The best exercises for beginners

It’s settled, you want to start exercising. (Well done!) You’ve began to create some form of routine but you have no idea what to actually include. Well, we’re here to help with that. Here are some of the best exercises a beginner can do.

Now wait, before I actually begin there are just five short things I need to say before you get carried away.

1. Remember not to do too much too soon. It can be tempting and you might think you can do it, but don’t. Slow and steady wins the race remember. If you do too much, you can overwork yourself which can be counter-productive in achieving your goal.
2. If you are a super beginner, accept the fact that you will be sweaty, short of breath and achy. That means that you’ve had a good go at it. Please, differentiate between discomfort and pain. You need to be ever so slightly uncomfortable in performing your exercise in order to gain results, but not in agony, if you are then stop.
3. Warm up. Warming up is especially important if you have just rolled out of bed or have been sitting in a chair all day. It allows the blood to start pumping and loosen your muscles up a bit so you don’t tear anything when you are in your full blown routine.
4. Keep your goals reasonable. If you set the bar too high, you might be disappointed when reality is not living up to your expectations, it can decrees your motivation or make you train excessively which can lead to an injury. Once you have a realistic idea of where you want to end up it’s not so tempting to go overboard on your exercises. The best thing you can do is be consistent, and in time you will see progress.
5. Finally, it is advised to have at least 30 minutes of exercise for five days a week. So, if you are wondering how long you should spend on exercise as a beginner, this is a good timeframe to work from. You can always increase the minutes once your body has adapted to your new regime.

And now for the exercises you’ve been waiting for…

FULL BODY

Burpees (Focus: Abs, Arms, Chest, Glutes, Hips, Legs & Shoulders)

Directions:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your arms by your side.
2. Lower yourself into a squat but bring your hands to the ground.
3. Jump from this crouched position into a plank.
4. Pause, then jump back into the crouched position.
5. Finally jump straight up into the air and return to your starting position.

Inhale: Reach for the ground

Exhale: Crouch to plank

Inhale: Plank to crouch

Exhale: Crouch to jump

Deadlift (Focus: Glutes, Hamstrings & Lower Back)

Directions:

1. Stand with your feet a little more than hip width apart and your arms just outside your legs, holding your weights.
2. Bend over with your knees bent and back straight.
3. Your weights should be in line with the middle of your foot and your shoulders in line with the weights.
4. Lift yourself up, with your weights following along an imaginary straight line. Your chest should be out and so should your hips.
5. At the mid-way point, bring your hips in and straighten your body.
6. Once at the top, lower your weights back down to the floor. Your bum should not go lower than your knees when you bend down. It is best if they are slightly above the knee line.

Inhale: Before you lift and hold as you perform the lift

Exhale: Lowering your weights

Plank (Focus: Arms, Chest & Core)

Directions:

1. Get down on your hands and knees, bend your arms so that your elbows are directly underneath your shoulders and your palms flat out in front.
2. Move your feet back and straighten your legs so your whole body is in a straight line. Your arms should be vertical from the floor, not angled.
3. Make sure your whole body is engaged (tensed), especially your core.
4. Hold this position for as long as you can.
5. Alternatively, keep your arms straight and place your hands just outside your shoulder line.

Inhale and exhale deeply during this exercise.

Press-up (Focus: Chest, Core, Shoulders & Triceps)

Directions:

1. Get down on your hands and knees, placing your hands just outside your shoulder line.
2. Move your feet back and straighten your legs so your whole body is in a straight line. Your arms that should be vertical from the floor.
3. Lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor.
4. Push your body back up, tightening your core and glutes for better stability.

Inhale: Lower down

Exhale: Press up

Romanian Deadlift (Focus: Back, Forearms, Glutes & Hamstrings)

Directions:

1. Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Have your arms down holding your weights in front of your body.
2. With a straight back, your shoulders towards your spine, push your bum out and lower your shoulders down until your hands and weights are down past your knee, about mid shin level. (Remember, this is not a squat.)
3. Lift your body up, using your glutes and hamstrings, until you are standing straight again.

Inhale: As you lower yourself

Exhale: Pull yourself up to a standing position

Side plank (Focus: Back, Core, Glutes & Oblique’s)

Directions:

1. Begin by sitting down and leaning to one side. Bend the arm closest to the ground at 90-degrees and rest it on the floor so that the palm is lying flat down and your upper arm is vertical from the ground (your elbow and shoulder should be parallel).
2. Extend both legs straight out to the side and lift your hips off the floor, so your body is in one straight line. Make sure your heels are in line with your elbow and be aware to not let your hips drop down.
3. Engage (tighten) your whole body, particularly your core, and hold this position for as long as you can.

Inhale and exhale deeply during this exercise.

Skipping (Focus: Back, Calf, Core, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quad & Shoulders)

Directions:

1. Grab a rope and hold the ends in both hands.
2. Begin standing with the rope behind your heels. Arms by your side.
3. To swing the rope, rotate your arms back and then forward and move your wrists in a circular motion, the same direction as your arms.
4. Once the rope is over your head and coming down towards your shins, bend your knees and jump by leaping from your toes. Remember to land on the balls of your feet, don’t let your heels touch the ground.
5. You can either skip alternating feet, with one foot jumping while the other foot hovers, or skip with both feet.

Inhale and exhale deeply during this exercise.

