If you’re new to working out, finding a routine you can stick to is a great way to get started. You’ve signed up for the gym and your sneaker game is on point — now it’s time to get to work(out)!
If you’re not sure how to go from workout newbie to fitness pro, you’ve come to the right place. This 1-week workout routine designed by certified personal trainer Daniel Bubnis will help you jump-start your journey to a healthier you.
Tips for getting started
- Know your limits. Be sure to use weights and/or other equipment that you can control. Correct posture and form are also key to help prevent injury.
- Set reasonable fitness goals. Start slow and set realistic milestones for yourself so you don’t end up getting discouraged if you don’t see instant results.
- Be consistent with your workouts. And be patient with yourself. Bubnis suggests thinking of this time as a form of self-care. Research has shown that staying physically active can improve your health, mood, and overall well-being.
To make your transition into #FitFam easier, we’re giving you a 1-week step-by-step workout routine for beginners designed by certified personal trainer Daniel Bubnis.
While Bubnis says it’s ideal to get the one-on-one attention of a personal trainer, in general he recommends that beginners follow “a full-body strength training workout 3 times a week.”
Here are some things to consider before you get started:
- Try doing 1 circuit with 10 repetitions of each exercise.
- Maintain slow, controlled movements.
- Start with light weights and build up slowly over time.
- Rest for up to 90 seconds between exercises as needed.
- If you have any underlying health conditions, make sure to check with your doctor before diving into this new routine.
Day 1: Full-body workout
- Warmup: 5–10 minutes
- Core: Standing march
- Chest: Stability ball dumbbell press
- Back: Seated cable row
- Shoulders: Seated stability ball military press
- Legs: Ball squat
- Triceps: Single-leg triceps pushdown
- Biceps: Single-leg dumbbell curl
- Cooldown: 5–10 minutes
Day 2: Active rest day
Day 3: Full-body workout
- Warmup: 5–10 minutes
- Core: Plank
- Back: Stability ball dumbbell row
- Chest: Push-up on stability ball
- Shoulders: Single-leg dumbbell scaption
- Legs: Walking lunge
- Biceps: Single-leg biceps cable curl
- Triceps: Stability ball triceps extension
- Cooldown: 5–10 minutes
Day 4: Active rest day
Day 5: Full-body workout
- Warmup: 5–10 minutes
- Core: Floor prone cobra
- Legs: Alternating step-up
- Chest: Stability ball dumbbell fly
- Shoulders: Shoulder shrug with dumbbells or resistance bands
- Back: Seated lat pulldown
- Triceps: Standing one-arm cable extension
- Biceps: Seated hammer curl on stability ball
- Cooldown: 5–10 minutes
Day 6: Active rest day
Day 7: Rest day
Here’s your guide to each of the exercises above, including GIFs to follow and modifications to make sure your workout is challenging, not impossible.
Day 1: Full-body workout
Standing march
Targets: Core
How to do it:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight and relaxed by your sides, and knees close together.
- Squeeze abs to lift one knee up, keeping bottom of your foot parallel with the floor.
- Lower your knee back down.
- Repeat on the other side.
Stability ball dumbbell press
Targets: Chest
How to do it:
- Sit on a stability ball.
- Grab your dumbbells.
- Keeping legs shoulder-width apart, roll down until your upper back is resting on the ball.
- Make sure hips are elevated and back is straight.
- Hold the dumbbells close to your chest and push them straight up.
- Bring them down to about 90 degrees.
- Push up again.
Seated cable row with resistance band
Targets: Back
How to do it:
- Sit with feet flat on the floor and spine neutral.
- Wrap a resistance band around a sturdy surface at chest height, holding each end just in front of your knees.
- Pull both sides of the resistance band together into your ribs, with elbows facing down.
- Release back to the starting position.
Seated stability ball military press
Targets: Shoulders
How to do it:
- Sit straight on a stability ball, with feet pointing forward and chest out.
- Hold two dumbbells at shoulder level.
- Push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
Ball squat
Targets: Legs
How to do it:
- Press a stability ball into your back against a wall.
- Keep feet shoulder-width apart, slowly squat while trying to keep the ball stable.
- Push back up to the starting position
Single-leg triceps pushdown
Targets: Triceps
How to do it:
- Use a triceps pushdown machine or resistance bands.
- Stand on one leg with elbows tucked in at your sides.
- Push the cable weight or resistance band down until elbows are fully extended.
- Slowly reverse and return to the starting position.
Single-leg dumbbell curl
Targets: Biceps
How to do it:
- Stand on one leg, holding a dumbbell in each hand and keeping your back straight.
- Start with the dumbbells just below your waist and your elbows facing behind you.
- Curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, then lower them back to the starting position.
- Switch legs at the halfway mark.
Day 2: Active rest day
Active recovery means any moderate-intensity activity that can get your blood flowing. Research has found that it can reduce muscle soreness. So don’t skip it! Opt for a brisk walk (yes, walking counts as exercise!) or a gentle yoga sesh.
Day 3: Full-body workout
Plank
Targets: Core
How to do it:
- Get into push-up position on your hands and toes (lower onto your forearms if necessary).
- Keep your core tight and back straight.
- Hold the position for 15–30 seconds or as long as you can hold proper form.
Stability ball dumbbell row
Targets: Back
How to do it:
- Lie with your stomach against a stability ball.
