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The Best Beginner Workout Plan To Start Your Fitness Journey | BarBend Credit: Jono Erasmus / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrnA bit of planning and structure can make fitness less frightening and more fun. Instead of worrying over what you should be doing, how much of it, or for how long, a good beginner workout plan removes the guesswork and lets you focus on what matters; putting in the actual work. This guide has everything you need to get started, no matter your goal.rnrnEditoru2019s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.rn
Best Beginner Workout PlanrnAll fitness enthusiasts, from recreational gym rats to full-time athletes, follow some sort of pre-programmed structure. Periodization, as itu2019s known, refers to the organizational design of a workout plan that ensures youu2019re moving toward your goals, not away from them. rn
DirectionsrnYou donu2019t need to commit to exercise every day to see results, especially as a beginner. In fact, a good three-day plan is more than enough.rnrnYou can perform these three workouts however you like over the course of a week, but remember to include at least one day of rest between workouts. For example, a common schedule is to exercise on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.rn
The WorkoutrnYou may have very specific goals in mind when deciding to get active, ranging from losing weight to regaining some day-to-day mobility or building muscle.rnrn[caption id="attachment_212809" align="alignnone" width="760"]
Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrn[Read More: The Best Full-Body Bodybuilding Workout for Beginner to Advanced Lifters]rnrnRegardless, your best bet as a beginner is to start general, developing several athletic qualities like flexibility and strength, and then get specific later on. As such, this plan is designed to improve multiple dimensions of fitness at once.rn
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Day 2rn
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Day 3rn
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How To Progress Your WorkoutrnHereu2019s the deal: As a beginner, youu2019re going to make progress faster than you might expect (as long as youu2019re putting in real effort). However, that doesnu2019t mean that gains flow freely to ever. As you become more acclimated to the demands of exercise, youu2019ll need to get crafty about your workouts and incrementally increase the difficulty over time. (1)rnrnThis is known as progressive overload, and it needs to be the backbone of your workout plan long-term. Here are three simple ways to progress your workouts, organized by general priority:rn
Add WeightrnThis one applies solely to resistance training, but is the most straightforward method of employing progressive overload. If youu2019re performing an exercise that you can load with additional weight, such as a barbell exercise, you should strive to work with slightly heavier weights over time. rnrn[caption id="attachment_212810" align="alignnone" width="760"]
Credit: Twinsterphoto / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrn[Read More: The 15 Best Shoulder Exercises For Building Muscle]rnrnThis doesnu2019t mean you need to slap on 20 extra pounds every week, but you should aim to make small jumps in resistance over time. rn
Add Sets or RepsrnIf you canu2019t increase the amount of weight youu2019re lifting, your next best option is to beef up the amount of work you perform. That is, your u201ctraining volume.u201d The most practical way to do this is to increase the number of repetitions you perform during a set of a given exercise, or add another set altogether.rn
Reduce Your Rest TimesrnAnother way to amp up the difficulty of your workouts and drive progress is to increase the density of your sessions. Which is to say adjusting the ratio of work to rest you perform. rnrn[Read More: 5 At-Home Workouts for Strength, Muscle Growth, Power, and More]rnrnAlmost all physical activity requires brief rest intervals so you can recover for another bout of effort. Over time and as your fitness improves, you should be able to slowly chip away at these u201cdownu201d periods. Resting for one and a half minutes instead of two minutes shortens your session without removing any of the actual work. rn
Change ExercisesrnGenerally speaking, being a chronic u201cexercise hopperu201d is a bad thing. Adapting to any physical stressor takes time, and if you donu2019t give an exercise in your workout plan a fair shot, you might never find out if itu2019s productive for you.rnrnThat said, some scientific research has demonstrated the power of novelty when it comes to exercise. Put simply, rotating through a series of similar movements that work the same muscles may be more effective at creating progress than sticking with the same exercises for months on end. (2)rnrn[caption id="attachment_212811" align="alignnone" width="760"]
