Best Beginner Exercises to Do During Home Workouts

If you’re new to working out, you may choose to begin by exercising at home. Without the benefit of a personal trainer, you could be a little unsure about how to start. This is common for beginners.

Fortunately, beginning a fitness routine can be easy to start with just a few tips. Read on for the best beginner exercises to do during home workouts. We’ll also briefly discuss what you should do prior to your workout and after you’ve finished.

Before Starting Your Routine

As a beginner, there are a few things you should be aware of before you start your exercise routine. These are easy to follow and will help to ensure and safe and healthy exercise experience.

Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is an important part of any workout, no matter how basic or intense. Not only is drinking water necessary during your workout, it’s also important to make sure that you’re drinking enough water every day.

Does Your Body Have Enough Fuel?

Beginning your workout routine requires calories to burn. Don’t work out if you’re starving or feeling weak. A light snack 30 minutes before working out is a good idea, especially if you’re feeling hungry.

Comfortable Clothes

Wearing something comfortable while exercising benefits you in two ways. First, you’ll be able to move your body into certain positions. Secondly, if you’re wearing clothing that isn’t comfortable, it could cause you to end your workout sooner.

Best Beginner Exercises to Do During Home Workouts

The following are some great exercises to get you started on your fitness journey. We’ll focus on bodyweight routines, as they require nothing but a willingness to improve your body, no special equipment. A good starting point is to do 10 reps for each, followed by a 30-second break, and then do another set of 10. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t make it to 10. Do as many as you can, and with time, you’ll gain the strength and stamina to do more.

Bodyweight March

1. Stand upright with arms at your sides and feet hip-width apart.
2. Raise your right leg until your thigh is parallel with the floor while raising your left arm, keeping it at a 90-degree angle.
3. Replace your arm and leg to the starting position and repeat the movements using your left leg and right arm.
4. Repeat.

When doing the bodyweight march, imagine you are marching but exaggerate the movements. This exercise is a great start to your fitness routine, as it helps warm up the muscles and increase your heart rate.

Chair Squat

1. Stand in front of a chair with legs shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly outward.
2. Extend your arms out in front of you with palms facing each other.
3. Keeping your back straight, bend at the knees until you are almost sitting on the chair.
4. Drive your heels into the floor and stand upright again.
5. Repeat.

Chair squats will target your core and legs. The chair’s function is to help you with judging how low to squat. It’ll also help prevent injury if you lose your balance. With time, as you gain strength and confidence, you can remove the chair.

Bicycle Crunch

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Bend your elbows and put both hands behind your head.
2. Crunch your body and bring your right knee to your left elbow while straightening your right leg.
3. Slightly release the crunch. Now bring your left knee to your right elbow and slightly straighten your left leg.
4. Repeat.

The bicycle crunch targets your core. It can also help tone your belly.

Wall Push-Up

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart approximately arm’s length away from a wall.
2. Slightly lean in and place both palms against the wall. Ensure that your arms are shoulder-width apart.
3. By bending your elbows, start to lean forward, moving your upper body closer to the wall. Your feet should remain flat and on the floor.
4. Pause for a brief moment before pushing your body back to the starting position.
5. Repeat.

Wall push-ups are a good starting point for those who don’t yet have adequate upper body strength for a traditional push-up. This exercise will work your shoulders, chest, and arms.

Kneeling Push-Up

If wall push-ups are too easy, or once you’ve built up more upper-body strength, you can try this variation on the traditional push-up.

1. Assume a plank position, but place your knees on the floor. Your hands should be placed slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Keeping your back straight, slowly lower your upper body to the floor by bending your elbows.
3. Push your body back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat.

Kneeling push-ups will target your shoulders, arms, and chest. Once you’re confident with kneeling push-ups, or if they are too easy, you can do a traditional push-up.

Traditional Push-Up

1. Get facedown on the floor.
2. Position your hands a little wider than your shoulders and straighten your arms.
3. Straighten your legs and brace yourself on your toes.
4. By bending your elbows, lower your chest until it’s almost on the floor.
5. Pause for a brief moment before pushing your arms to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

Stationary Lunge

1. Stand upright and place your right leg in front and your left leg behind you. Split the distance to ensure both legs are about equal distance in front and behind. Your right foot will be flat on the floor and your left foot will be up on your toes.
2. Keep your back straight, bend at the knees, and stop when your leading thigh is parallel to the floor. If you don’t have enough strength to reach that position, dip down as much as you can.
3. Push from your right foot and go back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Switch legs and follow the same movements.

The stationary lunge will work on your hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes.

