Are you looking for a beginner strength workout?
Note: Please check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Maybe you’re new to weight lifting and aren’t sure where to start?
First, I’d actually suggest you check out this hypertrophy weight lifting workout.
Now, hypertrophy, in terms of weight lifting, means building muscles in the body.
This is the most basic workout you’ll see.
Or maybe you’d actually be more interested in an endurance-type workout?
But today we’ll be talking about lifting heavy but less, especially in comparison to the other two workouts mentioned above.
So this is a strength workout.
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Strength Workout
Strength- The Basics
- 3-4 sets
- 2-5 reps
- 2-5 minutes rest
The idea is that you will lift a weight that by the end of your 3rd or 4th set of doing 2-5 reps each you will be tired.
Not so tired that you can’t walk, sit or raise your hands but that if you had to do two to five more you’d really be struggling.
Remember, you want to keep good form.
The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself.
The Equipment
The first time you do these you’ll have to experiment with what weights will work for you the best.
If you’ve already done the Hypertrophy or Endurance Workout then you’ll have a better idea of where to start.
You’ll want to increase your weights quite a bit because remember, you only need to do 2 to 5 reps.
I personally have a set of adjustable dumbells that go from 2.5 lbs to 12.5 lbs and a set of resistance bands that can go up to 205 lbs and a set of fabric exercise bands.
Between the three of these, I’ve been able to increase my weight steadily for the last year without any problems.
This is important to help build that muscle.
Do you need all three?
No, but I will definitely say that the dumbells and the resistance bands make it so much easier to have a wide variety of exercises.
If you’re only able to invest in one I’d do the resistance bands.
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The Exercises
This is a 3-day full-body strength workout.
See below for more descriptions of each exercise.
Now, since these exercises are done only 2-5 times each, rather than 8-12 times or even the 15-20 times each, you’ll notice that there is less to no modification.
For example, all the push-ups are done in full plank, rather than on my knees or in a tabletop position, like in the other workouts.
You’ll notice, that most, if not all of the exercises are compound moves that include moving multiple muscle groups rather than just one.
For example: when you do squats, not only are you moving your hips but you’re also moving your knees.
Day 1
- Sumo squat
- Seated leg curl
- Regular push up
- Upright row
- Lat pull down with bar
Day 2
- Sumo squat with bar
- Sumo deadlift
- Military Pushup
- Seated shoulder press
- Seated row
Day 3
- Sumo squat 1 heel raised
- Wide seated leg curl
- Wide pushup
- Upright row in hammer
- Standing row
Squats
- keep your knees over your feet
- flat back
- chest up (don’t bend over)
- try to sit as far back as possible
- day 1: feet wide, weights up at shoulders; 2: feet wide, weights on a bar or weights in hammer position at shoulders; 3: feet wide, rotate between raising your left and right heel, weights at shoulders.
Side note: there are days that I will modify these and do them laying on my back. Listen to your body. If you hurt your back it’s not helping anything!
Leg Curl
- day 1: using a chair and resistance bands; face the chair away from where the bands are anchored; sit and attach the bands to your ankles with your feet resting on the floor; raise your feet from the floor until your legs are straight then lower; 2: see deadlift suggestions below; 3: same as day 1 except that you will do you best to keep your legs at least shoulder-width or wider apart.
Push Ups
As I mentioned, because of the lower repetitions, I do these as full out as possible.
- Keep back in a neutral position.
- day 1: regular push-ups, hands a little wider than shoulder-width; 2: start in a regular push-up then move hands closer together so they are directly below your shoulders, as you lower yourself keep your elbows at your sides rather than letting me wing out; 3: hands should be placed a little farther out than shoulder-width.
Shoulders/Rows
Day 1 and 3 you will be standing with a resistance band under one foot.
- day 1: start with weights in front of you then raise weights up to your chest/shoulders then lower; day 2: if you are using resistance bands I would suggest sitting down with the band placed under your seat/otherwise you can sit or stand; start with your arms in a goalpost position (out to the side, arms bent at a 90-degree angle straight up, then push up into a should press; day 3: see day 1 but when you raise the weights bend them inward so they will be parallel to each other at the chest/shoulders rather than in a line.
Back
Day 1: Lateral Pull Down
You’ll need either resistance bands or something like a Total Gym/Tonal/etc.
- Stand or sit so you can be directly under the weights.
- Pull down with hands facing away from you, about shoulder-width apart.
Day 2: Seated Row
- Sit facing your anchored resistance bands.
- Legs straight out in front of you.
- Hold the bands so they are taut while you’re sitting up straight.
- Pull bands back toward your torso while keeping your torso straight.
Day 3: Standing Row
Similar as above but standing.
Chest/Back/Shoulders
- Deadlift
I use my resistance bands so I have to be creative to really get the right exercise.
I use a very sturdy chair that has dowels around the bottom to hold the bands farther away from me, then I stand on the seat.
- See squats above
And there you have it!
A great three-day full-body weight lifting workout.
