To perform the glute bridge, lie on your back with bent knees and flat feet on the ground. Constrain your glutes and lift your hips so that your body creates a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Pause briefly and squeeze the glutes again, then return to the starting position.

To make this exercise harder, you can add a dumbbell or barbell across the hips add a mat for cushioning as you master the movement. The great thing about push-ups is that you can do them anywhere, equipment-free. There are also different variations that can make the exercise harder or easier depending on your fitness level.

For example, if you are an absolute beginner, the push-up can be done against a wall. Once you get stronger, you can do it with your hands elevated on an incline and gradually decrease the height of the incline to make it more challenging.

Once you can do push-ups from the ground, you can play around with hand positioning and the tempo to increase the difficulty. Deadlifts are considered one of the few exercises that closely translates to the movements you use in everyday life, such as carrying heavy grocery bags and setting them down.

There are variations to this exercise as well, and it can be done using dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells. As a beginner, doing deadlifts with a pair of dumbbells in hand is a good place to start.

This exercise helps you practice hinging from your hips, as well as targets your core, back, glutes and hamstrings. To do a dumbbell deadlift you'll want to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a soft bend in your knees, as you hold the dumbbells in front of you.

Keep your shoulders back avoid rounding your back as you bend at the hips and push your hips back as you slowly lower your torso, keeping the dumbbells close to your shins.

Stop once your body is parallel to the floor. You should feel a stretch in the hamstrings at the bottom of the movement. Slowly come back up to the starting position while maintaining your form. As you improve your form on this exercise, you can increase the dumbbell weight or progress to barbells and kettlebells.

Pulling exercises such as the dumbbell rows target the muscles on your back and can even help improve your posture. To do this exercise you'll need a weight bench and a pair of dumbbells. If you don't have a weight bench, you can find one at most gyms, or use any similar bench you have at home just make sure it's sturdy.

To start, bend over and position your left knee on the bench along with your left hand directly in front, aligned with your shoulder, supporting your body weight.

In this position, your back should be flat. Meanwhile, with your right hand, hold a dumbbell extended toward the floor. To perform the row, roll your shoulders back pull the dumbbell in as you draw the elbow towards your hip. As you improve on the form for the dumbbell row, you'll be able to progress to other variations such as the barbell or kettlebell row.

This exercise can be done using dumbbells or kettlebells and will challenge your upper body, shoulder and core stabilization as well as help strengthen your grip.

The point of the farmer's carry is to prepare you to have the ability to carry heavy objects in hand. For example, if you want to carry in all your heavy groceries in one trip instead of making multiple trips.

Pushing through the pain is not a good idea, as it can cause injuries. Taking your time to progress through your fitness program can help you maintain your routine in the long term and make the most of it.

Be sure to stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet, warm up before exercising, cool down afterward, and listen to your body. The key to staying motivated and making exercise a habit is to have fun while doing it.

This helps you to not dread exercising. Like the sample exercise program shown above, you can mix up activities while keeping it fun for you. Working out as a group or with a friend can also help maintain accountability and motivate you to keep up your exercise routine. Furthermore, tracking your progress, such as logging your weightlifting levels or noting your running times, can help keep you motivated to improve your personal records.

To maintain your motivation, try mixing up your workouts, joining a gym, or participating in a team sport. And be sure to track your progress. Starting a new exercise routine can be challenging.

However, having real objectives can help you maintain a fitness program in the long term. There are many different types of physical activity to choose from. Find a few that work for you and be sure to vary them occasionally.

The goal is to start slowly, build up your fitness level, and let your body rest from time to time to help prevent injuries. Keeping track of your progress or taking a virtual group class are examples of actionable steps that can help you stay motivated and achieve your goals.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY.

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts. Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses 1, 2, 3 are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers. The moment you feel joy, your brain, blood, and autonomic nervous system all start working to make that feeling last.

But exactly how does that work…. Job-related stress is natural but may hurt your mental and emotional health. These strategies may help avoid burnout. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. Why exercise? Common types of exercise. How to get started. A few tips for beginners. It's no secret that exercising is great for the mind , body , and soul. But while everyone wants those ~gains~, starting can be the hardest part of working out consistently.

No matter your age or experience, there are so many benefits to starting an exercise routine —increasing your metabolic rate by building muscle , stronger bones , ligaments, and tendons, improving blood pressure , and supporting your immune system , says Kristen McParland, CPT, NASM-certified personal trainer and certified nutrition coach with more than 10 years of experience.

