Beginner plan — overall size & strength. 3 lifting days + soccer & BodyAttack for cardio. Tap any thumbnail to play a short, muted form demo.
Follow top to bottom. Ramp-up = easy prep sets (reps@% of working weight); they don't count toward the working sets shown.
Warm-up · Easy cardio
Stationary bike at an easy pace until lightly sweating.
Warm-up · Dynamic mobility
Cat–Cow ×8, leg swings ×10/leg, glute bridges ×10, bodyweight squats ×10.
▶mutedGoblet Squat
QUAD focus: heels on a small plate, torso upright. Knees track over toes; squat to at least parallel.
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Dead Bug
Back-safe core; press low back into floor.
▶mutedSide Plank
Builds the weak lower side (obliques/QL).
▶mutedFollow top to bottom. Ramp-up = easy prep sets (reps@% of working weight); they don't count toward the working sets shown.
Warm-up · Easy cardio
Stationary bike at an easy pace until lightly sweating.
Warm-up · Dynamic mobility
Cat–Cow ×8, leg swings ×10/leg, glute bridges ×10, bodyweight squats ×10.
▶mutedLeg Press
QUAD focus: feet low-to-mid on platform, shoulder-width. Slight knee bend at top (don't lock out).
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Romanian Deadlift (light DBs)
Go LIGHT; stop at mid-shin — don't round your back.
▶mutedBird-Dog
Strengthens lower back; move slow, stay level.
▶mutedBack Extension (45° bench)
Bodyweight first; squeeze glutes at top.
▶mutedFollow top to bottom. Ramp-up = easy prep sets (reps@% of working weight); they don't count toward the working sets shown.
Warm-up · Easy cardio
Stationary bike at an easy pace until lightly sweating.
Warm-up · Dynamic mobility
Cat–Cow ×8, leg swings ×10/leg, glute bridges ×10, bodyweight squats ×10.
▶mutedLeg Curl
Slow lower; pair with Leg Extension.
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Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
Full stretch at top, elbows tucked.
▶mutedMachine Chest Press
Steady tempo, don't lock elbows.
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Pallof Press (cable)
Anti-rotation core; resist the twist.
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Your cardio comes from sport & a class — no extra treadmill needed.
Tuesday · Indoor Soccer
Interval cardio — sprints + recovery jogging. Warm up with light jogging and leg swings first to protect knees/hamstrings.
Thursday · BodyAttack
High-energy Les Mills class mixing running/jumping/lunging with push-ups & squats. Scale the impact moves while you build up.
Sunday · Outdoor Soccer
More ground covered than indoor. Warm up before kickoff, especially the day after leg work.
Do this ~10 min, 5–7 days a week — the fastest fix for tight hamstrings and a stiff back. Never force or bounce.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Soft knee, hinge from hips, don't bounce.
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Warm-up, every lifting day
1) 5 min easy bike. 2) Dynamic mobility (cat–cow, leg swings, glute bridges, bodyweight squats). 3) Ramp-up sets per the table — 2 easy sets before your first big lift, 1 before other compound lifts, none for isolation/core.
Why 8–12 reps (not heavy low reps)?
~1–5 reps = max strength, 6–12 = best for size, 15+ = endurance. Muscle grows across the range as long as you push close to failure — so 8–12 hard reps builds as much as heavy 3–5s with far less stress on your back. As a beginner with a weak core, moderate reps are the smart, safer choice now. Weights should still be hard for the last 1–2 reps.
Progression
Beat last session by a rep or a small weight bump. Double progression: hit the top of the rep range on all sets, then add the smallest weight and drop back to the bottom of the range. Log every set. Leave 1–2 reps in reserve.
Recovery
Protein ~1.6–2.2 g/kg/day. Sleep 7–9 h. Slight calorie surplus to gain muscle. Stand up and stretch every 45–60 min of sitting. Sharp pain (not normal fatigue) = stop and swap the movement; if back pain persists, see a physio.