Free Workout Plan with Step by Step Instructions

Weight Lifting Routine

When you start out building your free workout plan I believe the first and most critical aspect of you program should be a weight lifting routine that supports your goals. Lifting weights builds muscle, shapes your body, increases your metabolism, and raises your Basal Metabolic Rate. If you disagree, go find another website because you won't find a single free workout plan here that doesn't include lifting weights. More specifically all my programs are based on using compound lifts that involve multiple muscle groups and lifting heavy weights. The reason is because lifting heavy and building strength equates to more muscle and muscle produces the results I just stated.

Build your free workout plan around the big three lifts (Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts) and you can't go wrong. For anyone that can't currently pass the strength test of bench pressing your bodyweight, squatting 1.5 times your body weight and deadlifting twice your bodyweight.

The Original Starting Strength Novice Program

Workout A

• 3x5 Squat
• 3x5 Bench Press
• 1x5 Deadlift
  
  

Workout B

• 3x5 Squat
• 3x5 Press
• 5x3 Power Cleans

Workouts A and B alternate on 3 non-consecutive days a week.

Practical Programming Novice Program

Monday

• 3x5 Squat
• 3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
• Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday

• 3x5 Squat
• 3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
• 1x5 Deadlift

Friday

• 3x5 Squat
• 3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
• Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Mark Rippletoe is a strength training guru who has trained thousands of Olympic Athletes, foot ball players, wrestlers, and is currently the top trainer for Crossfit. Google him and click on videos and it is loaded with clips that will teach you how to perform these lifts safely and with proper form. Although he has numerous books his work is so popular that it has become a free workout plan.

If you are already beyond this strength level and have no desire to be bigger and stronger then you might be better off with a body building routine. That is really outside my area of ​​expertise so I recommend checking out BestLegalSteroids.co, BodyBuilding.com or hop on over to Men's Health and piece you together a program that hits every body part separately. Don't worry, this will result in a free workout plan as well. For the rest of you I hope this puts you on the right path. Train your whole body with big lifts and heavy weights until you are strong (1-2 years if just starting). Then start tweaking your program to push the envelope even further.

Nutrition and Diet Plan

This is a difficult subject to cover because there are a ridiculous number of "experts" out there who all say something different. That being said, there are several things all these diets have in common.

Most people eat way too many carbohydrates. What your carbs by cutting out the junk like breads, white rice, cereal, snack foods, candy, soda, fast food, etc. By controlling your carbohydrates you are controlling the most calorie rich foods and saving your calories for healthy things.

Focus on getting a good balance of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats at every meal. Eat 5-7 meals a day that are all properly portioned with about 40% from carbohydrates, 40% from protein, and 20% from fat.

Drink plenty of water. You have all heard the 8-8oz glass a day thing but really you should be consuming about 1 oz of water per 2 pounds of bodyweight. So if you weight more than about a buck thirty you are not getting enough water with the rule of thumb. Personally I have to drink a gallon of water a day. Once you start drinking the right amount you will be able to tell the difference both in how good you look and how good you feel. 

If you can pull off those three things you are going to be healthier than 80% of the population. If you are already eating small frequent clean meals and drinking plenty of water your nutrition is probably pretty solid. If you are not losing weight you might want to adjust your calorie intake and make sure you are not eating more than you think. If you are not building muscle or gaining weight the same thing applies. Check your calories and shoot for 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Free Workout Plan Wrap-up

That hits the high points and should take you pretty far in your planning and training phase. Start with a solid strength program like outlined above, get your nutrition right and tweak as necessary. It doesn't have to be difficult to be effective. These basics should take you from novice all the way up to the advanced level. There are numerous professional athletes who still train like this so the sky is really the limit. 

What about Cardio?