If you're new to working out or it's been a long time since your last session, you might need a beginner's workout plan to avoid injury and build a solid routine. You can adjust different parts of your workout to make changes, improve, and keep it fun.
You should understand some important things before starting your workout plan. Below you'll find key elements and how to change them for your workout.
- Reps: This means how often you exercise. If you check the plan below, you'll see you do cardio three times and strength training three times. This follows basic exercise guidelines to start and improve your health over time. You can add more cardio reps as you build endurance and get more comfortable.
- Intensity: This shows how hard you're working. At first, focus on moderate intensity cardio workouts. You can gradually increase workout intensity with interval training.
- Duration: This shows the length of your workout. Cardio exercises start from 20 to 25 minutes each week. Add a few minutes to your cardio workouts to improve without much effort.
- Type: The workout type can be walking, running, biking, etc. It's important to start with activities you enjoy, but also important to mix things up to keep your body and mind engaged. Once you get used to exercising, try different activities to keep it fun and fresh.
Cardio for beginners:
You can use any machine or do any sport to raise your heart rate. Cardio machines include treadmills and others. Heart activities include brisk walking, running, biking, and swimming.
Complete each part of the workout by adjusting speed, incline, and resistance to match your effort level.
- Do a 5-minute warm-up at an easy to moderate pace. You should feel comfortable and able to talk easily. Let your heart rate rise slowly by increasing resistance gradually.
- Then increase speed or resistance (or use a combination). Now you should be a bit out of your comfort zone, feeling more effort but still able to talk.
- Try to increase time by 2 minutes until you feel you're working a bit harder.
- Lower your resistance or speed (3 minutes)
- Increase your resistance (1 minute) until you feel you're working a bit harder.
- Then go back to medium (3 minutes) then lower the incline and resistance to the starting level
- Increase your incline or resistance (1 minute) until you feel you're working a bit harder.
- Go back to medium level (3 minutes). Lower incline, resistance, and/or speed.
- Cool down (2 minutes): Lower resistance and speed to work at a comfortable level to finish the workout.
Weekly workout plan:
Cardio workout takes 25 minutes but you should train at your fitness level. If you need to start with just 10 or 15 minutes, go ahead and do that.
Day one: cardio, strength, and stretching exercises
First exercise: 25 minutes of cardio, strength, and stretching exercises.
Type of exercise: cardio
Duration: 25 minutes
Level: beginner
Equipment needed: any cardio machine
Second exercise: Strength
Duration: two sets of each exercise for 10-20 minutes
Level: beginner
Equipment needed: light dumbbell, exercise ball or chair and yoga mat
Third exercise : Stretch
Type: flexibility
Duration: 5 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: None
Day two: Walking and stretching
This day is like a recovery day and a chance to do some light cardio exercises while regular workouts help you, adding movement every day can also help burn calories overall.
First exercise: 15 minutes of brisk walking.
Second exercise: Stretching
Type: Flexibility
Duration: 5-10 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: None
Day three: Cardio, strength and stretching exercises
You have a different cardio workout today that includes some light interval exercises. You can do it on any machine or activity you choose. As before, your strength workout stays the same as the last one, and of course don't forget to finish with stretching
First exercise: This routine is like a regular cardio workout but it's a bit shorter and more intense.
Type: Cardio
Duration: 21 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: Any cardio machine
Second workout: Strength exercises
Type: Strength training
Duration: Two sets of each exercise 10-20 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: Light dumbbell or exercise ball and yoga mat
The third exerciseStretching:
Type: Flexibility
Duration: 5 minutes
Level: Beginner
Required equipment: None
Day four: Rest
You have nothing on your schedule today, but try to stay active as much as you can by taking breaks, walking, stretching, moving around. Some ideas:
- Do some crunches or push-ups while watching TV.
- Turn off the TV early and stretch for a few minutes before bed.
Day five: Walking and stretching
Again, today is like active recovery. Just find some time to walk once, or spread it out over the day.
First exercise:At least 15 minutes of brisk walking.
Second exercise : Stretching
Type: Flexibility
Duration: 5-10 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: None
Day 6: Cardio, strength, and stretching exercises
Your workouts today are the same as on your first day. If you feel pain or fatigue at this stage, you might want to take an extra rest day or do cardio and strength exercises only two days a week.
First Workout: 25-minute cardio
Duration: 25 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: any cardio machine
Second workout: Strength
Duration: Two sets of each exercise, 10-20 minutes
Level: Beginner
Equipment needed: light dumbbell, exercise ball or chair and yoga mat
Third exercise: Stretch
Type: strength training
Duration: 5 minutes
Level: Beginner
Required equipment: none
