So you’ve decided this is the year you are going to workout! Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step to improving your health.

Getting in shape is not about lifting the heaviest weight or running the farthest.  It’s not the same for everyone and we all start at different levels.  The important thing is finding something you can be consistent with.  It should be something you enjoy doing but not overly challenging that you throw in the towel forever.  Working out doesn’t even mean you have to go to the gym.  A home workout can be just as effective, especially if you are a beginner.

One mistake I see people do when the start an exercise routine is  to workout so hard that they get so sore and can’t move for a week.  After that, they don’t want to do it again because of how awful they felt. If you are new to working out, start slow. Begin with low intensity, and low volume. As your body adapts, you can bump it up.

My mom asked me to write out a workout for the morning that she could do for about 15-20 minutes before work.  She’s fairly  new to lifting weights and wants to be more consistent about working out.  I created this 4 week plan for the ultimate beginner to start working out in the comfort of your own home.    So now that you know what to do, it’s time to go do it!

Required Equipment:

• Light dumbbells
• Stair or step
• Sturdy chair or bench

Week 1-2: Go through each days circuit for 1 round

Week 3-4: REPEAT CIRCUIT 1 MORE TIME for a total of 2 rounds

Monday- Arms

1. Bicep Curls– 12 reps
2. Bent Over Tricep Kickback– 12 reps each side
3. Alternating Hammer Curls– 12 each side
4. Jumping Jacks– 30 seconds
5. Tricep Dips (off chair or step)- 12 reps
6. Alternating Curl to Overhead Press– 12 each side
7. Reverse Curls– 12 rep

Tuesday- Back/ Abs

1. Upright Rows– 12 reps
2. Plank– 30 seconds
3. Bent Over Reverse Flys– 12 reps
4. Plank Jacks– 20
5. Crunches– 20 reps
6. Supermans – 12 reps
7. Cross Crunch– 12 each side

Wednesday- Legs/ Butt

1. Body Weight Squats– 12 reps
2. Standing Calf Raises (on a step or stair)- 15 reps
3. Dumbbell Step Up (on stair or box)- 15 each side
4. Jog in Place – 30 seconds
5. Bridge Hip Lifts– 15 reps
6. Wall Sit– Hold for 30 seconds
7. Good Mornings– 15 reps

Thursday- Chest

1. Dumbbell Bench Press (can do on floor instead of a bench)- 12 reps
2. Dumbbell Bridge Flys– 12 reps
3. Pushups– 12 reps (modify to knees if needed)
4. Mountain Climbers– 30 Seconds
5. Bench Pushups (or use a stair or sturdy chair)- 15 reps

Friday- Shoulders

1. Lateral Raises– 12 reps
2. Seated Shoulder Press– 12 reps
3. Alternating Front Raises– 12 Reps
4. Jumping Jacks– 30 Seconds
5. Arm Circles– 25 forward, 25 backward
6. Rear Dumbbell Row– 12 reps
7. Elbows to Hands Plank (modify to knees if needed)- 12 reps

Once you start consistently, I bet you’ll be surprised on how quickly you can do certain exercises that you couldn’t do before.  You may not see drastic changes but I can guarantee you’ll feel better about yourself!

Here are a couple of my favorite items for a home workout:

Have fun and let me know if you have any comments or feedback in the space below.

 

 

 

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