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Program Description
Before the Barbell is an eight-week training intensive designed to get you lifting with confidence and owning the bar. This is for anyone who is totally new to strength training, getting back to strength training after an extended time off, or has been lifting for a little while but isn’t confident in form/technique. This program requires a variety of kettlebells or dumbbells, a barbell with a variety of plates, a cable machine or variety of bands, and access to a squat rack and bench. This program was copied from @beforethebarbell on instagram, a free program created by @megsquats. Visit the BtB IG page to see video overviews for each week as well as video demos, notes and tips.
Program Overview
- LevelBeginner, Novice
- GoalBodyweight Fitness, Olympic Weightlifting
- EquipmentGarage Gym
- Program Length8 weeks
- Time Per Workout40 minutes
- CreatedMay 02, 2024 01:23
- Last EditedFeb 19, 2025 04:16
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
WEEK 6
WEEK 7
WEEK 8
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Bodyweight)
3
10 reps
-
2
Glute Bridge (Bodyweight)
3
10 reps
-
3
Goblet Squat
3
6 reps
-
4
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
6 reps
-
5
Push Up
3
4-6 reps
-
6
Plank
2
30 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Bodyweight)
3
12 reps
-
2
Glute Bridge (Bodyweight)
3
12 reps
-
3
Goblet Squat
4
6 reps
-
4
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
4
6 reps
-
5
Push Up
4
4-6 reps
-
6
Plank
2
40 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Bodyweight)
2
15 reps
-
2
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
8 reps
-
4
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
3
6 reps
-
6
Plank
2
50 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Bodyweight)
3
15 reps
-
2
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
4
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
3
8 reps
-
6
Plank
3
30 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Underhand Lat Pulldown
4
8 reps
-
4A
Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
4B
Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)
3
10 reps
-
5
Suitcase Carry
2
20 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Underhand Lat Pulldown
4
10 reps
-
4A
Tricep Extension (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
4B
Hammer Curl
3
10 reps
-
5
Suitcase Carry
2
30 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Inverted Row
5
5 reps
-
4A
Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)
3
12 reps
-
4B
Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)
3
12 reps
-
5
Suitcase Carry
3
20 secs
-
Day 1
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
3
Inverted Row
4
7 reps
-
4A
Tricep Extension (Dumbbell)
3
12 reps
-
4B
Hammer Curl
3
12 reps
-
5
Suitcase Carry
3
30 secs
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Reverse Lunge (Bodyweight)
2
8 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
8 reps
-
3
Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)
3
8 reps
-
4
Seated Row (Cable)
3
10 reps
-
5
Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)
4
10 reps
-
6
Lateral Raise (Dumbbell)
3
12 reps
-
7
Dead Bug
2
6 reps
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Reverse Lunge (Bodyweight)
3
8 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
12 reps
-
3
Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)
4
8 reps
-
4
Seated Row (Cable)
3
14 reps
-
5
Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)
4
12 reps
-
6
Lateral Raise (Dumbbell)
3
15 reps
-
7
Dead Bug
2
8 reps
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Walking Lunge
3
10 reps
-
2
Box Step-Up
3
8 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
4
8 reps
-
4
Goblet Squat
4
6 reps
-
5
Seated Row (Cable)
3
8 reps
-
6
Overhead Press (Dumbbell)
2
7 reps
-
7
Dead Bug
3
6 reps
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Walking Lunge
3
12 reps
-
2
Box Step-Up
3
10 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
4
8 reps
-
4
Goblet Squat
4
8 reps
-
5
Seated Row (Cable)
3
10 reps
-
6
Overhead Press (Dumbbell)
3
7 reps
-
7
Dead Bug
3
8 reps