- Plant your toes into the floor and extend arms in front of you, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Pull the dumbbells straight up to your sides.
- Extend your arms back out.
Push-up on stability ball
Targets: Chest
How to do it:
- Kneel next to a stability ball.
- Slowly roll your shins onto the ball and walk your hands out until you’re in push-up position.
- Keeping elbows close to your torso, lower your shoulders toward the floor.
- Straighten your arms to push back up.
Single-leg dumbbell scaption
Targets: Shoulders
How to do it:
- Stand straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Keeping arms at your sides, lift one foot directly beside your balance leg.
- Raise the dumbbells at a 45-degree angle to your body, keeping arms straight.
- Keep your torso aligned and engage your core.
- Stop when arms reach shoulder height.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
Walking lunge
Targets: Legs
How to do it:
- Take a long step forward with one foot, keeping front heel down.
- Lower your back leg until knee touches the floor.
- Push through your front leg to stand.
- Continue to walk forward, alternating feet.
Single-leg biceps cable curl
Targets: Biceps
How to do it:
- Face a cable weight machine and grab the handles, or wrap a resistance band underneath one foot.
- Lift one foot in front of you, holding it closely beside your balancing leg.
- Flex your arms by bringing hands up to shoulders
- Extend arms back down to return to the starting position.
Stability ball triceps extension
Targets: Triceps
How to do it:
- Lie on a stability ball with your back straight and feet planted firmly into the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Lift the dumbbells above your chest.
- Bend elbows to bring the dumbbells just behind your head.
- Straighten arms to return to the starting position.
Day 4: Active rest day
Stick to lighter activities on this active rest day. Some good examples:
- swimming a few laps
- going for a brisk walk
- biking around town
Day 5: Full-body workout
Floor prone cobra
Targets: Core stabilization / posture
How to do it:
- Lie facedown with arms at your sides and palms outward.
- Lift head and chest by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Return to the starting position.
Alternating step-up
Targets: Legs
How to do it:
- Find a sturdy platform (such as a box, bench, or stairs) at an appropriate height.
- Step up onto the platform and back down, alternating legs, as if you’re marching.
Stability ball dumbbell fly
Targets: Chest
How to do it:
- Sit on a stability ball.
- Roll down until your shoulders are resting on the ball.
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, extend arms straight up.
- Lower the dumbbells to either side, keeping a slight bend in your arms.
- Return to the starting position.
Shoulder shrug with dumbbells or resistance bands
Targets: Shoulders
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell or the end of a resistance band in each hand.
- Keeping shoulder blades together and arms straight, shrug your shoulders up and down.
Seated lat pulldown
Targets: Back
How to do it:
- Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grab the bar with an overhand grip, or wrap a resistance band around a sturdy surface above you.
- Keep arms straight and torso upright.
- Pull the bar or resistance band down to chest level by bending elbows and squeezing shoulder blades down, pausing at the bottom.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
Standing one-arm cable extension
Targets: Triceps
How to do it:
- Stand with one foot in front of the other, wrapping a resistance band around your back foot.
- Hold the resistance band in your hand on the same side as your back foot, with upper arm raised next to your head and forearm bent behind you.
- Isolate your triceps and raise your hand to straighten arm.
- Slowly bring arm down again.
Seated hammer curl on stability ball
Targets: Biceps
How to do it:
- Sit on a stability ball, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Plant feet firmly on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
- Bend elbows and lift the dumbbells up to your chest, keeping wrists facing each other.
- Return to the starting position.
Day 6: Active rest day
For this active rest day, try going for a short walk or hike.
Pro tip: Use a foam roller to ease sore muscles.
Day 7: Rest day
You made it to rest day! Yay! Your muscles need time to recover, so your body deserves a little bit of nada — even if that means chillin’ on the couch all day. No judgment!
Starting to see some results from week 1 and ready to keep the momentum going? Make it a month with these variations!
- Week 2: Ramp up the reps!
- Circuits: 1
- Reps: 12–15 reps of each exercise
- Order of your workouts: Day 2, 3, 1
- Rest: 0–60 seconds after each exercise
- Week 3: Double up!
- Circuits: 2
- Reps: 12–15 reps of each exercise
- Order of your workouts: Day 3, 1, 2
- Rest: 0–40 seconds after each exercise
- Week 4: Switch it up!
- Circuits: Instead of doing circuits, you’ll do a bunch of reps for a certain number of rounds (sets).
- Reps: 10–12 reps of each exercise
- Sets: Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps before moving to the next exercise.
- Order of your workouts: Day 1, 2, 3
- Rest: 0–30 seconds after each exercise
Even a minor injury can kill your #FitLife vibe. Here are some easy ways to stay strong:
- Maintain proper form. Ask a fitness pro for help if you’re not sure how to do a movement. Most gyms have personal trainers on hand.
- Take it easy. Rushing through a routine is a one-way ticket to muscle mayhem. Research suggests slow-motion training can reduce the risk of injury.
- Don’t try to deadlift like a Dothraki on Day 1. This will only lead to pain. (Trust us.) Build up your stamina and strength over time.
- Don’t skimp on your warmups and cooldowns. They’re super important for muscle recovery.
This workout routine for beginners is a great way to build strength and endurance, working toward a healthier you. Just be sure to set realistic goals and stick to the program to see lasting results.
