When you first begin exercising the most important thing is finding a level of exercise that is safe and comfortable. Many people go from a sedentary lifestyle to an active lifestyle overnight and wonder why in two months they burn out or they suffer an injury. Their body, mind, and lifestyle simply weren’t ready for the commitment. Begin slowly and you will be able build an exercise habit into your life.
This routine is perfect for the person who is doing some cardio, videos, or exercising off and on without consistency. You aren't new to exercising but you aren't super experienced and consistent with your schedule.
Remember, if you are not active or in compromised health you should seek your physician’s approval before starting any exercise routine.
Sample Weekly Routine
Here's a sample weekly schedule you can use as a foundation to getting in shape.
Monday: Full Body Strength (FBS) followed with stretching
Tuesday: Cardio of choice for 30 minutes
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Cardio of choice for 30 minutes
Friday: FBS followed by stretching
Saturday: Cardio of choice for 30 minutes
Sunday: Off
Your cardio is between 65-75% of your Max HR Range and includes activities like walking, cycling, swimming, and elliptical work. I suggest following this program for one month before increasing your time and intensity with weights and/or cardio.
Full Body Strength Training Program for Beginners
This program can be used for the 12 week workshop.
Use enough weight to feel your muscles fatigue, burn, or struggle hard towards the last 2-3 reps of each set.
Follow the routine in the order given and rest 30 seconds between each set. The first four weeks we will work on machines. Your gym should have instructions on proper use. Since all machines are different use those instructions. If you workout from home, do 2x10 of weeks 5-8 exercises.
Weeks 1-4
2x10 Lunge
2x10 Squat
2x10 Machine Chest Press
2x10 Machine Row
2x10 Machine Shoulder Press
2x10Machine Biceps Curl
2x10Machine Triceps Pushdown
Weeks 5-8
3x10 per leg Lunge
3x10 Squat - (you can use DBs or your own body weight for this exercise)
3x10 Bench Press (can be done lying on floor or on a step bench if you don’t have access to a bench)
3x10 Bent Over Row (can be done on a chair or using your leg as a rest)
3x10 OH Shoulder Press
3x10 Biceps Curl
3x10 Triceps Extension (be sure to keep your elbows facing forward to maximize the effort)
Weeks 9-12
3x15 per leg Lunge
3x15 Squat - (you can use DBs or your own body weight for this exercise)
3x15 Bench Press (can be done lying on floor or on a step bench if you don’t have access to a bench)
3x15 Bent Over Row (can be done on a chair or using your leg as a rest)
3x15 OH Shoulder Press
3x15 Biceps Curl
3x15 Triceps Extension (be sure to keep your elbows facing forward to maximize the effort)
This routine can be made into a fat blasting cardio routine by simply adding a 30 seconds jumping jacks or jump rope between all sets. This will keep your heart rate elevated and will wear you out by the end!!! It’s a nice addition to add during the last four weeks to prepare you for intermediate/advanced workout.
Feel free to post questions here and I'll answer for you!
