Example week (3 days, dumbbells at home)
For illustration. Your program is built for your answers.
| Day | Focus | Main exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Full body A | Goblet squat 3×10, push-ups 3×8–12, one-arm row 3×10, plank 3×30 s |
| Wednesday | Full body B | Romanian deadlift 3×10, shoulder press 3×10, reverse lunge 3×8/leg, dead bug 3×10 |
| Friday | Full body C | Split squat 3×10, floor press 3×10, band pull-apart 3×15, side plank 3×20 s |
| Other days | Activity | 8,000–10,000 steps, light walk or cycling |
What's in your 12-week program
- Weekly schedule – which workout on which day, built for 2–5 training days.
- 3 phases of 4 weeks – foundation, build, intensify – each with its own workouts.
- Sets, reps and rest times for every exercise, plus short technique notes.
- Warm-up and simple progression rules.
- Daily steps and cardio recommendations that support fat loss without eating into recovery.
Training at home or at the gym?
Both work. What matters is that your muscles get a progressively harder challenge. At the gym that's usually more weight. At home with dumbbells it's more reps, slower tempo or harder variations. With bodyweight only, we use progressions – for example from incline push-ups to regular push-ups to feet-elevated push-ups.
For beginners
If you haven't trained for a while, your program starts with simple full-body workouts, moderate volume and exercises that are easy to learn. Most beginners see strength gains within the first 3–4 weeks – one of the best motivators there is.
How progression works
Each exercise has a rep range, e.g. 8–12. When you reach the top of the range in all sets, you increase weight or switch to a harder variation. This principle – progressive overload – is what makes the body adapt. Every new phase changes exercises and volume to keep progress going.
Training for weight loss
For fat loss, strength training is not optional – it tells your body to keep muscle while you eat less. Cardio and daily steps increase your energy use. The best results come from combining a moderate calorie deficit with 2–4 strength workouts and an active day-to-day life.