40-Week Weight Training Program
(Beginner to Intermediate )
This weight training program is designed to progressively build strength and endurance over 40 weeks. The program is divided into three phases:
- Weeks 1-12: Beginner Level
- Weeks 13-24: Progressing to Intermediate Level
- Weeks 25-40: Intermediate Level with Running-Specific Strength Training
Each session lasts 45-60 minutes, including warm-ups, strength exercises, and cool-downs. The focus is on compound movements to build full-body strength and running-specific exercises to improve endurance and prevent injuries.
Program Overview
This 12-week beginner weight training program is designed to build strength, improve endurance, and establish a strong fitness foundation. The focus is to master fundamental exercises, improve form, and build a routine. The program includes three weekly strength sessions: Upper Body, Lower Body, and Full Body + Core.
Each session lasts about 45-60 minutes, including a warm-up, strength exercises, and a cool-down.
Weekly Schedule (Weeks 1-12)
- Day 1: Upper Body Strength
- Day 2: Rest or Light Cardio
- Day 3: Lower Body Strength
- Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery
- Day 5: Full Body Strength + Core
- Day 6: Rest
- Day 7: Active Recovery (Yoga, Stretching, Walking)
Weekly Breakdown: Beginner Weight Training (Weeks 1-12)
Warm-Up Routine (5-10 minutes)
Perform the following dynamic stretches and movements to prepare your muscles:
- Arm Circles (30 seconds each direction)
- Leg Swings (10 reps each leg)
- Hip Circles (10 reps each direction)
- Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)
- Bodyweight Squats (10 reps)
Upper Body Strength: Day 1
Focus: Building strength in the chest, shoulders, back, and arms.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Push-Ups |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Dumbbell Bench Press |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Dumbbell Rows |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Overhead Shoulder Press |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Plank |
3 |
30-45 sec |
|
Tricep Dips |
3 |
8-10 |
Cool Down: Stretch your chest, shoulders, and arms for 5-10 minutes.
Lower Body Strength: Day 3
Focus: Building strength in the legs, glutes, and core.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Bodyweight Squats |
3 |
12-15 |
|
Lunges (each leg) |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Glute Bridges |
3 |
12-15 |
|
Calf Raises |
3 |
15 |
|
Side Plank (each side) |
3 |
20-30 sec |
Cool Down: Stretch your hamstrings, quads, and glutes for 5-10 minutes.
Full Body Strength + Core: Day 5
Focus: Combining upper and lower body exercises with core stability work.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Deadlifts |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Squats |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Push-Ups |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Plank |
3 |
30-45 sec |
|
Russian Twists |
3 |
20 (total) |
|
Bicycle Crunches |
3 |
20-24 |
Cool Down: Stretch your entire body with a focus on the back, legs, and core muscles.
Progression Tips
- Week 1-4: Focus on mastering your form and completing all sets and reps.
- Week 5-8: Increase weight slightly if you’re using dumbbells or resistance bands.
- Week 9-12: Add additional reps or sets as your endurance improves. Aim for 4 sets for some exercises if you’re comfortable.
Active Recovery Suggestions (Day 7)
- Yoga (20-30 minutes)
- Stretching routine (full-body focus)
- Walking (30-45 minutes)
- Foam rolling (10-15 minutes)
By the end of Week 12, you should have built a strong foundation in weight training. The next phase (Weeks 13-24) will introduce more advanced movements and increased intensity.
Phase 2: Intermediate Weight Training Program (Weeks 13-24)
In this phase, the focus is on increasing intensity through heavier weights and more complex movements. Core exercises are incorporated into each session to enhance stability and prevent injuries.
Weekly Schedule (Weeks 13-24)
- Day 1: Upper Body Strength + Core
- Day 2: Rest or Light Cardio
- Day 3: Lower Body Strength + Core
- Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery
- Day 5: Full Body Strength + Core
- Day 6: Rest
- Day 7: Active Recovery (Yoga, Stretching, Walking)
Weekly Breakdown: Intermediate Weight Training (Weeks 13-24)
Warm-Up Routine (5-10 minutes)
Perform the following dynamic stretches to prepare your muscles:
- Arm Circles (30 seconds each direction)
- Leg Swings (10 reps each leg)
- Hip Circles (10 reps each direction)
- Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)
- Bodyweight Squats (10 reps)
Upper Body Strength + Core: Day 1
Focus: Building strength in the chest, shoulders, back, and arms, with a core component.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Dumbbell Bench Press |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Pull-Ups or Assisted Pull-Ups |
3 |
6-8 |
|
Overhead Shoulder Press |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Dumbbell Rows |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Plank with Shoulder Taps |
3 |
30-45 sec |
|
Bicycle Crunches |
3 |
20-24 |
Cool Down: Stretch your chest, shoulders, and arms for 5-10 minutes.
Lower Body Strength + Core: Day 3
Focus: Building strength in the legs, glutes, and core, with added plyometric exercises for explosive power.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Barbell Squats |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Lunges (each leg) |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Deadlifts |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Calf Raises |
3 |
15 |
|
Side Plank (each side) |
3 |
30-45 sec |
|
Jump Squats |
3 |
12-15 |
Cool Down: Stretch your hamstrings, quads, and glutes for 5-10 minutes.
Full Body Strength + Core: Day 5
Focus: Combining upper and lower body exercises with core stability work. Emphasis on compound lifts to maximize strength gains.
