Ultimate Beginner’s Home Workout Routines for a Lean & Toned Body

You’ve decided it’s time to start a home workout plan to get healthy, lose some fat and tone your muscles. But where do you start?

You decide to check online to find a video with a “CrossFitter” who lifts crazy amounts of weight, looking super strong, that you’re pretty sure those powerlifting moves would break your lower back!

Feeling a little inept, you find a yoga instructor doing inspirational arm balances that make them look strong and elegant and decide to give it a try. After a few short moves, you crash on your head and injure your elbow.   

A bit defeated, you decide to push through to find something that might suit you better. The enviable fitness model does the coolest multi-purpose moves you’ve ever seen, but leaves you confused about what do at the gym, especially when your coordination is slightly lacking in comparison.

Exercise can seem so complicated, right?  The couch just seems much safer and simpler.

Truth be told, most people will likely not have the muscle capacity of the CrossFitter who spends their life training for competition,  the naturally flexibility of most yogis, nor most of the fancy moves shown on Instagram that are close to entirely useless and intended more for likes and views than improving your health. (You can check out my other blog on Personal Trainer vs YouTube Workouts for more on this topic.)

This blog will give you several workouts you can do at home to improve muscle strength and cardiovascular health for a lean, toned, and healthy body. Plus, tips on what equipment to use and how to get started!

Keep Your Home Workout Simple

If you want to start working out it is always best to stick to the tried and true basics. In fact, you don’t even need a gym to get going. You can accomplish a great workout in the comfort of your own home or a nearby park! Which is great news if, like many, you’re intimidated by the gym.

Any beginner can see noticeable changes in your energy, strength, endurance and physique with classic moves that are proven to shape your body in as little as 20-30 minutes a day! The key is consistency.

Below are three home workout routines for beginners to help you burn fat, build muscle, and get fit anywhere. The first two are strength training workouts, while the third is focused on cardio exercises that will burn serious calories without any machines to create a more well-rounded workout routine.

Items You Will Need for a Home Workout

While you can get a great workout with bodyweight exercises, some basic equipment offers far more variety and challenge over time. You’ll also need some of these other essentials:

1. Equipment: 1-2 resistance bands, a jump rope, and a set of dumbbells or something similar (heavy bags of food or water often work well). I would strongly suggest a set of resistance bands with a door anchor (see equipment suggestions at the end of this article). This will allow you to perform some specific exercises much more easily. Otherwise you will need to find a very sturdy pole or place to wrap the band around that cannot fall when you pull on the band. If you prefer, these workouts can also be done in a gym with the same equipment.
2. Water Bottle/Water: Never workout without water! Hydration is key to energy and performance and helps to prevent nausea when you’re just getting started.
3. Log Book/Workout Journal: It is very helpful and motivating to keep a workout log. In it, write down exactly what exercises you did, how many reps, how much weight, and how many rounds. Within a few weeks, you should be able to increase at least one of those areas. Writing it down will help you to keep pushing yourself as well as let you see how much stronger you’re getting!
4. A willing and patient ATTITUDE! Good attitude is everything. Start your program believing you can do this! I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve had who feel miserable their first session or two. But if you push past the initial discomfort and realize that’s normal, you’ll feel better within a few weeks at most. Give your body time to adapt and know that it won’t always feel so hard. Also remember that real change takes time. After your first session you’ll feel accomplished. After your first few workouts, you’ll likely feel more energetic. After a few weeks, you’ll feel stronger, and by 4-6 weeks you should start to notice some difference in how your clothes fit. Just keep approaching it with a can-do, positive attitude. I will pay off if you tell your negative thoughts to go away, and stick with it with a grateful attitude for what your body can do.

How to Structure Your Workouts

There are many ways you can use and perform these home workouts, but the structure below will give you a good starting point. Feel free to add or adapt to your fitness level.

