12-Week Beginners Guide to Muscle Building // Phase 1

Congrats on making the decision to start this journey to a fit lifestyle!  This 12-week program will guide you to becoming fit while teaching you all the tools you’ll need to maintain that fit and healthy lifestyle. Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have along the way!

Phase 1 is the muscle endurance phase so you’ll need to do 3 sets of 12 repetitions with 1 minute rest between sets. Remember not to push yourself beyond your abilities – it could cause injury or burnout due to sore muscles. You’ll want to lift 60% of your maximum ability.

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 1

The Workout

Chest and Triceps

Dumbbell Bench Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest 

Flat Bench Cable Flys

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Narrow Pushups

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standard or on knees

Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

 Triceps Pushdown

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest


Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 2
Back and Biceps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

 One-Arm Dumbbell Row

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

 Seated Cable Rows

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min

 Underhand Cable Pulldowns

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

 Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest 

One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Biceps Cable Curl

3 sets of 12 reps

1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 3

It's LEG DAY! I LOVE leg day! =] 

Leg Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Leg Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 4
You’re almost done with your first week of training! That wasn't so bad right?!

Shoulders and Abs

The Workout

Seated Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise To A 'T' (up and open)

3 sets of 12 reps, 1 min rest

Side Lateral Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest 

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

 Exercise Ball Crunch

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Air Bike

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 5

REST

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 6

REST

Phase 1 // Week 1 // Day 7

REST

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 8
To Recap:  3 sets of 12 repetitions with 1 minute rest between sets

 Chest and Triceps 

Wide Pushups

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standard or on knees

Dumbbell Bench Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Flat Bench Cable Flyes

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Narrow Pushups

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standard or on knees

Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Triceps Pushdown

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 9

Back and Biceps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Cable Rows

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min

Underhand Cable Pulldowns

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Biceps Cable Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 10
You're on your way to some killer stems! You guessed it - LEG DAY!

Leg Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Leg Curl

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 11

Shoulders and Abs

Seated Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise To A 'T' (up and open)

3 sets of 12 reps, 1 min rest

Side Lateral Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Exercise Ball Crunch

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Air Bike

3 sets of 12 reps
1 min rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 12

Rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 13

Rest

Phase 1 // Week 2 // Day 14

Rest

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 15

Today is a big day! It’s the first day of muscle building! The last 2 weeks you’ve been prepping your muscles, now is when we start building and toning them! We're starting with our legs!

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 10 reps

Walking Barbell Lunge

3 sets of 10 reps

Single-Leg Barbell Deadlift (shown with kettlebell)

3 sets of 10 reps

Lying Leg Curls

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 16
Back and Biceps

Hammer Strength Lat Pull

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Pullup

Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows

3 sets of 10 reps

T-Bar Row

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Bent-Over Barbell Row

Back Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Barbell Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Hammer Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 17

Keep up the hard work! You're probably doing things you you've never done and that is something to be proud of! Don't stop - let's keep pushing forward!

Chest and Triceps

Wide Pushups (close hand position also shown)

3 sets of 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Flat Bench Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Machine Flyes

Decline Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Bench Dips

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Bar Dips

Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Triceps Kickback

3 sets of 10 reps

Overhead Two Handed Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Cable One Arm Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 18
LEG DAY!!

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 10 reps

Walking Barbell Lunge

3 sets of 10 reps

Single-Leg Barbell Deadlift (shown with kettlebell)

3 sets of 10 reps

Lying Leg Curls

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 19

We're focusing on shoulder and abs today! If you're struggling with motivation, make a motivation board if you haven't already. Here are some examples of some of  my favorite motivation boards, here, here and here. 

Seated Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Rear-Delt Cable Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Front Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Arnold Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Crunches

3 sets of 10 reps

Roman Chair Leg Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

3 sets of 10 reps per side

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 20

REST

Phase 1 // Week 3 // Day 21

REST

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 22

We're focusing on legs again today. Did you know that most people's "problem areas" are their butt and legs? We'll fix that! Keep up the hard work!

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 10 reps

Walking Barbell Lunge

3 sets of 10 reps

Single-Leg Barbell Deadlift (shown with kettlebell)

3 sets of 10 reps

Lying Leg Curls

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 23

Today is a back and biceps day! Men, you know the drill - ladies, don't fret, conquering these muscles shows hard work and dedication. If you're not feeling like a bombshell yet, get ready because your back and biceps are the cherry on top.

Hammer Strength Lat Pull

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Pullup

Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows

3 sets of 10 reps

T-Bar Row

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Bent-Over Barbell Row

Back Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Barbell Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Hammer Curl

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 24

Get ready to forget about flab with this triceps and chest work out. 

Wide Pus-ups (close hand position also shown)

3 sets of 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Flat Bench Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Machine Flyes

Decline Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Bench Dips

3 sets of 10 reps

Alternate Option:
Bar Dips

Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Triceps Kickback

3 sets of 10 reps

Overhead Two Handed Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Cable One Arm Triceps Extension

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 25

Legs! Legs! Legs! You're about to have some killer legs. =] This leg workout will target your calves and quads. 

Leg Extensions

3 sets of 10 reps

Wide Stance Barbell Squat

3 sets of 10 reps

Walking Barbell Lunge

3 sets of 10 reps

Single-Leg Barbell Deadlift (shown with kettlebell)

3 sets of 10 reps

Lying Leg Curls

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Calf Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Standing Calf Raises

3 sets of 10 reps

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 26

 Shoulders and Abs are on the agenda today. We're about to step into fall but that's no reason to slack on your midsection. Show your determination and focus while you build your best body. 

Seated Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Rear-Delt Cable Flyes

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Front Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Arnold Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Crunches

3 sets of 10 reps

Roman Chair Leg Raise

3 sets of 10 reps

Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

3 sets of 10 reps per side

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 27

REST

Phase 1 // Week 4 // Day 28

REST

Congratulations on completing phase 1 of 3 in the 12-Week Beginners Guide to Building Muscle Series. Up next is Phase 2 where we take it to The Next Level.

Phase 2 - Level Up