The Best Strength Training Program for All Fitness Goals

Are you looking for a strength training program to build muscle, gain strength, improve your health, or get in better shape?

You’re reading the right article!

In this guide, we list 10 of our best workout routines, from beginner programs to advanced 5- and 6-day routines, to help you reach your goals regardless of your experience and fitness level.

All programs are available in our workout log app. The beginner programs are always 100% free, but the more advanced ones require a premium subscription (which you can try for 14 days for free by activating your trial in the app).

Download StrengthLog for free with the links below:

The Best Strength Training Program

This guide contains only one or two specific powerlifting or bodybuilding programs.

Instead, it focuses on general strength training routines, your go-tos when you want to build muscle and strength and become healthier, but not necessarily compete in powerlifting or call yourself a bodybuilder.

However, these programs are excellent stepping stones to such endeavors if you want to give them a go later on.

If you’re looking for a great powerlifting or bodybuilding program, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered:

>> 10+ Powerlifting Programs to Increase Your Total

>> 15 Best Bodybuilding Programs: Beginner to Advanced

Now, let’s discover our best strength training programs together, from beginner to advanced routines.

Beginner Barbell Training Program

The Beginner Barbell Training Program makes it easy to get started with strength training. It features three short and sweet weekly full-body workouts, where you train all your major muscle groups each time. Full body workouts are the best way for a beginner to start making strength and muscle gains quickly.

The training centers around compound exercises, meaning you work several muscles with each movement. They are the best for getting more done in less time while getting the best results from your efforts.

This program might look humble, containing only three exercises per workout, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. A low-volume, high-frequency workout routine is ideal for beginners. You get to practice the movements often but with enough time to recover and get stronger between each session.

You train three times per week, alternating between these two workouts:

Week 1

1. Monday: Workout A
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout B
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout A
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

Week 2

1. Monday: Workout B
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout A
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout B
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

In other words, you’ll train workouts A B A week one and B A B week two, then go back to week one and keep alternating between the two.

Here’s what the workouts look like:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	8–10
Bench Press	3	8–10
Barbell Row	3	8–10

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	6–8
Lat Pulldown (or Pull-Ups)	3	8–10
Overhead Press	3	8–10

As a beginner, there is no pressing need to focus directly on biceps and triceps training, as the presses, rows, and pulldowns will take care of your arms. And your core gets plenty of training from the compound lifts.

This is simply the best strength training program for anyone who wants to get started with resistance training with barbell exercises. Follow the program, track your weights, and practice progressive overload (try to do one more rep or add weight to the bar from workout to workout), and you’ll lay the perfect foundation for a strong, healthy body.

>> Click here to read more about the program.

It is available for free as Beginner Barbell Program in our workout tracker. You’ll also find the Intermediate Barbell Program, a 4-day upper/lower routine ideal for when you’ve passed the beginner stage and are ready to level up your strength training.

Beginner Machine Program

The Beginner Machine Program is the best starting point if you want to take up strength training but prefer machines instead of free weights. Machines can be less intimidating, and you might feel like everyone is looking at you if you are unsure about how to perform free-weight movements with proper form.

These are all legitimate reasons (although the big guys in the free weight section are often super nice, very friendly, and helpful to beginners, having been there themselves and remembering how it felt walking into the weight room for the first time), and machines can give you great results, just like barbells and dumbbells.

This machine-based strength program features two jam-packed weekly workouts, each containing five exercises that work your entire body.

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Press	3	10
Leg Extension	2	10
Chest Press	3	10
Seated Machine Row	3	10
Machine Crunch	3	10

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Press	3	10
Seated Leg Curl	2	10
Shoulder Press	3	10
Lat Pulldown	3	10
Back Extension	3	10

Alternate between workouts A and B, training each once weekly. You can pick any days that fit your schedule; the only thing to consider is to take at least one day of rest between each training session.

>> Click here to read more about the program.

It is available for free as Beginner Machine Program in StrengthLog. Try to increase the number of reps or use slightly heavier weights each workout, and this machine program will give you excellent strength gains and muscle growth.

Beginner Strength Training Program

The Beginner Strength Training Program is a 3-day full-body workout routine (with the option for a 2-day version) featuring a combination of compound and isolation exercises, free weights, and machines for a comprehensive approach to strength training for beginners.