General rules for how to perform each workout:

1. Go through each set of exercises in a circuit,  doing each exercise one after the other with no rest in between.
2. After the circuit is complete, rest for 1 minute. Then repeat 2-3 times, or as many rounds as time allows and you have the energy for.
   • You could also perform these exercises for time. Do each exercise for 30 seconds, then move to the next. On your second and third round, see if you can beat your amount of reps in the allotted 30 seconds.
   • Be sure to use the strictest form possible. Don’t sacrifice quality form for more reps or you could risk injury and lose some of the benefits from the exercise. If you’re not sure about your form, look up some YouTube videos or online magazines for reference, and compare your form in a mirror. If you’re still unsure, contact me for help.

Beginner’s At-Home Workout Example Plan

The following is a suggested guide to help you structure your weeks and implement the workout routines provided below. After week 6, repeat from the beginning, but try to use heavier weights. Additionally, you could follow one strength training plan for an entire month to build a greater foundation of strength before moving onto the next routine.

• Week 1-2:
  • Tues/Thurs/Sat: Strength Workout #1
  • Friday or Sunday: Walk, Swim, Yoga, or other easy activity
• Week 3-4:
  •  Tues/Thurs/Sat: Strength
    Workout #2
  • Friday or Sunday: Walk, Swim, Yoga, or other easy activity
• Week 5-6:
  • Tues/Thurs/Sat: Cardio Workout
  • Friday or Sunday: Walk, Swim, Yoga, or other easy activity

Intermediate Example Workout Plan

• Week 1-2
  • Tues/Sat: Strength Workout #1
  • Wed: Cardio Workout
  • Sunday: Optional Cardio Workout OR swim, elliptical, or walk for 30 minutes
• Week 3-4
  • Tues/Sat: Strength Workout #2
  • Wed: Cardio Workout
  • Sunday: Optional Cardio Workout OR swim, elliptical, or walk for 30 minutes
• Week 5-6
  • Tues: Strength Workout #1
  • Wed/Sat: Cardio Workout
  • Thurs: Strength Workout #2

If the series seems like too much to do for the first time, I would recommend adjusting the workout by picking just one of these workouts and repeat it three times for your first one or two weeks. Once that’s familiar and comfortable and the initial soreness has worn off, then move on to the next workout, and so on. Once all three have become more familiar, you may also choose to rotate between them throughout the week if you prefer more variety.

Weekly Home Workout Routine

Strength-Training Workout #1

1. Push-ups – 10x
2. Resistance Band Back Rows – 15x
3. Single Leg Bridge – 10x each
4. Resistance Band or Dumbbell Squats – 15x
5. Resistance Band Shoulder Press – 15x
6. Reverse Lunge with DB Bicep Curl – 10x each leg

Strength Training Workout #2

1. Dumbbell Chest Press – 15x
2. Resistance Band Tricep push-down – 15x
3. Loop band side steps – 12 each way
4. Kettlebell or DB Sumo Squat – 15 x
5. Bent over DB back row – 15 x
6. Forward lunge with shoulder press – 10 each leg

Cardio Workout

1. Jump Rope (or Jumping
   Jacks) – 30 sec
2. Mountain climbers – 30 sec
3. Skaters – 30 sec
4. High knees – 30 sec
5. Jump squats – 20 sec
6. Butt kickers – 30 sec

Home Workout Equipment List

I recommend ProSource and use their equipment at my gym for clients. These items don’t take up much room and can be stored easily in your home. Use code HOLLY10 for 10% off your purchase.

Tube Resistance Bands Set with Attached Handles – $25.99

Loop Resistance Bands Set – $9.99

Vinyl Coated Cast Iron Kettlebells – $27.99

Neoprene Dumbbells – $35.99

Speed Jump Rope – $7.99

Extra Thick Yoga and Pilates Mat 1/2 inch – $18.99

If you have more space and a bigger budget, you may also want a bench and adjustable weight set to allow you to increase to heavier weights and more exercise options over time.

Tip: Most beginners, depending on your current strength and abilities, will do well starting with 5 – 10 lb dumbbells and a 15 – 20 lb kettlebell.  Using the resistance bands, you can build up to a higher resistance and stronger workouts and the possibilities are endless!

Remember, stick with this, push yourself, and change will come. You can do it!

Try it out and let me know what you think! Was anything too hard? Too easy? What else have you found you can successfully perform for a great home workout? Comment below to let me know!

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