Meet the experts: Kristen McParland , CPT, is a NASM-certified personal trainer and certified nutrition coach with more than 10 years of experience. What's more exercising has a positive psychological impact as well: People ages 15 to 25 with mood disorders worked out three times a week for 12 weeks, and their moods significantly improved when measured by the Beck Depression Inventory in a Journal of Psychiatric Practice study.

But doing random workouts you see on TikTok or Instagram isn't the most efficient way to access all those perks. As a beginner or even a total pro, a comprehensive program helps you achieve your goals and take out the guesswork.

Ahead, a complete beginner workout plan , including cardio and strength training , and expert answers to those burning exercise questions. Get ready to sweat smart.

Perhaps your view of cardio is slogging away for hours on an elliptical or treadmill. Cardio actually includes a wide variety of aerobic exercise. A few of the benefits of cardio include better endurance in strength training, better blood pressure regulation, and higher VO2 max the ability to take in more oxygen and deliver it to your muscles efficiently , she says.

You don't have to go all-in and train for a marathon —simply start at your own pace and build. Pick any form of cardio you enjoy and sprinkle it in two to three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes, McParland recommends.

Then, take rest days in-between your cardio days. Running indoors or out, biking or cycling , rowing , or using the elliptical or stair master are great cardio options, McParland recommends. No matter which form of cardio you choose, start out with interval training —try jogging or working for 30 seconds, then walking for a minute or two, and alternate that pattern for 20 minutes.

First things first: Master the foundational movement patterns of strength training. These are the patterns you'll want to hit every week:.

Start strength training with full-body workouts two days a week at a minimum, she says. During both of those days, you should hit at least one exercise from each category of the foundational movement patterns, which will usually take around 40 to 60 minutes.

Try that for four to six weeks, and see how your body feels—if your body is craving a third day of full-body training , feel free to add that in.

For example, you can schedule two upper-body days and two lower-body days, or a glute day, an upper-body workout day, a lower-body burn day, and a core workout day. Wherever your starting point, this beginner-friendly program, designed by McParland, will help you master those movement patterns and work your whole body for four weeks.

Complete the five programmed workouts detailed ahead! when it's convenient for you. Focus on your form and take two solid rest days for recover. Active rest days: Your activity on this day is up to you with the goal of some kind of motion on rest days.

You could go for a long walk or hike lasting 40 minutes or more, or roll out your mat for a yoga class. If you hit all the workouts you wanted to during week one, repeat them during week two and increase one variable reps or sets, weight, range of motion, slow down, reduce your rest periods in each workout, McParland says.

If you didn't hit your step goal, cardio, or missed a strength workout, don't stress. Refocus on completing all of the week one workouts before upping any of the above. Repeat the workouts from week two exactly the same or increase one variable again.

Option to add a third strength workout to level up. Still going strong? Hit all six workouts and increase one variable during each one for extra challenge. Option to ramp up your cardio to 30 to 40 minutes or increase that step goal. Full-Body Strength I. Warmup with 5 minutes of cardio of your choice, like walking, jogging, rowing, biking, elliptical, or jumping rope.

There's nothing on your schedule today, but try to stay active as much as you can by taking breaks, walking, stretching and moving. Some ideas:. Again, today is like an active recovery.

You'll simply find time to walk, all at once or spread throughout the day, and then stretch. Your workouts today are the same as on your first day. If you're feeling sore or fatigued at this point, you may want to take an extra rest day or only do two days of cardio and strength training.

This is where the experimentation comes in as you figure out what your body can and can't do. This is an optimal basic structure to follow for your weekly workout program. Feel free to accommodate it to your body's needs and your personal fitness goals and preferences.

Use the F. principle to progress from week to week, adding more frequency, higher intensity, heavier weights, longer workouts, or different types of workouts that work best for you.

Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to Prevent or Reduce Muscle Soreness After Exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews doi: von Loeffelholz C, Birkenfeld A. The role of non-exercise activity thermogenesis in human obesity.

Endotext [Internet]. com, Inc. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising.

Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources.

Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. By Paige Waehner, CPT. Paige Waehner, CPT. Learn about our editorial process. Learn more.

Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Reviewed by Heather Black, CPT. Learn about our Review Board.

Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Cardio for Beginners. Beginner Workout Plan. Interval Training Workouts Build Speed and Endurance. Anatomy of the Workout Stages. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Cardio 25 min. machine 15 min.

walk 21 min. machine Active rest 15 min. brisk walk 25 min. machine Strength 2 sets of each exercise, min. Stretch 5 min. This program starts with 2 days of full-body resistance training and one day of low-impact cardiovascular exercise and works up to 3 days a week of resistance training split into lower-body, full-body, and upper-body and core sessions , and cardiovascular sessions per week.

