Deciding that you want to work out is the first step to accomplishing your goals, whatever these may be.
Some people decide to start a workout routine because they want to lose weight, others want to feel better about themselves or they use training as a way to manage anxiety, depression and stress (yes, working out is proved to help with all of those problems and more).
The truth is that our modern society has brought different challenges to our body, and one of these is being sedentary. No matter how you look at it, during the last decades people stopped moving around and we sit down way too much compared to what our evolution dictates.
Once you choose to do something about it you land on the right track and you will be able to accomplish more and more every day.
In this article we will look at how you can get things going by creating a workout routine with exercise for beginners.
For those who never have the time
The number one enemy of an exercise routine is… not following through. We all do it, we say that we will exercise for an hour each day and we get home so tired that even having dinner sounds like a waste of energy.
The good news is that there is something you can do, it can have a massive impact and it takes as little as 15 minutes.
The bad news is that you will probably be in pain for a couple of days but you know the saying: “no pain, no gain”.
HIIT workout – best workout routine
If you can do only this one thing, do this. Of course, that adding more to your workout routine would be great, but if you can’t for whatever reason, it is comforting to know that 15 minutes a day can change your life.
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HIIT workout regimen has a lot of science to back it up (check out these studies here, here and here). It can help you lose weight, improve heart rate, blood pressure, lower glucose and cholesterol levels and give you an overall better health.
How to begin training?
Since we are assuming that you are starting from level 0, we’ll take it one step at the time.
The most important action before any type of training is warming up. You can do this by doing some jumping jacks to get your heart rate up, and then working on your joints for just a few minutes.
Do not skip this step. You will want to, you will think that it wouldn’t be such a big deal, but it is essential to avoid ruptured muscles and weeks of pain.
HIIT – ground 0
During your first month of training, aim at doing 3 sessions/week, once you are comfortable, you can increase your workout schedule to 4 times/week, and later to 5 times/week. As an example, you can take our 5 day workout routine.
Allow for 2 rest days every week, to rebuild muscle.
HIIT workout implies a variety of exercises of your choosing, done at high speed and intensity for a certain (brief) amount of time, then walking or resting (on your feet) for another length of time.
These exercises can be:
- Jumping jacks
- Jumping rope
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Mountain climbers
- Burpees
Ideally, you would combine these in series, so that you get the most of your workout, but start small, learn what you are comfortable with and you can evolve from there.
Beginner HIIT workout example
- jumping jacks (executed correctly, fast and with high intensity of the movement) – 30 seconds ;
- catching your breath – 30 seconds;
- mountain climbers – 30 seconds ;
- relaxing – 30 seconds ;
Repeat this workout list for as long as humanly possible. Your aim is to keep it up for 15 minutes without getting hurt.
Over time, you can insert more exercises, extend the high intensity period to 45 seconds and the relaxation period can be limited to 15 seconds.
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Also, if you find that 30 seconds is too much, you can lower the HIIT intervals to 15-20 seconds. You are in control.
HIIT is a great exercise for beginners, but there are other options that can help you get accustomed to a workout schedule.
For those who can invest a few hours a week
In this article we are presenting the basics for a beginner workout, and because of this we want to keep it really simple, to offer solutions that anyone could use, because being fit shouldn’t be difficult.
Running
You can’t get anything simpler than running. You just need a pair of running shoes and 30-60 minutes for yourself.
Contrary to popular belief, running is a complete body workout. It burns a lot of calories, gives even the abs a bit of trouble, and the best part of it is that it helps clear your head.
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Start by walking fast, and increase the speed until you are running at a comfortable pace. Aim at 5 running sessions/week. You can do this outside, or at the gym, on a treadmill.
Cycling
Cycling is a great beginner workout because it’s gentle on the joints. .It minimizes the risk of accidents and can be practiced both outside and at the gym.
Start out small by cycling for a few miles, at a pace that elevates your heart rate, but doesn’t push your muscles too much.
If done correctly, you can do this exercise for 6 days a week, but keep it on the light side for 2 of those days.
Jumping rope
You will need a rope, but this exercise is really useful. Why?
Well, other than pushing your calves to their absolute limit, elevating your heart rate and giving you excellent cardio training, it also does something really special.
It will help improve bone density. This means that this exercise will help you in the very long term, because a stronger bone is less prone to fractures and when you will get old you will still be ripping the benefits of this simple, childish training routine.
Ideally, you will be able to combine these exercises and create your own beginner workout routine that will fit your schedule and your needs.
