1.4 Quickstart

As a newcomer to lifting weights, the first goal should be to learn and get good at the basic movement patterns.

• Pulling
  • A Vertical Pull (like Pullups)
  • A Horizontal Pull or a Row (like Barbell Rows)
• Pushing
  • A Horizontal Push (like Pushups)
  • An Overhead Press (like standing barbell overhead press).
• Legs
  • A Squat Pattern
  • A Hip-Hinge (like Deadlifts)

Most people just wanna look good and feel strong, just getting stronger at the basics along with some isolation work should do that.

Sample program

If you wanna just get started, which is what this page aims to do, here is a sample workout for beginners that incorporates all the basic movement patterns mentioned above.

Basic Movements

Here are short but detailed video tutorials for the six basic movement patterns.

Vertical Pull Lat Pulldown Targets lats and builds back width

Horizontal Pull Barbell Bent over rows Builds thickness

Horizontal Push Barbell Bench Press King of Upper Body pressing

Overhead Push Overhead Press Targets the Front Delts

Squat Pattern Squat Main quadriceps builder

Hip Hinge Romanian Deadlift Posterior chain as a whole

Isolations

Most of your mass will come from compounds, so always prioritise them, but isolations are still necessary for building a well rounded physique.

Tricep Pushdown Medial and Lateral delts of Tricep

Tricep Overhead Extension Targets the long head

Bicep Cable Curl Any curling motion should do

Brachialis Hammer Curl Helps in bicep peak

Side Delt Lateral Raise For them boulder shoulder

Rear Delt Reverse Pec Deck Neglected but important muscle

Perform each of the mentioned exercises in the sample program for 2-3 sets per week for now.

Keep in mind, you should have as good of a form as you possibly can, while training till muscular failure. It’ll be hard in the beginning to achieve that, but training to failure is a skill, which will improve the more you try to do it.

Focus on learning how to perform the movements as perfect as humanly possible. Your central nervous system and muscles will learn how to do the movement and your structure will know how to work as one unit in harmony, and within a month or two you’ll have a really good form.

In the following sections, we delve deeper into muscle anatomy and movement patterns.