Strength training looks complicated from outside and is not. Five movement patterns cover almost everything: squat, hinge, push, pull, carry. Every exercise you have heard of is a variation of one of them.
A programme with all five, done twice a week, progressed sensibly, will make you dramatically stronger. That is genuinely the whole thing.
The five patterns
| Pattern | What it is | Beginner version | |---|---|---| | Squat | Knees and hips bend together, torso upright | Goblet squat, box squat, sit-to-stand | | Hinge | Hips travel back, shins near vertical | Romanian deadlift, hip thrust, kettlebell deadlift | | Push | Away from you, horizontal or overhead | Press-up, dumbbell bench, shoulder press | | Pull | Towards you, horizontal or overhead | Dumbbell row, cable row, assisted pull-up | | Carry | Hold something heavy and walk | Farmers carry, suitcase carry |
Carry is the one people skip and it is the most transferable to real life.
A first programme
Twice a week, full body, roughly 40 minutes.
- Squat pattern: 3 sets of 8
- Hinge: 3 sets of 8
- Push: 3 sets of 8
- Pull: 3 sets of 10
- Carry: 3 x 30m
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Same session both days for the first month, because repetition is how you learn the movements.
How heavy
A weight where the last two reps are genuinely hard but your technique does not change.
If you could comfortably do five more, it is too light. If your back rounds, your knees collapse inward or the bar path wanders, it is too heavy regardless of how it feels.
Most beginners under-load the squat and hinge and over-load the press. That is normal.
How to progress
Add the smallest increment available when you complete all sets with about two reps in reserve. In practice that means roughly weekly for the first couple of months, then slower.
When progress stalls, in order of what to try:
- Check sleep and food. Most stalls are recovery, not programming.
- Add a set before you add weight.
- Slow the lowering phase to three seconds. Same weight, more stimulus.
- Take a lighter week. Counter-intuitive and it works.
- Change the variation only after the first four.
Changing your programme every three weeks is the most common beginner mistake. Programmes work through repetition.
How to know it is working
Not the mirror, and not the scales.
- The weights go up. The clearest signal there is.
- The same weight feels easier. Progress before the load changes.
- You recover faster between sets and sessions.
- Ordinary things get easier. Stairs, shopping, carrying a child.
Track your sets, reps and weights. Memory is unreliable and a notebook is the cheapest coaching you will ever buy.
What to ignore at the start
Isolation exercises. Bicep curls are fine and they are not what changes your body in month one.
Machines exclusively. Useful, but free weights and bodyweight teach you to stabilise, which is most of what strength is early on.
Split routines. Chest day and back day suit people training five times a week. You are training twice.
Failure training. Going to absolute failure on every set costs recovery and buys very little.
Supplements. Sleep and protein first, everything else after.
Honest limitations
Technique genuinely benefits from someone watching you, and a handful of sessions with a coach at the start is the best value in this sport. Video yourself if that is not available: side-on, whole body in frame.
If you have a back, knee or shoulder history, get assessed before loading the pattern that involves it. "Work around it" is advice that needs a professional, not an article.
Progress also varies enormously between people for reasons of age, sleep, stress, genetics and starting point. Comparing your rate to someone else's is not useful information.
Next step
The fitness assessment quiz will tell you where you are starting and which pattern is weakest.
Or get in touch for a free consultation with Ben, including an honest view on whether you need coaching or a notebook.
Related: how often to train and getting fit from nothing.
[ FAQ ]
Frequently asked
What are the five basic movement patterns?
Squat, hinge, push, pull and carry. Almost every strength exercise is a variation of one of them, which is why a programme built on all five covers the body without needing twenty exercises.
How much weight should a beginner lift?
A weight where the last two reps of a set are genuinely hard but your technique does not break. If you could do five more, it is too light. If your form changes, it is too heavy.
How quickly should you add weight?
When you can complete all your sets and reps with two reps still in reserve, add the smallest increment available. That will be roughly weekly at first and slower after a few months. Both are normal.
Written by
The Suth Performance teamCoaches and editors
The Suth Performance programming team, led by HYROX Elite 15 athlete Ben Sutherland.
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