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Deadlifts |
4 |
8-10 |
|
Front Squats |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Push-Ups |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Plank |
3 |
45-60 sec |
|
Russian Twists |
3 |
20 (total) |
|
Hanging Leg Raises |
3 |
8-12 |
Cool Down: Stretch your entire body with a focus on the back, legs, and core muscles.
Progression Tips
- Week 13-16: Focus on increasing weights while maintaining good form.
- Week 17-20: Add more complex movements like Bulgarian Split Squats and Box Jumps.
- Week 21-24: Incorporate supersets (pairing two exercises back-to-back) to increase intensity and endurance.
Active Recovery Suggestions (Day 7)
- Yoga (20-30 minutes)
- Stretching routine (full-body focus)
- Walking (30-45 minutes)
- Foam rolling (10-15 minutes)
By the end of Week 24, you will have developed intermediate-level strength and stability. The next phase will introduce more advanced techniques and heavier lifts to further improve your performance.
Here’s a 16-week intermediate strength and running plan focused on building speed for a 10K race while improving overall strength, power, and endurance. The plan is designed to peak around Week 40 for a 10K run.
Overview of the Plan:
- Running Workouts: Focus on speed, intervals, tempo runs, and long runs to improve endurance, pace control, and overall speed.
- Strength Training: Prioritize functional strength, with a focus on compound lifts, plyometrics, and core stability to enhance running efficiency and reduce injury risk.
- Progression: Weekly mileage and intensity increase gradually, with cutback weeks to avoid burnout.
Weekly Structure:
| Day | Workout Type | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest / Mobility | Recovery & Mobility |
| Tuesday | Intervals (Speedwork) | Improve running speed |
| Wednesday | Strength Training | Lower body & core |
| Thursday | Tempo Run | Race pace practice |
| Friday | Strength Training | Upper body & core |
| Saturday | Long Run | Endurance & Stamina |
| Sunday | Active Recovery / Cross | Easy bike, yoga, or swim |
Weeks 25-28: Base Building & Early Speedwork
Goal: Build a solid aerobic base, introduce intervals, and establish strength training routines.
Running Plan:
- Tuesday (Intervals):
- 8 x 400m at 10K race pace with 200m jog recovery
- Progress to 10 x 400m
- Thursday (Tempo Run):
- 4 miles at a moderate pace (around 75-80% effort)
- Progress to 5 miles at a tempo pace
- Saturday (Long Run):
- 6-8 miles at a conversational pace
- Add strides (5 x 20 seconds) at the end of long runs
Strength Plan:
-
Lower Body & Core (Wednesday):
- Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
- Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Lunges (Walking or Reverse): 3 sets of 12 reps per leg
- Plank Variations: Hold for 60 seconds
-
Upper Body & Core (Friday):
- Pull-Ups (or Assisted): 3 sets of 5-8 reps
- Overhead Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Push-Ups: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Russian Twists: 3 sets of 20 twists
Weeks 29-32: Building Speed & Strength
Goal: Introduce threshold training, longer intervals, and more complex strength work.
Running Plan:
-
Tuesday (Intervals):
- Week 29: 6 x 800m at 10K pace with 400m jog recovery
- Week 30: 5 x 1K at 10K pace with 400m jog recovery
- Week 31: 4 x 1 mile at 10K pace with 1-minute standing rest
- Week 32: 3 x 2 miles at 10K pace with 90 seconds rest
-
Thursday (Tempo Run):
- Week 29: 5 miles at a tempo pace
- Week 30: 6 miles at a tempo pace
- Week 31: 6 miles at tempo pace + 4 strides
- Week 32: 7 miles at a tempo pace
-
Saturday (Long Run):
- Progress from 8-12 miles at a steady pace
Strength Plan:
Incorporate more plyometrics to improve power and explosiveness.
-
Lower Body & Core (Wednesday):
- Deadlifts: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Box Jumps: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Side Plank with Leg Lift: 3 sets of 10 reps
-
Upper Body & Core (Friday):
- Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Dips: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps
Weeks 33-36: Peak Training Phase
Goal: Increase intensity with race-specific workouts and maintain strength gains.
Running Plan:
-
Tuesday (Race-Specific Intervals):
- Week 33: 10 x 400m at 5K pace with 200m jog recovery
- Week 34: 6 x 1K at 10K pace with 400m jog recovery
- Week 35: 4 x 1 mile at race pace with 90 seconds of rest
- Week 36: 2 x 3 miles at race pace
-
Thursday (Tempo Run):
- Maintain 6-8 miles at a tempo pace
- Focus on sustaining a fast pace for longer periods
-
Saturday (Long Run):
- Maintain 10-12 miles
- Practice nutrition and hydration for race day
Strength Plan:
Shift focus to maintenance. Reduce volume but keep the intensity high.
Weeks 37-40: Taper & Race Day
Goal: Reduce mileage and intensity to ensure freshness for race day.
Running Plan:
-
Tuesday (Intervals):
- 6 x 400m at 5K pace (Week 37)
- 4 x 800m at 10K pace (Week 38)
- 3 x 1 mile at race pace (Week 39)
- Week 40: Easy shakeout runs
-
Thursday (Tempo Run):
- Reduce to 4-6 miles at a tempo pace
-
Saturday (Long Run):
- Reduce long runs to 8-10 miles
- Week 40: 5-6 miles easy
Strength Plan:
Focus on mobility and light strength work.
Progression Tips:
- Increase mileage by 10% weekly, then cut back every 4th week.
- Use perceived effort or heart rate zones to guide intensity.
- Incorporate strides at the end of easy runs to improve leg turnover.
- Prioritize recovery—listen to your body and adjust intensity if needed.