Home Workout Plan for Beginners
This is a series of workouts, that will help a beginner get going.
No matter which at-home Gym workout you pick, I want you to start with one important thing:
Warm-up.
It doesn’t have to be much though, give it about five minutes to get your muscles active and your heart rate up. This will help you do exercises properly and help prevent injury. You can run in place, do air punches and kicks, or some jumping jacks.
Basic Warm-up Routine:
Push-ups: 10-20 reps/ 2-3 sets
Jump rope: 2-3 minutes
Jumping jacks: 25 reps/ 2-3 sets
Bodyweight squats: 20 reps/ 2-3 sets
Our goal isn’t to tire you out, instead we want to warm you up.
Next Step, Building Muscle
Let’s start with the basics: Your workout plan for beginners routine should include a mix of cardio and strength training. Strength training can involve some hand weights or just your body weight.
As you get stronger and need more of a challenge, weights will be your new best friend. But don’t sleep on cardio. It’s still a necessary (and sometimes evil) part of any exercise plan. For optimal muscle-building, focus on HIIT cardio workouts a few times a week.
So how often should you work out? According to a 2016 research review, strength training at least 2 days a week is ideal to grow your muscles. So start with 2 or 3 days of full-body weight training, 2 days of cardio, and a day of rest.
Building muscle at home with dumbbells-
If you prefer to start with weights or you’re ready to step up your gym workout plan for beginners, you don’t need giant Home gym equipment. Just a set of dumbbells will do it. But you can also switch things up with kettlebells or resistance bands.
Starting off with....
1. Chest Workouts
1. Chest press: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps
The chest press targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps — primarily your pectorals and deltoids. In a gym, you’re likely to see people doing chest presses with a barbell rod, but you can easily do them at home with dumbbells exercise too.
How-to: Lie faceup on a adjustable bench or the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest, brace your core, and press the dumbbells straight up. Then lower the dumbbells nice and slow before repeating.
2. Lying dumbbell fly: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps
Your chest strength will soar doing dumbbell flyes, which can be done on a bench or lying on the floor. You’ll hit your pectorals, deltoids, and biceps with this move.
How-to: Lie on a bench or the floor with your knees bent. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest, with palms of hands facing each other. Lower the dumbbells in a slow arc to your sides, bending elbows as far as feels comfortable (or until they touch the floor, if you’re not using a bench). Keeping elbows bent, raise the dumbbells back above your chest again, then repeat.
3. Pullover: 3 sets of 10–12 reps
Build up your lats, pecs, and abs like a lumberjack chopping wood (without worrying about an ax or your aim). This dumbbell exercise can be done on a bench, the floor, or a stability ball. Just be sure to keep a good grip on the dumbbell!
How-to: Lie faceup with feet on the floor. Hold a single dumbbell in both hands and raise it above your chest. Slowly extend the dumbbell overhead while slightly bending your elbows, then bring it back to the starting position. Be sure to start this one with a low enough weight that you can manage it comfortably. Don’t risk dropping the dumbbell on your chest or head!
2. Arms Workout
1. Biceps curl: 3 sets of 10–15 reps
This classic biceps exercise builds your arm strength and grows those arm muscles you want to flex in the mirror.
How-to: While sitting or standing, hold dumbbells straight down at your sides. Bend your elbows and bring the weights up toward your shoulders, rotating your arms until palms of hands face shoulders. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
2. Triceps extension: 3 sets of 8–12 reps
You’ll raise your arms in triumph with this triceps-building exercise, which requires some good concentration and form. You can do this move standing or seated.
How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Raise the weight overhead with arms straight, then bend elbows and lower the weight behind your head. Raise the weight back above your head, then repeat. Keep upper arms as still and steady as possible to maximize the workout.
3. Wrist curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
This move not only increases hand strength but also builds muscle in your forearms. This often-overlooked muscle group is used for everything from turning a doorknob to moving a computer mouse.
How-to: Sit on a bench or chair, holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Place your forearms on your thighs, with wrists on top of knees and hands extended beyond knees. Palms can face up or down. Slowly curl the weights up, then lower them. Move only your hands, not your arms. Repeat.
3. Leg Workout
1. Dumbbell squat: 3 sets of 12–15 reps
Squats alone work your major leg muscles, but adding weight can really help those muscles pop. You can also add dumbbells to any squat variation if you need a challenge.
How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell at each of your shoulders. Sit down into a low seated position, keeping weight in your heels. Pressing through heels, push hips forward and up to return to a standing position.
2. Dumbbell walking lunge: 3 sets of 10 reps (each side)
Dumbbells add an extra degree of difficulty to lunges, and so does switching it up with a lunge variation. Adding dumbbells to walking lunges helps you build up your quads and glutes like your standard lunge and also works your grip strength.
How-to: Stand, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lunge forward with your right leg, lowering until your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Push through your front foot to stand. Repeat by lunging with the other leg.
3. Calf raise: 3 sets of 15–20 reps
Have you ever stood on your tippy-toes to grab something off the top shelf? Then you’ve done a standing calf raise—it’s really that simple. It’s also an easy desk exercise for WFH life.
How-to: Stand, holding dumbbells at your sides, right by your hips. Lift your heels, keeping toes on the floor and the weights by your sides. Lower heels back to the floor.
Pro tip: For a seated calf raise, place the dumbbells on top of your knees and lift your heels, either one leg at a time or both together.
Lastly,
4. Cool downs/ Stretches
1. Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch
How to: While sitting on the floor, place one leg straight out. Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh (against the straight leg). Extend both arms and reach forward. You may only be able to touch your knee, but as time goes by, work toward your foot. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs.
2. Standing Quad Stretch
How to: Balancing on your right leg, grab your shoe with your left hand and pull your left ankle up to meet your butt. Hold for 30 seconds. You should feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Focus on trying to extend your knee to get the maximum effect. Repeat on the right side.
3. Lunging Calf Stretch
How to: Step into a lunge, keeping your back knee off the ground. Ease into the stretch with a small bounce to feel it in your back calf. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
4. Seated Pigeon
How to: Sitting on a bench or chair, rest your right ankle on your left knee and gently push your right knee toward the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the other leg. This will help prevent your inner thighs from getting tight.