Two-Point Plank (Focus: Arms, Chest, Core & Legs)

Directions:

1. Get down on all fours and extend your legs out behind you at hip width apart. Make sure your arms are vertically below you and not out in front of you.
2. Alternatively, bend your arms so that they are at 90-degrees, with your elbows below your shoulders and your palms flat on the floor.
3. Raise one arm up, straight in front of you. At the same time, lift your opposite leg straight behind you. Engage your core, glutes and legs to keep you stable.
4. Lower your arm and leg back to your starting position and repeat, alternating legs and arms.

Inhale and exhale deeply during this exercise.

 

UPPER BODY

Bent-over row (Biceps, Shoulders & Upper, Side and Mid-Back)

Directions:

1. Stand up lean forward with your legs slightly bent and back straight at about 45-degrees.
2. Hold your weights slightly outside your shoulder line. (It’s okay if your shoulders are slightly rounded.)
3. Lift the weight up to your chest. To engage your back, bring your shoulder blades back as you lift upwards.
4. Pause and then lower the weight back down, resuming your starting position.

Inhale: Before you lift and hold as you perform the row

Exhale: Lowering your weights

Crunch (Abs & Oblique’s)

Directions:

1. Start by lying flat on your back on the floor.
2. Bend your knees so that your feet lie flat on the floor at hip width apart. Stretch your arms out behind you.
3. Gently pull your abs together and curl up so your shoulders and head lift off the floor. Lift your arms up simultaneously so that the reach for your knees as you curl up.
4. Hold for a moment and then gently lower yourself back down to the starting position.

Inhale: Lower your shoulders and head back to your starting position

Exhale: Tighten your abs and raise your shoulders

Deadbug (Core, Back & Spine)

Directions:

1. Lie on your back on the floor (Your back should be flat not arched!).
2. Raise your arms towards the ceiling so that they are vertical.
3. Raise both legs and bend the knees to 90-degrees so they too are towards the ceiling.
4. Next, with your core tight, straighten and lower one leg out so that it is hovering over the floor. You can also lower the opposite arm behind your head. (Your back will want to arch but don’t let that happen).
5. Hold and then raise your leg and arm back to the original position.

Inhale: Raising your leg and arm to starting position

Exhale: Lowering your leg and arm

Hammer Curls (Bicep & Upper and Forearm Muscles)

Directions:

1. Stand up straight with your palms facing your body and your arms down beside of you, holding your weights.
2. Lift your weight up towards your shoulder (don’t actually touch your shoulder though), keeping your upper arm stationary by bending at the elbow.
3. Slowly lower your arms back down to your side again. You can alternate arms or do them both at the same time.

Inhale: As you lower your arms

Exhale: As your lift your arms

Lower Back Curl (Abs & Lower Back)

Directions:

1. Lie down on your front with your arms by your side.
2. Raise your chest up as far as you can with your head up and your arms staying still behind you.
3. Lower yourself back down.

Inhale: Lower yourself back to position

Exhale: Lifting up

Prone Back Extension (Back & Core)

Directions:

1. Lie on your front with your head facing down and your arms by the side of your body.
2. Lift your shoulders back and raise your front off the floor. You can also raise your legs up as far as they can go.
3. Hold and slowly bring your shoulders and legs back down.

Inhale: Lower yourself back to starting position

Exhale: Lift your shoulders and legs and tuck in your tummy

Standing Shoulder Press (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps & Upper Back)

Directions:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder or hip width apart.
2. Bend your arms so that your elbows are at 90-degrees pointing away from your body. Hold your weights in both hands.
3. Slowly lift your arms up until that are above your head (do not straighten your arms fully).
4. Pause and lower your arms back to its original position.

Inhale: Bringing your arms lower

Exhale: Push your arms up

 

LOWER BODY

Glute Bridges (Core & Glutes)

Directions:

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor. Bend your knees so that your feet lie flat on the floor at hip width apart.
2. Place your arms down the side of you with your palms flat on the floor.
3. Engage your glutes as you lift your hips off the floor making a straight line of your body, from your knees to your shoulders.
4. Pause in this position for a second and slowly lower your hips down to the ground.

Inhale: Lower your hips to the ground

Exhale: As you thrust your hips up

Lunges (Core, Glutes, Hamstring and Quads)

Directions:

1. Stand straight with your feet hip width apart.
2. With one leg, step in front of you leaving the other leg in its original position.
3. Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle, so that the back knee almost touches the ground and the forward thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Once there, push up and bring your forward leg back towards your starting position. Repeat this movement on the same leg or alternate legs.

Inhale: On your way down

Exhale: Lift up

Reverse Lunge (Core, Glutes, Hamstring & Quads)

Directions:

1. Stand straight with your feet hip width apart.
2. With one leg, step behind you leaving the other leg in its original position.
3. Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle, so that the back knee almost touches the ground and the forward thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Once there, push up and bring your forward leg back towards your starting position. Repeat this movement on the same leg or alternate legs.

Inhale: On your way down

Exhale: Lift up

Squats (Glutes, Hamstrings & Quads)

Directions:

1. Stand straight and space your feet hip or shoulder width apart.
2. Tighten your core and bend your knees like you are going to sit down. Make sure your back is kept straight and your arms are out in front of you or tucked in near your chest. Keep your knees just above your toes and your thighs should be parallel to the floor.
3. Once you’re down, straighten your legs back up.

Inhale: Going down

Exhale: Going up

Step-up (Glutes, Hamstrings & Quads)

Directions:

1. Stand straight, with your arms down beside you, in front of a step, box or bench of your desired height.

2. Lift one of your legs onto the step and lift your body onto the step, using your lead foot. Your back should be straight and core engaged.

3. Step backwards off the step, using the same lead leg.

Inhale: Lower down

Exhale: Stepping up