Your first strength plan

Five movements

• Squat: sit down and stand up. A leg press or a goblet squat.
• Hinge: bend at the hips with a flat back, like picking up a heavy bag. A Romanian deadlift.
• Push: push something away from you. A chest press, or press-ups against a wall.
• Pull: pull something towards you. A seated row or a dumbbell row.
• Brace: hold your middle still. A plank.

Every plan at the end of this article is built from these five.

Three days a week

Leave a day between sessions. Monday, Wednesday and Friday works. Start with two sets of 12, then build to three sets of 8 to 12. Rest a minute or two between sets.

The one rule

Start easier than you think you should. Then make it a little harder each week: one more rep, a little more weight, or a harder version.