- Equipment
- Dumbbells, a stable bench, leg press, cable row, and lat pulldown
- Time
- About 40 to 55 minutes per session, including warm-up
- Week
- 3 sessions per week
- Who it fits
- Adults starting general gym training who can practise the listed movements comfortably
How to arrange your week
Try A on Monday, B on Wednesday, and C on Friday. The letters describe session order, not fixed weekdays. If three visits are unrealistic, use the two-day template instead of repeatedly missing a third day.
Each session has a lower-body movement, upper-body pushing and pulling, a hip-extension exercise, and a small amount of trunk work. Machines reduce setup demands for some slots; dumbbells keep the plan usable in an ordinary gym. Repeated movements make it easier to notice when your control or repetitions improve.
Warm up and choose your starting load
Warm up with a few minutes of easy movement, then a light practice set of the first exercise. The listed sets are work sets; warm-up sets come on top.
Use the first week to learn equipment settings and choose conservative loads. Finish each set with about three clean repetitions still possible. You do not need a maximum-lift test. If a movement is unfamiliar, ask a qualified trainer to demonstrate it before adding load. One work set per exercise is a reasonable first-visit rehearsal before using the listed two.
The workouts
Do the exercises in order. For a per-side exercise, do both sides before you rest. Rest longer if the next set needs it.
Session A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / hold | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg press | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Dumbbell bench press | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Seated cable row | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 2 | 8 to 10 | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Dead bug | 1 | 6 to 10 per side | 60 seconds |
- Leg press: Ask staff to show the setup and safety stops before using it.
- Dumbbell bench press: Start light enough to practise a steady path.
- Seated cable row: Keep the torso controlled as the hands move.
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift: Practise the hinge without load first if it is unfamiliar.
- Dead bug: Stop the set when trunk position changes.
Learn the basic session structure
Leg press
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 to 120 seconds
Ask staff to show the setup and safety stops before using it.
Dumbbell bench press
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 to 120 seconds
Start light enough to practise a steady path.
Seated cable row
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 seconds
Keep the torso controlled as the hands move.
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 10
- Rest
- 90 to 120 seconds
Practise the hinge without load first if it is unfamiliar.
Dead bug
- Sets
- 1
- Reps / hold
- 6 to 10 per side
- Rest
- 60 seconds
Stop the set when trunk position changes.
Session B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / hold | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Lat pulldown | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 seconds |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 2 | 8 to 10 | 90 seconds |
| Floor glute bridge | 2 | 10 to 15 | 60 to 90 seconds |
| Side plank | 1 | 15 to 25 seconds per side | 60 seconds |
- Goblet squat: Start with a comfortable range and repeat it.
- Lat pulldown: Use a grip and range that feel controlled.
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press: Keep the back supported and do not force the overhead range.
- Floor glute bridge: Pause at a comfortable top position.
- Side plank: Use the bent-knee version to learn the position.
Practise a squat and a vertical pull
Goblet squat
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 to 120 seconds
Start with a comfortable range and repeat it.
Lat pulldown
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 seconds
Use a grip and range that feel controlled.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 10
- Rest
- 90 seconds
Keep the back supported and do not force the overhead range.
Floor glute bridge
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 10 to 15
- Rest
- 60 to 90 seconds
Pause at a comfortable top position.
Side plank
- Sets
- 1
- Reps / hold
- 15 to 25 seconds per side
- Rest
- 60 seconds
Use the bent-knee version to learn the position.
Session C
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / hold | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low step-up | 2 | 8 to 10 per side | 90 seconds after both sides |
| Dumbbell floor press | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 seconds |
| Seated cable row | 2 | 8 to 12 | 90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 2 | 8 to 10 | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Dead bug | 1 | 6 to 10 per side | 60 seconds |
- Low step-up: Use a stable gym step and a height you can control.
- Dumbbell floor press: Set the dumbbells down safely between sets.
- Seated cable row: Repeat the setup from A so the log is comparable.
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift: Use the same controlled range as A.
- Dead bug: Keep the last repetition as controlled as the first.
Repeat familiar work with a single-leg option
Low step-up
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 10 per side
- Rest
- 90 seconds after both sides
Use a stable gym step and a height you can control.
Dumbbell floor press
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 seconds
Set the dumbbells down safely between sets.
Seated cable row
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 12
- Rest
- 90 seconds
Repeat the setup from A so the log is comparable.
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
- Sets
- 2
- Reps / hold
- 8 to 10
- Rest
- 90 to 120 seconds
Use the same controlled range as A.
Dead bug
- Sets
- 1
- Reps / hold
- 6 to 10 per side
- Rest
- 60 seconds
Keep the last repetition as controlled as the first.
How to progress
- Week 1: learn the setup and record loads. Week 2: repeat the same movements and add a repetition only where control stays steady.
- Week 3: keep building within the range. Increase load by the smallest available amount only after all sets reach the top comfortably on two visits.
- Week 4: review whether all three days fit your life. Keep the same routine if it is still improving; the calendar does not require a new program.
- If soreness keeps disrupting the next visit, hold the load and reduce one set in the movement that is hardest to recover from. More exhaustion is not the progression target.
Exercise alternatives
Leg press unavailable
A familiar goblet squat. Keeps knee-dominant leg work. Choose the load for the squat rather than copying the machine number.
Leg Press Alternatives When There Is No MachineBench unavailable
Dumbbell floor press. Keeps a stable pushing option without improvised furniture.
Bench Press Alternatives When You Do Not Have a BenchCable row occupied
A familiar dumbbell row. Keeps the pulling slot while changing equipment and the setup demand.
Cable Row Alternatives When There Is No Cable MachineWhen the day changes
If you miss B, do B on the next suitable day rather than merging B and C. If only two days remain, keep the sequence and start next week with the next letter. Leave room for recovery instead of forcing the original weekday labels.
When to use a different plan
This routine teaches a repeatable general training structure. It is not rehabilitation, a competition block, or a promise of rapid body changes. If you are returning after an injury or cannot perform a movement comfortably, get appropriate individual guidance instead of forcing the template.
These are general training examples for adults, not individual medical or rehabilitation plans. Stop for sharp or worsening pain, chest pain, fainting, or severe shortness of breath, and seek appropriate medical care.
Common questions
Is three days a week enough for a beginner gym routine?
Three repeatable full-body visits are a useful starting structure. Two reliable days can also be a better choice than a third visit you rarely complete. Match the plan to your actual week.
How heavy should my first workout be?
Choose a load you can control with roughly three repetitions still available at the end of a set. The first visit is for learning the setup, not testing your maximum.
Do I need to change the exercises every week?
No. Repeat the movements while you learn them and record progress. Change an exercise when its equipment, comfort, or training role needs a different option.
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Sources: ACSM 2026 resistance training guidance for healthy adults. The routines are Aion's own examples, not prescribed or endorsed by ACSM. Editorial standard.