TSA 9 Week Beginner Program

Google Sheet Workout Export

By The Strength Athlete

Experience Intermediate (2-3 years)
Time 40 minutes/day | 4 days/week | 9 weeks
Goals
Equipment

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Average Exertion
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70%
Average Cardio Intensity
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30%

TSA Beginner Approach Overview

  • 4 training days per week
  • 9 weeks per training cycle
  • 2x weekly squat
  • 3x weekly bench press
  • 1x weekly deadlift
  • Includes tabs for training history to track progress if running repeat cycles is desired
  • Uses RPE and % based weights


This is a 9-week training approach for beginner athletes designed to overcome many shortcomings of common programs that beginner powerlifters run. It’s the starting program we wish we had before powerlifting, designed to bridge into either repeats of the same approach as long as you keep making progress, or into more advanced training approaches as seamlessly as possible. Toward the end, athletes handle heavier and heavier loads as they work toward new 3-rep maxes before rinsing and repeating. Most athletes should find this is a balanced amount of training volume, training stress, and loading to see great progress. We think you’ll really like it.

For squat, we’ve included two training days of squatting so that athletes have enough frequency to practice the movement and build training volume to progress, but not so much that this program classifies as an intermediate or advanced approach. We’ve included light to moderate single repetitions from the very start to give athletes exposure to walking out and executing single reps. In later weeks, there may be some post-activation potentiation (PAP) from performing heavier single repetitions as well. We utilize multiple rep ranges to ensure maximum strength and hypertrophy. We’ve also included plenty of lower body training volume to allow for leg size increases, as well as strength.

For bench press, we include three movements per week because bench press especially can tolerate (and often need) more training volume and practice. To this end, we give new athletes a chance to practice pausing the bench on Day 4, practice with heavier loading as the program progresses, and plenty of training volume per week. In addition, we include lots of upper body training volume to grow.

For deadlift, we work on technique with the inclusion of paused work for much of the training approach. Training volume is lower here than squat or bench press by design, and the approach balances fatigue while allowing athletes to crush progress and set new PRs.


Over the whole approach, we use autoregulation to make sure athletes can change loads where needed to keep the program at the appropriate difficulty level. Beginner athletes especially progress at different rates, and we decided give both percentage and RPE for athletes to choose from. We’ve made this program with a four-week addition that you can use to run this program directly into a competition! The peak is also designed for first competitions, and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish.

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Description

Week 1 Overview

Day 5:

Rest

Day 6:

Rest

Day 7:

Rest



Google Sheet Workout Export

note: if shoulder/bicep/elbow pain, squat high bar

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
1.Barbell Back Squat

See Exercise Notes

2 sets1 reps60s
2.Barbell Back Squat

See Exercise Notes

3 sets7 reps60s
3.Barbell Bench Press

See Exercise Notes

2 sets1 reps60s
4.Barbell Bench Press

See Exercise Notes

3 sets7 reps60s
5.Dumbbell Bench Press

See Exercise Notes

3 sets12 reps60s
6.Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

See Exercise Notes

3 sets12 reps60s
7.Weighted Decline Situp

See Exercise Notes

3 sets15 reps60s
Google Sheet Workout Export

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
1.Barbell Paused Deadlift

See Exercise Notes

3 sets4 reps60s
2.Barbell Bench Press

See Exercise Notes

1 set4 reps60s
3.Barbell Bench Press

See Exercise Notes

2 sets8 reps60s
4.Barbell Hip Thrust with Bench

See Exercise Notes

3 sets10 reps60s
5.Cable Triceps Pressdown

See Exercise Notes

3 sets12 reps60s
6.Standing Dumbbell Biceps Curl
3 sets12 reps60s
Google Sheet Workout Export

note: may superset biceps/triceps

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
1.Barbell Back Squat

See Exercise Notes

3 sets5 reps60s
2.Lat Pulldown

See Exercise Notes

3 sets15 reps60s
3.Single-Arm Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

See Exercise Notes

3 sets12 reps60s
4.Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension (on bench)

See Exercise Notes

3 sets15 reps60s
5.EZ-Bar Curl

See Exercise Notes

3 sets15 reps60s
Google Sheet Workout Export

An Athlete Movement of Choice at the end of the workout

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
1.Barbell Deadlift

See Exercise Notes

1 set4 reps60s
2.Barbell Deadlift

See Exercise Notes

2 sets4 reps60s
3.Barbell Paused Deadlift

See Exercise Notes

3 sets4 reps60s
4.45 Degree Leg Press

See Exercise Notes

3 sets10 reps60s
5.Leg Extensions

See Exercise Notes

3 sets15 reps60s

Date Created: 2/4/2020, UTC


Last Updated: 10/29/2021, UTC





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