Progressions for Beginner Lifters

Jake Hicks
Sep 7
7 min read

Updated: Nov 28

Just add 5 pounds each week. I wish it were that simple. The body doesn't adapt in a straight line fashion. It adapts in a non linear fashion, often full of ups and downs. I've always held the unpopular belief that you should skip the linear progression phase and jump right into the non linear progressions which have a much longer runway. Even coaches pro linear progressions will agree with that. Below I share my thoughts on the topic and I offer how I like to program for beginner lifters. Enjoy!

In this article I talk through how I approach programming for beginners. I'll describe my thinking: the mindsets, the rep zones, weekly layout, progression logic, and practical options when progress stalls. If you’re new to lifting (or coaching a beginner), this will be a valuable read.

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Why I don't like linear progressions?

For strength training, there are 2 ways to program how you progress overtime. Linear progressions are simply a method of increasing the weight lifted in a consistent incremental manner over time to build strength. Most commonly you are adding 2.5-10 pounds to your lifts each workout depending on the exercise and your current strength level.

The human body doesn't adapt in a straight line. You won’t always get stronger every single week, if you did the story of lifting a calf every day would lead to the ability to lift the cow when it's fully grown. The truth is there are ups and downs in training which is completely normal. Programming in a linear fashion forces you into two bad choices: either you artificially hold back so you can add weight next week, or you predict you’ll be stronger next week and get frustrated when you’re not.

Why program in a linear fashion if the body adapts in a non linear fashion? Don't believe me? Ask Chat GPT or Grok. Instead, build a program that reflects real life adaptation: non-linear, influenced by intensity, volume, and recovery. Non linear methods of increasing weight lifted use a non steady, non incremental manner. That means exposing yourself to different stresses rather than repeating the same rep schemes and missing out on variable exposures that you need to continue to see progress in the gym. Many people frame this method as more complex. It's not, it's simply organizing stress.

My three zones for reps

I divide reps into three simple zones based on load and duration. Each zone teaches something different and together they give a beginner comprehensive exposure to strength training.

Zone 1 (heavy, short): 1–3 reps per set. Highest load, shortest duration. Builds maximal strength and neural adaptation.
Zone 2 (moderate): 4–6 reps per set. Middle ground for intensity and duration—great for strength and hypertrophy balance for beginners.
Zone 3 (light, long): 8–12 reps per set. Lowest load, longest duration. Best for learning movement proficiency and accumulating practice volume.

For true beginners, Zone 3 is especially valuable because longer sets let you "grease the groove" and develop consistent technique.

Weekly layout: a simple, repeatable cycle

The basic idea is a 3-week cycle that moves through zones so you lift heavier each week, then repeat the cycle and aim for new rep-maxes or higher total tonnage.

Week 1 (Zone 3): 3 sets of 8. Focus on movement and technique.
Week 2 (Zone 2): 3 sets of 6. Moderate intensity— easily lift more than week 1.
Week 3 (Zone 1): 5 sets of 3. Highest intensity across sets; shorter sets allow even heavier loads.

After Week 3, go back to Week 1. Because you’ve got data across the three zones, with an 8 rep max, a 6 rep max and you have a 3 rep max. You also now have a tonnage max. Week 1's 24 total reps, week 2 is 18 total reps and week 3 is 15 total reps. Tonnage is the total pounds lifted. This expands your opportunity to see and create progress. Two ways to see progress.

Hit a new rep max (e.g., a better 8-rep performance on the repeated Week 1), and/or
Increase total tonnage (total pounds lifted across your best sets) for a given week compared to the previous cycle.

Example: tracking tonnage

Say on Cycle 1 Week 1 you did 3 sets of 8 at 100 lb. Total tonnage = 3 × 8 × 100 = 2,400 lb of work. On Cycle 2 Week 1 you do 3 sets of 8 at 110 lb. Total tonnage = 3 × 8 × 110 = 2,640 lb. That’s progress— in this example you have a new 8-rep max AND higher tonnage.

If you cannot hit a new 8 rep max, that's when you simple add a set to guarantee you lift more total pounds. Your goal is to make sure you lift more weight, adding a set is a very easy way to do that.

