PrupBeginner gym routine
Six exercises per session, three sessions a week, and one rule for adding weight. That is all you need in the first month: learn the movements with loads you can control and watch the number go up every week.
The whole week
| Day | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday — Session A | Goblet squat | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min | |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 10–12 per side | 90 s | |
| Leg press | 2 | 12–15 | 90 s | |
| Lateral raise | 2 | 12–15 | 60 s | |
| Plank | 3 | 20–40 s | 60 s | |
| Wednesday — Session B | Dumbbell romanian deadlift | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min | |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s | |
| Bodyweight lunge | 2 | 10 per leg | 90 s | |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 | 12 | 60 s | |
| Hanging leg raise | 3 | 8–12 | 60 s | |
| Friday — Session A | Goblet squat | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min | |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 10–12 per side | 90 s | |
| Leg press | 2 | 12–15 | 90 s | |
| Cable triceps extension | 2 | 12–15 | 60 s | |
| Plank | 3 | 20–40 s | 60 s |
Why dumbbells and machines at the start
The barbell arrives in month two. With dumbbells each side works alone, so a stronger side cannot hide the weaker one, and the minimum weight is lower: you can start pressing 8 kg per hand, which a 20 kg bar does not allow. Machines fix the path while you learn to feel the muscle.
Session A repeats on Monday and Friday on purpose. Repetition is how a movement is learned, and seeing the same exercise twice in the week gives you two chances to add weight.
The rule for adding weight
- Start light: a weight where 12 clean reps come easily and you feel you could do 15. The first week is for learning, not suffering.
- Add when you close the range: if you hit 12 on all three sets, next time take the next weight. If you stall at 8 on the last set, repeat it.
- Write everything down: weight and reps for every set. Without a log there is no rule to apply. Prup does it in three taps and then tells you what is due.
What to do in month two
Swap the goblet squat for a barbell back squat, the dumbbell press for a barbell bench press, and the one-arm row for a barbell row, starting with the empty bar or a little more. Everything else stays. From there, the 3-day full body routine is the natural continuation.
If at any point something hurts sharply, in a joint rather than a muscle, drop that exercise and replace it with a machine that works the same thing. See a professional if it persists.
Questions about this routine
01How much weight should I use on day one?
Less than you think. Pick one you could do 15 reps with and do 12. Next week you will know how much to add.
02Should I do cardio too?
Ten minutes of walking or easy cycling before training as a warm-up, and if you like, two 30-minute walks on off days. Nothing intense in the first month: the priority is learning to lift.
03What if I only have two days?
Alternate A and B each week. You will still progress, a little slower. Two days done well beat three done halfway.
Adapt it to you
Tell the generator your days, your equipment and what hurts, and get this structure adjusted for you.
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