Alternate two workouts on nonconsecutive days. Build consistent technique and rep progress before chasing a maximal total.
Who this plan is for
This is a summary of the publicly available r/Fitness Basic Beginner Routine, checked September 28, 2026. It introduces the barbell lifts used in powerlifting alongside rows, chinups and overhead presses. It is a starting routine, not a competition peak or a promise to reach 1,000 pounds in a fixed number of weeks.
The source recommends using it for no more than three months, then moving to a more comprehensive program. If you already train these lifts confidently, use our training roadmap to choose an approach with enough work for your stage. Learn unfamiliar lifts with appropriate instruction, rack safeties and spotting.
Your three-day schedule
| Week | Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Workout A | Workout B | Workout A |
| Week 2 | Workout B | Workout A | Workout B |
| Workout | Exercises, in order | Sets and reps |
|---|---|---|
| A | Barbell row → bench press → back squat | Each: 2 × 5, then 1 × 5+ |
| B | Chinup (or lat pulldown) → overhead press → deadlift | Each: 2 × 5, then 1 × 5+ |
The final “5+” set means five or more quality reps, stopping with about one or two reps left. Do not take it to absolute failure. If technique deteriorates or the bar slows markedly, end the set. Rest two to three minutes between sets; the source allows up to five minutes between exercises when needed.
Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend are available for recovery and conditioning. The source also recommends two conditioning sessions: one easier 15–30 minute session and one shorter, harder 10–15 minute session. Choose activities you can manage alongside lifting; if they share a day, lift first.
Choose starting weights without testing a max
Start with an empty bar, or a lighter training bar if needed, and perform five controlled reps. The source uses small 10–20 lb increases while reps remain easy and consistent to find an initial working weight. Be conservative: stop adding weight as speed or technique changes. You are finding a repeatable working load, not your limit.
Warm-up sets prepare you for the work; they are not all work sets. Record the load you use for the three work sets, including the bar. For chinups, an assisted version or lat pulldown lets you practise a full movement before adding external weight. Keep assistance settings in your notes because less assistance is progress.
A rep-set one-rep max estimate can describe a trend later. You do not need one to begin this routine.
How to progress after a session
For each lift, count all completed reps across its three work sets. The routine’s normal increase is 2.5 lb total for upper-body lifts and 5 lb total for squat and deadlift the next time that lift appears. These are additions to the whole bar, not each side.
| Last session | Next time you do that lift |
|---|---|
| At least 15 total reps; final set at most 10 | Add 2.5 lb upper body or 5 lb lower body |
| Final set more than 10 reps | Add 5 lb upper body or 10 lb lower body |
| Fewer than 15 total reps | Reduce that lift’s load by 10% |
Example: a bench at 95 lb for 5, 5 and 7 reps gives 17 total reps. The next bench target is 97.5 lb. A squat at 135 lb for 5, 5 and 11 qualifies for the larger lower-body increase, to 145 lb. These examples explain the method; your own starting loads may be very different.
Use fractional plates for small increases. If you cannot load a 2.5 lb total step, the source offers adding 5 lb every other exposure as an option. With kilogram plates, use a consistent available step close to the intended increase—roughly 1 kg upper body and 2–2.5 kg lower body—and record the adaptation.
What to do after missed reps
If you complete fewer than 15 total reps for an exercise, the routine calls for a 10% reduction at its next exposure. For example, 100 lb for 5, 4 and 3 reps is 12 reps; the next load is 90 lb. Round down to an available load if necessary. Rebuild with quality reps rather than forcing the missed weight again.
Record whether you shortened rest, missed sleep, changed technique or interrupted a session. Pain or loss of control calls for stopping and reassessing the movement, not treating the miss as a routine progression problem. Repeated difficulty is a reason to review technique and program fit with a qualified coach.
Print a log and review the first month
Use the free powerlifting training log to write planned work before training and completed reps afterwards. Leave your completed-single PR record alone until you actually perform a new single.
After a month, review attendance, technique and comparable rep sets. You do not need to test all three maxes to demonstrate progress. Before the source’s three-month limit, choose a fuller routine for your next stage; it suggests GZCLP or 5/3/1 for Beginners among the options. Our 1000-pound-club roadmap connects program selection, checkpoints and eventual testing.
A goal worth keeping track of.
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