Triceps Dip

1. Begin by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet in front of you. Place your hands palms-down by your sides with your fingers pointing toward your feet.
2. Pressing through your palms, push your body upwards so your feet are flat on the ground and your hips are now elevated.
3. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your hips to the ground until your bottom taps the floor.
4. Immediately push your body back upward until your arms are straight.
5. Repeat.

Triceps dips will target the backs of your arms and shoulders.

Calf Raises

1. Stand upright with your back straight and your hands on your hips.
2. Push through your toes until you are standing on your tiptoes.
3. Come down with control and immediately push upwards again.
4. Repeat.

Calf raises will target your calf muscles and also increase ankle stability.

The Superman

1. Begin by lying down on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you with palms down.
2. Keeping your head in a neutral position, slowly lift your arms off of the ground approximately 6 inches while also raising your legs the same distance.
3. Hold this position for 3 seconds before slowly returning your arms and legs to the ground.
4. Repeat.

The Superman targets your lower back, glutes, core, and hamstrings. It will also help to promote good posture.

Side-Lying Hip Adduction

1. Begin by lying on your left side with legs straight and on top of each other. You can prop your head up by placing your elbow on the floor and your palm resting on the side of your head.
2. Lift your right leg up as high as you can while keeping it straight.
3. Lower it back down until it rests on your left leg again.
4. Immediately push it back upward.
5. After doing the desired number of repetitions, switch sides and repeat the movements.

Side-lying hip adductions are good for strengthening your hips. A benefit of this exercise is a possible decrease in back pain.

Lateral Lunge

1. Stand upright with feet about shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Using your right foot, take a big step to your side.
3. Bend your right knee, lower your hips, and squat down. You can move your hands in front of you for better balance. Your left leg should remain in a straight position.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat.
5. After you’ve done the desired number of repetitions, follow the same movements using your left side.

Lateral lunges are great for working your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. They can also help to increase stability and promote balance.

Donkey Kicks

1. Begin by getting down on all fours.
2. Pull your right knee in toward your chest and then immediately kick it out behind you, keeping your foot flexed.
3. Bring your knee back down toward the floor without touching it.
4. Once you’ve done the desired number of repetitions, follow the same movements with your left knee.

Donkey kicks target your glutes and your core.

Knee Grab Sit-Up

1. Begin by lying on the ground with your legs outstretched and your arms overhead with your palms up.
2. Engage your core and bend your knees toward your chest while moving your arms forward, wrapping them around your knees.
3. Pause for a moment before returning to the starting position without placing your arms and feet on the ground.

This variation of a standard sit-up is great for working your core and especially your abdominals.

Standing Oblique Crunches

1. With your feet hip-distance apart, place your hands behind your head.
2. Without moving your arms, lift your right knee toward your right elbow, slightly bending to the side.
3. Place your foot back down on the ground and repeat the movement.
4. After you’ve done the desired number of repetitions, repeat the movements using your left knee.

Standing oblique crunches will target your obliques and will also improve your stability and balance.

After Your Workout

After you’ve completed some of these best beginner exercises to do during home workouts, you’re not done quite yet. Stretching is a good way to bring your body back to a resting position, lower your heart rate, and relax your muscles. You’ll want to hold each stretch for about 15 seconds. If you’re unsure of how to stretch properly after a workout, here are a few suggestions.

Inner Thigh Stretch

1. Sit down with the soles of your feet touching. Ensure your back is straight.
2. Hold onto your ankles and gently try to lower your knees closer to the floor.

Standing Biceps Stretch

1. While standing with a straight back, interlace your fingers behind your back close to the base of your spine.
2. Straighten your arms and twist your hands so your palms are facing downward.
3. Slowly lift your arms as high as you can to stretch your arms and shoulders.

Child’s Pose

1. Begin on your hands and knees, and slowly lower your hips until they are resting on your heels.
2. Place your abdomen on your thighs.
3. Slowly walk your hands in front of you and place your forehead on the ground.

Once you’ve stretched and cooled down, you’ll want to refuel. After a strenuous workout, you’ll probably feel hungry. Some good post-workout snacks are shown below.

• Yogurt
• Fruit
• Peanut butter on whole grain bread
• Smoothies
• Nuts and granola

On workout days, you’ll want to have a healthy post-workout meal containing carbohydrates and proteins. These will help give your body the energy to heal and rebuild muscle. Here are a few suggestions.

• Pasta
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Eggs
• Salmon
• Chicken

Skip the Gym and Exercise at Home

Learning the best beginner exercises to do during home workouts means you don’t have to pay for pricey gym memberships. From push-ups to lunges, you won’t have to purchase any special equipment, just use your own body weight to build muscle, gain stamina, and create a healthier you.