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Your PERFECT Workout! Simple Workouts For Beginners


Sometimes it’s tough to pick a good workout. It may be too difficult for your skill level or it may seem too easy to do. Finding simple workouts for beginners is like finding a needle in a haystack…sort of…

First, I’ll introduce you to a couple of key things to know before you start your workout, then I’ll give you some workouts to try on your own.

There are simple workouts for beginners out there! I’ll walk you through a few workouts to do, how to do the exercises properly, and the equipment you’ll need to do these. These are simple workouts that ANYONE can do! I’ve added several links to videos to help demonstrate the exercises in each of the workouts.

Compound Vs. Isolated Movements

Simple exercises consist of compound and isolated movements. You have compound movements like bench press that work multiple parts of the arms and chest.

And there are isolated movements where you work only one muscle at a time, ie: preacher curls with dumbbells.

When starting out, do the compound exercises. Your body moves as a unit each day, and uses multiple muscles to accomplish tasks.

Think about something like picking up a box off of your porch. You have to reach down using your core or squat down using your legs, grab the box using your arms, and then pull the box up to your waist or chest. You do all of those movements simultaneously. That is a compound lift.

So, those compound lifts are part of your daily lives. That’s the way you need to exercise. Then, if you have issues with isolated muscles, you can work on those with isolated exercises.

Squats are a compound exercise. Even air squats!

Total-Body Bodyweight Workout

I’ll give you a good workout using just your body weight. If you really apply yourself, body weight exercises are some of the best workouts you can do for yourself. And, you won’t have to worry about equipment. Here’s the workout:

50 Air Squats
40 Crunches
30 Lunges (each leg)
20 Push ups
10 Star Jumps

Do this 3 times.

Lunges. Making sure your knee doesn’t go over your toes.

You can adjust the repetitions for your fitness level. Add in a rest where you need it. But this is a simple workout to follow. It mostly works your legs, but it incorporates several compound exercises (Air Squats, Pushups, Lunges, Star Jumps) that increase your fitness.

Cardio Workout

Although strength training is important, you can’t forget about your cardio! Cardiovascular exercises are critical to your fitness development because it increases your muscular endurance.

Muscular endurance is how long your body can sustain a load on your muscles before you start to get tired. So, continuously stretching that ability will help you endure difficult activities without getting fatigued too quickly.

Here’s your workout:

5 Minutes Jump Rope
Run 1 Mile (time your run)
5 Minutes Jump Rope

Adjust your jump rope times as needed. Increase your mileage as well to get that stretch-factor in. As you continue exercising, this workout will become easier and easier to you. So, it’s important to keep pushing yourself to new goals.

Upper-Body Bodyweight Workout

I hope you’re seeing the trend. Simple workouts make for great exercise sessions! These are easy to remember, and anyone can do these. Here’s a good workout for your upper-body:

20 Pushups
5 Pull-ups
1 Minute Plank
1 Minute Side Plank (Left Side)
1 Minute Side Plank (Right Side)

Do 5 sets.

This one is supposed to stretch you. It’s ab-heavy, but getting those pushups and pull-ups repetitions complete will be your real challenge. Those pushups and pull-ups are good compound bodyweight exercises to do.

Lower-Body Bodyweight Workout

Leg day is one of the best days! Your legs need stability when moving your body around. They work hard for you, so do yourself a favor and give your legs a good workout!

Here’s your workout:

40 Air Squats
30 Lunges (each side)
20 Calf Raises
10 Star Jumps

Do 3 sets.

It looks a lot like the first workout I suggested. That’s because working out should be simple! Just add in that isolation exercises with your calf raises as a rest and you’re good. It really does change the entire work out just by adding in that one isolation exercise. Give it a shot!

Star jumps. Except, yours will be a little more…exciting!

