Full body 3 day workout for Gym Beginners​

This is not a personalized plan ofcourse, but a general 3 day workout plan most gym beginners can start out with. In this article, we will go through some mandatory basics you should learn about moving your body; take a look at a warm up routine and then a breakdown of a 3 day full body workout plan.

Mandatory basics for a gym beginner

Your body was made to move and it is very good at it. The rate at which your body will learn exercises or skills will be very individual. But some people will quickly pick up exercise technique and some people will take longer. Regardless, as a Gym beginner if you apply yourself consistently and be patient, you will succeed.

The video covers the shoulder blade’s role in push-ups, pull-ups, and bench presses, as well as proper hip positioning during exercise. We then discuss bracing abdominal muscles for safe heavy lifting and the importance of hip hinging for weighted lifts like bent over rows and RDLs.

Once you go through this video, you will have a good understanding of how to approach this full body routine.

Starting to workout as a gym beginner its important that you have an understanding of much weight you should be lifting. Take a few minutes to watch this Youtube video.

Before your Start your full body workout

Warm up

As a gym beginner, it’s important to understand the significance of preparing your body for a workout. A good warm-up should involve exercises that target the main and supporting joints used in your workout. These exercises should be performed at low to moderate intensity with the intention of increasing your heart rate, which, in turn, increases the blood flow to the muscles. A simple way to warm up is to use a cross-trainer at the gym for about ten minutes. In addition, you can do three sets of ten reps for each of the exercises mentioned below to further warm up your body, specifically the spine. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle where you sit for long hours, these warm up exercises can really be helpful in more ways than one.

Day 1

Exercise 1: Lying Leg Curls
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-4), 4×10 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction

Keep your glutes squeezed and prevent your hips from lifting while performing the leg curl. Avoid holding your breath and refrain from rushing to lower the weight back down. Instead, focus on controlling the lowering phase. Concentrate on the muscle being worked and be mindful of its movements from the beginning of the exercise.

Alternative dumbbell leg curl
Exercise 2: Goblet Squat
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-2), 3×10 (Weeks 3-4), 4×10 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes
Instruction

Initiate the squat by sitting back with your hips. As you bend your knees and lower yourself down, ensure that your knees do not collapse inward. Push your knees out to the sides, so they are in line with your middle toe. Keep your weight centered on your midfoot. Ensure that your feet remain firmly planted on the ground, with both your toes and heels touching the floor throughout the exercise.

Exercise 3: Push up
  • Sets x Reps: 3xAMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) 
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes
Instruction Check out our push-up video on YouTube to learn the technique and adjust the exercise to your fitness level. Note down the rep count each week and aim to beat it without breaking form.
Exercise 4: Single Arm Dumbbell Rows
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-3), 3×12 (Weeks 4-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1-2 minutes
Instruction To learn the single arm dumbbell row technique, watch this on YouTube. From week 4 aim to hit 12 reps without reducing the weight you used in the previous weeks to do 10 reps.
Exercise 5: Alternating Dumbbell Curls
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-4), 3×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction On weeks 5 & 6 aim to hit 12 reps without reducing the weight you used in the previous weeks to do 10 reps.

Exercise 6: Tricep Push Down

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-4), 3×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute

Instruction

On weeks 5 & 6 aim to hit 12 reps without reducing the weight you used in the previous weeks to do 10 reps.

Alternative: Band Resisted Tricep Push Down

Exercise 7: Bird Dog Exercise

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-4), 3×16 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 30 seconds to 1 minute

Instruction:

Make sure you keep your spine stable and move only your limbs and Make sure you add a good pause at the top of each repetition.

Exercise 8: Standing Calf Raises

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-2), 3×10 (Weeks 3-4), 4×10 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute

Instruction:

Pause at the top and bottom of each rep and feel the muscle contraction. At the bottom of the rep, take a moment to feel the stretch on the calf muscle.  Make sure you repeat it across all sets.

Alternative: Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises

Day 2

Exercise 1: Active Scap Pulls

  • Sets x Reps: 3×8
  • Rest Interval: 30 seconds

Instruction

Focus on lowering your shoulders and hold that position for 1-2 seconds on each rep. Avoid rushing through the movement.

Exercise 2: Pronated Lat Pulldown

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-3), 4×10 (weeks 4-6)
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes

Instruction

Keep the focus on your back muscles throughout the entire movement. Avoid pulling the bar go too far down. Grip the bar well and lead the movement using your elbows.

Alternative: Band Assisted Pull Ups

Exercise 3: Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes

Instruction

Practice the hip-hinging movement with an empty barbell to ensure proper form. Maintain a flat back and keep your core engaged throughout the movement. Gradually add more weight as you feel comfortable. Keep the barbell close to your body, and avoid rounding your back or jerking the weight up.

