A new challenge for each workout each week keeps things fresh and exciting. There are a number of ways that you may push yourself, but the most important is to do it in a safe and effective manner.
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working out, or how many times you’ve tried new things, everyone has felt like a novice at one point or another. A beginner attitude allows you to return to the beginning of your fitness or health journey as a student of exercise, learning new techniques, honing your form, and challenging the limits.
One of the greatest benefits of adopting a growth mindset is the conviction that one can always strive to improve oneself. How to Develop a Growth Mindset and Pretty Much Conquer Life is an excellent resource for learning more about this subject.)
To see and feel the benefits of all your hard work, this four-week progressive workout program for beginners will help you develop your mental as well as physical strength, stamina, and endurance.
Sweat trainers Kelsey Wells, Britany Williams, and Phyllicia Bonanno collaborated to create this month-long program, which is designed to start from a place that works for all fitness levels and keep progressing week after week based on your progress. This is supported by the science of progressive overload, which states that increasing the difficulty of your workouts (volume, intensity, or resistance) can lead to physiological changes. Your strength and ability will be demonstrated with each new step in this training regimen for beginners.
The mix of strength, stability, cardio, and recuperation workouts will make your body stronger, more flexible, and ready to take on any challenge life throws at you. (It is true.) Read: How Working Out Makes You More Resistant to Stress) It’s also possible to keep your exercises interesting and challenging by incorporating a variety of training methods. By mixing up your workouts, you can reduce your risk of injury and stagnation in your fitness.
If at the end of the month you find yourself addicted to the energy of your teachers, you can obtain more from them and the many other experienced trainers through the Sweat app. The first three months are on us! Use this link to join up for Shape’s newsletter and get your first three months free*!
I’m ready to get started! To make it easier to find, bookmark this page or save it to your phone’s home screen. Also, make sure you have all the essential equipment, and most importantly, have a blast.
Week 1
During the first week of your exercise plan for beginners, you establish the foundation for the remainder of the month’s activities. In this way, you’ll have a varied week of exercises, with time for active recovery and full rest (yes, there is a difference!).
HIIT workouts from Itsines and Wells will get you started, followed by a lower-body-focused regimen. Once you’ve completed days one and two, Bonanno will help you relax your muscles by guiding you through some stretching exercises. Afterward, you may do a cardio day of your choosing and then follow up with Williams’ core and booty-focused barre session. During the weekend, Bonanno has assigned you a yoga strength training regimen that will put your mental and physical fortitude to the ultimate test. A relaxation day is finally in order to bring the week to an end.
Get the Week 1 schedule below, then scroll down to discover how the Sweat trainers aim to keep you on your toes (and your muscles guessing) during Weeks 2, 3, and 4.
MONDAY: Kelsey Wells’ Back and Shoulder Workout
Get your upper-body strength workout early in the week. Using only a resistance band, you can complete the 20-minute workout in no time flat.
TODAY: Kayla Itsines’ HIIT Cardio for the Entire Body
For today’s exercise, we’ve got the queen of HIIT on the case! You’ll enjoy the simplicity of this sweating workout, which includes four rounds of nine exercises.
WEDNESDAY: Phyllicia Bonanno’s Active Recovery
Stretch your muscles out while still being active with this recovery routine’s selection of feel-good stretches. The next day, you’ll need to be in peak condition for your next workout.
Afternoon class with Britany Williams: Core and glute Barre Workout
Beginner barre workouts are a great way to challenge your physical and mental stamina. These workouts will leave you with charred buttocks and a swollen belly.
30 minutes of brisk aerobic activity on Friday
There is no one else to blame for today’s aerobic workout. Maintain a heart rate higher than 120 beats per minute (bpm) for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. When you’ve finished your workout, you want to feel energized, not worn out.
ON SATURDAY, Phyllicia Bonanno will lead a yoga strength training session
Incorporate this beginner-friendly workout into your daily regimen to improve your balance and concentration. In this flow, beginners and experienced yogis alike will find both tranquility and power.
ST. SUNDAY: A Day to Unwind
Relax on the final day of the week. Make the most of today’s opportunity to re-energize your body and mind with an important component of your weekly fitness schedule.