Upper-Body Workout With Weights

These can get tricky since there are a ton of things to do with weights. The thing to remember here is to focus on your core lifts (bench press, squats, and dead lift). Here’s a good upper-body workout with weights:

Bench Press 3×10 (find a weight that allows you to do 10 repetitions)
1 Minute of Planks
Incline Bench Press 3×10 (find a weight that allows you to do 10 repetitions)
1 Minute of Planks

See if you can do 2 rounds. Keep the weight light.

This might not seem like a lot, but you’ll feel it if you do it right. Pro tip: your incline bench press weight will not be the same as your bench press weight. It’s going to be a lot lower.

Bench Press

Bench Press. Another compound lift.

Lower-Body Workout With Weights

Everyone knows you shouldn’t skip leg day! This will deal with your other compound lifts. I’ll give you two simple workouts that will incorporate squats and deadlift.

Back Squat 3×10
Box Step-up 2×15
Kettlebell Goblet Squat 3×10

Do this for 3 rounds. Keep the weight light.

This will hurt if you do it right. Pay attention to your form. Ensure your knees do not go over your toes on those squats.

Here’s your deadlift workout:

Deadlift 3×10
Box Jumps 2×15
Kettlebell Swings 3×10

Do this for 3 rounds if you can. Keep the weight light.

Sound familiar? It should be. Just keep it simple.

You Can Do It Too!

These are just some suggestions on some simple workouts for beginners. These will help you to know your fitness level and where you need to improve. Sometimes, it gets overwhelming to develop your own workout routine and then to stick with it. If that is you, I highly recommended doing this.

Overall, working out should be a fun experience! I know as I’ve started working out, I feel a ton better about the progress I’ve made.

Let me know what you think! Did you try one of these workouts? What simple workouts have you enjoyed? Alright, Garage Gym Goers, I’ll see you next time!


Bobby

12 Comments

  1. I enjoyed reading your article on Your Perfect Workout. There is a lot of helpful information. I have always loved to read anything about health and fitness as this intrigued me.
    Thank you for sharing ~ Margaret

    • Margaret,
      I’m happy to know you enjoyed the article. Let me know how your workouts go! Thanks for your comment!
      Bobby

  2. I like this post a lot. It gives me many ideas for different exercises depending on my goals. I am most interested in he body weight exercises. Do you have a post that describes these exercises?

    • Christian,
      I’ll attach links for you to videos that’ll show demonstrations of the exercises:) I’ve found that works well. Thanks for your comment!
      Bobby

  3. Thank you for this post Bobby, superb. I ride a mountain bike almost everyday and my fitness levels are great but I am lacking in chest and stomach muscles. You’ve given me plenty to work on in very easy to follow exercises.

    • Steve,
      I’m glad you found the upper body workouts useful! Let me know how it goes for you. Thanks for your comment!
      Bobby

  4. Hello,
    the hardest for beginners is to start working out!!! Great advice and sets of different workouts. The workout I most dislike is the running endurance one… I myself exercice and target a different part of my body everyday. One of my recommendation for beginners is to start exercising just a few minutes a day so that they don’t get overwhelmed and stay motivated. Very complete article!

    • Anne-Caroline,
      It is difficult to just start out! You’re absolutely right that all you need is to exercise a few minutes each day to get the habit going. Thanks so much for your comment!
      Bobby

  5. A lot of great information here! I know for me when I can’t make it to the gym I have had a hard time figuring out what to do. Thank you for the insight!

    • Steven,
      I’m glad this post helped you! Sometimes, it is challenging to find what to do with your workouts. Thanks for your comment!
      Bobby

  6. Thank you so much for breaking down the difference between compound and isolated movements. I had no idea that I was doing this wrong. I always thought you start out with isolated movements and then work your way to compound. Turns out I had it wrong! And the way you put it, it makes sense.

    I love the analogy of picking up a box on your doorstep, that painted the perfect picture in my mind of how a compound movement works! Thank you so much for this informative post, I cant wait to apply this to my workouts! 🙂

    • Madysen,
      I’m glad you found this useful! Those compound exercises are the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to exercising. Let me know how you’re incorporating those compound exercises into your workout routines. Thanks for your comment!
      Bobby

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