Exercise routines vary from the need, target, and a person’s overall physical health and capacity. They can be changed according to what one is aiming to achieve and in what timeframe. Despite these changes, fitness is an essential part of our lives without which we become prone to health issues, mental and physical both.
When you plan to hit the gym, keep in mind that everybody works differently, however, there are a few basic exercises that are recommended to beginners to create stamina and understand what works best for them. They can slowly modify or change the routine as per your comfort level and capacity to tackle the workouts.
Here are a few beginner workout plans and suggested exercises that are easy, to begin with and continue, with or without any equipment. These exercises, however, should not be done for more than 40 minutes at the beginner level. They include:
- Squats
Do not underestimate the potential of regular squats. This one exercise has many benefits which are not just seen short-term but will be felt in the long run, if practiced regularly. Squats focus on your glutes, knee joints, pelvis, thigh muscles, spine, and heels. It is the ultimate exercise for the lower body, especially joints and glutes. They also improve digestion, burns lower body fat, build thigh and calf muscles, and aids blood circulation.
Leaning forward while bending your glutes up and down with continued pressure on the knees and heels is what makes this exercise work. Squats can be done with dumbbells, barbells, or holding a chair or wall, or even without equipment at the beginner level.
Squats are of many types such as sumo squat, parallel or narrow, single-leg or pistol squats. One can choose the types according to the difficulty level and target.
For the beginner level, 2 sets of 20 repetitions with a 40 minute break are enough.
- Lunges
Lunges also target the lower body parts but they are more beneficial for maintaining an upright body posture and balance. It stretches the leg muscles and makes the knee joints strong by putting body weight on them. Lunges are best for building muscle mass to make your glutes and legs strong and flexible. They are ideal for toning and tightening thigh and calves muscles.
By bending one knee towards the floor and balancing the body with the other leg, lunges can be effective for back muscles, abdominals, gluteal muscles, quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings. They can either be done as half squats along with weights or without weights in a standing position. The forward lunges are done by walking forward in the lunge position.
- Sit-ups
Sit-ups are ideal for a toned and strengthened core that everyone desires. Unlike crunches, which target only the abs for a six-pack, sit-ups cover the entire core along with stretching the back, abdominal and hip muscles. However, reverse crunches and bicycle crunches can provide overall strengthening of the core and legs.
Sit-ups are best for strengthening the core and, better balance, stability, flexibility, improved posture, managing the back pain, and strengthening the diaphragm.
- Planks
Planks are one of the best and convenient exercises for core muscles. They can be performed anywhere, anytime. Planks can be of many types; basic, full-body, rocking, side plank, side plank with abduction, military/ dynamic, alternating shoulder taps, and mountain climbers.
Planks calm the body and mind, builds endurance, increases core capacity, and strengthens arm muscles as well. A minute of plank twice every day is enough to reap all these benefits.
- Burpees
Burpees burn fat and calories like any other cardio exercise. They are best for an overall body activity and fully engaged movement of all muscles. They stabilize blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels, making the heart work properly. They are also good for increasing focus and calming the brain.
Regular burpees workouts will burn belly fat faster than running on the treadmill or any other form of intense cardio.
It is better to stick to a basic workout plan at the beginner level and gradually build stamina to extend the time over 40 minutes, according to your preferences. Once adjusted and comfortable with this 40-minute rule, the workouts can be made more complicated and challenging.