It does require a bit more time investment than, for example, the Beginner Barbell Program. However, it’s time well spent if you want a varied and effective exercise program for building muscle and strength into intermediate-level strength training territory and beyond.

The weekly workout plan looks like this…

Week 1

1. Monday: Workout A
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout B
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout A
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

Week 2

1. Monday: Workout B
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout A
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout B
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

…with the following strength training exercises:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	6–8
Overhead Press	3	8–10
Barbell Row	3	8–10
Tricep Pushdown	2	8–10
Leg Curl	2	8–10
Crunch or Hanging Knee Raise	2	10–12

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	5–6
Bench Press	3	8–10
Lat Pulldown	3	8–10
Barbell Curl	2	8–10
Leg Extension	2	8–10
Standing Calf Raise	2	10–12

>>Click here to read more about the program.

It is available for free as Beginner Strength Training Program in our workout log app.

Beginner Powerlifting Program

This is the only dedicated powerlifting routine you’ll find in this guide to the best strength training program. Not because we don’t recommend them – on the contrary – but we have a specific guide to powerlifting programs here:

>> 10+ Powerlifting Programs to Increase Your Total

That being said, if you’re new to strength training and want to start powerlifting, our Beginner Powerlifting Program builds the foundation of strength and lean muscle mass you need to become stronger in the three powerlifting lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

Your train three workouts per week:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	5
Bench Press	3	5
Barbell Row	3	5

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	5
Overhead Press	3	5
Lat Pulldown	3	8

Workout C

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	5
Bench Press	3	5
Barbell Row	3	5

The most common approach is training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but feel free to adapt the program to fit your schedule. Just be sure to squeeze in one rest day between workouts.

This strength training program is 100% free to follow in StrengthLog. We’ll automatically add 2.5 kg or 5 lb to your lifts between each workout. As a beginner, you’ll gain strength really fast with this program.

This program is Beginner Powerlifting Program in the StrengthLog app.

>> You can read more about it by clicking here.

Upper/Lower Body Split Program

Upper/lower splits are among the most popular strength training programs and are often considered ideal for intermediate lifters.

For good reasons.

• They give you the ideal balance between training frequency and volume. You can focus more intensely on each muscle group, ensuring no muscle gets left behind in your quest for gains.
• They’re also excellent for proper recovery, which is crucial when you’re hitting the heavy weights. When you’re blasting your upper body, your lower body gets a day off and vice versa. You can hit the gym more frequently without overtraining any particular muscle group.

In our Upper/Lower Body Split Program, you train four times per week, splitting your body into—you guessed it—upper and lower body sessions. The different exercises are no-nonsense classics, proven in both theory and in weight rooms for decades.

Each workout centers around a set of core exercises. If you do those and nothing more, you have a fantastic strength training workout every time you hit the gym. You also have optional exercises for, in particular, your arms and core, for those days you have extra energy or when you want to focus on accessory work.

If you have followed a beginner workout routine and feel ready to move to the next level of training, this upper/lower routine is a perfect choice.

>> Click here to read more about it.

It is free as StrengthLog’s Upper/Lower Program in our workout app.

StrengthLog’s Full Body Workout Routine

Call us biased, but we like to think of our 3-day StrengthLog’s Full Body Workout Routine as the ultimate full-body strength-training program for intermediate to advanced trainees. It features three different workouts, each with a different rep scheme and exercises. It is fantastic for both muscle strength and hypertrophy (that’s fancy talk for muscle growth).

• Workout number one is all about compound exercises that allow you to handle as much weight as possible (with proper technique). Heavy lifting means strength gains galore, and a stronger muscle is almost always a bigger muscle.
• The second session focuses on bodybuilding-style training with a moderate rep scheme. It’s high-volume training, still with plenty of compound lifts, but it also introduces isolation movements to target a specific muscle group.
• Lastly, workout three again features a combination of compound and isolation exercises, this time focusing on using a lighter weight, getting a pump, and mind-muscle connection.

Together, the three workouts form the best of all worlds for strength and muscle growth in a fantastic strength training program for full-body enthusiasts.

