New to Working Out? Strengthen Up with this Beginner Routine
Total comments: 8
If you have never trained before and want to get stronger, then this workout is perfect for you!
Advantages:
- only four exercises
- train all the major muscles
- train at home using minimal equipment
- progress in own time
Workout Structure:
- Do 10-20 repetitions of each exercise or as many as you can according to your fitness level.
- Each exercise is followed immediatley by the next as a circuit.
- Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit 2 to 4 times.
- Try this workout twice per week and remember to warm up and cool down
Exercises:
1. Push ups – chest, shoulders, and triceps
Kneel on an exercise mat and cross your feet behind you. Place your hands shoulder width apart. Your body weight must be on your arms. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Slowly lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor. Keep looking forward and keep your body in a straight line. Press back up while breathing out. Do not lock your elbows.
2: Split Squat – quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes
Stand with your feet far apart; one foot forward and one foot behind. Squat down by bending both knees until the front leg is parallel to the floor and the rear knee almost touches the floor. Keep body upright. Press back up while breathing out.
3: Band Rows – back, biceps
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out and your body upright. Place an elastic band around your feet. Pull the band towards your abdominals in a row like fashion. Breathe out as you pull. Return to start.
BONUS exercise: When you do not have an elastic band:
Lie on your abdomen with your legs straight and your arms out next to your sides in line with your shoulders like a ‘T’. Slowly lift the arms up, hold and slowly lower. Keep your chest flat and abdominals pulled in. Squeeze your shoulders back.
4: Hip Lifts – lower back, hamstrings, and glutes
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowing lift your butt up off the floor and raise the hips so that you form a straight line with your shoulders and knees. Lower under control.
Hi,
Is there any other exercise that I could do other than 1. Push ups – chest, shoulders, and triceps?
I have carpal tunnel and can’t put my weight on my hands in this way.
Many thanks
Hi mook, if you have dumbbells you can try doing a press exercise with light weights. You wont be able to take the pressure off your wrist completely but maybe you can try putting your hand in a fist instead of flat. To take the pressure off your hand even more you can do the push up against a wall standing upright, and then as you get stronger move to the floor.
Hey Daniela I’m 22 years old, height is 5″3 and my wight is about 163Ibs.. Having a huge weight on hips, thighs and belly… Kindly tell me wat to do…. I’ll be waitin 2ur reply
Hi, i need tips to make me more balanced out through my whole body.. right now I am stronger on my right side of my body than my left.. what can I do to help this?
Hi Carole, The best way is to start any training programme, and just do one set extra for each exercise and workout on your left side. This will help you balance out. Take care
Hi Sara, you can follow all the workouts and diet advice in the articles provided and you will soon be on your way. Good luck
Hi, after my thyroid completely packed in last year I put on 3 – 3.5 stone. I would love to loose the weight but everytime I start to feel like I can begin exercise something else happens. So far I’ve had treatment for a liver disease which I finished last year Jan13th, this treatment knocked me for six which in turn caused thyriod problems, after all that the pain in my side for all these years was my gall bladder. I was rushed into hospital 3-4 times with infections until finally they took it out in dec 2011. I was feeling better started swimming and yesterday tried to move a radiator with someone and pulled my back. i need desperately to loose this weight. I would like to start but my I am in lots of pain with my back.
Hi Lorna, the best advice i can give you is to work with a rehabilitation specialist who can advise you on back exercise. Until your back is stronger please follow the nutritional advice on our site to help you lose the weight.