New to lifting
Fundamentals
Learn the core lifts, three short sessions a week, and build the habit everything else sits on.
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Frequency
- 3 days a week
- Sessions
- 35 minutes (25 to 40)
- Phases
- 3
Free to download. Eligible new subscribers get 14 days free, then $89.99 a year or $14.99 a month.
The short version
Fundamentals is an 8-week, three-day full-body program for people new to lifting. It teaches the squat, hinge, press and pull with light weights and long rest, adds a third set in week 5, and starts nudging the weight up in weeks 7 and 8. Sessions run about 35 minutes.
A good fit if
You are new to lifting, or coming back after a long break, and you want to learn the main movements properly before you chase heavier weights.
Look elsewhere if
You already train consistently and want more of a challenge. The 3-Day Full-Body or Founder's Program will suit you better.
How it's built
- Phase 1 · Weeks 1 to 4
Learn the Lifts
Light weights, long rest, 10 to 12 reps with two or three left in the tank. The goal is to groove the movements, not to be sore.
- Phase 2 · Weeks 5 and 6
Build Confidence
The same lifts with a third set. Nothing else changes, so you can feel what the extra set does.
- Phase 3 · Weeks 7 and 8
Add the Weight
Three sets of 8 to 10, and the weight moves up on any lift that has started to feel easy.
Deloads. No deload weeks. The program is short and the effort stays moderate throughout.
A typical week
Three full-body sessions a week, with a rest day between each. Train when you can; the next session waits for you.
- 01 Full Body: Squat, Push and Pull 25 to 35 min
- 02 Full Body: Hinge, Press and Pull 25 to 35 min
- 03 Full Body: Legs and Upper 35 to 40 min
Session times are the app's own estimates, including the guided warm-up and cool-down.
A sample session
Full Body: Squat, Push and Pull
- Goblet Squat
- DB Bench Press
- Single-Arm Row
- Plank
Measured sets the weight and reps for every set from your starting weights, then adjusts them from what you lift and how many reps you had left. The movements change to fit your equipment.
Gym, home or bodyweight
Written around Dumbbells and an adjustable bench.
Gym
Runs as written, with a few dumbbell moves swapped for gym equivalents, such as a cable pushdown.
Home
Runs on the dumbbells you own. Weights snap to your set, and Measured adds reps first when your next dumbbell up is a big jump.
Bodyweight
Each lift is swapped for a bodyweight or band version that works the same muscles.
Why run it in Measured
You could follow a program from a PDF. Here is what changes when the app runs it.
How to start
- Download Measured and answer a few setup questions: your experience, your goal, your days, your time and where you train.
- See what it suggests. Setup recommends up to three programs that fit, with one marked as its pick. Take it, or choose Fundamentals from the full library.
- Set your starting weights, or tell it to start you light. Then start your subscription (14 days free for eligible new subscribers) and your first session is ready.
Questions
I have never lifted. Is this really for me?
Yes. Fundamentals assumes no experience. Each exercise has written cues and, for most lifts, a short demonstration video, and the early weeks keep the weights light on purpose.
How do I know what weight to use?
During setup you can tell Measured to start you light, or enter weights you already know. From there it suggests the weight for every set and adjusts it from what you lift and how many reps you had left.
What comes after Fundamentals?
Most people move on to the 3-Day Full-Body or the 30-Minute Full-Body. You can switch programs in the app at any time.