Here’s the blueprint of the routine:

Day 1

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	4	4–8
Bench Press	3	4–8
Barbell Row	3	4–8
Overhead Press	3	4–8
Romanian Deadlift	2	6–8
Close-Grip Bench Press	2	8
Barbell Biceps Curl	2	6–8
Hanging Leg Raise (or Hanging Knee Raise)	2	Max Reps

Day 2

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	6–8
Incline Bench Press	3	10
Lat Pulldown	3	10
Leg Press	3	10
Lying Leg Curl (or Seated Leg Curl)	2	10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3	10
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension	2	10
Hammer Curl	2	10
Cable Crunch (or Machine Crunch)	2	10

Day 3

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Lunge (or Dumbbell Lunge)	3	12
Leg Extension	2	15
Standing Cable Chest Fly (or Dumbbell Chest Fly)	3	12
Dumbbell Row	2	12
Seated Leg Curl (or Lying Leg Curl)	3	12–15
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	12
Tricep Pushdown	3	12
Barbell Preacher Curl (or Dumbbell Preacher Curl)	3	12
Kneeling Ab Wheel Roll-Out	2	Max Reps
Plank	1	Max Time

Take at least one rest day between each workout. Training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is the most common practice, but you can pick other training and recovery days as your schedule allows.

This strength training program is not for beginners, as the training volume is pretty demanding and might overwhelm you if you’re new to lifting. But, if you’re an intermediate or advanced lifter looking for a 3-day full-body routine, you have hit the jackpot.

>> Click here to read more about this program.

You’ll find it as StrengthLog’s Full Body Workout Routine in our workout tracker app.

PHUL Workout Routine

PHUL stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower, a very popular program combining strength/power workouts with hypertrophy workouts.

This is the weekly routine:

• Day 1: Upper Body Power
• Day 2: Lower Body Power
• Day 3: Off
• Day 4: Upper Body Hypertrophy
• Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy
• Day 6: Off
• Day 7: Off

• On the power days, heavy weights and low reps are the name of the game.
• And on the hypertrophy days, you go for moderate weights and a moderate rep range.

Focusing on both strength and muscle growth can be a good idea for several reasons.

• Your strength gains allow you to use heavier weights in your hypertrophy workouts, and progressive overload is the number one factor for building muscle.
• The muscle you gain makes you stronger; there is a very strong association between strength and muscle size.

Let’s take a closer look at the workouts.

Day 1 – Upper Power

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bench Press	3–4	3–5
Barbell Row	3–4	3–5
Incline Dumbbell Press	3–4	6–10
Lat Pulldown	3–4	6–10
Overhead Press	2–3	5–8
Barbell Curl	2–3	6–10
Barbell Lying Tricep Extension	2–3	8–12

Day 2 – Lower Power

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3–4	3–5
Deadlift	3–4	3–5
Bulgarian Split Squat	3–4	6–10
Leg Curl	3–4	6–10
Standing Calf Raise	3–4	6–10

Day 3 – Upper Hypertrophy

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Incline Bench Press	3–4	8–12
Seated Cable Row	3–4	8–12
Dumbbell Chest Fly	3–4	8–12
Dumbbell Row	3–4	8–12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3–4	8–12
Dumbbell Curl	3–4	8–12
Tricep Pushdown	3–4	10–15

Day 4 – Lower Hypertrophy

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Lunge	3–4	8–12
Leg Press	3–4	8–12
Leg Extension	3–4	8–12
Leg Curl	3–4	8–12
Standing Calf Raise	3–4	8–12
Seated Calf Raise	3–4	8–12

PHUL is not a strength training program for beginners, but if you’re intermediate level or above and looking for a great all-round routine for strength and muscle growth, give it a go. You can find it as – surprise – PHUL in StrengthLog, as a free program.

>> Click here to read more about it.

Thicc: Lower Body Workout Routine for Women

Thicc is a strength training program for women who want to build muscle and get lean and strong, emphasizing the lower body.

But should men and women really train differently? No. Everyone responds the same to strength training: you lift heavier than you did in the last workout, and your muscles grow a little bigger and stronger.

However, while men generally blast their pecs and arms, many women want to focus more on the lower body. Not everyone, but if you asked 100 women in the gym, chances are significantly more than half would reply that they prioritize legs and glutes.

That’s why we looked at data from more than a quarter of a million users of our workout log app to find the most popular muscle groups among men and women.

Thicc is based on that data and the statistics of our users, targeting the muscles many women prioritize. But it works just as well for non-females who want a stronger and more muscular lower body.

