Quick start to training
The short answers to the six questions every beginner asks, in one page.
TrainingQuick answer5 min read
The complete library
All guides
41 pages, grouped by subject and listed in full. Everything is free to read and nothing needs an account.
20 pages
Training and programming
Starting the gym for the first time, step by step
A practical first-month plan for anyone who has never trained before.
TrainingGuide8 min read
Feeling less intimidated by the gym
Practical ways through gym self-consciousness, no diagnosis, just tactics.
TrainingGuide7 min read
Gym machines worth learning first
The core machines beginners should learn first, with setup steps for each.
TrainingGuide8 min read
Free weights or machines: what beginners should know
How dumbbells, barbells and machines compare, and how to mix them.
TrainingGuide7 min readAll levels
A short warm-up to do before lifting
A quick, repeatable warm-up to do before every weights session.
TrainingGuide6 min read
How many days a week should you train as a beginner?
The training frequency that builds strength without burning you out.
TrainingGuide7 min read
Which workout split should you choose as a beginner?
How full body, upper/lower and push-pull-legs compare for beginners.
TrainingGuide8 min readAll levels
What is progressive overload and how do you apply it?
The principle behind every strength and muscle gain you'll make.
TrainingGuide7 min readAll levels
How rest days and recovery actually work for beginners
Why rest days, sleep and soreness matter as much as the workout itself.
TrainingGuide7 min read
A beginner dumbbell workout plan you can run with one pair of weights
A full-body dumbbell plan for beginners with sets, reps and progression built in.
TrainingProgramme8 min read
A no-equipment home workout plan for beginners
A full bodyweight routine you can run at home with nothing more than floor space.
TrainingProgramme7 min read
How to track your progress and measurements properly
What to measure, how often, and how to read the trend rather than day-to-day noise.
TrainingGuide7 min read
Push pull legs for beginners
How the PPL split works, a full routine, and when full-body training suits you better.
TrainingGuide8 min readAll levels
How long should a workout be?
What really decides session length, and how to train well in 30 minutes.
TrainingQuick answer5 min read
Your first day gym workout, exercise by exercise
Six exercises, the sets and reps, and what to do when you walk in.
TrainingGuide7 min read
A diet and exercise plan for your first month
The training week and the eating targets that go with it, in one plan.
TrainingProgramme8 min read
A beginner gym workout plan that actually fits your week
Three full-body sessions a week with sets, reps, rest and when to add weight.
TrainingProgramme
Sets, reps and how much weight to actually lift
How many sets, which rep ranges, how hard to push and when to add load.
TrainingGuide
Your first gym session, step by step
What to take, what to do in the first ten minutes, and how to finish.
TrainingGuide
4 pages
Building muscle
The best exercises to build muscle as a beginner
The compound and accessory exercises that do most of the work.
MuscleGuide8 min read
How long it realistically takes to see muscle gains
What to expect week by week, from strength gains through to visible muscle changes.
MuscleGuide7 min read
How to build muscle when you are naturally skinny
A training and eating approach for naturally slim beginners who struggle to gain muscle.
MuscleGuide8 min read
How to get bigger arms as a beginner
The exercises, weekly sets and realistic timeline for building arm size.
MuscleGuide7 min read
0 pages
Getting stronger
Nothing published in this section yet.
13 pages
Nutrition
A steady, healthy way to gain weight as a beginner
The basics of gaining weight healthily without overcomplicating your food.
NutritionGuide7 min read
Running a calorie surplus that builds muscle, not just weight
How big a surplus should be and how to adjust it as you train.
NutritionGuide7 min readAll levels
How much protein you actually need to build muscle
A clear daily protein target and how to hit it from everyday food.
NutritionGuide6 min read
Nutrient-dense foods that make gaining weight easier
Nutrient-dense foods that add calories without needing bigger meals.
NutritionGuide7 min read
Eating more when your appetite fills up fast
Practical ways to eat more without forcing huge, uncomfortable meals.
NutritionGuide6 min read
A sensible approach to bulking as a beginner
What bulking means, and how to gain muscle without piling on unwanted fat.
NutritionGuide7 min read
Lean bulk or dirty bulk: what is the difference
The difference between a lean bulk and a dirty bulk, and which is the better fit for you.
NutritionGuide7 min readAll levels
Cheap, high-protein foods to help you build muscle
Affordable UK supermarket foods that make hitting your protein target easier.
NutritionGuide6 min read
Creatine for beginners: what it does and how to take it
What creatine monohydrate does, how much to take, and what to expect.
NutritionGuide6 min read
Do you actually need a protein shake as a beginner
Whether you need a protein shake, when it genuinely helps, and food alternatives.
NutritionGuide6 min read
The supplements worth buying, and the ones that are not
The short list of supplements with real evidence, and what to ignore.
NutritionGuide6 min read
What to eat before a workout
What to eat, how long beforehand, and what to do when you train first thing.
NutritionGuide6 min read
A beginner meal plan built on four numbers
Daily energy and protein worked out first, then a week of ordinary meals built to hit them.
NutritionProgramme
0 pages
Fat loss and cutting
Nothing published in this section yet.
0 pages
Supplements
Nothing published in this section yet.
0 pages
Recovery
Nothing published in this section yet.
0 pages
Advanced exercise science
Nothing published in this section yet.
4 pages
Tools and calculators
Protein calculator: your daily target in grams
Put your bodyweight in and get your daily protein target in grams.
ToolsTool5 min readAll levels
Bulking calorie calculator
Estimate your maintenance calories and the surplus that builds muscle.
ToolsTool6 min readAll levels
A beginner gym workout plan you can print
A three-day plan to print or save as a PDF, with space to log your sets.
ToolsTool5 min read
Beginner workout chart for a full training week
The whole week laid out as a chart: exercises, sets, reps and rest.
ToolsTool6 min read