Want to start working out but don’t know where to begin? This is a common issue for almost every beginner. Fortunately, you can always benefit from the experience of others. I am happy to share mine. Here you will find all the necessary information about beginner workouts. I’ll discuss workouts for both women and men, both at the gym and at home. I’ll also throw in a few practical tips to make your life easier.
Beginner Workout. How to Start Exercising Table of Contents Beginner Workout. How to Start Exercising Beginner Workouts How to Prepare for a Workout What Equipment You Need for Your First Workout Where to Start Your First Workout – Warm-up How to Start Working Out at Home/Without Equipment Beginner Exercises Without Equipment Beginner Workouts with Dumbbells Dumbbell Exercises for Beginners Beginner Workouts at the Gym Gym Workouts for Women Sample Beginner Workout Plan for the Gym How to Start Exercising After 50 Summary Recommended by the Author
You don’t need a gym membership to start an active lifestyle. Of course, the gym is also an excellent place for your workouts. I just want to say that there are plenty of exercises you can do without any equipment. Beginners can easily start their workout at home. Outdoor activities are also a great option. It’s worth taking advantage of available variations such as a street workout park. There are truly many possibilities. So, how do you get started?
Before you start exercising, you should prepare properly. I’m not talking about equipment, though. You will need a few things, but they’re not the most important. The key to success is the right mindset. The most important thing before starting a workout is making a conscious decision and having the right motivation. Without these, you simply won’t succeed. I’ve discussed this topic more broadly in my 8 tips on how to start losing weight. No matter what goal you want to achieve, the beginning will always be the same. Without a clearly defined goal and strong motivation, it’s easy to give up halfway. So, determine what you want to achieve and why, and I guarantee you’ll succeed.
Since I mentioned a few useful items, it’s worth listing them. First and foremost, ensure comfort and safety. You really don’t need much for your first workout. Some people invest in equipment before they even start exercising. After a few workouts, their enthusiasm wanes, and all those items end up in the corner. Meanwhile, aside from standard clothing items, you only need:
Now that you know how to prepare for exercising, let’s move on to the actual workout. Every workout should start with a warm-up! Raising your body temperature prepares your muscles for exertion. This way, they can endure more without risking injury. You can start your warm-up with jogging in place, adding arm swings. I also recommend jumps, leg swings, torso twists, and jumping jacks. Once you feel warmed up, do some mobility exercises. Simply put, do some stretching. Better mobility allows for proper exercise execution. The entire warm-up should take you 10-15 minutes.
People beginning their strength training journey can easily do so at home. Functional exercises that mimic natural movements work great. These include squats, lunges, and push-ups. Push-ups, in particular, are excellent for beginners. Besides working the chest, they engage the arm and shoulder muscles significantly. You can adjust their difficulty by changing hand placement or elevating your feet. If necessary, you can make them easier by resting your knees. Additionally, maintaining a straight posture requires effort from your postural muscles, such as the abs and glutes. You can engage them even more by doing various planks. Performing such bodyweight exercises will suffice for a start. If possible, it’s also worth doing pull-ups. While this isn’t a no-equipment exercise, it’s still great for beginners at home. It engages the back and biceps, complementing push-ups. Additionally, hanging from a bar allows for effective abdominal exercises by lifting your legs.
Incorporating dumbbells into your exercises takes your workout to the next level. With added weight, you can develop strength and build muscle. Before starting with dumbbells, it’s worth exercising without equipment for some time. This way, your body will be adequately prepared for the additional load. Dumbbell training significantly expands the range of available exercises. You can easily train all muscles this way. The most well-known are arm exercises. However, dumbbells are also great for leg, back, and abdominal workouts. You just need to know how to use them. And that’s what I’ll teach you today. Just remember that you need to introduce weight gradually. Don’t try to lift as much as possible right away. First, perfect your technique.
To make things easier for you, I’ll list a few exercises for each muscle group. For each one, you’ll find a detailed description and an instructional video by clicking the link. I’m sure this will help you know how to start working out with dumbbells.
