If you're just starting to get into a fitness routine and have some free time, these exercises will help you build strength and endurance. You can do them all together for a full-body workout or focus on one or two each day at the gym—whatever works best for your schedule.
1. Bodyweight Squats
The bodyweight squat is a foundational exercise that will help you to build strength and stability in your lower body. To do this exercise:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
- Bend knees and hips until thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping chest up and back straight (a). Don't let knees go past toes or sag toward the floor; keep weight on heels throughout movement. Lift up slowly through straightened legs (b).
2. Pushups
If you're new to fitness and unsure how to get started, pushups are a great place to start. They require no equipment and can be done anywhere. They also strengthen your core muscles, improve shoulder stability and help build upper body strength--all things that will make you stronger overall.
There's plenty of misinformation out there about the proper form for doing pushups; some people believe that if they don't touch their toes or do them on their knuckles instead of palms (or worse yet, knees) then they're doing "real" pushups. But as long as you're lowering yourself down until your chest touches the floor and pushing back up again with good form before resting at the top position (with shoulders over wrists), then whatever variation works best for your body is fine!
3. Plank Holds
A plank hold is a static exercise that involves holding your body in the same position for as long as possible. The goal is to keep yourself from sinking down into the ground, even when you feel like it's impossible. You can do this by keeping your back straight and feet together or close together (depending on how advanced you are).
The benefits of plank hold include:
- Strengthening core muscles
- Improving posture
- Reducing lower back pain
4. Lunge Walks
The lunge walk is a great way to get your heart rate up, build strength and burn calories. It also has the added benefit of being easy on your joints compared with running or other high-impact activities.
To do a lunge walk:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with one foot, bending both knees until they're bent at 90 degrees (a).
- Pause for one count before stepping backward and returning to standing (b). Repeat this movement for 20 seconds; switch sides after 10 reps so that you're working both legs equally hard during each set.*
5. Burpees
Burpees are full-body exercises that can be done at home or in the gym. To do a burpee, squat down and place your hands on the floor, then kick back into a pushup position and lower yourself until your chest touches the floor. Then bring one knee toward your chest before jumping up as high as possible while clapping above your head (or simply raise both arms). That's one rep! Repeat for 10 to 15 reps in total
6. Bodyweight Rows
Bodyweight rows are an effective way to strengthen your back muscles. To perform a bodyweight row, lie face up on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Lift both hands off of the floor and turn them so that they point toward your hips. Next, pull them up toward your chest until they touch--but don't let go! Then lower back down slowly (that's one rep). Repeat for 10 to 12 reps total before switching sides and doing another set on that side as well.
7. Mountain Climbers
This is a great cardio exercise that can be done anywhere. It's also an effective way to work your abs and hips, as well as your upper body. The key to mountain climbers is keeping your core tight while moving quickly, so make sure you're focused on maintaining good form throughout the workout. Start by setting up in a push-up position with hands under shoulders and feet just outside hip-width apart; then lift the right foot off the ground and bring the knee toward the chest (like running), but instead of putting it back down on the floor, immediately lift left foot off ground and bring right knee toward chest again--this counts as one rep! Repeat this movement quickly until you've completed 8-10 reps per leg before switching sides (i.e., right leg). Rest 60 seconds between sets of 10 reps on each side if needed; otherwise, go straight into another set without resting!
8. Jump Rope Intervals
Jump rope intervals are a great way to get your heart rate up, strengthen your legs and improve coordination. To do this workout you will need a jump rope (you can buy one at the store or use an old rope from home).
Begin by warming up with 5 minutes of light cardio such as running in place or jumping jacks. Then start doing 30 seconds of jumping rope followed by 1 minute of rest for 10 minutes total time (or until you feel like you're done). It's important to keep track of how many times you were able to complete the workout without missing any jumps or having to take breaks--this will help measure progress over time! To make this more challenging try increasing either the number of reps per set or adding more sets into each session until eventually reaching 15 minutes total duration with 3 sets per session instead!
9. Calf Raises on Step or Bench
Calf raises are one of the best ways to build up your calf muscles. You can do them using a step or bench, but make sure that you have something sturdy to hold onto for balance as you work out.
To perform this exercise: stand on the edge of the object with both feet together, with knees slightly bent and back straight; lift heels off the ground by squeezing calves together; slowly lower yourself until heels touch again without letting them come off ground; repeat for 10-15 reps (1 rep = one raise).
10. Triceps Dips on Bench with Feet Stuck to the Ground
How to do a triceps dip:
- Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent and arms straight out in front of you.
- Lower yourself down until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push back up again as quickly as possible while maintaining good form (don't let them go past 90 degrees).
Conclusion
Hopefully, this list has given you some ideas for your own workouts. The key to sticking with a new routine is to make sure it fits into your schedule and won't take up too much time. Try picking just one or two exercises from this list that you think would be fun and easy for beginners like yourself!