We offer two versions of Thicc, one for beginners and one for intermediate—to advanced trainees. The beginner Thicc is a three-day full-body routine. It doesn’t forego upper-body training, but you only work each muscle once weekly, unlike your lower body, which you train thoroughly each workout.

Workout 1: Full Body

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	6–10
Romanian Deadlift	2	8
Hip Thrust	3	8
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	10
Lat Pulldown	3	10

Workout 2: Full Body

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Press	3	10
Seated Leg Curl	2	10
Dumbbell Lunge	3	10
Barbell Row	3	10
Dumbbell Standing Triceps Extension	3	10

Workout 3: Full Body

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	3	10
Leg Extension	2	10
Bench Press	3	10
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	10
Dumbbell Curl	3	10

• Thicc: Beginner Lower Body Specialization is available as a free program in StrengthLog.
• Thicc: Advanced Lower Body Specialization is a premium program, meaning it requires a subscription to follow in-app. But you can activate a free 14-day trial in the app to check it out and see if it’s for you, no strings attached.

The advanced version of Thicc looks like this:

• Day 1: Lower Body, low rep range

1. Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Hip Thrust
4. Lying Leg Curl (lying or seated)

• Day 2: Upper Body

1. Dumbbell Chest Press
2. Lat Pulldown
3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4. Cable Curl + Tricep Pushdown (performed as a superset)
5. Hanging Knee Raise

• Day 3: Lower Body, moderate rep range

1. Leg Press
2. Squat
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
4. Hip Abduction Machine
5. Romanian Deadlift

• Day 4: Upper Body

1. Incline Dumbbell Press
2. Cable Seated Row
3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4. Dumbbell Curl + Dumbbell Triceps Extension (performed as a superset)
5. Kneeling Ab Wheel Roll-Out

• Day 5: Lower Body, high rep range

1. Goblet Squat
2. Dumbbell Lunges
3. Step Up
4. Leg Curl (lying or seated)
5. Romanian Deadlift

Higher training volume, more weekly training days, and separate days for the upper and lower body, with a heavy focus on the lower. Being a premium program, it offers built-in progression from week to week.

You can see details like the number of sets and reps, and the % of 1RM, where applicable, in the StrengthLog app.

>> Click here to read more about Thicc for beginners.

>> And here for the advanced program.

StrengthLog’s 5-Day Workout Split

StrengthLog’s 5-Day Workout Split is a six-week program designed for those who want to build muscle and gain strength in the three powerlifting moves at the same time.

While it is not designed for a competitive powerlifter, like a dedicated powerlifting program, it’ll increase your squat, bench press, and deadlift while you build muscle like a bodybuilder.

Here’s an overview of the 5-day split:

• Day 1: Upper Body – Strength
• Day 2: Lower Body – Strength
• Day 3: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps – Hypertrophy
• Day 4: Back and Biceps – Hypertrophy
• Day 5: Legs and Calves – Hypertrophy

Below is an outline of a week of training. For set and rep details, check your StrengthLog workout tracker.

Workout 1, Upper Body (Strength)

1. Bench Press
2. Overhead Press
3. Barbell Row
4. Bar Dip
5. Hammer Curl

Workout 2, Lower Body (Strength)

1. Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Leg Curl
4. Calf Raises

Workout 3, Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps (Hypertrophy)

1. Bench Press
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
3. Standing Cable Chest Fly or Dumbbell Flyes
4. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
5. Dumbell Lateral Raise
6. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
7. Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

Workout 4, Back and Biceps (Hypertrophy)

1. Lat Pulldown
2. Seated Cable Row
3. Dumbbell Row
4. Barbell Curl
5. Preacher Curl

Workout 5, Legs and Calves (Hypertrophy)

1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Romanian Deadlift
4. Leg Extension
5. Calf Raises

You train your major muscle groups twice weekly, either five days in a row with the weekend off or taking one rest day after the two strength days and one after the hypertrophy days.

This is a premium strength training program, meaning you must have a subscription to StrengthLog to follow it. Activate the 14-day free trial in the app to see if it’s for you. There are no strings attached and no nagging to buy. We hate that crap as much as you.

>> Click here to read more about StrengthLog’s 5-Day Workout Split.

