Top 8 Easy At Home Workouts For Beginners
Deciding to start a new exercise routine is great. But here’s a common problem with that decision: it can be intimidating!
Why’s that? You are probably new to fitness and can’t figure out which are the best, yet easy at-home workouts for beginners.
Here’s the deal. If you seriously want to get in shape or shed off some bodyweight from the comfort of your home, then this article’s got you covered.
We’ll show you some easy but highly effective at-home workouts to jump-start your fitness goals today, even if you don’t have any training equipment.
Let’s get started!
#1 Wall Squat
This exercise is easy to do and is particularly beneficial for beginners. It targets your quadriceps muscles and you feel the burn around your calves, quads, abs, and glutes as you engage in the moves.
If you want an exercise that will increase your stamina and improve your focus on your form, then you should give this a try.
Benefits
- Improves overall stamina and endurance level
- Burn calories
- Strengthens your entire lower body
- Helps you get a good balance
How to Do the Wall Squat
- Stand with your back flat against a wall.
- Maintain a shoulder-width stance and firmly press your feet to the floor, keeping them approximately 2 feet in front of the wall.
- Gradually bend your knees to a 90-degree angle as you slide lower, still keeping your back against the wall.
- Pause for about a minute before gently sliding up to the starting position.
How to Modify the Wall Squat
You can modify this exercise by placing a ball behind your back to improve your stability. Adding the stability ball can be a very good way to stay off injuries. Plus, it can significantly increase your range of motion.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
This workout is good for someone just starting an exercise routine because it is very easy to get the hang of it. You can also do this exercise just about anywhere, provided there is a wall to press your back into.
#2 Side-Lying Hip Abduction
This is solely a hip exercise that’s especially useful if you sit all day. It strengthens your sides and loosens tight muscles in the hip.
Benefits
- Reinforces your hips
- Prevents and relieves hips and knees pains
- Prepares your body for your daily activities
- Enhances your posture, core stability, and balance
How to Do the Side-Lying Hip Abduction
- Place your mat on the floor and lie on your left side with your legs stacked.
- Lift your right leg as high as you can while still in the lying position, then slowly lower it back on top of the left leg.
- Repeat for a few minutes and switch to the left side.
- Aim for at least 3 sets of 10 reps on both sides.
How to Modify the Side-Lying Hip Abduction
You can modify this exercise by using a resistance band or adding ankle weights.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
The side-lying hip abduction or leg raise is one of the most effective and easy at-home workouts for beginners because it doesn’t require any piece of equipment to do it and anyone can easily understand the movement.
It is a good way to train your lateral glute muscles. These muscles are important for stabilizing your knees and can also help round out your overall hip development if that’s your aim.
#3 Straight-Leg Donkey Kick
This is yet another exercise that works the hamstrings, shoulders, back, core, and glutes. It helps in strengthening your entire back.
Benefits
- Great workout for stability and toning the glutes
- Effective fat burner
- Boosts mobility and balance
- Reduces risk of injury
- Improves posture
How to Do the Straight-Leg Donkey Kick
- Get on all fours with hands under your shoulders, palms flat on the floor, and knees aligned with the hips.
- Maintain a straight back as you extend one of your legs straight behind you while pointing your foot and toes towards the floor.
- Bring your raised leg back to the starting point and extend the other leg.
- Keep repeating this movement for at least 3 sets of 10 reps.
How to Modify the Straight-Leg Donkey Kick
You can choose to modify this exercise by trying out some variations like standing single-leg cable donkey kicks and sideways donkey kicks.
However, ensure that your spine is aligned and engage your glutes each time you do these moves.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
This is a great workout for beginners because it doesn’t require any rigorous and complex movement. Yet, it hits all the right muscles that can strengthen the core, shoulders, and glutes.
#4 Bridge
The bridge is a workout that involves balancing your body on your feet and hands while lying face up. This strengthens your glutes and lower back.
Benefits
- Works your gluteus maximus
- Prepares you for a more challenging exercise by getting your heart rate up
- Improves balance
- Relieves back pains
- Develops good body flexibility
- Shapes your waistline
How to Do the Bridge
- With your back flat on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the floor.
- Your arms should be extended straight at your sides with your palms facing down.
- Raise your hips upward as you press your feet into the floor. Lift your bottom off the floor so that your body is in a straight line from shoulder to knees.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top position for about 2 seconds and return to the start position.
- You should do at least 3 sets of 10 reps.
