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New to barbell training? Start here.

You don’t need a perfect program. You need a few good lifts, a repeatable week, and standards you can actually maintain.

January 09, 20261 min read
beginnertrainingtechnique

The goal for month one: competence

If you’re new, the fastest way to get strong is to get good at the basics: squat, bench, deadlift, and an overhead press. That’s it. You don’t need novelty—you need reps.

In the first month, chase clean reps, consistent setups, and small weekly progress. Leave a rep or two in the tank, learn how your body responds, and build the habit of showing up.

The best program is the one you can run for 12 straight weeks. If it’s so complicated you can’t repeat it, it’s not a beginner program.

What “good enough” looks like

Depth you can hit every rep. A bench setup you can recreate without thinking. Deadlifts that start the same way every time. Those are the wins that matter early.

Ask for eyes on your sets. A ten-second cue (“brace sooner,” “finish your lockout,” “pause longer”) beats an hour of YouTube when you’re learning in real time.

If you train at FSBB, introduce yourself. We’ll help you get your rack height, walkout, and spotting sorted so you can train hard without guessing.

Want help applying this?

Train with the crew, get eyes on your lifts, and make the small adjustments that add up fast.