Credit: GaudiLab / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrn[Read More: The Best Online Workout Programs For Coaching, Cardio, Value, And More]rnrnThis doesnu2019t mean that you should change your workout plan on a weekly (or even monthly, necessarily) basis. However, if youu2019re a few months into your current routine and feel like progress is slowing down, it may be time to change up what youu2019re doing. rn
Sets and Reps ExplainedrnAlmost all physical exercise that isnu2019t cardiovascular endurance training is organized by sets and reps. A u201crepu201d is a single repetition of a given exercise; think curling a dumbbell up and lowering it back down again. A u201csetu201d is a cluster of repetitions performed back-to-back with no rest in-between.rnrnThe set-rep notation youu2019ll see most commonly is u201c[sets] x [reps]u201d. For example:rn
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Workout Splits ExplainedrnWorkout splits have nothing to do with ballet, yoga, or gymnastics u2014 unless youu2019re training for flexibility, of course! A u201csplitu201d is a colloquial term for the general organization behind a workout program.rnrnIn real-world terms, splits define the number of days you hit the gym and what you do on those days. For example, a three-day workout split involves exercising thrice per week. People will also commonly design splits around training specific muscle groups (prevalent in bodybuilding) or anatomical functions (think pushing and pulling).rnrn[caption id="attachment_212813" align="alignnone" width="760"]
Credit: koumaru / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrn[Read More: Best Treadmills For Streaming, Folding, Running, And More]rnrnThere are also full-body splits, which entail performing a variety of exercises for your entire body multiple times throughout the week. These principles apply to all forms of physical activity: You can have a workout split that contains cardio, stretching, sport-specific practices, and so on. Splits are simply your schedule. rn
Beginner Workout TipsrnWhen it comes to separating an average workout from an exceptional one, the devilu2019s in the details. Getting yourself into the gym or off the couch is half the battle, though. Once youu2019ve committed to taking the plunge, put these simple tips into practice to enhance your results: rn
Start SlowlyrnThe fastest runners in the world didnu2019t start their training with sprints; they started with jogs. To be successful in any athletic endeavor, especially if youu2019re new to physical activity, youu2019ll need to pace yourself. After all, you have to crawl before you can walk.rnrn[Read More: The 15 Best Home Gym Machines]rnrnIn real-world terms, this looks like selecting very easy weights during your first few sessions. Donu2019t be afraid to take ample rest time between sets, or ask a staff member at the gym to advise you on proper technique rather than trying to wing it on a complicated exercise. rn
Dress Appropriately rnThe saying u201clook good, feel goodu201d absolutely applies to the gym. Not only will appropriate gymwear help wick sweat and cool your body, youu2019re more likely to put in a higher amount of effort during your workouts if youu2019re rocking a killer outfit. rn
Bring Music (Or a Friend)rnAs it turns out, your favorite tunes are good for more than jamming out on the drive to the gym. Thereu2019s some interesting science behind auditory stimulation and exercise performance.rnrn[caption id="attachment_212812" align="alignnone" width="760"]
Credit: Shutter.B / Shutterstock[/caption]rnrn[Read More: The Gymgoeru2019s Guide to Whey Protein]rnrnNamely, some data has shown that listening to music during exercise can improve pain tolerance, increase motivation, and even boost your strength in some cases. (3)(4) A similar idea applies to working out with a partner. Youu2019ll have a reliable and trusted spotter to help you stay safe while you train, and youu2019ll also have someone to trade motivation with on your journey. rn
Don’t Aim for PerfectrnOne of the worst things you can do as a beginner on their fitness journey is to obsess over u201coptimal.u201d In almost all cases, simply making it into the gym at all is a victory, and will get you closer to your goals than not going at all out of fear of not doing things properly.rnrnWhen youu2019re starting out, donu2019t be afraid to head into the gym and do things wrong. You wonu2019t master a new exercise during your first session, and thatu2019s okay. Over time, many slightly-less-than-perfect sessions will get you much further than a few u201cperfectu201d workouts. rn
FAQsrnIf youu2019re still wondering about working out, weu2019ve got you covered. Check out these common questions, answered for your convenience:rnrn[faqs]rn
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Want to get active but not sure how to start? This beginner workout plan will provide you with everything you need to get into the best shape of your life.
