People ask me if I could suggest some easy exercises for beginners.
In response, I say Hey! You know I got this blog full of great workout routines for beginners looking to start with physical fitness.
They tell me they like those routines but they need some stuff for real beginners, literally just getting started. For example, just getting off the couch started.
OK. So I see where you’re coming from and let me say… I hear ya!
If anybody knows what it’s like to be just getting off the couch and starting to exercise for the first time, or…
…getting back to exercising after being away from it for a long time it’s me.
When I decided to start getting back in shape, I had a big belly with little to no energy at all.
Consequently, this resulted in a huge damper on my motivation and caused me to turn away from exercising like the plague.
Fortunately, I decided to give fitness a shot and say no to my growing belly and potato chip binge sessions. (They taste so good but so bad at the same time. How is that possible!)
But here’s the great news!
There are so many easy exercises for beginners that you don’t have to feel sluggish and out of shape anymore…
Because you can start feeling better and getting fit right now.
And… it doesn’t take much to start getting healthy and toning up your body.
The real secret is you can completely change the direction your health is going by getting off your butt and moving for a few minutes a day.
So, if you’re ready to start getting in shape and feeling waaaaay better than you do right now… LET’S GET STARTED!
When it comes to easy exercises for beginners, the first thing I always recommend is the most obvious…
Get up and start walking.
Related Article: Tips For Beginners To Build Cardio Fitness
There are tons of benefits to walking. It improves your mood, gets your cardio going, boosts mental functioning, the list goes on and on.
The best thing about walking is that it’s an exercise and a warm up all in one perfect package.
So if you’re really just getting started and feel like you’re completely out of shape and it’s difficult for you to catch your breath after going for a short walk, this should be number one on your list of easy exercises for beginners.
Try timing yourself for starters. Take a walk for just 5 minutes and see how it feels.
If you’re exhausted, out of breath and maybe a little achy all over, congratulations… you’re on your way to better health and the beginning of a new fitness regimen!
You will discover walking is great exercise and it gets you loose and warmed up for other exercises as well.
Going for a walk outside is even better if you can do it. That fresh air is great for you! Check out The Benefits of Walking for an even more detailed description of what walking does for you.
You can walk outside or inside, whichever you prefer. You can even walk in place if you don’t have that much space available.
Make sure you’re pumping your arms and every once and a while get your knees up a little higher so that your thigh gets parallel with the ground.
And try and maintain a steady pace.
You’re not sightseeing. You’re getting healthy.
The trick is to get moving and stay consistent. Start with a 5 minute walk and then eventually build up to 10 minutes. You should always be challenging yourself to do a little more. Not tons, just a little.
You’ll find the more you do it, the easier it gets. It gets easier because you’re getting into shape. Way to go!
So, if you’re all wiped out congratulate yourself on a job well done. You’re on your way. You can do another 5 minutes at another point in the day if you’re up for it or go again tomorrow.
But if the walk got your blood pumping, your heart rate up and your body is feeling warm and energized, then you’re ready for one of the next easy exercises for beginners.
Let’s try strengthening and toning your upper body!
For lack of better words, let’s call this next exercise…
Wall Push Ups
No it’s not dangerous. You’re not going to be moving walls or damaging your home in any way.
Find yourself a wall somewhere. I can wait.
Found a good one? Excellent.
Now stand facing the wall so that you can place your hands flat against it and have your arms fully extended in front of you.
Without taking your palms off the wall, take about half a step backwards.
Your arms should still be outstretched, hands flat against the wall. You should be leaning a little forward with your head just in front of your toes.
Now, from that position, bend your arms allowing your body to slowly come towards the wall. Try and keep your elbows close to your sides, about a 45 degree angle outwards.
As your head gets close to the wall and before it touches, push back up into the starting position, engaging your stomach muscles as you push up.
Also, stay aware of your breathing! As your body comes down towards the wall you want to breathe in. As you push up off the wall, breathe out.
That’s what you want to do with every exercise that goes in repetitions. Breathe in as you’re setting up for the movement, and breathe out as you exert force.
I always used to hold my breath when I was first starting out. Consequently, it was way harder and your head feels like it’s going to explode. Trust me, you don’t want to do that!
Related Article: A Powerful Upper Body Workout For Beginners
Here’s a great demo of how to do wall push ups by Brian Syuki over at Focus Fitness.
Great demo with some great variation suggestions.
I wouldn’t try the bouncing off the wall variations just yet, save those for when you’ve built up some upper body strength. But once you do, go for it!
You just completed your first wall push up. Way to go!
Now try doing about 5 to 10 repetitions. Don’t do them quickly. Try to do them steady and gradually. Come close to the wall without touching it and press up to a full extension.
The gradual motion of the exercise is the kind of technique that will help you build upper body strength and eventually great muscle tone.
This is one of my favorite easy exercises for beginners because it is your gateway towards eventually doing a full push up.
Once this exercise becomes way too easy for you, check out this amazing article on variations of the full push up because you’re going to want to add it to your workout. (Not to mention the other good stuff in there.)
Now if you’re all pooped out from the walk and the wall push ups, don’t you worry. For your first workout, you’ve done great. You might want to grab a cool glass of water and call it a day.
However, if you’re still feeling good and want to try one more, I got a great one for you!
Once you get your workout routine rolling, you’ll always be doing a variation of this one.
May I introduce…
The Chair Squat (One of the great grand-daddies of easy exercises for beginners)
So find yourself a good solid chair. Preferably one with a firm, flat seat.
You don’t want a seat that’s too cushy. No point in struggling to climb out of it.
Think of it this way. You’re firming up your “seat” with this exercise, therefore you will require the right equipment.
The set-up for this one is pretty easy. Stand in front of the chair as if you’re preparing to sit down in it.
Now as you sit down remember to breathe in, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
Sit down on the chair but don’t fully come to rest on it. Instead, once your butt touches the chair, start standing back up again.
And remember, as you stand up breathe out.
Just like when you were doing the wall push ups, keep the movement gradual and steady. Don’t rush. Even though you’re doing easy exercises for beginners, you want to do them right.
As you stand up, keep your stomach muscles and your glutes (that’s your butt) tight.
You just completed your first chair squat. Nicely done!
Here is a really good demo of the chair squat from XFit Daily. Have a look.
Great demo! Really good for checking your form.
As your legs and glutes get stronger, this move will get you closer towards the full squat.
Related Article: How To Build A Powerful Lower Body In Minutes For Beginners
Try and do 5-10 repetitions. Keep in mind, you want to maintain good technique.
Just like that, you’ve completed three easy exercises for beginners.
If you still have the energy, give yourself a round of applause!
Let’s take a look at what those exercises look like all together:
- Walking – 5 minutes
- Wall Push Ups – 5 to 10 Repetitions
- Chair Squats – 5 to 10 Repetions
That looks a lot like a full beginner workout to me. If you still have some gas in the tank, try doing another set of each exercise.
There you have it. Just a few easy exercises for beginners, thrown together to make a great introductory workout that you can do anywhere.
Stay tuned. I’ll be putting together some more easy to follow introductory exercises special for the brand new beginners to working out and those getting back to exercising after a long time away.
Stay healthy!
