TemplateHow to choose a workout program
How to pick a strength program that fits your experience, schedule and goals, with proven options from StrongLifts 5x5 and GZCLP to 5/3/1 and PHUL.
The best workout program is one that matches your experience, fits the days you can actually train, and gets you excited to show up. A proven program you follow consistently will beat a "perfect" one you keep changing. Here's how to choose.
1. Be honest about your experience
Your training age, meaning how long you've been training consistently with a plan, matters more than anything else.
- Beginner: under about a year of steady lifting, or still adding weight to your lifts most sessions.
- Intermediate: you can no longer add weight every session, but you still progress week to week or month to month.
- Advanced: progress takes months of planned blocks, heavier and lighter phases, and regular deloads.
Beginners do best on simple programs that add weight often. Jumping straight to an advanced program usually means less progress, not more, because those programs are built to squeeze progress out of lifters who can no longer improve quickly.
2. Count the days you can really train
Pick a program for the schedule you'll stick to on a busy week, not your best week.
| Days per week | Good fits |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | Full-body programs, like StrongLifts 5x5, Starting Strength, GZCLP or Greyskull LP |
| 4 | Upper/lower splits, like PHUL, or 5/3/1 variations |
| 5 to 6 | Push/pull/legs, like the Reddit PPL, or bodybuilding splits like PHAT |
3. Match the program to your goal
- Get strong: programs built around squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press with lower reps, like 5/3/1, the Texas Method or Candito's 6-week program.
- Build muscle: more sets and moderate reps (6 to 15), like PHUL, PHAT or push/pull/legs.
- A bit of both: many programs mix heavy main lifts with higher-rep accessory work, like GZCLP or 5/3/1 Boring But Big.
- Sports and conditioning: athletic programs such as 5/3/1 for athletes, with circuits or conditioning work on top.
Proven programs by level
| Level | Programs to consider | What they're known for |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | StrongLifts 5x5, Starting Strength, Greyskull LP, GZCLP | Add weight every session, few exercises, easy to follow |
| Intermediate | 5/3/1 and Boring But Big, Texas Method, nSuns, PHUL, Reddit PPL | Weekly or monthly progression, more volume |
| Advanced | Juggernaut Method, Sheiko, Westside conjugate, Smolov Jr. | Planned blocks, peaking phases, specialized cycles |
4. Check how it progresses
Every good program has a clear answer to "what do I do next session?" Look for:
- How weight goes up, like +2.5 kg per session or a new training max each cycle.
- What happens when you miss reps, like a reset or a change in rep scheme.
- Built-in deloads or lighter weeks.
If a program can't tell you any of these, it's a list of workouts, not a program. See progressive overload for why this matters, and what a deload is for the lighter weeks.
5. Run it as written for at least 8 to 12 weeks
Give a program time to work before you judge it. Resist the urge to add extra exercises in the first few weeks. Most people who say a program "didn't work" changed it before it could.
Signs it's time to switch
- You've stalled on most lifts even after resets and a deload.
- Your schedule changed and you can't train the days the program needs.
- Your goal has changed, for example from strength to muscle size.
- You've truly stopped enjoying it after giving it a fair run.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best workout program for beginners?
A simple full-body program you run three times a week, adding a little weight each session. StrongLifts 5x5, Starting Strength, Greyskull LP and GZCLP are all well-proven choices.
Can I combine two programs?
It's usually better not to. Each program balances work and recovery in its own way, and combining two often means too much of both. Pick one and add only small accessory work if needed.
How do I keep track of a program's weights and progression?
Use a training log that knows the program's rules. Template Trainer has 30+ ready-made programs, including all of the above, and works out the weights for each session from your own lifts.