Week 2
With a solid understanding of your training routine and some familiarity with the exercises, now it’s time to ramp things up a notch! After completing Week 1, you’ll continue with the same workouts in Week 2, but this time, you’ll add a progression to each session — either shorter rest or more reps — to make sure you’re progressing each week.
Learn how to increase the intensity of your exercises in Week 2 below.
Monday afternoon: Strength training for the back and shoulders
Adding 3 to 4 repetitions of each exercise in the activation and superset is a good progression.
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio — Level 2 — Whole-Body
Progression: Drop the rest time in half, from 60 to 30 seconds, between each round.
Wednesday: Recovery Workout with an Active Pace
Continually do the same active recovery and stretching program.
Thursday: Core and glute Barre Workout – Level 2
Progression: Drop the rest time in half, from 60 to 30 seconds, between each round.
Friday: Exercise 30 minutes at a moderate intensity
It’s still up to you! In this beginner’s exercise plan, you’ll do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio every Friday. The following aerobic routines are a good place to start:
Attempt These Cardio Workouts at the Gym Sick of Your Regular Routine
With this cardio workout, you’ll get your heart pumping without hurting your joints.
Home Cardio Workout That Doesn’t Include Running
Saturday: Strength Training Workout — Level 2 in Yoga
In order to go through the poses of yoga, take two deep breaths in and one slow breath out.
Sunday is a day to relax and recharge
Week 3
Fingers crossed that you’ve reached the halfway point of your month-long progressive training schedule and that you’re starting to feel unstoppable! As you go through Week 3, remember that you are not replacing the progressions from Week 2; rather, you are adding to them. Week 2’s goal to take less downtime between sets and Week 3’s challenge to increase the number of reps you perform will both be met. Why? Because your body and mind are developing at this point and you’re more competent than you think, it’s important to take advantage of that. Let’s toast to future success and expansion!
Find out how to take your exercises to the next level in Week 3 by reading on.
Monday: Training for the Back and Shoulders — Level 3
Increase the length of each time-based repetition in the circuit by 15 seconds for each subsequent round.
Tuesday: Level 3 HIIT Cardio for the Entire Body.
Increase the length of each time-based repetition by 15 seconds for progression.
Wednesday: Recovery Workout with an Active Pace
Continually do the same active recovery and stretching program.
Workout of the Day: Level 3 Core and Glutes Barre
Increase the length of each time-based repetition by 15 seconds for progression.
Friday: Exercise 30 minutes at a moderate intensity
Do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, any type of which will suffice. New cardio equipment can be exciting to try:
- Getting the Most Out of Your Cardio Workout on a Rowing Machine
- Beginner Elliptical Workouts Improve Cardio Endurance.
- Here Are 5 Unbelievable Stair-Climber Workout Methods
Saturday: Level 3 Yoga Strength Training Workout
Please increase the repetitions in this flow from 2 to 3 (where applicable).
Sunday is a day to relax and recharge.
Week 4
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the last week of your progressive training regimen. Make use of this window of opportunity to push yourself to your physical and mental limits with every workout. In Week 4, you’ll build on the success you made in weeks two and three while also pushing yourself even harder.
You’ll be put to the test physically and mentally, and when you succeed, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve gone and eager to push yourself even further. You’re addicted to the feel-good endorphins and the sense of satisfaction you get from completing a task. You nailed it, man!
Below, you’ll find instructions on how to step up your routines in Week 4.
Mondays: Back and Shoulder Strength Training—Level 4
Increasing the number of rounds in the superset and circuit from 3 to 4.
Tuesday: Level 4 of HIIT cardio for the whole body
Progression: From rounds 4 to 5, increase the total number of rounds.
Wednesday: Recovery Workout with an Active Pace
Continually do the same active recovery and stretching program.
Thursday: Barre Workout — Level 4 Core and Glutes
Three more rounds are needed to complete a progression.
Friday: Exercise 30 minutes at a moderate intensity
Spend 30 minutes moving at a moderate pace on your preferred cardio equipment or using your favorite cardio training technique. Finish your week with a cardio exercise you know and trust, but is still a good challenge.
Running: Interval Training Workouts That Will Make You Even Faster
Cycling: Jumping Rope: A 30-Minute Stationary Bike Workout You Can Do at Home Beginner Jump Rope Workout: Get Your Whole Body Burning!
Saturday: a level four yoga strength training workout
The next step is to repeat the full yoga flow two more times.