The 30 day
beginner plan.
A four-week introduction using bodyweight movements and floor space, followed by two days to review how it went. Three sessions each week establish a manageable starting routine before you choose a longer block.
- Length
- 30 days
- Days a week
- 3
- Sessions listed
- 3
- Equipment
- Floor space. The routine shown uses bodyweight exercises.
The plan
Everything below is the actual programme, not a summary of one. Work down each session in order. The sets and reps shown are the starting prescription for that phase.
Foundation
Practise bodyweight movement, control and consistency.
Lower & Core
| Exercise | Sets & reps |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight squat | 2 × 10 |
| Reverse lunge | 2 × 8/side |
| Glute bridge | 2 × 12 |
| Dead bug | 2 × 10/side |
Upper & Core
| Exercise | Sets & reps |
|---|---|
| Push-up variation | 2 × 6-12 |
| Prone Y-T-W raise | 2 × 8 each |
| Shoulder tap | 2 × 10/side |
| Side plank | 2 × 20 sec/side |
Full Body
| Exercise | Sets & reps |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight squat | 2 × 12 |
| Push-up variation | 2 × 6-12 |
| Prone reverse snow angel | 2 × 10 |
| Glute bridge | 2 × 12 |
Progression: Leave about three comfortable reps in reserve. Add repetitions only when technique is controlled; no maximal testing. Rest 60-90 seconds on accessory exercises and 2-3 minutes on main lifts.
Days 29-30: introductory review
Take easier activity days. Review completed sessions, movement control and energy. Keep a manageable schedule, and repeat or progress gradually. Seek qualified advice about pain or nutrition concerns.
A short introduction with a defined stopping point
This floor-only plan covers four training weeks, then two review days. The lower/core and upper/core sessions keep the exercise list short enough to read before starting. Prone shoulder raises do not reproduce loaded pulling work, and the plan does not require a door or furniture anchor. At the end of the month, review whether the schedule and movements were manageable before choosing the longer bodyweight plan or a gym route.
Worked log: Push-up variation
This fictional example uses the Push-up variation entry in this routine: 2 × 6–12. It illustrates a way to record comparable sessions, not a starting load or an individual progression prescription.
| Appearance | Log entry |
|---|---|
| First | Same variation: 6/6 |
| Next | Same variation: 7/6 |
| Following | Same variation: 7/7 |
These are successive appearances of the same exercise during the introductory block. Keep the variation fixed while comparing entries. Days 29–30 are review days, not an instruction to add another harder block immediately.
Further reading: ACSM progression position stand. This supports general progression principles; it does not validate this particular template. See our worked progression guide for the shared method.
Reviewed 26 October 2026 by Phasebuilt. Worked examples are fictional teaching examples, not client results or individual prescriptions. No clinical review is claimed.
How to run it
Warm up for five to ten minutes before the first working set: easy movement, then one or two comfortable practice sets of the first exercise. For floor-only sessions use an easier bodyweight variation; for weighted sessions use a lighter load. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between accessory exercises and two to three minutes after main lifts.
Leave about three reps in reserve for the first fortnight of each phase. When the top of the rep range is clean on every set, add load. Compare like-for-like log entries before changing the demand. Keep fixed-repetition and effort-based prescriptions intact; the worked example below explains how to read this particular template. Progressive overload covers this in more detail.
Record what you lift. A plan you cannot compare to last week is a workout, not a programme.
Who this suits
- You want a short, finishable commitment before deciding on more.
- You are training at home with very little equipment.
- You have not trained in a long time.
Who it does not
- You want to see large strength gains. A short block cannot guarantee a habit or strength gain.
- You already train regularly.
Equipment and pain
Use the listed equipment. To see a different setup, choose it in the builder. Start with easier practice repetitions of the movements you will use, then work at a controlled effort. No generic substitution can establish that an exercise is suitable for an injury. Stop painful movements and seek qualified advice.
For bodyweight sessions, progress repetitions and control before harder variations. For loaded sessions, increase load only after the prescribed repetitions feel controlled. Record what you did so you can compare the next session.
Make it yours
The plan above is one configuration. Phasebuilt will rebuild it around your goal, equipment, activity days, experience and approximate session length, and set the calorie and protein targets alongside it. It is free, takes about a minute, and runs entirely in your browser.