StrengthLog’s Push Pull Legs Split

The push push legs (PPL for short) split is one of the most popular strength training programs of all. While it’s generally not the best option for beginners, it’s a favorite among many athletes, bodybuilders, and average gym-goers, regardless of fitness goals.

• On the push day, you train your chest, shoulders, and triceps: your pushing muscles.
• Pull day is all about your pulling muscles: your back and biceps.
• The third day is all leg day, baby.

Both the push and pull days can kick off a PPL routine, although the Push Pull Legs variant is more common than Pull Push Legs. Either option is excellent.

Whether you’re training for bigger muscles or weight loss, a push pull legs workout routine is always a good option. We have two PPL splits depending on your fitness level, one for intermediate-level trainees and one for advanced.

The StrengthLog Push Pull Legs Intermediate routine looks like this. It is actually a pull push legs split, so you avoid deadlifting and squatting back-to-back if you follow the default three-on, one-off approach.

Workout 1, Pull Day

Workout 2, Push Day

1. Bench Press
2. Overhead Press
3. Dumbbell Chest Fly
4. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
5. Dumbbell Standing Triceps Extension

Workout 3, Leg Day

1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Leg Curl
4. Seated Calf Raise

Details like rep range, the number of sets, and the % of 1RM, where applicable, are available in StrengthLog.

The advanced PPL split is a 6-day routine:

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
• Day 2: Back, Rear Delts, and Biceps
• Day 3: Legs
• Day 4: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
• Day 5: Back, Rear Delts, and Biceps
• Day 6: Legs
• Day 7: Rest

This is a demanding, high-volume routine, which is why we recommend it only to advanced trainees with at least a year of training experience.

Workout 1, Push Day

1. Dumbbell Chest Press
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
3. Standing Cable Chest Fly
4. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
5. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
6. Cable Lateral Raise
7. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
8. Tricep Pushdown
9. Dumbbell Standing Triceps Extension

Workout 2, Pull Day

1. Deadlift
2. Lat Pulldown
3. Barbell Row
4. Dumbbell Row
5. Reverse Dumbbell Flyes
6. Barbell Curl
7. Dumbbell Curl
8. Hammer Curl

Workout 3, Leg Day

1. Leg Extension
2. Leg Press
3. Lunges
4. Romanian Deadlift
5. Leg Curl

Workout 4, Push Day

1. Bench Press
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
3. Bar Dip
4. Overhead Press
5. Barbell Upright Row
6. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
7. Close-Grip Bench Press
8. Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

Workout 5, Pull Day

1. Lat Pulldown
2. Cable Seated Row
3. Dumbbell Row
4. Dumbbell Shrug
5. Back Extension
6. Dumbbell Curl
7. Preacher Curl
8. Concentration Curl

Workout 6, Leg Day

1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Leg Extension
4. Seated Leg Curl

Again, you’ll find details regarding reps, sets, and % or 1RM in your StrengthLog app.

Both PPL splits are premium programs with built-in progression that takes care of the planning for you. All you have to do is the hard work and the sweat, then reap the results.

>> Click here to read more about the PPL workout routines.

You’ll find two versions of the intermediate split (one 3-day and one 6-day variant) and the advanced PPL routine as Push / Pull / Legs in our workout log app.

Final Words

Hopefully, this guide to the best strength training program has given you some ideas for your next routine.

Remember, there is no magic program. Almost any program for your fitness level that you enjoy and that allows for consistent progression will take you closer to your fitnes goals.

Those are the key words when selecting a program: enjoyment and consistency. Enjoyment leads to motivation, which leads to consistency, which leads to results. Add hard work to the mix, and you’ve got the recipe for strength training success.

That means that even though these 10 particular workout routines made this list of the best programs, another well-designed program you enjoy and targets your fitness goals can be the best for you.

And, speaking of well-designed training programs…

We have many more programs and workouts in addition to the ones above, from strength training programs for seniors and children to bodybuilding splits and powerlifting programs to specialized routines for optimal strength development in a certain lift.

Click here for a full list of them all:

>> 100+ Strength Training Programs & Workouts

How to Follow These Strength Training Programs

These training programs are all available in StrengthLog, our workout tracker app.

In addition to following our programs, you can create your own workout routines, log your workouts, keep track of your personal records, see statistics on your training, and much, much more.

Download StrengthLog for free with the buttons below:

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