#beginner program

Before you start any program

Hypertrophy just means muscle growth. You'll find plenty of programs but first you must learn what really matters in a program. Read Hypertrophy Blueprint, it contains all the knowledge you need to grow muscles. After reading this, you'll be able to make changes to any program.

Are you a beginner?

When you're new to fitness, the best thing you can do is follow a program built by an experienced coach. It's tempting to try and design your own routine, but you're unlikely to come up with something more effective. A solid plan is much more than just a list of exercises; it’s a careful balance of volume, intensity, and smart progression that takes expertise to get right.

If you’re working out from home or have limited equipment, this free beginner program list is an excellent place to start. It’s flexible and offers options based on the gear you have, including a full bodyweight program if you have no equipment at all.

So, what kind of schedule works best for beginners? A full-body routine three times a week or an upper/lower split four times a week are your best bets. As a novice, you get better results by training each muscle group at least twice a week, which helps maximize your body's muscle-building response. This is supported by the study "Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy, a systematic review and meta analysis" by Schoenfeld et al., published in Sports Medicine, 2019. This approach also lets you practice the main lifts more often to build a solid foundation. If you can train four days a week, an upper/lower split is a fantastic choice because it hits every muscle twice while giving you plenty of time to recover and grow.

Ready to hit a fully-equipped gym? Here are a few great starting points:

Beginner Optimal Hypetrophy Program

If you're a late beginner or intermediate, proceed to Intermediate Programs

#intermediate program If you've built a solid foundation and are no longer a beginner, it's time to increase the challenge. The programs below are designed for lifters who are ready for more frequency and volume to keep making progress.

If these don't fit your schedule or you want to explore other options, be sure to check out the complete list of proven programs for experienced lifters.

#calculate tdee Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of energy your body burns just to stay alive at rest. Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) includes your BMR plus all the calories you burn from daily life and exercise. While most online calculators give you an estimate, the only way to find your true TDEE is by tracking your food intake against your weight changes over a few weeks. For a deeper dive, see this accurate TDEE calculator.

After step2, your TDEE will be dead on center, not adjustment needed

TDEE is the maintenance calories, if you eat at matenance your weight will not change if you average it over 3 weeks which should take out water weight fluctations.

If you eat more than maintenance, you gain weight

if you eat less than maintenance, you lose weight.

Weight gain or lost will be some part fat, some muscle, depending on training/diet

Just use this calculator (it's the most accurate): TDEE Calculator

It will give you your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

#macro surplus There’s no need to do all this math manually. The Energy Macro Planner will do the heavy lifting for you—just select the right surplus based on the info above, plug it in, and it'll calculate your exact protein, fat, and carb targets. If you're curious about the numbers behind that calculation, the details are below for you to read. Otherwise, feel free to skip ahead to the next step.

#macro deficit Let the Energy Macro Planner do the heavy lifting. Simply choose the right deficit from the table, plug it into the planner, and you'll get the exact amount of protein, fat, and carbs you need—no manual math required. Want to see the details behind the calculation? They're listed below for reference. Otherwise, feel free to skip to the next step, as the planner has already taken care of it for you.

#macro recomp You don't need to do anything manually now. Just use the Energy Macro Planner to skip the math, select the right deficit or maintenance from the table above, enter it into the planner, and it will tell you exactly how much protein, fat, and carbs you need.

The details below are for reference only (read if you're interested, otherwise, skip to the next step; the macro planner above already does this for you):

#carbs

• Fill the rest of your calories with carbs
• Helps fuel workouts and recovery

#boost neat One more thing: before you start any serious cardio, we recommend boosting your metabolism through NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). In simple terms, this just means getting more active in your daily life. Aim to increase your step count to 10,000, 15,000, or even 20,000 steps a day. A higher step count burns more calories and can accelerate your weight loss. You can find helpful strategies for this in our Step Count Progression guide.

#requirement Whether you’re aiming for a lean, athletic physique or the sheer size of a pro bodybuilder, your success ultimately hinges on a few fundamental principles. Mastering them is the difference between feeling lost and making consistent, tangible progress. It ensures every ounce of effort you pour into your training actually yields the results you’re after.

It all boils down to deliberately managing three key factors: the fuel you consume (calories and macros), your overall mass (body weight), and what that mass is made of (body fat percentage).

What the Scale Doesn't Tell You

It’s easy to get fixated on the number on the scale, but that figure doesn't tell the whole story. Your body isn't one solid mass; it’s a composition of fat mass and lean mass. Fat mass is exactly what it sounds like, while lean mass is everything else—muscle, bones, water, and organs. Knowing both your body weight and your body fat percentage allows you to understand this ratio, giving you a crystal-clear picture of your starting point and the quality of the progress you're making.

What's the Goal?

Your objective will dictate your entire approach, so it’s crucial to know exactly what you’re aiming for.