How to Modify the Bridge
Put a mini-band around just above your knees (lower thighs) to make it more challenging. To make the exercise more comfortable, place a folded towel under your neck for better support.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
No special training equipment is needed here, making it a good move for beginners and anyone looking to train from the comfort of their homes.
#5 Knee Push-Up
If you are looking for how to build stamina and strength, then try knee push-ups. It targets areas such as your core, shoulders, arms, and pecs.
Benefits
- Activates muscle groups on your upper body
- Improves your core stability
- Improves overall strength
How to Do the Knee Push-Up
- Keep your spine straight as you get into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body to the floor, keeping your elbows at an angle of about 45-degrees.
- With your palms flat on the floor, push your body back upwards and
- Repeat this for about 3 sets of 10 reps.
How to Modify the Knee Push-Up
Modify this exercise by keeping your shins on the floor. This will reduce the pressure on your knees.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
This is an excellent beginner-style pushup exercise. Try this workout if the classic pushup is too difficult for you.
#6 Forward Lunge
This beginner-friendly exercise is great for working the muscles of your lower body.
Benefits
- Improves posture and flexibility
- Helps with weight loss
- Strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings
How to Do the Forward Lunge
- Maintain a shoulder-width stance, with your hands clasped in front of your chest.
- Move one foot about 2 feet forward and press it into the floor.
- Get into a 90-degree angle with both knees as you bend them while maintaining an upright chest with a slightly forward torso.
- Keep your core and butt engaged, your left quad parallel to the floor, and your knee over your foot.
- Now, push your left foot to get back to the start position.
- Do about 10 to 15 reps on each side.
How to Modify the Forward Lunge
You can hold some dumbbells while performing the exercise to make it more challenging, yet fun!
However, if you are battling knee problems, then you should talk to an expert before engaging in this exercise. And as a newbie, you should do it for a shorter period.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
It is a great choice for beginners because it gradually increases muscle mass without necessarily doing tedious strength training moves.
And of course, it is very convenient, and you can get it done at any time of the day.
#7 Superman with Pull-Down
The superman exercise is a very effective back workout. It also targets the lower back.
Benefits
- Improves the stability of your spine
- Reduces or eliminates lower back pain
- Improves overall posture
- Increases athletic performance
How to Do the Superman with Pull-Down
- Lie on your stomach, extending your arms and legs.
- Lift your shoulders, chest, arms, and feet off the floor, and engage your upper back and core as you squeeze your glutes all at the same time.
- While in this position, fix your gaze on the floor to ensure your neck is stable and aligned with your spine.
- Spread your hands overhead, move your shoulder blades backward, and move your arms back to the first position.
- Go for at least 10-15 reps.
How to Modify the Superman with Pull-Down
To make this work out more challenging, pause for some seconds at the top position. And if you can get a resistance band, this will be an added advantage for you.
Why It Is Good For Beginners
The workout is an incredible and efficient back workout suitable for people of all fitness levels. It can be a bit tricky, but it is easy to do.
However, take it slow with this one if you want to get all the benefits.
#8 Chair Squat
This is one of the most popular easy at-home workouts for beginners that target the core and legs. For this move, you need a chair.
Benefits
- Strengthens your core and legs
- Makes everyday movements a lot easier
- Improves flexibility
How to Do the Chair Squat
- Grab a chair and place it behind you.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out.
- Extend your arms in front of you and keep them that way throughout the exercise.
- Bend your knees as you hinge at the hips.
- Lower yourself back and down to allow your bottom to touch the chair. Do not sit on the chair. Just lower yourself enough to let your bottom make contact with the chair.
- Push yourself back up through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps.
How to Modify the Chair Squat
Instead of stretching your arms in front of you, you can make the exercise more challenging by holding dumbbells or kettlebells in both arms while you perform the move. This can help tone your forearms.
Also, adding free weights will slightly improve your grip strength for everyday lifting (grocery bags, heavy items, etc).
Why It Is Good For Beginners
This move can improve your everyday movements, even without necessarily hitting the gym. Plus, it is convenient to do.
Conclusion
As a beginner looking to take your health and fitness more seriously, starting with advanced exercise routines can quickly dissuade you.
Instead, aim for a more realistic fitness goal by starting with some easy at-home workouts for beginners.
Results will show eventually, so don’t expect to see any drastic changes after a couple of days.
Also, remember to eat at least three hours before working out. Don’t stuff your body with food right before exercising, even if you are doing it at home.
And most importantly, drink plenty of water after your workouts.
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