Goal program

6-Week Fresh Start

Three simple full-body gym sessions a week, under an hour each, to rebuild strength and energy.

3 days a week
6 weeks
Beginner
For women
Gym

About this program

A simple full-body plan for women who are new to lifting or coming back after a break: three sessions a week, mostly machines, each ending with a short cardio finisher (if you had a baby recently, get your doctor's OK first). In weeks 1–2 do 2 sets of every exercise and stop with 3–4 reps in the tank; from week 3 do all the sets, stop 2–3 reps short of failure, and add a rep or a little weight once you hit the top of the rep range. In 6 weeks expect to feel clearly stronger, fitter and more confident with the lifts; visible shape changes take longer and come from overall fat loss plus muscle, not from 'toning' one spot.

Who it’s for

New to training, or coming back after a break.
Written with women in mind; anyone can follow it.
A gym with machines, cables and free weights.
3 sessions a week, about 55 minutes each.
7–10k steps a day on top of the workouts.

The week

Warm up for 5–7 minutes first. Rest is the pause between sets. A1 and A2 (B1 and B2) are supersets: do one set of each back to back, then rest. Rest days: walk and recover.

Monday Full Body A: Machine Basics

Legs, glutes, back and chest on machines · about 55 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Leg PressStart light enough for 12 easy reps. Feet mid-platform, lower until your knees are at about 90°, and don't lock them at the top. Stop with 3–4 reps left in weeks 1–2, then 2–3.	3 × 10–⁠12	2 min
A1 Lat PulldownPull the bar to your upper chest, shoulders down and away from your ears. Go straight to the chest press.	3 × 10–⁠12	—
A2 Machine Chest PressHandles at mid-chest height. Press out and return slowly. Rest 90 s, then repeat the superset.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Lying Leg CurlLower slowly over 2–3 s and keep your hips pressed into the pad.	3 × 12–⁠15	60 s
Hip Abduction MachineLean slightly forward to work your glutes more. From week 3 you can take the last set to 1–2 reps short of failure.	2 × 15–⁠20	60 s
Dead BugKeep your lower back pressed into the floor and breathe out as you straighten the opposite arm and leg. Easier: move only your legs.	3 × 6–⁠8 per side	45 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 10–15 min. Incline 5–10%, speed 2.5–3.3 mph, hands off the rails; you should still be able to talk in short sentences. Short on time? Do 5 minutes and get the rest in steps later.

Wednesday Full Body B: First Free Weights

Squat, hip hinge, row and shoulder press · about 50 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Goblet SquatStart with a 10–20 lb dumbbell held at your chest. Sit down between your heels, chest up. If the bottom feels unsteady, squat down to a bench.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Dumbbell RDLStart with 10–20 lb dumbbells. Soft knees: push your hips back and slide the weights down your thighs to about knee level, or until you feel a hamstring stretch. Keep your back flat.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
A1 Seated Cable RowSit tall, pull to your belly button and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Go straight to the shoulder press.	3 × 10–⁠12	—
A2 Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressStart with 8–15 lb dumbbells, back against an upright bench. Breathe out as you press; don't hold your breath.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Glute BridgeSqueeze your glutes and hold 1 s at the top. Too easy? Rest a dumbbell on your hips.	2 × 12–⁠15	60 s
Forearm PlankRibs down, glutes tight, breathe normally. Easier: knees on the floor. After a pregnancy, if your belly domes along the midline, use the knee version or do a dead bug instead.	3 × 20–⁠40 s	45 s

Cardio after: Stationary Bike, 10–15 min. Moderate pace with enough resistance that you breathe harder but can still talk. Set the seat at hip height.

Friday Full Body C: Glutes and Upper Body

Glutes, back, chest and arms · about 55 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Hip ThrustEasiest setup: a hip-thrust machine or the Smith machine. With a barbell, start with an empty or light bar and a pad. Upper back on the bench edge, chin tucked, drive through your heels and pause 1 s at the top.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Reverse LungeHold a rack for balance at first. Step back and lower your back knee toward the floor. Once you feel steady, hold light dumbbells.	2 × 8–⁠10 per leg	90 s
A1 Assisted Pull-UpPick assistance that leaves 2–3 reps in the tank after 8, and use a little less every week or two. No machine? Do lat pulldowns. Then go straight to push-ups.	3 × 8–⁠10	—
A2 Push-UpHands on a bench or a Smith machine bar; use a lower surface as you get stronger. Keep your body in one straight line.	3 × 6–⁠12	90 s
B1 Rope Triceps PushdownElbows at your sides; spread the rope apart at the bottom. Go straight to curls.	2 × 12–⁠15	—
B2 Dumbbell Biceps CurlDon't swing the weight. Lower slowly over 2–3 s.	2 × 10–⁠12	60 s

Cardio after: StairMaster, 8–12 min. Slow, steady pace (level 3–6). Stand tall and use the rails only for balance. Too hard? Do an incline walk instead.

How to progress

Double progression: add reps within the range first. When every set reaches the top of the range with clean form, add a little weight (about 5–10 lb on lower-body lifts, 2.5–5 lb on upper-body lifts) and start again at the bottom.
Stop most sets 1–2 reps short of failure. Beginners stop 2–3 reps short for the first weeks.
Every 6–8 weeks, or when you feel run down, take an easier week: half the sets, same weights.

Food

Eat at maintenance, or about 300–500 kcal below it if fat loss is your goal (roughly 0.5–1 lb a week; stay at maintenance while breastfeeding), and get 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of goal body weight (about 0.7–1 g per lb) spread over 3–4 meals.

Find your numbers with the free TDEE calculator, the macro calculator and the protein calculator.