AMMO · @am.m0lifts

The Beginner Blueprint

The no-fluff starter guide. Everything you need to build a lean, athletic body from zero — and nothing you don't.

Read this first.

You don't need a fancy split, supplements, or 6 days a week. Beginners grow off the basics done consistently. This guide is the 20% that gets you 80% of the result. Lock it in for a few months and you'll look like a different person.

Under 18? This is exactly where you start. Keep every set a couple reps short of failure, never max out, and loop a parent in. Paid coaching is 18+, so hammer this and come back when you're older.

1. The one goal: recomp

Most guys starting out are "skinny-fat" — not much muscle, a bit soft. You don't need to crash diet OR dirty bulk. You build muscle and lean out at the same time. That's recomp, and beginners are perfect for it.

Skinny and want size? Eat a small surplus (a bit more than maintenance).
Soft and want lean? Eat at or just below maintenance and let muscle do the work.
Either way: lift hard + eat enough protein. That's the engine.

2. The training (3 days a week)

Full body, 3 non-consecutive days (e.g. Mon / Wed / Fri). Every muscle twice a week beats bro-splits for beginners. Pick one move per line:

Day A

Move	Sets × Reps
Squat (or goblet squat / leg press)	3 × 5–8
Push-up or bench / chest press	3 × 6–8
Row (dumbbell / cable / inverted)	3 × 6–8
Shoulder press	2 × 6–8
Plank	3 × 30–45s

Day B

Move	Sets × Reps
Hinge (Romanian deadlift / hip thrust)	3 × 6–8
Pull-up / lat pulldown	3 × 6–8
Incline push-up / incline press	3 × 6–8
Split squat / lunge	2 × 8 each leg
Curl + tricep pushdown	2 × 8 each

Alternate A / B / A one week, B / A / B the next.

The 3 rules that make it work

Lower slow (3–4 seconds). Control the weight down every rep. This is where most of the muscle is built.
Add 2–3 partial reps after your last full rep. When you can't do a full one, do a few half-reps at the bottom. Extra stimulus, free gains.
Beat your logbook. Each week add a rep or a little weight to at least one move. If you're not writing it down, you're guessing. Progression is the entire game.

Keep every set 1–2 reps short of failure. You should always have one more in the tank. No maxing out, no ego lifting.

3. The food (this is 50% of it)

You can't out-train bad eating. Keep it stupid simple:

Protein every meal. Aim ~0.8–1g per lb of bodyweight per day. Eggs, chicken, meat, fish, dairy, dal, soya, whey — whatever you've got.
Eat enough. Skinny? Add ~300–400 cals a day (extra rice, oats, nuts, milk). Softer? Just don't overeat and let training lean you out.
Cut the liquid sugar. Swapping soft drinks/juice for water is the single easiest win.
Whole foods first. Protein + carbs + fruit/veg. Nothing exotic.

Week 1 reality check: the scale is noise early on. Water and food weight bounce around. Judge progress by the mirror, your logbook, and how clothes fit — over weeks, not days.

4. The 3 habits

Don't try to fix everything at once. Nail these three and the rest follows:

Habit	Why
Train 3× this week — no misses	Consistency beats intensity every time
Protein in every meal	The raw material for muscle
Sleep 8+ hours	This is when you actually grow

5. What to ignore (for now)

Supplements beyond maybe whey + creatine. You don't need fat burners or 10 pills.
"Toning" workouts, 100-rep burnout sets, and gimmick machines.
Training to failure every set. Leave reps in the tank so you recover and progress.
Comparing week 2 of your journey to someone's year 5.

Your first 4 weeks

Week 1: Learn the moves light. Nail form and the slow lowering. Log every set.
Week 2–3: Add a rep or a little weight each session. Dial in protein + sleep.
Week 4: Look back at your logbook — you'll already be stronger. That's the whole method, repeated.

Built by AMMO. Follow @am.m0lifts for the stuff that actually moves the needle.

This guide is general fitness education, not medical or personalized advice. If you're under 18, train with a parent's knowledge and see a doctor before starting anything new. Paid 1-on-1 coaching is 18+.