Pronto Program

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So you want to start lifting?  Let's get you started right away.  Here's your first week.  I call it The Pronto.

The Pronto

Each week has two or three days.  Each day is three lifts.  Each lift has three sets.

Day 1

  • 3 x 10 (three sets of ten reps) Squat
  • 3 x 10 Bench Press
  • 3 x 15 Barbell Row

Day 2

  • 3 x 10 Deadlift
  • 3 x 10 Overhead Press (OHP)
  • 3 x 15 Lat Pulldown 

Day 3

  • If you work out a third time this week (and you should) just do Day 1 again.

1. Start with a weight that you can do at least 10 reps with.  Every week, add weight.  I don't really care how much, but it should be hard enough that you do fewer reps than last week.  When you can't get at least 5 reps, start over at the beginning of this paragraph.

2. You might want a slightly different range for your BB Rows and Lat Pulldowns--maybe 8-15 reps instead the 5-10 reps listed for the other lifts.

3. You can track your progress by plugging your numbers into an Epley calculator, which will estimate your 1-rep max from your reps and weight.  In the beginning, you should see yourself get stronger from week to week.



Rule One: Put in the Work

Yes, there are many workout programs and techniques and diets and tricks that you can research.  But for right now, for your first week lifting, just go lift.  The details of your program are not as important as starting now.

The best thing you can do now is learn how to correctly perform those six lifts.  Go watch some YouTube videos on how to do them safely and correctly, then go lift.

Improving the Pronto: Customization

You may have noticed that every day is composed of a lower body lift (squat or deadlift), a push (bench press or OHP), and a pull (row or pulldown).  Each of these days is effectively a whole body workout--it hits different muscle groups around your body in a balanced way.

Currently, Day 3 is just a repeat of Day 1.  What if we rewrote it to include new exercises?  I've listed some suggestions below, but research your own.

Legs: Squat Alternatives

  • Front Squats are more quad focused.
  • Sumo Deadlifts are more deadlift focused, and include more posterior chain.
  • Lunges are more glute and ham focused.
Push: Bench Press Alternatives
  • Dumbbell Bench is more chest focused.
  • Incline Bench is more shoulder focused.
  • Close-grip Bench is more tricep focused.
Pull: Barbell Row
  • Kroc Rows help improve your grip.
  • Chin Ups are great, but have a learning curve.
  • Seated Rows are easier on your back than Barbell Rows.

Improving the Pronto: Adding Accessories

Whenever you feel like you want more work, add 3 sets to the end of your workout.  Pick whatever muscle group you want.

Here are some examples.

  • Bicep Curls
  • Tricep Pushdowns
  • Delt Flys
  • Hip Thrusts / Glute Bridges
  • Ab Roller
Think about which days you want to do each accessory.  Hip thrusts might be less useful on deadlift day, since your butt already got a workout during deadlifts.  Similarly, delt flys might be less useful on 

Don't overthink it.  Just pick something that sounds fun--either because you want to learn it or because it addresses a muscle group you want to improve.

Accessories that work small muscle groups (bicep curls, tricep pushdowns, leg raises) tend to benefit most from reps in a higher range--perhaps 10-20 reps.

Follow the simple progression listed above.  Keep adding weight every week until it gets below 10 reps (or whenever the weight starts to feel bad), then reset.  

Tracking Progression

Most beginner programs have you progressing every session while you track your progress.  There's a few different ways to do this.

Weight Increases
  • Every time you do bench press, add 5 lbs.
  • Whenever you get stuck, reduce the load by 10% and start over.
Rep Range Increases
  • Do 30 reps across 3 sets the first time, then increase to 31 reps across 3 sets.
  • Keep adding reps in this way.
  • Once you get to 40 reps across 3 sets, reset with a higher weight.
1 Rep Max Calculator
  • Each time, add weight and reduce the reps.
  • When the reps drop too low, restart with a higher weight.
  • Use a 1 Rep Max calculator to track your progress.
These are all paths to the same destination.  I prefer the 1 Rep Max Calculator method, since it gives you most variety.  

Variety is good!  It gives you three things:
  • Better muscle stimulus, since muscles respond better to varied weight/rep ranges.
  • Better skill acquisition, since you practice both heavy weights and lighter weights.
  • Useful longer into your lifting career--linear progressions really only work best for beginners.
  • It's less boring.
But there's nothing wrong with the first two methods.  They all work perfectly fine, especially if you are just starting out.

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