaking up long periods of not moving with some activity.
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That’s what experts recommend for adults, according to the NIH.
Every four weeks
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If you’ve stalled for weeks, look at your sleep and recovery, or have your form checked.
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Both the US guidelines and the WHO recommend it for older adults, to help prevent falls.
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The one-rep max and body fat calculators help you keep track of the numbers.
Stronger
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Good to know
- Three full-body sessions train every major muscle group three times a week, one more than the two days the US guidelines and the NHS ask for.
- A session you actually do beats a perfect plan you skip: consistency over months matters more than any one workout.
- The NHS lists the major muscle groups as legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms: the five exercises cover all of them.
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps should a beginner do?
The US guidelines say one set of 8 to 12 reps of each exercise is effective, and two or three sets may be more effective. Take each set close to the point where one more rep would be hard, and rest 1–2 minutes between sets.
When should I add weight?
When you can do 12 clean reps on every set of an exercise. Add a little weight and drop back to 8 reps, then build up again.
Is three days a week enough?
For most adults, yes: it covers the strength guidelines with a day to spare. Add walking, cycling or other aerobic activity on the other days to reach 150 minutes a week.
Next step
I’m not a doctor or a dietitian. This is an estimate, for information only. For decisions about your health, check with a professional.
- The calculatorOne-rep max
- The guideThree workouts a week
- The next checklistCutting phase
- The routeGetting fit
Sources
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (HHS)
- NHS — Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
- World Health Organization — Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (2020)
- American College of Sports Medicine — Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults (2009), PubMed
- NHLBI (NIH) — How much sleep is enough?
If you have a health condition, pain or doubts, talk to your doctor before you start; for technique, work with a qualified trainer.