Everyone needs a little help getting started on a new routine. Coffee addictions and snooze-button obsessions can be broken (but maybe not at the same time!). Your 2018 resolution may have been to improve your fitness and get stronger, and with so many options out there, it may seem overwhelming to know where to direct your time and energy. Here are 15 great options that include strength training, core building, and cardio development — all designed for beginners.
If you start with something too difficult, struggling through can be very discouraging. Set yourself up for workout success by taking time to allow your body to add challenges in a responsible and thoughtful way. After four to six weeks, you will notice that your body is looking for more. That is when you can choose more difficult routines. Until then, sweat and recover and get stronger in a way that works for you!
These 14 exercises are a great introduction to the type of moves your body will be doing as it starts on its fitness journey. And they are equipment free! Take it at your own pace, and if something hurts, ease up or stop the exercise completely. Done correctly, these moves should feel challenging but not painful.
Nothing says fit and fabulous like a pair of sculpted arms. The key with this workout is pairing two exercises back to back for maximum burn. All you need is a pair of dumbbells!
If you aren't ready to jump (literally) into a cardio workout, try this low-impact sequence of seven exercises. Low impact does not mean low intensity, so be ready to feel the burn!
How about a workout where you never have to get off the floor? Just because you aren't running around doesn't mean you won't be firing up your muscle groups. Grab a mat, and hit the floor for this 10-move circuit.
You've got six minutes for tighter abs, don't you? This workout includes six moves, done for 30 seconds each, making a 3-minute workout. Repeat for a total of 2 times for 6 minutes of core burn!
For those machine addicts out there, this is the beginner elliptical workout for you. Ellipticals are great due to the low impact on joints and the ability to work upper and lower body at the same time (you can't do that on a treadmill!).
Sometimes you don't want something slow and controlled. But you don't want 30-60 minutes of insanity. How about 10 minutes of intensity? This is a ladder-style workout that increases repetitions as time passes. It may seem easy at first, but you'll be happy when time's up!
You've seen them in the gym, now it's time to introduce yourself to a highly versatile gym tool — the kettlebell (KB). With just 5 exercises, this workout will have you sweating and gaining strength in no time. Once you have completed one complete round, go for a second; you'll be amazed how tired (and pumped) you feel!
Not a fan of running? No problem. This take-anywhere workout gets you the cardio push without having to hit the road (or the treadmill). You will need a jump rope, stairs or a step, and about 30 minutes to complete it.
You've seen the masses on the treadmills, and you want to be there too. No idea where to start? Here is an interval workout designed to acclimate you to the machine AND the work, and you'll be running with the regulars before you know it.
Yoga is the new little black dress — everyone needs it in their fitness closet. If you've never set foot on a mat before, never fear. Practice these foundational moves at home before you try a class, and your transition will be more confident, and you'll get more from your class time if you aren't trying to figure out what this Warrior business is from scratch. Yoga is lifelong fitness, perfect for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.
When you are just starting out, you may need to focus on efficiency rather than total time in the gym. Tabata is the perfect solution.
This workout is a quick 10-minute gut buster. You'll work to your max, but
it's only 10 minutes. It's doable, promise! Working at this level creates EPOC,
loosely explained as post-workout continued fat burning. Sounds like a great
investment, doesn't it? All you need for this workout it a timer!
Who said working out had to be all weights and machines? Why not dance your way to fitness? This 30-minute video will get your heart rate up AND has modifications to help you finish!
There are several reasons we love this 30-minute workout video for beginners. First, it is all bodyweight, so no equipment needed. Second, it is full body, from legs to core to upper body. Third, and most importantly, it shows how to progress the moves from beginner to advanced, allowing you to take things at your own pace AND to choose when and how you make it harder!
Barre is one of the hottest formats in fitness. If you've been itching to see what it's all about, try this four-move booty toning sequence. It'll burn, but for only 7 minutes. You've got that! All you need is a resistance band. Each exercise should be done for 30 seconds, or 30 seconds per side.