Foundations 1: 2 Day, 4-8 Weeks

This is a 2-day per week, full body lifting program to help those who have never worked out consistently or who are returning from a break of lifting rebuild connective tissue, base strength, and achieve hypertrophy before moving on to more lifting days per week.

Who Is This For?

Program for Complete Beginners Without Any Resistance Training Experience

The program outlined below is designed specifically for individuals who have no prior experience with resistance training. It aims to introduce them to weightlifting and gradually build their strength and conditioning.

Program for Novices with Less Than Six Months of Consistent Weightlifting Experience

This program is designed for individuals who have some experience with weightlifting but have not been consistently training for at least six months. It aims to help them improve their technique and build a solid foundation of strength.

Program for More Experienced Trainees or Those Returning From a Break

This program is suitable for individuals who have previous weightlifting experience but have taken a break from training or are not accustomed to lifting weights at least three days per week. It provides a structured approach to regain strength and conditioning.

Program for Athletes, Fitness Enthusiasts, or Hobbyists with Minimal Time Commitment

This program is tailored for individuals who are involved in other activities or have limited time but still want to build muscle and improve connective tissue health. It offers a minimal time commitment while targeting muscle growth and resilience.

Continuing with Foundations 1 Indefinitely

Although Foundations 1 is designed to ramp up to three days of training per week, it can be followed indefinitely. The set and repetition schemes focus on tissue load tolerance and perfect execution of exercises, making it suitable for maintaining muscle mass and connective tissue health with minimal exercise.

Example Training Schedule

Here is a sample training schedule that can be followed for Foundations 1:

Day 1: Resistance Training—Full Body

Day 2: Active Recovery*

Day 3: Active Recovery*

Day 4: Active Recovery*

Day 5: Resistance Training—Full Body

Day 6: Active Recovery*

Day 7: Rest Day (Avoid high-intensity exercise)**

*Active recovery includes varied movement, low-intensity exercise, zone 2 cardio, rucking, pyramid cardio, manual therapy, mobility training, recreational sports, and active hobbies.

**Consider choosing zone 2, walking and recreational sports on active recovery days in the first 4 week phase and then adding in a rucking, pyramid cardio or something a little more intense in the second 4 week phase.

Program Notes

The program primarily focuses on establishing healthy motor patterns, building connective tissue load tolerance, and developing a baseline level of muscle conditioning. It is less aggressive in addressing muscle imbalances compared to Foundations 2 and Foundations 3.

To see results with only two days of training per week, it’s important to maintain high intensity during each set. Pushing yourself to the brink of technical failure, where you can only perform one more repetition without sacrificing form, is crucial. However, caution must be exercised with certain exercises to ensure safety.

Criteria for Progressing to Foundations 2

To progress to the Foundations 2, the following criteria should be met:

• Completion of at least one four-week mesocycle of Foundations 1 without injury, increased joint pain, or debilitating soreness from training two days per week.
• Ideally, beginners should complete a minimum of two cycles (eight weeks total) of Foundations 1 before moving to Foundations 2.
• A desire to build significant muscle mass, strength, or functional movement capabilities.
• Ability to commit to three hours of training per week, with one-hour sessions on three nonconsecutive days.