• Cutting is all about lowering your body fat while fighting to preserve as much hard-earned muscle as possible.
• Body Recomposition is the process of building muscle and losing fat at the same time.
• A Lean Bulk focuses on maximizing muscle gain while accepting a minimal, controlled increase in body fat.
• An Underweight Bulk is a more aggressive approach for those who need to gain weight to reach a healthy range.

The Problem with Most Body Fat Measurements

Since your body fat percentage is such a critical metric, you need an accurate way to measure it. The truth is, most methods are wildly inconsistent.

First, you need an accurate body fat measurement.

The easiest way is to find a place with a Multi Segment Body Composition Analysis machine, like an InBody 970, 700,580, 380s, 270 or 260. It's accessible, cheaper than a DEXA scan, and accurate enough for tracking.

Don't worry it doesn't cost much (few dollars), many gyms offer it for free. Make sure it's a professional grade inbody machine, not consumer grade BCA anaylzers which tend to be highly inaccurate. (unfortunately some gyms install them)

A word of warning: don't trust consumer grade smartwatches and scales. While they're convenient, their body fat estimations are often unreliable and can lead you to make the wrong decisions. The professional equipment costs thousands of dollars for a reason that's a level of technology you simply won't find in a sub $1000 gadget. Finding a place for a real scan is easier than you think; a quick Google search for "body composition analysis near me" will likely point you to a local gym or clinic that offers InBody scans for a small fee.

For body fat % measurement, in terms of accuracy: MRI > DEXA > Hydrostatic Weighing > Bod Pod > InBody Multi Freq Device (specially the ones which also use Mhz freq, eg, InBody 970, 700) > InBody Multi Freq Device (no Mhz freq, eg, InBody 260,270, 280) > Other Multi-Frequency BIA Devices> Calipers (Skinfold, highly depends on operator skill) > Ultrasound > US Navy Formula > Single-Frequency BIA Devices.

Visual estimates, even by professionals, are significantly less accurate than DEXA scans, no matter what some forum discussions might claim. That said, for contest or photoshoot preparation, visual assessments for conditioning are a practical method. In such cases, it's beneficial to seek guidance from a coach's trained eye for a more reliable evaluation.

For most people, not pro bodybuilders/atheletes, even inbody 260,270,280 are decent place to start and widely available but yes if you've access to a better device use that.

Fueling the Machine: Calories and Macros

Your body's transformation is fueled by what you eat. Calories are simply energy—eat more than you burn, and you’ll gain weight; eat less, and you’ll lose it. But the type of calories you eat determines the quality of that change. These are your macros:

• Protein is the brick and mortar for building muscle. Without enough of it, your body simply can't repair and grow, no matter how hard you train.
• Fats are non-negotiable. Healthy fats are essential for regulating the hormones that drive muscle growth and recovery, not to mention keeping your joints healthy. Skimping on them will sabotage your progress.
• Carbohydrates are your body's go-to energy source, especially for powering you through high-intensity workouts.

#bodyfatmeasurement First, you need an accurate body fat measurement.

The easiest way is to find a place with a Multi Segment Body Composition Analysis machine, like an InBody 970, 700,580, 380s, 270 or 260. It's accessible, cheaper than a DEXA scan, and accurate enough for tracking.

Don't worry it doesn't cost much (few dollars), many gyms offer it for free. Make sure it's a professional grade inbody machine, not consumer grade BCA anaylzers which tend to be highly inaccurate. (unfortunately some gyms install them)

A word of warning: don't trust consumer grade smartwatches and scales. While they're convenient, their body fat estimations are often unreliable and can lead you to make the wrong decisions. The professional equipment costs thousands of dollars for a reason that's a level of technology you simply won't find in a sub $1000 gadget. Finding a place for a real scan is easier than you think; a quick Google search for "body composition analysis near me" will likely point you to a local gym or clinic that offers InBody scans for a small fee.

For body fat % measurement, in terms of accuracy: MRI > DEXA > Hydrostatic Weighing > Bod Pod > InBody Multi Freq Device (specially the ones which also use Mhz freq, eg, InBody 970, 700) > InBody Multi Freq Device (no Mhz freq, eg, InBody 260,270, 280) > Other Multi-Frequency BIA Devices> Calipers (Skinfold, highly depends on operator skill) > Ultrasound > US Navy Formula > Single-Frequency BIA Devices.

Visual estimates, even by professionals, are significantly less accurate than DEXA scans, no matter what some forum discussions might claim. That said, for contest or photoshoot preparation, visual assessments for conditioning are a practical method. In such cases, it's beneficial to seek guidance from a coach's trained eye for a more reliable evaluation.

For most people, not pro bodybuilders/atheletes, even inbody 260,270,280 are decent place to start and widely available but yes if you've access to a better device use that.

#exercise selection Does your routine include both compound and isolation exercises for every muscle? A 2019 study from Schoenfeld et al. confirms that this combination is crucial for ensuring full muscle activation and balanced development.