How to run sets

Start each session with appropriate warm-up sets.
Use a working weight you can perform for the prescribed reps, and aim for your “best set” at that rep target (finish your workout on that best set). You don't have to use the same weight for all 3 sets.
Repeat full 3-week phases until you stop seeing improvements in rep maxes or tonnage.

Progression phases and practical alternatives

Does the method you use say to use the same weight for all the sets? I don't like that advice. To me this is slowing progress. Waiting to do more weight the next week when you could do it this week doesn't make sense to me. And yes people do this.

Does the method also use the same rep scheme week to week? If so I don't like that. I would rather create different rep scheme that naturally allow you to lift more weight, and expose the lifter to more variations of stress. The longer you delay different variations of stress, the longer you are prolonging their progress.

This plan is exposing you to micro doses of everything. You're progressing total volume, reps and intensity in different ways week to week. It's also not boring. I really feel like the same rep scheme week to week is a boring way to train. And trust me I'm a fan of doing the boring stuff, usually the boring stuff is the good stuff. In this instance, it's too boring.

What to do when progress stalls

If you stop getting stronger on a phase, you move to the next phase

Phase 1: 3x8, 3x6 and 5x3 on repeat until you stop seeing progress then move to phase 2.

Phase 2: 3x10, 3x5 and 5x2 on repeat until you stop seeing progress then move to phase 3

Phase 3: 3x12, 3x4 and 5x1 on repeat until you stop seeing progress then START OVER at phase 1 and change the exercise variations and repeat the whole process again.

Each phase you repeat the cycle until you stop seeing rep maxes change or total tonnages change. These rep schemes for a beginner can last a long time. Everyone adapts at different speeds so the idea of moving to the next phase will be different person to person.

Mindset: exposure beats avoidance

There are 2 mindsets here. Avoid the perceived hard things, or expose yourself to them slowly over time. There is a story about cows vs bison. When a storm is coming the cows run from it which only extends the amount of time they are in the storm. The bison run to the storm because they know they will be able to get through to the other side faster.

I prefer the "bison" approach: expose yourself—micro-dose—so you learn to handle heavier loads and different rep ranges early. Avoiding complexity by staying in a single very simple pattern of doing the same reps and sets each week might feel safe, but it often delays real, robust progress.

Also remember: CNS recovery and heavy lifts don’t always allow back-to-back max performances. You might hit a best-ever deadlift one week and not hit it the next—and that’s normal. Zoom out and look at trends, not day-to-day fluctuations. Non linear progressions are going to align much better to how the body adapts, ultimately saving you a lot of frustrations.

Practical checklist to get started

Pick 3 compound movements (Back Squat/ Bench Press/ Deadlift).
Run a 3-week cycle: Week 1 = zone 3 (3×8), Week 2 = zone 2 (3×6), Week 3 = zone 1 (5×3). Repeat and move to next phase when appropriate.
Warm up properly. Use working sets that allow you to aim for a best final set at the prescribed reps.
Repeat the cycle, tracking both rep maxes and total tonnage for each week.
If progress stalls, adjust rep schemes (more volume or more intensity) and continue.

Final thoughts

There are things that will get you stronger and things that will get you the strongest long term. Both can be correct depending on timing and goals. Even coaches pro linear progressions will tell you that they do not work longterm and only work early in a lifters journey. If it doesn't last long term, why even bother?? My recommendation for beginners is to skip linear progressions— opt for non linear progressions (different reps, loads, and durations) instead of locking into a single linear pattern that assumes constant weekly improvement.

Try the 3-week zone cycle for several cycles, track rep-maxes and tonnage, and adjust when progress stops. Keep it simple, but don’t avoid exposure to variations of stress. You need it, the soon you're exposed to them the faster your body will adapt.

Some people after reading this will want to create their own program. That would be great and I hope you let me know how it goes! If you don't want to do your own programming, shop my programs below, OR schedule a call for free and let's chat about finding the best program for you and your needs. If you would rather not talk on the phone, you can complete the custom program questionnaire. This questionnaire will give me all the information I need to direct you to the best programming option.