Starting strength training at the gym is a great solution. Of course, it needs to be done wisely. Beginners can only do certain exercises. The available equipment will make your task much easier. Can’t do a pull-up yet? Use the lat pulldown machine with less weight. Soon, lifting your body weight this way will no longer be a problem. The best workout plan for beginners is FBW (Full Body Workout). However, it’s easy to make a big mistake here. Standard full-body workouts include compound exercises that require a lot of experience. First, don’t jump straight into technically difficult exercises! Start with cables and machines — there will be time for free weights. Second, don’t try to lift as much as possible right away. I always say that a properly performed exercise yields better results. Jerking heavy weights haphazardly is not beneficial. Moreover, it’s dangerous and can easily lead to injury.
It’s no secret that women’s bodies are different from men’s. However, this is no obstacle to strength training. But does such training make sense for women? In my opinion, definitely yes! Strengthening muscles brings countless health benefits. Primarily, it’s about postural muscles that help maintain proper posture. Moreover, this type of training firms the body. Some women worry that weight training will give them a masculine appearance. This is completely unfounded. Only hormonal therapy can lead to that. It might be harder for women to start working out at the gym, but there are ways to make it easier. For beginners, exercises that strengthen the entire body will suffice. This allows for quick and even strength growth. For beginner women, TRX band exercises are a good option. They allow adjusting the difficulty level for everyone. However, remember not to stop there! A common mistake among amateur exercisers is a lack of progress. Muscles quickly get used to a specific load and it stops being challenging. Therefore, you need to increase the weight from time to time.
As you know, you don’t have to lift weights at the gym right away. Personally, I recommend starting with bodyweight exercises and TRX bands. If necessary, some of the exercises below can be done with additional weight. Here’s a sample FBW for beginners at the gym:
Table 1: Beginner Workout Plan for the Gym
| No. | Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fast squat 3 x 25 | Raising arms in lunges 4 x 10 | Reachers 4 x 15 |
| 2 | Hip twist lying 4 x 20 | Trx lunge 4 x 20 | Squat & reach 4 x 20 |
| 3 | Hip lifting support back 4 x 15 | Hip twist lying 4 x 20 | Plank to push up 4 x 12 |
| 4 | Trx rows 4 x 15 | Reverse snow angel 4 x 12 | Reverse push up 4 x 15 |
| 5 | Trx chest press 4 x 15 | Stop squat 4 x 30 s | Trx Rows 4 x 15 |
| 6 | Mountain climber 3 x 30 s | Plank 4 x 30 s | Mountain climber 4 x 30 s |
How to Start Exercising After 50
Anytime is a good time to start taking care of yourself. Remember, it’s better late than never. It doesn’t matter if you’re 15, 20, 50, or older. The important thing is choosing the right exercises. I know many people who started training quite late. Some call it a midlife crisis. Of course, there’s no shame in it. On the contrary — I think it’s definitely something to be proud of. However, you need to approach it correctly. Remember, as you age, the body forgives less. You can’t overexert yourself. You need to get used to the effort gradually. If your current physical activity level is zero, start with walking. A basic pedometer will be useful for this. Fortunately, it's now installed on almost every phone. Set increasingly challenging goals for yourself. After some time, switch from walking to running. When you feel ready, introduce strength training. As in most cases, it’s worth starting with a general workout. In this case, I particularly recommend using a personal trainer. Such a person will properly arrange your training plan so that it’s effective and safe.
There is no one-size-fits-all way to start strength training. Each of you must find your own path. As you can see, there are many possibilities. Regardless of age, gender, and current fitness level, anyone can start exercising. However, remember that training should be personalized. You can plan it yourself or seek professional help. It all depends on your preferences. Gaining knowledge on this topic and planning workouts yourself is very satisfying. You can find all the necessary information on the internet. I’m trying to help you with this. However, it takes a lot of time. If you prefer professional help, let me know. I’ll create not only a training plan but also a personalized diet for you. Together, we’ll take care of your health and achieve your dream figure much faster. See for yourself the results achieved by others who decided to work with me.