Limit to 1-3 exercises/muscle (mid-range compound + stretch + contracted, e.g., bench + pec deck + cable flyes). Strict form ensures tension on target muscles—cue mind-muscle connection (e.g., "pull humerus across body" on bench).

Heavy compounds first (e.g., deadlifts for back size); minor form loosening only on final reps if it keeps tension. No cheating that shifts load elsewhere.

See: Muscle Explorer for high quality Exercises.

#progression

You must consistently find ways to do more over time, whether that means increasing the weight, reps, or sets. Tracking your progress from week to week is essential for maintaining long-term gains.

Muscle size will increase as you become "stronger" in moderate rep ranges. For example, if you used to do 10 reps of 50 kg on the bench press and by the end of the year you can do 100 kg for 10 reps, your chest size will increase.

If you are lifting 20kg for 10 reps today and 20kg for 10 reps by the end of the year, you've made no progress, you'll see no muscle growth. You may have got leaner and see some definition but actual muscle size would have not changed!

When should you add reps or weight to the bar? Every session? Every week? Or every month? Well, the goal isn’t to add something to the bar every week. Add weight or reps when you become comfortable with the load and it no longer serves as a "stimulus." You'll become comfortable with a load as adaptation occurs.

Suppose you're bench pressing 60kg for 6–10 reps, stopping 2 reps shy of failure (2 RIR) each set. Over time, as you adapt, that same weight starts feeling easier. By the time you hit 10 reps, you're now 4 reps shy of failure (4 RIR)—well beyond the recommended proximity to failure. The guideline calls for staying within 0–3 RIR to ensure sufficient stimulus for growth. At 4 RIR, the set loses its effectiveness. And since you're already at the top of your rep range (10 reps), you can't just add more reps. Instead, it's time to bump up the weight on the bar to restore that challenging edge. But if you were doing 9 sets at 4 RIR you'll respond by adding 1 more rep, making it 10 reps. This is basically "double progression", where you first add reps untill you reach the top of the recommended rep range, after that you add weight but only when the current set stops being sufficient training stimulus.

As you progress and grow stronger, you may only be able to add weight to the bar every few weeks or months. The goal is to become stronger over time in moderate rep ranges, and muscle size increase will come as a result of this.

1. Linear Progression (Gradual Increase)

How It Works: Add small, consistent increments to your weight or reps every workout or every week.

Example: If you're bench pressing 100 lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps, aim to increase the weight by 2.5–5 lbs every week, or add 1–2 reps per set.

1. Double Progression (Weight and Reps Combo)

How It Works: Focus on achieving a specific rep range before increasing the weight. Once you can perform the target rep range (e.g., 8-12 reps) with good form, increase the weight and drop back to the lower end of the rep range.

Example: If your goal is to do 8–12 reps for squats, you'll first work on increasing your reps within that range. Once you can do 12 reps comfortably, increase the weight and go back to 8 reps.

Double progression is pretty easy to understand, so that's what you should use to progress in strength.

#beforeStart

Before you begin, please keep the following points in mind:

Note: You do not need any math skills to work through this guide, interactive calculators are linked wherever possible to make easy for you to calculate everything you need. While some calculations are displayed for reference only, for people who may find it interesting.

1. Use a Desktop or Laptop: For the best experience, open this guide on a desktop or laptop. You’ll need to work with multiple tabs, and following along on a smartphone can be challenging. Additionally, some features, like hovering over terms for more details, only work on desktop.

2. A Starting Point, Not a Rulebook: This guide is designed to provide you with a solid foundation. Don’t treat it as the ultimate truth—it offers fundamental information that’s likely to work for you. Once you get the hang of it, feel free to experiment with training and diet adjustments to better suit your goals and body. Remember, sticking rigidly to any single guide goes against the spirit of science.

3. Share the Knowledge: If someone recommended this guide to you, consider passing it along to others who might benefit from it as well.

#strengthincrease

• Strength Progression
  You won't be able to measure weekly progress—2mm added to muscle thickness is pretty hard to measure with a tape. The best proxy for muscle gain is if you're getting progressively stronger in the medium rep range (8-15). If you started by doing 10 reps of 50kg, and by the end of the year you can do 10 reps of 100kg, your muscle size has definitely increased. You've undeniably added muscle

• Normalized FFMI Over years, you can keep track of your muscle gain progress via Normalized FFMI. Calculate it here

#tdee Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of energy your body burns just to stay alive at rest. Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) includes your BMR plus all the calories you burn from daily life and exercise. While most online calculators give you an estimate, the only way to find your true TDEE is by tracking your food intake against your weight changes over a few weeks. For a deeper dive, see this accurate TDEE calculator.

After step2, your TDEE will be dead on center, not adjustment needed

TDEE is the maintenance calories, if you eat at matenance your weight will not change if you average it over 3 weeks which should take out water weight fluctations.

If you eat more than maintenance, you gain weight

if you eat less than maintenance, you lose weight.

Weight gain or lost will be some part fat, some muscle, depending on training/diet