Beginner weight training
Your first months
of lifting.
A starting structure taken from the ACSM position stand on resistance training, and what to know before your first session at UnReal Gym on Sukhumvit Soi 24.
By the UnReal Gym Bangkok team. Updated 2026-10-03.
Short answer
For a beginner the ACSM recommends lifting 2 to 3 days a week with loads you could lift 8 to 12 times, big multi-joint exercises before small single-joint ones, and adding 2 to 10 percent to the load once you can do one to two reps more than your target. Everything else is detail.
Frequency
How often should a beginner lift?
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stand on progression models in resistance training recommends 2 to 3 days per week for novice training, 3 to 4 for intermediate and 4 to 5 for advanced. A novice here means someone with no resistance training experience, or who has not trained for several years.
Load
How heavy, and how many reps?
For novices the ACSM recommends loads that correspond to an 8 to 12 repetition maximum (8 to 12 RM). In plain terms, choose a weight you could lift about 8 to 12 times with good form before you could not do another. For muscle growth the same document points to the 6 to 12 RM zone with 1 to 2 minutes of rest between sets, and says higher volume, multiple-set programmes are best for maximising hypertrophy.
Order
In what order should you do the exercises?
The ACSM recommends sequencing exercises to preserve intensity: large muscle group exercises before small ones, multiple-joint exercises before single-joint ones, and higher intensity before lower intensity. In practice that means squats, deadlift variations, presses and rows come before curls, raises and extensions.
Progression
When do you add weight?
When you can perform the current workload for one to two repetitions over the desired number, the ACSM recommends increasing the load by 2 to 10 percent. If your target is 8 to 12 reps and you reach 13 or 14 with good form, the weight goes up.
A week
What does a week look like?
This is our way of applying the guidance above, not a rule from the paper. Train three non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In each session start with a squat or hinge pattern, then a press, then a row or pulldown, and finish with the smaller exercises. Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets, and write down the weights so you know when to add load.
If you want someone to write and adjust it with you, that is what coaching is for. Coaches at UnReal each specialise, several work with beginners, and coaching is delivered in Thai and English.
Your first session
What do you need for a first session at UnReal?
Bring training clothes, closed-toe shoes, a water bottle and photo ID for your first visit. We supply towels, and the changing rooms have showers, soap and a hair dryer. General gym access needs no booking. The gym is at 51 iStore Building, Sukhumvit Soi 24, two minutes from Phrom Phong BTS Exit 1, open 06:00 to 22:00 daily, and a day pass starts at 500 THB with no contract.
Food
How much protein does a beginner need?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition says 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day is sufficient for most exercising people to build and keep muscle. A 70 kg beginner is looking at roughly 98 to 140 g a day. The supplement guides below have a table by bodyweight and the sources.
Supplements
Sourced supplement guides
Each guide cites its sources and shows live prices from UnReal Supplements, which delivers free within Bangkok only.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine position stand: progression models in resistance training for healthy adults (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2009)
- ISSN position stand: protein and exercise (Jäger et al., J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017)
This page is general information for healthy adults. If you have an injury or a medical condition, ask a doctor before you start.
FAQ
Common questions.
How many days a week should a beginner lift?
The ACSM position stand recommends 2 to 3 days per week for novice training, meaning people with no resistance training experience or who have not trained for several years.
How many reps should a beginner do?
The ACSM recommends loads that correspond to an 8 to 12 repetition maximum for novices. That means a weight you could lift 8 to 12 times with good form, not much more.
When should I add weight?
The ACSM says to increase the load by 2 to 10 percent when you can perform the current workload for one to two repetitions over the desired number.
Do I need a coach to start?
No. General gym access needs no booking, and a day pass starts at 500 THB. If you want a coach, the first conversation is free and you do not commit until you have met them. Coaches here are bilingual, Thai and English.
What should I bring to my first session?
Training clothes, closed-toe shoes, a water bottle and photo ID for the first visit. Towels are provided, and the changing rooms have showers, soap and a hair dryer.
Related
Where to go next.
Ready when you are
Start lifting this week.
Walk in with a day pass, or ask about a coach. The first conversation is free.