Alternative: dumbbell rdl

Exercise 4: Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-4), 4×10 (weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes

Instruction

Avoid letting your elbows flare out as you lower the weight. Keep your wrist and elbow joints stacked on top of each other.

Alternative: Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press 

Exercise 5: Dumbbell Chest Flyes on the Floor
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1-2 minutes
Instruction Maintain a consistent elbow angle throughout the set to engage your chest muscles.
Exercise 6: Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extensions
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-3), 3×12 (Weels 4-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Exercise 7: EZ Bar Curls
  • Sets x Reps: 3×10 (Weeks 1-3), 3×12 (Weeks 4-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Exercise 8: Hollow Body Hold
  • Sets x Reps: 3×20 seconds (Weeks 1-2), 3×30 seconds (Weeks 3-4), 3x40s (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 30 seconds to 1 minute
Instruction Engage your core and flatten your lower back against the floor. Keep your abs tight and your back flat throughout the hold.

Day 3

Exercise 1: Lying leg curls
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-4), 4×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction Keep your glutes squeezed and prevent your hips from lifting while performing the leg curl. Avoid holding your breath and refrain from rushing to lower the weight back down. Instead, focus on controlling the lowering phase. Concentrate on the muscle being worked and be mindful of its movements from the beginning of the exercise. Alternative: Dumbbell Leg Curl
Exercise 2: Dumbbell Stationary Lunge
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-4), 4×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute 30 seconds
Instruction Take a big step forward with one leg and lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep your torso upright, and don’t allow your front knee to go past your toes. Push back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Alternative: Bodyweight Stationary Lunge or Barbell Stationary Lunge
Exercise 3: Seated Rows
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-4), 4×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute 30 seconds
Instruction Sit with your knees slightly bent, and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the handle with both hands and pull it towards your body while keeping your elbows close to your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement, and then slowly release back to the starting position. Alternative: single arm dumbbell rows
Exercise 4: Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-4)
  • Rest Interval: 2 minutes
Instruction Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest with your arms fully extended. Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, pause, and then push them back up to the starting position.
Exercise 5: Machine Chest Flyes
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-2), 3×12 (Weeks 3-4), 4×12 (Weeks 5-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction Keep your elbows slightly bent and fixed in position throughout the set. Focus on feeling the stretch in your chest muscles as you lower the handles. Alternative: Dumbbell Chest Flyes on the Floor
Exercise 6:Lying Down Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-4)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction Lie down on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms fully above your chest, and then slowly lower the dumbbells behind your head. Pause, and then lift the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Exercise 7:Straight bar curls
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-6)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Exercise 8: standing calf raises
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-4)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Alternative: Standing dumbbell calf raises
Exercise 9: Reverse crunches
  • Sets x Reps: 3×12 (Weeks 1-4)
  • Rest Interval: 1 minute
Instruction to engage the abs well, you need to tuck your hips in as you raise your legs. exhale as you do this to intensify the contraction  

What to focus on as a gym beginner?

The main focus should be on learning the proper technique and maintaining form on your exercises. As a gym beginner, its important to consistently practice speed & rhythm throughout every repetition of every set.

increase the weight you lift

Aim to increase the weight of your lifts by 1-2kg every 2-3 weeks. But be aware that there will come a point where adding more weight will affect your technique or the number of reps you can perform. 

Don’t be discouraged when this happens. Instead, slow down the speed of each rep by 1 second and continue training with the same weight for another week or 2. After this period, try increasing the weight again while going back to your previous rep execution speed & rhythm.

seek professional guidance

It is important to seek the guidance of a qualified personal trainer or fitness instructor who can provide feedback and correct any form issues. Your first financial investment after joining a gym should be to get good guidance, Specially if the gym instructors are not paying attention to you.

Listen to your body

As a gym beginner, it is essential to listen to your body because  a simple mistake can mean taking months off of training.  Make sure when you train to stop immediately if you experience any pain or discomfort. Once you stop, talk to your trainer and discuss the next step.

Work on building a good mind muscle connection

I have another article on ‘5 Tips on Building Your mind muscle connection‘ For your Training. It will be usefull for you to read that as well.

Be patient

As a gym beginner, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by all of this. However, it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself to get everything right in the first week. Take your time and be patient with yourself. What you are embarking on is a long and challenging journey, and there will likely be many points where you feel like giving up on your goals. This happens to nearly everyone, but what sets successful people apart is their willingness to keep trying and learning from past experiences while taking greater responsibility and accountability for their actions.

Want guidance from my online coaching service?

visit onlinecoaching.lk

Note, i build and coach my clients only through my own experience over the last 7-8 years of training people. To get an understanding of my experience and knowledge, checkout my youtube channel where i provide practical educational content in sinhala.

https://www.youtube.com/@AlphaLeeFitness 

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