your free starter

the strong
starter strength × sculpt

by alex rose  ·  reset & remodel

if you've been walking into the gym and just defaulting to an hour of cardio because you genuinely don't know what else to do, you're so not alone. i did exactly that for years. this is the thing that changed it.

here's the whole idea, before we start: you do not need two hours, every machine on the floor, or a workout that leaves you flat on the ground. you need a plan you'll actually keep.

30 to 45 minutes. a pair of dumbbells. strength and sculpt working together. that's genuinely it.

it's not healthy if it's not bringing you joy. that rule applies in here too.

first, the rules

5 rules of training
that actually works

1

exhausted is not the goal. effective is.

feeling like you got hit by a bus does not mean it worked. the goal is to leave feeling strong and worked, not wrecked, because that's the version of you that comes back and does it again tomorrow. consistency is the whole game.

2

strength and sculpt. you don't pick one.

strength is the heavier, compound work that actually reshapes your body and builds the muscle that changes everything. sculpt is the targeted, higher-rep work that gives you the detail and the burn. most people do one and wonder why they're stuck. you're going to do both.

3

30 to 45 minutes is genuinely enough.

more time is not more results. an intentional 40 minutes beats a distracted 90 every single time. the best workout is the one you can fit into your real life and keep doing for years, not the one that burns you out by week two.

4

same moves, a little more demand.

you don't need a brand new workout every week. keep the movements the same and slowly add a little weight or a rep or two over time. the structure stays. the load changes. that's how a body actually adapts, and it's so much less overwhelming than chasing something new constantly.

5

dumbbells over scary machines.

you never have to touch a single piece of equipment that intimidates you. i mean that. a pair of dumbbells and an actual plan will take you so much further than wandering the gym floor hoping something clicks. this whole split is built for exactly that.

now, the split

3 days. all dumbbells.
all under 45 minutes.

day one · lower
≈ 40 min
legs and glutes. the day that builds your foundation and gives you the shape.
warm up · 5 min
bodyweight squatsx 15
glute bridgesx 15
hip circles + leg swings30s each
strength · 3 rounds
dumbbell goblet squat3 × 8-10
dumbbell romanian deadlift3 × 10
dumbbell reverse lunge3 × 8 / leg
sculpt · 2-3 rounds
dumbbell glute bridge3 × 15
curtsy lunge3 × 12 / leg
donkey kickback3 × 15 / leg
fire hydrant3 × 15 / leg

why this order: heavy strength first while you're fresh, then sculpt to finish the muscle off. that's where the burn and the detail come from.

day two · upper + core
≈ 35 min
arms, shoulders, back, and a real core finisher. the day you'll feel the most "wait, i'm actually strong."
warm up · 4 min
arm circles + scap push-upsx 12
light dumbbell rowsx 12
strength · 3 rounds
dumbbell floor chest press3 × 10
dumbbell bent-over row3 × 10
dumbbell shoulder press3 × 8-10
sculpt · 2-3 rounds
dumbbell bicep curl3 × 12
overhead tricep extension3 × 12
lateral raise (light)3 × 15
core finisher · 2 rounds
plank hold30-45s
dead bugx 12 / side
russian twistx 20

why light on the sculpt: the strength block already lit up these muscles. sculpt here is about control and the pump, not ego. lighter weight, cleaner reps.

day three · full body
≈ 40 min
a little of everything with a glute lean. the day that ties the whole week together.
warm up · 5 min
bodyweight squats + bridgesx 15
high knees / march45s
strength · 3 rounds
dumbbell hang clean3 × 8
dumbbell goblet squat3 × 10
single-arm dumbbell row3 × 10 / side
sculpt · 2-3 rounds
bodyweight jump squat3 × 12
dumbbell walking lunge3 × 10 / leg
dumbbell hip thrust3 × 15
wall sit hold2 × 45s

why the hang clean: it's one of my favorites. it makes you feel powerful and athletic, it works your whole body at once, and it is the opposite of intimidating once someone actually shows you how. you've got this.

"changes in how you look will come. but it means nothing if you're unhappy, even in a fit body."
alex rose
how to actually run it

simple, on purpose.

3 to 4 days a weekrun day 1, 2, 3 in order, then repeat. rest days are part of the plan, not a failure. your body builds on the rest, not in the gym.
pick a weight that's a little hardthe last 2 reps of every strength set should feel genuinely challenging. if you could do 5 more, go heavier next round.
add a little each weeksame workouts. once a set feels easy, add 2.5 to 5 lbs or one to two reps. that slow build is the whole secret.
warm up, don't skip itfive minutes makes everything feel better and keeps you in this for the long run. longevity over intensity, every time.
when you're ready for more

this is the free version.
imagine it built for you.

this split is yours to keep forever, no strings. but if you're the kind of person who wants this built around your body, your schedule, and your goals, with me writing your program, adjusting it as you get stronger, and in your corner every single week, that's exactly what reset & remodel is.

work with me
happiest, hottest, healthiest. together.

hi, i'm alex.

i'm a coach, a former icu nurse, and someone who spent years with a complicated relationship with food and exercise before i found the version of all this that actually felt good. that's the whole reason i do this.

i'm not here to sell you discipline or restriction or the next aesthetic goal. i'm here to teach you the why behind everything, so that one day you don't need me, you just know. strong, confident, and hot in your body, regardless of what any scale says.