At the start of the program you will rest 4 days and this will reduce to 3 by the end of the 5 weeks. Week overview: 2 Full-body resistance training sessions, 2 days low-impact cardiovascular sessions.

Day 5: Full body resistance training session AND low-impact cardiovascular session walk or bike minutes. Week overview: 1 Full-body resistance training session, 1 upper-body and core session combined with a low-impact cardiovascular session; 1 lower-body session combined with a low-impact cardiovascular session.

Prescription: sets of repetitions; seconds rest between sets Equipment needed: set of light-medium weights. Lower Body - Bodyweight Squats add weights if available weeks Upper Body - Push-ups Modified with knees on the ground, hips forward, abdomen engaged — work up to full pushups when able.

Perform this exercise for 2x second hold each. ACSM recommends performing at least two weight training sessions per week, working all of the major muscle groups, and performing moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise 5 days per week; minimum of 30 minutes each exercise session.

The five days can be a mixture of different low to moderate-intensity activities. The goal is to get moving. For beginner exercisers looking to incorporate more cardiovascular exercise into their routine for general fitness, great options include walking, biking, and swimming.

Suppose you currently walk, and that is your baseline. In that case, you might even consider a combination of walking and jogging, making sure to stay within the low to moderate-intensity zone.

When beginning any program, regardless if you are a beginner or are a seasoned exerciser, it is important to stay mindful of nutritional and hydration needs. Drink water before, during, and active exercise, eat two hours before an exercise session and eat a diet consisting of whole foods, complex carbohydrates fruits, vegetables, whole grains , and lean proteins.

If possible, eat healthy, smaller meals throughout the day to make sure you have fuel. Lastly, reduce processed foods, sugary drinks, and sweets. Remember, reaching fitness goals requires a combination of regular and continuous movement with proper nutrition. Dana Bender, MS, NBC-HWC, ACSM, E-RYT.

Dana is also a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, an Adjunct Professor with Rowan University, an E-RYT hour Registered Yoga Teacher, AFAA Group Exercise Instructor, ACSM Exercise Physiologist, and ACE Personal Trainer.

Learn more about Dana at www. org Fitness CPT Nutrition CES Sports Performance Workout Plans Wellness. Workout Plans 5-Week Workout Plan for Beginners — Getting Your Feet Wet with Fitness.

Before You Start a New Workout Program Before starting a new workout program, it is essential to take a step back, determine personal fitness goals, and consider your baseline. If you are preparing to begin a workout program and are just getting back into exercise, it is crucial to maintain the following workout tips: Make sure you are cleared to exercise — Before beginning any exercise program, it is important that your primary care physician cleared you to exercise.

Let's jump into the workouts! Week 1 : Week Overview: 1 Full body resistance training sessions, two low-impact cardiovascular sessions Total Active Days: 3 days non-consecutive I. Total Active Days: 3 days non-consecutive I. Week 1: Week overview: 2 Full-body resistance training sessions, 1 low-impact cardiovascular session Total Active Days: 3 days non-consecutive I.

Try not to rush the process. Remember, strength and performance builds over time. Incorporate a warm-up and cool-down — For both resistance training and cardiovascular workouts, start with a 5-minute warm-up, and end with a 5-minute cool-down.

Both a cool-down and a warm-up are needed steps regardless of fitness level. A good recommendation for a cool down is to perform simple movements or walking slowly following more intense movement to bring the heart rate back down to homeostasis.

Additionally, as part of a cool-down, perform passive stretching for each major muscle group worked, holding each stretch seconds each. This can help with muscle recovery. Also, pay attention while performing each exercise of the program.

It is essential to listen to your body for any indication you might be pushing yourself too much. For example, make sure you can still speak at least words per breath while doing cardiovascular exercise, and stop immediately if you feel pain or if you experience any of the warning signs of exercises dizziness or lightheadedness, chest pain, nausea, trouble breathing, etc.

There are a few recommended strategies to help increase enjoyment while starting an exercise program. First, pick a cardiovascular low to moderate exercise type that you enjoy. For example, do you love to dance?

Consider a beginner dance class in place of a walking or biking routine. Secondly, focus on enjoying the process instead of focusing on the end destination. Lastly and most importantly, notice how good it feels to move your body more regularly.

Ensure that you incorporate the right balance between active days and rest days possibly using the sample workout programs shown below. Also, consider performing gentle stretching on your rest days if you are sore from the new routine.

The Author. Dana Bender Dana Bender, MS, NBC-HWC, ACSM, E-RYT. Related Posts.