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
4
7 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Barbell)
3
5 reps
-
3
Step-Up (Weighted)
4
6 reps
-
4
Overhead Press (Dumbbell)
3
8 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
6
Plank
3
30 secs
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Deadlift (Dumbbell)
4
9 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Barbell)
3
5 reps
-
3
Step-Up (Weighted)
4
8 reps
-
4
Overhead Press (Dumbbell)
4
8 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
3
12 reps
-
6
Plank
3
35 secs
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Overhead Press (Barbell)
5
5 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Barbell)
3
5 reps
-
3
Bulgarian Split Squat (Bodyweight)
3
6 reps
-
4
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
4
7 reps
-
5
Superman
2
8 reps
-
6
Side Plank
2
8 reps
-
Day 2
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Overhead Press (Barbell)
5
5 reps
-
2
Deadlift (Barbell)
3
5 reps
-
3
Bulgarian Split Squat (Bodyweight)
3
8 reps
-
4
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
4
9 reps
-
5
Superman
2
10 reps
-
6
Side Plank
3
8 reps
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Push Up
1
AMRAP
-
2
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
3
Goblet Squat
4
8 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown
3
8 reps
-
5
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
4
8 reps
-
6
Plank
2
30 secs
-
7
Side Plank
2
10 secs
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Push Up
1
AMRAP
-
2
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
3
10 reps
-
3
Goblet Squat
4
8 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown
3
10 reps
-
5
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
4
10 reps
-
6
Plank
3
30 secs
-
7
Side Plank
2
15 secs
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Push Up
1
AMRAP
-
2
Hip Thrust (Dumbbell)
4
6 reps
-
3
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown
3
12 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
4
8 reps
-
6
Plank
2
40 secs
-
7
Side Plank
2
20 secs
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Push Up
1
AMRAP
-
2
Hip Thrust (Dumbbell)
5
6 reps
-
3
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown
3
15 reps
-
5
Bench Press (Dumbbell)
4
10 reps
-
6
Plank
3
40 secs
-
7
Side Plank
2
25 secs
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
4
5 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
6 reps
-
4
Single Arm Row (Dumbbell)
3
8 reps
-
5
Glute Bridge (Bodyweight)
2
10 reps
-
6
Pallof Press
2
5 reps
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
4
5 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
4
Single Arm Row (Dumbbell)
4
8 reps
-
5
Glute Bridge (Bodyweight)
2
12 reps
-
6
Pallof Press
2
7 reps
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
4
5 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
10 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown (Single Arm)
3
8 reps
-
5
Hollow Hold
3
4 reps
-
6
Windmill
3
6 reps
-
Day 3
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Intensity
1
Squat (Barbell)
3
8 reps
-
2
Bench Press (Barbell)
4
5 reps
-
3
Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)
3
12 reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown (Single Arm)
3
10 reps
-
5
Hollow Hold
3
6 reps
-
6
Windmill
3
8 reps
-
Week 1
1 / 8 Weeks
Day 2
1
Reverse Lunge (Bodyweight)2 Sets
8 Reps
-
2
Deadlift (Dumbbell)3 Sets
8 Reps
-
3
Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)3 Sets
8 Reps
-
4
Seated Row (Cable)3 Sets
10 Reps
-
5
Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)4 Sets
10 Reps
-
6
Lateral Raise (Dumbbell)3 Sets
12 Reps
-
7
Dead Bug2 Sets
6 Reps
-
Day 3
1
Push Up1 Set
AMRAP
-
2
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)3 Sets
10 Reps
-
3
Goblet Squat4 Sets
8 Reps
-
4
Lat Pulldown3 Sets
8 Reps
-
5
Alternating Dumbbell Curl4 Sets
8 Reps
-
6
Plank2 Sets
30 secs
-
7
Side Plank2 Sets
10 secs
-
Day 1
1
Squat (Bodyweight)3 Sets
10 Reps
-
2
Glute Bridge (Bodyweight)3 Sets
10 Reps
-
3
Goblet Squat3 Sets
6 Reps
-
4
Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)3 Sets
6 Reps
-
5
Push Up3 Sets
4-6 Reps
-
6
Plank2 Sets
30 secs
-