Today, I’m gonna dive into some of the main things for you to consider when you’re looking for a good workout routine for beginners. Of course, there are varying degrees of “beginner” fitness levels. And, for the purposes of today’s discussion, I’m going to define “beginner” as someone who hasn’t done any formal exercise in at least 5 years.
You’re about to learn a few main areas you’ll want to address in your new workout routine, and I’ll provide my simple go-to workout that can be done in under 10 minutes, requires little-to-no equipment, and is a great workout for beginners who are just getting started. It can also be utilized for any fitness goal – weight loss, body transformation, strength training, bodybuilding, any goal really.
2 Main Types Of Exercise Found In Beginner Workouts
There are tons of different workout styles, type and classes. You’ve got everything from CrossFit, to PowerLifting, To Yoga & Pilates, and everything in-between. All of these different types of workouts can get confusing for seasoned fitness enthusiasts let alone those just starting out on their fitness journeys
So, to keep things simple we’re going to break things down into an easy-to-understand fashion.
The first main type of exercise is “Cardio”. We’ll define cardio as any sustained exercise movements that elevate your heart rate above normal range. The average adult heart rate is 60 – 100 beats per minute. So, something as simple as walking can elevate your heart rate up to 110 BPM for example, making it “cardio”. By the way, walking is a key component in the exercise for beginners – especially if your goal is fat loss and body transformation.
Most people equate “cardio” with exercises like stationary bikes – think Peloton, running, swimming etc. However, you can turn any movement into “cardio” simply by doing the movement so that it elevates your heart rate, and you then sustain the exercise for a set duration – usually several seconds up to hours. Some examples of this would be doing burpees for 1-2 minutes, or sprints, or tabata workouts etc. The combinations are endless.
The second main type of exercise used in beginner workout routines is resistance training. Resistance traning and strength training are literally the same. I use the term resistance training as many people automatically associate strength training with bodybuilders, weightlifters, and powerlifting. And, many new to fitness automatically shy away as soon as they hear their trainer say “strength training” will be a part of their program.
Here’s the definition of Resistance Training:
Strength training or resistance training involves the performance of physical exercises that are designed to improve strength and endurance. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate a variety of training techniques such as calisthenics, isometrics, and plyometrics.[1]
How Often Should You Workout At Beginner Fitness Levels?
Okay, so now that we have a grasp on the 2 main types of exercise in beginner workout routines – cardio and resistance training, we need to figure out how often a beginner should workout.
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule here.
Workout frequency when starting out really depends on your base fitness levels. Many people seek out trainers to assess their base fitness levels at gyms and then are pitched on personal training services. Don’t get me wrong. I highly recommend and personally use mentors in many areas of my life, including fitness. However, I also understand that many people are not in a position to hire a trainer for various reasons.
The most important part of any workout routine or program is consistency.
As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer in the past, the general rule is that you need to workout at a minimum of 2 days per week, and you can workout up to 7 days per week depending on type of workout, proper recovery, and a couple of other factors.
Most trainers and programs for beginners are designed at a frequency of 3 days per week as the standard. If you go to your local gym, there’s a 99% chance the trainer will set your initial frequency to 3 days a week, and then assess your progress and adjust accordingly.
As you progress in your fitness journey, you can explore many other frequency options. Of course, the program design often dictates the number of days per week you’ll work out. You definitely want to choose a frequency that meets your current fitness level and your schedule.
Ideal Intensity Levels As You Begin Your Fitness Lifestyle
So, the next thing to consider when you get started working out is the intensity level. Intensity is simple how hard you exert yourself on any given movement. This is very subjective, and something that seems very hard to one person may seem easy to another.
Also, there are several ways to measure intensity levels. The easiest is related to resistance training. For example the amount of weight you use on a given exercise is the intensity level – Dumbbell bench press using 45 lb dumbbells. To increase the intensity level you’d just do the next set with 50 lb dumbbells. It’s pretty straightforward.
For cardio done on machines it’s also really easy to measure. Say you’re walking on the treadmill and you set the speed to 3.0 mph. To increase intensity, you could change the speed to 3.5 mph. Also, you could increase the incline of the treadmill as well.
Just remember that doing bench press at 45lbs may be very difficult for one person, and it could be a simple warm-up for another person.
There is one method of measuring intensity that universal to all exercises. It’s the one most trainers use. It’s also the way I personally measure intensity in my workouts.
It’s called Rate Of Perceived Exertion (RPE). It’s very simple. You grade your effort on a particular exercise, cardio session, or entire workout on a scale from 1 to 10. 10/10 effort would mean that you would physically fail then next repetition or fall off the treadmill etc if you did any more work before resting. I always recommend 8-9/10 effort, and that’s what I do myself. This prevents injury, and allows for proper growth and recovery.
If you’re brand new to working out, I would recommend starting off at about 5-6/10 and then gradually increasing the intensity levels up to 8/10. You will be focused on mastering the movements and techniques for the exercises, and if you sustain an injury it will just set you back from achieving your goals.
A Great Workout Routine For Beginners
If you’re totally new to fitness training, here’s a great workout to get you started. It’s a full-body workout that utilizes zero or minimal equipment. It can be done anywhere – gym, home, hotel, or the beach!
I literally do this short workout every day as it takes 8-10 minutes.
1. Alternating lunges – 10 each leg
2. Inch Worms – 10
3. Alternating Reverse Lunges – 10 each leg
4. Fire Hydrants – 10 each leg (think dog peeing on a hydrant)
5. Lying Torso Rotation – 10 each way
6. Lying Body Twists – 10 each way
7. Lying Pelvic Thrusts – 10
8. Air Squats – 10 up to 25
9. Push-ups – 10 up to 25
10. Forward/Backward Arm Circles – 10 each direction
11. Reach The Sky – 10
If this is too much to complete at once simple reduce the reps down to 5 each set. If you need to increase the intensity, you can add a weight vest and do all the exercises with that worn.
Try to start off with a frequency of 3 days a week. If it’s too much – extremely sore at start of next workout, then back off to 2 days a week. Also, take a day off in-between in the beginning as your schedule allows. Do 3 days a week for 4 weeks then add a day (4/week) for 4 weeks, and rinse and repeat.
Conclusion
I hope you learned a bit about good workout routines for beginners here. In fact I’ve shared the building blocks of a workout for any fitness level – exercise types done, frequency, and intensity. You’ll just tailor the exercises to your fitness goals. I would always include both cardio and resistance training in your routines. And, if your goal is to burn fat or lose weight, RESISTANCE TRAINING IS MANDATORY!!!
If you have any questions or would like help in any way, just leave me a comment below, and I’m happy to help out 🙂